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Title: Molecular Characterization of Tea Catechin Treated Human Prostate Cancer Cell Lines.
Creator: Suh, Yewseok, Sang, Qing-Xiang Amy, III, Thomas C.S. Keller, Schlenoff, Joseph B., Li, Hong, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer diagnosed among men in the United States. The major green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) has been shown to exert remarkable preventive effects against various types of cancer including prostate cancer. Recent human clinical study proved that EGCG can prevent progression of high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) to prostate cancer. Cellular studies show that EGCG exhibits antiproliferative and apoptotic effects in...
Show moreProstate cancer is the most prevalent cancer diagnosed among men in the United States. The major green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG) has been shown to exert remarkable preventive effects against various types of cancer including prostate cancer. Recent human clinical study proved that EGCG can prevent progression of high grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) to prostate cancer. Cellular studies show that EGCG exhibits antiproliferative and apoptotic effects in androgen-responsive LNCaP and androgen-unresponsive DU145, PC3 prostate cancer cell lines. Previously, we have established a new type of prostate cancer line, androgen repressed carcinoma of prostate (ARCaP). ARCaP cells are highly invasive and metastatic and this cell line showed unique response to androgen since the hormone repressed the proliferation. In this study, we show that androgen-repressed ARCaP prostate cancer cell line, which represents more advanced and aggressive type of prostate cancer, is resistant to EGCG treatment. In Western blot analyses, EGCG treated ARCaP cell line showed increase in phosphorylation of NF-κB and decrease in activation of p38 MAPK and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. The levels of p21/CIP1/WAF1, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 2, 4, 6, activated forms of Akt and c-Jun NH2-terminal protein kinase (JNK) remain unchanged in EGCG treated ARCaP cells whereas decrease in active Akt, active JNK, and CDKs 2, 4, 6, and increased level of p21/CIP1/WAF1 were observed in LNCaP cells upon EGCG treatment. Moreover, EGCG treatment confers stronger adherence to types I, II, IV collagen extracellular matrix proteins on ARCaP cells. On the contrary, LNCaP cells lost the adhesion significantly to all extracellular matrix proteins tested, including collagens, fibronectin, laminin, vitronectin, and tenascin. Most importantly, ARCaP cells formed more colonies on soft agar in our anchorage-independent assay when treated with EGCG whereas the colony forming ability of LNCaP cells was totally abolished under the same condition. This study suggests that the use of tea catechin EGCG as anticancer agent may not be effective for treating patients with androgen repressed subtype of prostate cancer. This is the first study of apoptosis in ARCaP cell line. The GeneChip microarray analysis revealed several genes that were differentially expressed when treated with EGCG. Among those, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) 1 and 3 were significantly up regulated in LNCaP cells upon EGCG treatment. Both RNA transcription and protein secretion/activation of these MMPs were observed by GeneChip assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which can detect proMMP1 and total MMP3 in cell culture media. This feature is very unique in that (1) the MMPs are generally known to be involved in tumor invasion and metastasis not the cell death, and (2) the other EGCG sensitive prostate cancer cell lines, DU145 and PC3, did not display such characteristics. EGCG did not affect the expression of these MMPs in ARCaP cells also. Using GeneChip analysis, we found several genes whose expressions were oppositely regulated in LNCaP and ARCaP cells upon EGCG treatment. These include early growth response -1 (EGR1), growth arrest and DNA damage inducible gene 45 (GADD45). The expression level of EGR1 and GADD45 were decreased in ARCaP cells but the level was increased in LNCaP cells after EGCG treatment. These results suggest that the proapoptotic EGR1 and GADD45 may play a role in EGCG induced apoptosis in LNCaP cells and thus may explain, at least in part, the resistance of ARCaP cells against such apoptotic stimuli. The role of these proteins in EGCG induced apoptosis is not known. The decreased level of topoisomerase II in EGCG treated LNCaP cells is also exciting. Topoisomerases are necessary in DNA replication and thus for survival of the organism. Since only LNCaP cells, but not ARCaP cells, displayed reduced expression of topoisomerase II during EGCG induced apoptosis and since ARCaP cells underwent apoptosis when treated with topoisomerase inhibitor etoposide, the function of this enzyme might be involved in life or death decision of ARCaP and LNCaP cells. Elucidating the molecular effects of these proteins and the mechanisms of how these proteins function in ARCaP and LNCaP cell lines would help understanding the prostate cancer and may help with future design of cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0402
Format: Thesis

Title: Attributions for Team Member Change and the Resulting Flux on Team Coordination Processes and Effectiveness.
Creator: Summers, James K., Ferris, Gerald R., Humphrey, Stephen E., Brady, Michael, Martinko, Mark J., Iddekinge, Chad Van, Holcomb, Timothy, Department of Marketing, Florida State...
Show moreSummers, James K., Ferris, Gerald R., Humphrey, Stephen E., Brady, Michael, Martinko, Mark J., Iddekinge, Chad Van, Holcomb, Timothy, Department of Marketing, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: This dissertation hypothesizes the effects of membership change within teams on team coordination and effectiveness. When member change occurs, teams are likely to make attributions relating to how unexpected is the member change, based on the predictability and controllability of that change. The impact of the change (i.e., based on the unexpected nature of that change) on team coordination can be described in terms of flux (i.e., the amount of disruption caused by member change in...
Show moreThis dissertation hypothesizes the effects of membership change within teams on team coordination and effectiveness. When member change occurs, teams are likely to make attributions relating to how unexpected is the member change, based on the predictability and controllability of that change. The impact of the change (i.e., based on the unexpected nature of that change) on team coordination can be described in terms of flux (i.e., the amount of disruption caused by member change in coordination), and thus, team effectiveness. The membership change and flux-in-coordination relationship is then moderated by the importance of the member leaving the team, referred to as role criticality. The contributions and limitations of these results are discussed, as are directions for future research and practical implications.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0404
Format: Thesis

Title: Modeling Streamflow Using Gauge-Only versus Multi-Sensor Rainfall.
Creator: Sullivan, John Lawrence, Fuelberg, Henry E., Ruscher, Paul H., Liu, Guosheng, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study evaluates the impacts of two types of rainfall input on simulated streamflow using a specialized, fully-distributed hydrologic model—the Watershed Assessment Model (WAM). We compare gauge-only Thiessen polygon input data with the gridded 4 × 4 km Florida State University (FSU) version of the National Weather Service (NWS) Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE) scheme. Streamflow results are compared to observed amounts over a six year period (2000-2005) at two U.S. Geological...
Show moreThis study evaluates the impacts of two types of rainfall input on simulated streamflow using a specialized, fully-distributed hydrologic model—the Watershed Assessment Model (WAM). We compare gauge-only Thiessen polygon input data with the gridded 4 × 4 km Florida State University (FSU) version of the National Weather Service (NWS) Multi-sensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE) scheme. Streamflow results are compared to observed amounts over a six year period (2000-2005) at two U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauge sites in the greater Florida Suwannee River basin. One catchment has an area of 1505 km2, while the smaller catchment is 500 km2. Previous comparisons have been made between the two different precipitation data types using mean areal precipitation calculations over several Florida basins. This study of streamflow expands on those findings. Results show significant differences in simulated streamflow when the higher-resolution FSU MPE rainfall data are input to WAM. However, the FSU MPE dataset does not always provide better results with this model configuration. The improvements in WAM simulated streamflow depend on a combination of factors, including the desired type of comparison with observed amounts (volume or correlation), rainfall pattern characteristics, and individual event scenarios. The accumulations of FSU MPE WAM streamflow generally are found to be more accurate than those from Thiessen polygons. During drought periods, MPE-derived streamflow provided more accurate accumulations, but coefficients of determination were not always improved. During years with more average rainfall events, FSU MPE produced greater underestimates of accumulation amounts, and thus a better approximation by the Thiessen polygon input. Seasonal results emphasized the weaknesses of each data source. Rain gauges usually are not able to capture the small scale spatial variability of summer rainfall events. And, radar-derived precipitation generally is underestimated during relatively low top stratiform winter events. When simulating streamflow with a hydrologic model using rain gauge input, it is apparent that gauge locations are very important. Generally speaking, increasing the spatial density of gauges will produce a better representation of rainfall. Our small basin was found to be prone to significant underestimates of accumulations and lower coefficients of determination regardless of the rainfall input. However, statistical differences between our larger and smaller basins are not as dramatic with the FSU MPE data. Current results are based on the WAM model as configured for this study. Results from other models and/or other configurations may be different. Although there appear to be errors in both WAM's ability to utilize the rainfall data properly and in the rainfall data measurements themselves, the results highlight areas where both can be improved.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0403
Format: Thesis

Title: Humandolphin Encounter Spaces: A Qualitative Investigation of the Geographies and Ethics of Swim-with-the-Dolphins Programs.
Creator: Stewart, Kristin L., Stallins, J. Anthony, Opel, Andrew, Kodras, Janet E., Warf, Barney, Department of Geography, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Throughout history and all over the world, dolphins have been welcomed across the human-animal boundary as an ethical subject fit for human companionship. The dolphin's charismatic status has led to a burgeoning swim-with-dolphins industry that offers eager customers opportunities for close, in-water interactions with dolphins. With qualitative methods, I investigate human-dolphin encounter geographies in the marketplace today. Contributing to a growing animal geographies literature, three...
Show moreThroughout history and all over the world, dolphins have been welcomed across the human-animal boundary as an ethical subject fit for human companionship. The dolphin's charismatic status has led to a burgeoning swim-with-dolphins industry that offers eager customers opportunities for close, in-water interactions with dolphins. With qualitative methods, I investigate human-dolphin encounter geographies in the marketplace today. Contributing to a growing animal geographies literature, three case studies in Florida and the Bahamas inform a situated understanding of particular animal encounter spaces. Through the use of narrative, I suggest that as encounter spaces change, so do the views and experiences associated with human-dolphin interactions, as well as the essential nature of what it means to be dolphin. Encouraging further dialogue about how we ought to interact with dolphins, I evaluate various encounter contexts, consider policy alternatives, and propose a practical ethic for human-dolphin encounters in a decidedly normative effort to advance the well-being of dolphins, humans and the spaces we share.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0389
Format: Thesis

Title: Constructing Masculine and Athletic Identities: The Case of College Football Players.
Creator: Stewart, Michael C., Martin, Patricia Y., Mondello, Michael, Schrock, Douglas, Quadagno, Jill, Department of Sociology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Based on 17 interviews with college football players, this dissertation examines the construction of athletic and masculine identities among a group of young men who play "big-time" college football at a Division I-FBS university in the Southeastern U.S. College football is one of the most popular sports in the U. S. in part because it embodies the cultural ideals of strength, competition, aggression, physical contact, and "winning" that are highly admired in U. S. society in men and boys....
Show moreBased on 17 interviews with college football players, this dissertation examines the construction of athletic and masculine identities among a group of young men who play "big-time" college football at a Division I-FBS university in the Southeastern U.S. College football is one of the most popular sports in the U. S. in part because it embodies the cultural ideals of strength, competition, aggression, physical contact, and "winning" that are highly admired in U. S. society in men and boys. College football athletes serve as useful informants about how their experiences in and in relation to football affect their efforts to create an identity as an athletic man. My analysis shows how college football players' talk and accounts serve to self-identify themselves as "self-made" men. That is, they are responsible, have agency and achieve goals, face challenges and take risks, and provide for others. My informants also self-identify as men by saying they are opposite of that which our culture characterizes as feminine and homosexual. Playing college football helps young men identify as a particular kind of athletic man. The athletes say that playing college football takes a strong mind, "heart," and a gifted body. Having a strong mind means being focused, smart and coachable. Having heart means being passionate about the game and having the guts to put your body on the line. Having a gifted body means being big, strong, or athletic. Results speak to the influence of the sport institution on gender identity and the (re)production of inequality, gender as an institution, hegemonic masculinity, embodiment and emotion, and identity work.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0383
Format: Thesis

Title: An Archaeobotanical Analysis.
Creator: Stickler, Justin C., Ward, Cheryl, Marrinan, Rochelle, Miller, Thomas, Department of Anthropology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Fort Mitchell (1Ru102), a frontier fort in East Alabama, was built during the First Creek Indian War in 1813 and occupied until 1840, four years after Indian Removal. In spite of its historical importance, information concerning daily life and, more specifically, foodways of soldiers and Lower Creeks is scarce. Archaeological material recovered from 1Ru102 has recently been analyzed. Archaeobotanical data obtained from 15 features are presented, and inferences are made about potential...
Show moreFort Mitchell (1Ru102), a frontier fort in East Alabama, was built during the First Creek Indian War in 1813 and occupied until 1840, four years after Indian Removal. In spite of its historical importance, information concerning daily life and, more specifically, foodways of soldiers and Lower Creeks is scarce. Archaeological material recovered from 1Ru102 has recently been analyzed. Archaeobotanical data obtained from 15 features are presented, and inferences are made about potential utilization of wild and domesticated plants by Georgia Militia (1st Fort), United States soldiers (2nd Fort), and Creek Indians (both forts) at Fort Mitchell. Two specific questions about the dietary use of plants recovered at 1Ru102 are explored. First, to what extent, if any, did soldiers supplement their rations with local foods? Second, what plants potentially contributed to soldier and Creek Indian diet at Fort Mitchell? Eleven economic plant species were identified, and it is suggested that these plants likely contributed to soldier and Creek diet. This analysis indicates that the most important food plant groups were domesticates (maize, peach), mast (walnut, hickory, and oak.), and fleshy fruits (plums/cherries, hackberry, grape, maypop.). Minimal botanical information is available for multicomponent historic sites—especially forts—in Alabama, and this archaeobotanical analysis contributes information to this neglected area of interest.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0382
Format: Thesis

Title: A Model for Assesing Future Retirment Adequacy of Recent College Graduates: Who Is at Risk of Under-Saving?.
Creator: Stiles, Jason L., Schwartz, Robert A., Cooper, David J., Dalton, Jon C., Hu, Shouping, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study created a model to assess the general retirement literacy and level of intention to save for retirement of recent Millennial college students about to graduate from four-year public universities in the United States. The study sought to answer the questions: How prepared are students to make informed and effective financial decisions related to their retirement at the point where they begin their careers? Which factors influence levels of preparation? What are the levels of...
Show moreThis study created a model to assess the general retirement literacy and level of intention to save for retirement of recent Millennial college students about to graduate from four-year public universities in the United States. The study sought to answer the questions: How prepared are students to make informed and effective financial decisions related to their retirement at the point where they begin their careers? Which factors influence levels of preparation? What are the levels of intention for these students regarding retirement investment? Identifying the segments of the new college graduate population that are particularly unprepared to act on retirement financial decisions is the first step toward intervening in a persistent and growing problem. Higher education administrators equipped with this information, as with existing efforts in student retention, have the ability to develop targeted strategies to improve educational outcomes. The theory of Optimal Retirement Investment is advanced as a result of the study. Conducted at two large four-year public universities, this study confirmed previous academic and popular observations that students are unprepared and will likely under-save for retirement. The study employed a quantitative causal comparative methodology and included the development of an online survey and two stochastic simulation models. The data generated from the survey and models were analyzed through reliability analysis to develop sub scales, and correlation and multiple regression analysis to identify factors influencing retirement literacy, retirement intention, and ultimately projected retirement savings balances.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0384
Format: Thesis

Title: Quality of Life Among Army Spouses: Parenting and Family Stress during Deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Creator: Everson, Ronald Blaine, Darling, Carol A., Figley, Charles R., Greenwood, Bonnie B., Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This study examined quality of life among spouses of U.S. Army personnel during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A survey design based on stress and resiliency theory was utilized involving a random sample of spouses residing on a large military installation. Based on length of deployment, the 205 respondents comprised three groups. The study was designed to assess variables associated with parental stress, family stress, family coping, personal coping, well-being, sense of coherence, and quality of...
Show moreThis study examined quality of life among spouses of U.S. Army personnel during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A survey design based on stress and resiliency theory was utilized involving a random sample of spouses residing on a large military installation. Based on length of deployment, the 205 respondents comprised three groups. The study was designed to assess variables associated with parental stress, family stress, family coping, personal coping, well-being, sense of coherence, and quality of life. Comparison tests (ANOVA) were utilized to assess differences among the groups of spouses and structural equation modeling was used to determine the direct, indirect, and total effects of the variables in the model on quality of life for the three groups. The spouses of non-deployed personnel had lower levels of stress and better quality of life those spouses of deployed personnel (p
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0433
Format: Thesis

Title: Getting to Yes.
Creator: Eville, William Harding, Stuckey-French, Elizabeth, Baggott, Julianna, Winegardner, Mark, Department of English, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The following master's thesis includes three stories. These stories are fiction and any resemblance to real people is not intended. The stories range from coming of age tales to cultural satire.
Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0432
Format: Thesis

Title: Muzikmafia: Community, Identity, and Change from the Nashville Scene to the Popular Mainstream.
Creator: Pruett, David B., Gunderson, Frank, Faulk, Barry, Olsen, Dale A., College of Music, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: In this dissertation I examine the MuzikMafia, a distinct musical community that developed from a stylistically diverse Nashville scene into a social collective and commercial enterprise, both of which emphasize musical excellence and promote musical and artistic diversity. In order to understand the MuzikMafia more deeply, I explore three of its defining structures: community, identity, and change. Analysis of each aspect provides insight into what the MuzikMafia actually is, the role of...
Show moreIn this dissertation I examine the MuzikMafia, a distinct musical community that developed from a stylistically diverse Nashville scene into a social collective and commercial enterprise, both of which emphasize musical excellence and promote musical and artistic diversity. In order to understand the MuzikMafia more deeply, I explore three of its defining structures: community, identity, and change. Analysis of each aspect provides insight into what the MuzikMafia actually is, the role of music in the lives of its members, and the reasons behind the MuzikMafia's period of commercial growth and development from 2001 through 2005. I observe how a shared musical and social ideology created a bond between several marginalized Nashville artists and how that bond, or rather its commodification, transformed the MuzikMafia into a significant part of the commercial mainstream. The dispossessed interact with the dominant structures of capitalist society in a variety of ways. Music serves as a medium of expression and often as an agent of social change through individual and group action. The MuzikMafia is an example of one such dispossessed group that eventually gained national and international popularity. I argue that, despite its numerous anti-establishment sentiments, the MuzikMafia confirms if not supports the existing hegemony of Nashville's commercial music industry. Based upon participant observation, oral history fieldwork, and behind the scenes experiences among several platinum-selling artists, this research provides new insight into the study of popular music, presenting evidence that, not only is ethnomusicological fieldwork in the popular mainstream possible, but such research contributes much to the ongoing development of ethnomusicology and popular music studies.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0425
Format: Thesis

Title: The Comparative Value of Institutional Asset Allocation Recommendations: A Comprehensive Study and Direct Analysis.
Creator: Prati, Robert S., Peterson, David R., Zuehlke, Thomas W., Benesh, Gary A., Christiansen, William A., Department of Finance, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Strategists at the largest financial institutions have, for years, offered asset allocation advice to their clients. Given the size of these firms and the trillions of investment dollars they influence, the value of this active asset allocation advice (if any) should be of great interest to researchers and investors alike. Using unique survey data beginning in November 1996 with nearly 6,000 observed asset allocation recommendations, I examine strategic and tactical asset allocation advice as...
Show moreStrategists at the largest financial institutions have, for years, offered asset allocation advice to their clients. Given the size of these firms and the trillions of investment dollars they influence, the value of this active asset allocation advice (if any) should be of great interest to researchers and investors alike. Using unique survey data beginning in November 1996 with nearly 6,000 observed asset allocation recommendations, I examine strategic and tactical asset allocation advice as emanated from a set of the largest financial institutions. First, to establish a general perspective and allow for strategic comparison, I create and present passive portfolio benchmarks. Two arrays of performance statistics gauged both with raw returns and with Sharpe measures to account for risk characterize such performance over a period matching that of the survey data, as well as over a 50 year period. I next address the active asset allocation advice. By forming pairwise comparisons of measures of portfolio return performance for each individual revision in asset allocation and its previously advised asset allocation, I execute an aggregate analysis both in terms of a raw return competition as well as adjusting for risk. In this manner, I determine whether institutional strategists add value to the portfolios they influence with their advice. Next, I compare the return performance of different firms and strategists to each other, wherever continuous data is available. Finally, again using the continuous data, I contrast the performance of the firms and strategists to the buy-and-hold approaches, or the fixed asset allocation benchmarks. I do this both over the bulk of the survey period, and also with the period split into halves, approximately separating the bull market of the late 1990s and the bear market of the early 21st century. Overall, I conclude that the powerful influence of these, the largest financial institutions and their chief strategists, in directing the flow of assets among asset classes is without merit. As such, my results generally provide counter-evidence of the potential to derive excess returns from market-timing by those most likely to possess such an ability.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0428
Format: Thesis

Title: Stamps from Italian Red-Gloss Pottery from San Venanzo (2000-2003): A Catalogue and A Context.
Creator: Preissler, Linnaea A., Grummond, Nancy T. de, Pfaff, Christopher A., Pullen, Daniel J., Department of Classics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this thesis is to catalogue and analyze the stamps on Italian red-gloss pottery discovered at San Venanzo, Italy (locality Poggio delle Civitelle) during the 2000 to 2003 seasons. When viewed within the greater context of Italian red-gloss pottery as a class of artifact, the pieces allow one to form some initial hypotheses about the site as a whole. The catalogue of pottery stamps contains twenty-two pieces of ceramic. Most pieces are quite small and all comprise only parts of...
Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to catalogue and analyze the stamps on Italian red-gloss pottery discovered at San Venanzo, Italy (locality Poggio delle Civitelle) during the 2000 to 2003 seasons. When viewed within the greater context of Italian red-gloss pottery as a class of artifact, the pieces allow one to form some initial hypotheses about the site as a whole. The catalogue of pottery stamps contains twenty-two pieces of ceramic. Most pieces are quite small and all comprise only parts of larger vessels. Many of the stamps are partially broken and/or worn. All of the pieces have suffered some degree of surface damage. Discussions of the site and a brief history of Italian red-gloss pottery are presented first, in order to put the San Venanzo finds into their proper context. It is appropriate to include aspects of nomenclature, manufacture, value, classification, and red-gloss pottery outside of Italy in the latter section. The catalogue groups together stamps that originated from the same regions of Italy, as well as those which cannot be identified due to illegibility. Within these groups, stamps from the same workshop are placed next to each other to facilitate comparison. The catalogue also provides a description of the appearance of each piece, a concordance of stamp and form types (when possible), and attribution to a known Italian red-gloss pottery workshop (when possible). The examination of the pieces of stamped Italian red-gloss pottery from San Venanzo suggests several ideas about the site. First, the settlement had enough trade with the outside world to be able to acquire a significant amount (at least twenty-two pieces) of non-local, non-utilitarian pottery, esteemed around the Roman Empire for its aesthetic value. Second, the settlement imported its red-gloss pottery primarily from two identified areas, Arezzo, the most famous Italian red-gloss production center, and Scoppieto, a very small, nearby production center. Third, based on the finds to date, only stamps from the 1st century AD have yet been identified at the site, although Italian and provincial red-gloss continued to be produced into the 4th century AD. Whether this indicates a shift in trade or is the result of changes in manufacturing spheres is difficult to ascertain.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0430
Format: Thesis

Title: Metabolic Pathways in Natural Systems: A Tracer Study of Carbon Isotopes.
Creator: Prater, James L., Chanton, Jeffrey P., Wang, Yang, Kostka, Joel E., Mortazavi, Behzad, Burnett, William C., Winchester, John W., Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric...
Show morePrater, James L., Chanton, Jeffrey P., Wang, Yang, Kostka, Joel E., Mortazavi, Behzad, Burnett, William C., Winchester, John W., Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: The δ13C value of foliage respiration has been considered a constant in the past and modeling efforts have assumed that the δ13C value of foliage respiration is constant and is directly related to substrate without any fractionation. Consecutive δ13C measurements of foliage dark-respired CO2 (δ13Cr) for slash pine trees (Pinus elliottii) over several diel cycles were used to test the hypothesis that significant variation in δ13Cr would be observed. δ13Cr values collected in daylight from all...
Show moreThe δ13C value of foliage respiration has been considered a constant in the past and modeling efforts have assumed that the δ13C value of foliage respiration is constant and is directly related to substrate without any fractionation. Consecutive δ13C measurements of foliage dark-respired CO2 (δ13Cr) for slash pine trees (Pinus elliottii) over several diel cycles were used to test the hypothesis that significant variation in δ13Cr would be observed. δ13Cr values collected in daylight from all time series showed mid- day 13C enrichment (5 – 10‰) relative to bulk biomass, but values become more 13C depleted following shading and at night and approach bulk-biomass δ13C values by dawn. Assimilation model results suggest that respiration during daylight has the potential to significantly affect ∆13C by as much as 1.6‰, but night dark respiration has little impact on 24-hour integrated ∆13C (0.1‰). We also sampled methane and CO2 from collapse scar bogs (transient permafrost degradation features in permafrost peatlands) to test the hypotheses that microbial respiration and methane production are stimulated by permafrost degradation and collapse and that the fen-like vegetation (i.e. Carex andxi Eriophorum) found in collapse scar bogs near the collapsing edge stimulates acetate fermentation. Our results show that collapse scar bogs have an evolution of spatial variation in methanogenic pathways that is related to surface vegetation cover type. We also demonstrate that changes in stable-isotope fractionation caused by shifts from acetate fermentation and CO2 reduction occur over long time scales (> annual) and are dependent on changes in wetland morphology and surface vegetation cover. We also used radiocarbon as a tracer to test the hypothesis that melting permafrost surrounding the collapse scar bog provides nutrients to the bog-moat location, stimulating the production of radiocarbon-depleted methane. Our results show that the radiocarbon content of methane and DIC at these sites is highly variable and may depend on groundwater input, surface vegetation, and morphological factors associated with the melting permafrost plateau. We conclude that the younger, more labile, carbon stimulating acetate fermentation at one of the sites is supplied by the fen-like surface vegetation, while the older, more recalcitrant, carbon stimulating CO2 reduction at the other site may be supplied by melting permafrost plateau..
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0429
Format: Thesis

Title: Holding Pattern: A Study of Reit and Real Estate Mutual Fund Performance.
Creator: Price, Russell M., Peterson, David R., Sirmans, G. Stacy, Benesh, Gary A., Christiansen, William A., Department of Finance, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: My study combines the process of asset composition of REITs with the REITs' contribution in real estate mutual fund portfolios. I examine the relationship between property acquisition/disposition and equity REIT performance. I find evidence of abnormal returns around 0.09% on the announcement date. The performance of REITs may determine the level of holdings in real estate mutual funds. I also look into the information content of REIT dividend announcements; does this influence the decision...
Show moreMy study combines the process of asset composition of REITs with the REITs' contribution in real estate mutual fund portfolios. I examine the relationship between property acquisition/disposition and equity REIT performance. I find evidence of abnormal returns around 0.09% on the announcement date. The performance of REITs may determine the level of holdings in real estate mutual funds. I also look into the information content of REIT dividend announcements; does this influence the decision of the real estate mutual fund investment manager to alter their holdings of REITs in the fund? I find evidence of abnormal returns around 0.15% on the announcement date when the dividend announcement date occurs before the earnings announcement date. Prior studies document momentum in REIT returns. Given this momentum, I examine whether real estate mutual funds alter their portfolios based on past performance of the REITs held in the fund. Further, I explore whether the changing composition of portfolios causes momentum in REIT returns and leads to momentum in mutual fund returns. I find evidence of prior REIT performance affecting change in percentage holdings of real estate mutual funds, but no evidence of momentum. I will see if there is any relationship between liquidity of REITs and the change of holdings in the respective portfolios. I find evidence of a relationship between liquidity and mutual fund holdings. This will give the investment advisor a look into management of real estate assets in their respective portfolios.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0448
Format: Thesis

Title: The Life and Music of John Boda with an Emphasis on His Saxophone Works.
Creator: Powell, Daniel, Meighan, Patrick, Mathes, James, Kowalsky, Frank, keesecker, Jeff, Hodges, Anne, College of Music, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: John Boda (1922-2002) was a highly accomplished pianist, conductor, composer, and professor. His diverse musical talents and eclectic hobbies defined him and influenced countless students, colleagues, friends and family members. During his long and productive music career, he taught at The Florida State University for fifty-three years and wrote more than 150 compositions for every genre except opera. This study explores the life and music of Boda with particular attention given to his...
Show moreJohn Boda (1922-2002) was a highly accomplished pianist, conductor, composer, and professor. His diverse musical talents and eclectic hobbies defined him and influenced countless students, colleagues, friends and family members. During his long and productive music career, he taught at The Florida State University for fifty-three years and wrote more than 150 compositions for every genre except opera. This study explores the life and music of Boda with particular attention given to his saxophone works. Despite his success, many of Boda's compositions are unpublished and unrecognized for their merit. Of the four pieces he wrote for the saxophone, Perambulations (1977), Forest Sounds and Dance (1982), Concert Piece (1982), and Two Movements for Saxophone Quartet (1983), none are published and only two are listed in A Comprehensive Guide to the Saxophone Repertoire 1844-2003 by Jean-Marie Londeix. These works are valuable additions to the saxophone repertoire and warrant awareness within the saxophone community. Chapter One is a biography of John Boda, focusing on his musicianship. Chapter Two is a summary of Boda's compositional style at various stages throughout his career. Many compositions are referenced to illustrate the continuity of structure and form in his pieces. Chapters Three, Four, Five, and Six, respectively, examine each of Boda's four saxophone works. A historical background and stylistic overview are given for each piece and musical examples are taken from original manuscripts.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0444
Format: Thesis

Title: Quantification, Analysis, and Management of Intracoastal Waterway Channel Margin Erosion in the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve, Florida.
Creator: Price, Franklin D., Deyle, Robert, Fagherazzi, Sergio, Thomas, John, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve is one of twenty-six such reserves in the United States established with the intent of protecting coastal estuaries. GIS-based analysis of aerial photographs of the southern half of the reserve reveals high rates of erosion along the margin of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway which runs through the reserve. From 1970/1971 to 2002 nearly 70 hectares (approximately 170 acres) of shoreline habitat were degraded by erosion along...
Show moreThe Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve is one of twenty-six such reserves in the United States established with the intent of protecting coastal estuaries. GIS-based analysis of aerial photographs of the southern half of the reserve reveals high rates of erosion along the margin of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway which runs through the reserve. From 1970/1971 to 2002 nearly 70 hectares (approximately 170 acres) of shoreline habitat were degraded by erosion along the 64.8 kilometers of channel margin analyzed. Wakes generated by vessels in the Intracoastal are hypothesized to be the primary cause of this erosion. An examination of the relationships between lateral movement of the channel margin and factors with the potential to affect erosion and accretion supports this hypothesis. Exposure to boat wakes was found to be the causal factor most strongly correlated with rate of lateral margin movement. Margin movement rates were also found to vary significantly with exposure to wind waves and with the type of channel margin eroded. A reduction in nearshore wave energy appears to be necessary to allow the recovery of impacted ecosystems. Approaches to erosion management based on nearshore stabilization and regulation of navigation are discussed, and the intricacies of the implementation of such plans are described.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0446
Format: Thesis

Title: Integrin αIibβ3 Conformational Change Visualized in a Membrane Environment by Cryoelectron Tomography.
Creator: Ye, Feng, Taylor, Kenneth A., Chapman, Michael S., Roberts, Thomas M., III, Thomas C. S. Keller, Roux, Kenneth H., Program in Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Integrin signaling is critical for many biological functions including cell survival, cell migration, development, immunity and wound healing. Integrins perform their function through a structural change that is propagated from the cytoplasm to the ligand binding domain in inside-out signaling and from the ligand binding domain to the cytoplasm during outside-in signaling events. However, the structural basis for the signal transduction in a native-like lipid bilayer environment is poorly...
Show moreIntegrin signaling is critical for many biological functions including cell survival, cell migration, development, immunity and wound healing. Integrins perform their function through a structural change that is propagated from the cytoplasm to the ligand binding domain in inside-out signaling and from the ligand binding domain to the cytoplasm during outside-in signaling events. However, the structural basis for the signal transduction in a native-like lipid bilayer environment is poorly understood. We investigated the inactive and active conformations of integrin alpha IIb beta 3 in a membrane environment to understand the structural basis of integrin signaling. We used reconstituted small unilamellar vesicles to mimic the native membrane environment and used cryo-electron tomography of ice embedded specimens and 3-D averaging to obtain the structures. Our results showed that, in this membrane environment, both active and inactive integrins are in an upright conformation. They differ in the separation of the leg regions of the alpha and beta chains. Inactive integrins have the legs together, similar to the 3-D structure of detergent solubilized alpha IIb beta 3 observed in ice but with a more upright orientation with respect to the membrane. The active integrins have the legs separated by about 5.6 nm at the membrane surface. These results support a model in which integrin signaling is achieved by the relative movement of the leg regions of the two subunits.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0421
Format: Thesis

Title: Acute Pancreatitis: Modulation of Initial Cholecystokinin-Evoked Calcium Signaling by Ethanol and Nicotine in Murine Pancreatic Acinar Cells.
Creator: Sweeney, Nekeisha S., Chase, Prescott Bryant, Brummel-Smith, Kenneth, Kalu, Egwu, Locke, Bruce R., Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Acute pancreatitis is a sudden, severe inflammation of the pancreas which may eventually lead to life-threatening complications associated with digestive necrosis of the gland. Premature, intracellular activation of zymogens is believed to be responsible for the onset of acute pancreatitis; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unidentified. Alcohol is one of the most common risk factors in the development of this condition and may promote its deleterious effects by directly sensitizing...
Show moreAcute pancreatitis is a sudden, severe inflammation of the pancreas which may eventually lead to life-threatening complications associated with digestive necrosis of the gland. Premature, intracellular activation of zymogens is believed to be responsible for the onset of acute pancreatitis; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unidentified. Alcohol is one of the most common risk factors in the development of this condition and may promote its deleterious effects by directly sensitizing the pancreatic acini to CCK, an important gastrointestinal peptide hormone and a digestive enzyme regulator which physiologically activates Ca2+ channels, thus serving an integral role in the physiological regulation of digestive enzyme secretion by pancreatic acinar cells. Nicotine exposure presents an accessory agonist and predisposing factor which may render the pancreas more susceptible to the injurious effects of alcohol-induced gland deficiency. It is important to evaluate the possible cumulative effect of these two high-risk factors in the pathophysiology of acute pancreatitis. The present study addresses the modulatory effects of ethanol and/or nicotine on CCK-evoked Ca2+ alterations and premature intracellular trypsin activation in murine pancreatic acinar cells. Our results indicate that alterations in Ca2+ signaling are often associated with pH modifications and may occasionally complement the conversion of trypsinogen to active trypsin in a time- and concentration dependent manner. We found corroborative evidence that ethanol affects cell signaling and sensitizes cells to the effects of CCK stimulation. Moreover, we found that the initiation of premature trypsin activity does not always succeed changes in [Ca2+]i. We also found evidence to support one existing pathophysiological theory which states that changes in [Ca2+]i are not a necessary indicator of premature trypsin activation. This initiating mechanism pathway may serve to complicate the development of therapeutic treatment and would suggest that other intrinsic factors may play a role in premature intracellular trypsin activation. These results not only indicate that CCK, ethanol and/or nicotine can trigger Ca2+ and pH responses, which may lead to autoactivation of digestive enzymes, but more importantly, may provide further evidence that Ca2+ is not the only initiating indicator of acute pancreatitis. Understanding the underlying cellular mechanism(s) by which ethanol and nicotine modulate pancreatic acinar cell activity and lead to premature intracellular activation of zymogens is paramount in design considerations which would identify pharmaceuticals effective in preventative and therapeutic treatment for acute pancreatitis.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0423
Format: Thesis

Title: Emotional Intelligence as a Facilitator of the Emotional Labor Process.
Creator: Prati, L Melita, Ferris, Gerald R., Perrewé, Pamela, Brymer, Robert A., Giunipero, Larry, Douglas, Ceasar, Hochwarter, Wayne, Department of Management, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Beginning as an area of popular and business press interest, emotional intelligence is fast becoming a legitimate area of research for organizational science theorists. The many potential benefits of emotional intelligence have yet to be evaluated within the realm of legitimate academic research, and there are many areas of organizational concern that may be beneficially influenced by this empowering attribute. Emotional labor is one such area, and it has grown as a legitimate concern for...
Show moreBeginning as an area of popular and business press interest, emotional intelligence is fast becoming a legitimate area of research for organizational science theorists. The many potential benefits of emotional intelligence have yet to be evaluated within the realm of legitimate academic research, and there are many areas of organizational concern that may be beneficially influenced by this empowering attribute. Emotional labor is one such area, and it has grown as a legitimate concern for organizational participants involved in the practice of using their emotions for organizational purposes. Furthermore, it is a concern for the organizations these individuals serve. The purpose of this dissertation is to review and analyze the literature on emotional intelligence and emotional labor and to discover how emotional intelligence moderates relationships within the emotional labor process. It is hypothesized that this investigation will reveal evidence supporting the general hypothesis that emotionally intelligent organizational members enjoy more effective participation in the emotional labor process, and that emotional intelligence, as a moderator, will alleviate detrimental individual and organizational outcomes of this process. Data were collected using questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed to 29 stores of an 87 year-old retail chain with over 200 stores centralized in the Southeastern United States. A sample of 210 usable employee responses having matching supervisor evaluations was obtained from these efforts. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to test the hypotheses. Results were found to support a number of the hypotheses set forth, including affirmative findings for the moderating influence of emotional intelligence on the relationship between various emotional labor performance efforts and outcomes of the emotional labor process. In addition, further analyses of unsupported hypotheses revealed direct main effects of emotional intelligence on some outcomes. A discussion of the results includes an evaluation of research limitations, practical limitations, and directions for future research.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0426
Format: Thesis

Title: A Comparison of Sensory Learning Modes and Adaptive Study Strategies in College Students.
Creator: Wetzel, Sheryl A., Burnett, Gary D., Seel, Norbert M., Marty, Paul F., School of Library and Information Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Survey responses from 1,962 students attending Florida State University during the Spring 2007 semester were analyzed for a preferred sensory learning mode, number and variety of study methods, a match between sensory learning mode and sensory preference within the study habits, and passive versus deep learning processes. The students were found to demonstrate a sensory learning mode preference, but did not report using study habits that matched this sensory mode. Most of the students were...
Show moreSurvey responses from 1,962 students attending Florida State University during the Spring 2007 semester were analyzed for a preferred sensory learning mode, number and variety of study methods, a match between sensory learning mode and sensory preference within the study habits, and passive versus deep learning processes. The students were found to demonstrate a sensory learning mode preference, but did not report using study habits that matched this sensory mode. Most of the students were found to employ too few study methods to allow for the development of true study strategies, were found to use memorization as a primary study method, and to utilize passive learning rather than deep learning processes.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0424
Format: Thesis

Title: Measures of Tongue Strength and Perceptual Characteristics of Speech in Parkinson Disease.
Creator: Prendergast, Tamika Michelle, Stierwalt, Julie, LaPointe, Leonard, Heald, Gary, School of Communication Science and Disorders, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The present study examined tongue strength and speech characteristics in six individuals with Parkinson disease across two sessions of approximately 20 months. The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was used to measure tongue strength. In addition, speech samples were recorded and rated for respiration, articulation, resonance, and phonation by five speech-language pathologists experienced in the assessment and treatment of dysarthria. A Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare tongue...
Show moreThe present study examined tongue strength and speech characteristics in six individuals with Parkinson disease across two sessions of approximately 20 months. The Iowa Oral Performance Instrument was used to measure tongue strength. In addition, speech samples were recorded and rated for respiration, articulation, resonance, and phonation by five speech-language pathologists experienced in the assessment and treatment of dysarthria. A Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare tongue strength measures across the sessions. Wilcoxon signed ranks tests were also conducted to compare the judges' perceptual ratings over time. Results revealed a significant reduction in tongue strength at the second session. Perceptions of speech characteristics specifically, consonant imprecision, vowel imprecision, rate, and overall speech also demonstrated a consistent pattern of degradation over time, though those changes were not statistically significant.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0442
Format: Thesis

Title: Investigation of Vartm Processing of High Temperature RP-46 Resin System.
Creator: Prasad, Thammiah M., Zhang, Chuck, Okoli, Okenwa, Liang, Zhiyong, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The advantages of using polymer matrix composites in various applications are very well known throughout many industries. Their introduction and subsequent development since the 1940's has led to major cost savings due to their lightweight and excellent mechanical properties. Off late, product designers have been taking advantage of improved thermal properties (CTE, thermo-oxidative stability) that these composite materials have to offer. This began with the development of PMR-15, a high...
Show moreThe advantages of using polymer matrix composites in various applications are very well known throughout many industries. Their introduction and subsequent development since the 1940's has led to major cost savings due to their lightweight and excellent mechanical properties. Off late, product designers have been taking advantage of improved thermal properties (CTE, thermo-oxidative stability) that these composite materials have to offer. This began with the development of PMR-15, a high temperature polyimide resin back in the 1970's. The aerospace industry has increasingly turned towards high temperature polymer matrix composites (HTPMC) to replace other heavier materials in engine components thus improving the thrust to weight of the engine. But, PMR-15 has a major drawback related to high safety standards that are needed during processing. The implementation of these controls during processing resulted in huge costs to the industry. This led to the development of a new polyimide high temperature resin system called RP-46 at NASA Langley research center. RP-46 has excellent thermal and mechanical properties comparable to PMR-15 and is safer to handle due to the absence of the lethal MDA monomer, a carcinogen. This research investigates the issues related to processing of RP-46 resin system using the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process, a cost effective method for manufacturing composite materials. The entire process is setup keeping in consideration the requirement of high temperature environments for processing of RP-46. A number of initial trials helped understand the dynamics of the process and identify critical factors and key parameters. The various laminates that were made were tested for mechanical properties (ASTM D3039 - Tensile strength and modulus) and thermal properties (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, Thermal Mechanical Analysis, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis) were performed and the results were compared with RP-46 samples made using autoclave processing. Although the VARTM laminates had issues related to void contents and the release of volatiles during the infusion stage of the process, the VARTM process was found to be feasible to make composites with RP-46.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0441
Format: Thesis

Title: Preschool Parents' and Teachers' Perspective of Learning Through Play.
Creator: Powell, Jessica, Rehm, Marsha, Jones, Ithel, Krantz, Murray, Department of Family and Child Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The purpose of this study was to examine preschool parents' and teachers' perspectives of learning through play. Forty four participants were identified; thirty were parents and eleven were teachers. Participants completed a survey created by the researcher. The survey was divided into four different sections: biographical information, short answer regarding the definitions of play vs. learning, general questions about play and learning rated on a Likert scale, and VPK skills divided into...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to examine preschool parents' and teachers' perspectives of learning through play. Forty four participants were identified; thirty were parents and eleven were teachers. Participants completed a survey created by the researcher. The survey was divided into four different sections: biographical information, short answer regarding the definitions of play vs. learning, general questions about play and learning rated on a Likert scale, and VPK skills divided into three categories of circle time, structured activities, and free play as to the best way to teach such skills along with what activities can be used for academic purposes. Parents' and teachers' agreed that preschool children can learn through play. However, there were no significant differences between parents' and teachers' perspectives of learning through play. This could be due in part to the sample sizes being similar in nature. Twenty percent of the parent population held the occupation of teacher. Implications of these findings are discussed for future research and practice.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0443
Format: Thesis

Title: The Poetics of Black: Manet's Masked Ball at the Opera and Baudelaire's Poetry and Art Criticism.
Creator: Pride, Jennifer S., Weingarden, Lauren S., Emmerson, Richard K., Jolles, Adam, Department of Art History, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Ãdouard Manet's "Masked Ball at the Opera" of 1873 shares formal and thematic relationships with Charles Baudelaire's poetry and art criticism. Although previous scholars have suggested visual sources for Manet's paintings, I argue that Baudelaire's poetry was the textual paradigm for Manet's Masked Ball. My argument considers the roles of women, masks and the danse macabre in these works as analogous in both form and content. The women in the Masked Ball parallel those in Baudelaire's...
Show moreÃdouard Manet's "Masked Ball at the Opera" of 1873 shares formal and thematic relationships with Charles Baudelaire's poetry and art criticism. Although previous scholars have suggested visual sources for Manet's paintings, I argue that Baudelaire's poetry was the textual paradigm for Manet's Masked Ball. My argument considers the roles of women, masks and the danse macabre in these works as analogous in both form and content. The women in the Masked Ball parallel those in Baudelaire's poetry, such as "To a Passerby" and "The Mask," and his art criticism in The Painter of Modern Life. The women in both the image and text are constructed with oppositional concepts, words and phrases that indicate their role in nineteenth-century Paris and the many masks they wear in daily life. Next I examine the ways in which Haussmannization, the destructive reordering of Paris during the middle part of the century, presented new problems and opportunities for the artist-as-flâneur. Baudelaire's poem "The Crowds," corresponds to Manet's painting in that both use the mask as a means by which the poet/flâneur/masked ball participants assume a double-identity as they experience the spectacle of modernity as part of the crowd but distanced from it. Lastly, I argue that in the Masked Ball Manet modernized traditional danse macabre schema by conflating it with funereal attributes. Like the painting, Baudelaire's poem, "Danse Macabre," is a modernized version of the schema due to its contemporary poetic form comprising oppositional pairs, such as life/death, and thus establishing both as signifiers for the funeral of Parisian culture, specifically word and image, under Haussmannization. Ultimately, I demonstrate that the binary structures of the Manet's painting and Baudelaire's poetry develop from the same social milieu and are thus reciprocal objects that signify the prevailing cultural condition of nineteenth-century Paris.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0456
Format: Thesis

Title: Choosing A Life: A Study of Women New Age Healers in Tallahassee, Florida.
Creator: Powell, Ann Marjorie, Grindal, Bruce, Uzendoski, Michael, Hellweg, Joseph, Department of Anthropology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This thesis is an inquiry into the lives of four women in Tallahassee, Florida, who have not only chosen to adopt New Age beliefs, but also to become New Age healers. Of particular interest are the life events that influenced their decision to become metaphysical healers. Are there common themes in the life experiences of these four women? Do these life experiences parallel the life experiences and life stories of traditional shamanic healers? How has the incorporation of New Age ideas and...
Show moreThis thesis is an inquiry into the lives of four women in Tallahassee, Florida, who have not only chosen to adopt New Age beliefs, but also to become New Age healers. Of particular interest are the life events that influenced their decision to become metaphysical healers. Are there common themes in the life experiences of these four women? Do these life experiences parallel the life experiences and life stories of traditional shamanic healers? How has the incorporation of New Age ideas and healing practices affected their lives and their views of the world? And more broadly, how may these lives be understood in the context of our present times and in turn contribute to our understanding of the reinvention of shamanic healing in the New Age movement? The primary mode of investigation in this study is the 'life story.' Each informant provided a chronological account of her life, detailing the events and experiences she felt were most significant. These four life stories were then evaluated for common themes relevant to the thesis objectives outlined above.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0455
Format: Thesis

Title: Phylogeny and Historical Biogeography of Hadrosaurid Dinosaurs.
Creator: Prieto-Marquez, Albert, Erickson, Gregory M., Parker, William C., Steppan, Scott J., Swofford, David L., Ronquist, Fredrik, Department of Biological Science, Florida State...
Show morePrieto-Marquez, Albert, Erickson, Gregory M., Parker, William C., Steppan, Scott J., Swofford, David L., Ronquist, Fredrik, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: Hadrosaurids were the most diverse and abundant dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous. However, their phylogeny is incompletely known and the relationships of many taxa, particularly European and South American, remains unresolved. Questions remain regarding the timing of their origin and which attributes might have allowed these animals to diversify and colonize nearly all continents by the late Campanian. Likewise, the center of origin and subsequent biogeographical history of hadrosaurids...
Show moreHadrosaurids were the most diverse and abundant dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous. However, their phylogeny is incompletely known and the relationships of many taxa, particularly European and South American, remains unresolved. Questions remain regarding the timing of their origin and which attributes might have allowed these animals to diversify and colonize nearly all continents by the late Campanian. Likewise, the center of origin and subsequent biogeographical history of hadrosaurids has remained contentious. With the goal of elucidating the evolutionary history of hadrosaurids, I present the most comprehensive and resolved phylogeny of these animals ever estimated, using a complete taxonomic sampling at specific level. I also report the results of a biogeographic analysis seeking to establish the ancestral area of Hadrosauridae, testing whether they originated in Asia, North or South America. In addition I used the same method to track their diversification in relation to intercontinental connections throughout their tenure. Parsimony and Bayesian methods were implemented to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of all hadrosaurid species. These included specimens of 41 hadrosaurids from Europe, Asia and North and South America. Outgroup taxa included twelve iguanodontoidean species from Europe, North America and Asia. New characters were defined and old ones revised on the basis of new data collected from first hand examination of specimens. Traditional and geometric morphometrics were applied to discover patterns of variation containing phylogenetic information. Continuous geometries were studied using the Analysis of Planar Shapes Using Geodesic Paths, a novel landmark-free method that considers the continuous non-linear geometry of the bones. In this way, a total of 299 phylogenetically informative characters (205 cranial and 94 postcranial) were defined and documented, the most extensive character data set ever constructed for hadrosaurid dinosaurs. In general, parsimony and Bayesian analyses confirmed the dichotomic evolution of hadrosaurids into Saurolophinae and the hollow-crested Lambeosaurinae. Saurolophines consisted of "saurolophs" and "kritosaurs". Lambeosaurines consisted of a succession of Eurasian outgroups to two major clades, "parasaurolophs" and "amurosaurs" ("hypacrosaurs" and "corythosaurs"). Hadrosauridae was redefined as the clade stemming from the most recent common ancestor of Hadrosaurus foulkii and Parasaurolophus walkeri. Its monophyly was unambiguously supported by an iliac supraacetabular process that projects lateroventrally between half and three quarters of the dorsoventral depth of the central plate of the ilium and a craniocaudally short supraacetabular process that is less than 55% the length of the central plate of the ilium. The closest outgroup taxa to Hadrosauridae lived in eastern North America. The hadrosaurid radiation and the divergence of saurolophines from lambeosaurines occurred no later than the Santonian and was coincident with the evolution of a suite of mandibular characters (i.e., increased number of tooth families, presence of three teeth forming the dentary occlusal plane, ventral offset of the oral predentary-premaxilla contact). These characters may have been key innovations. These results suggest that feeding adaptations might have played a central role in the diversification of hadrosaurids. Circumnarial fossae and cranial crests evolved prior to the hadrosaurid radiation. Both of these characters were reconstructed to have evolved at the same time. Ancestral areas were reconstructed on the phylogeny derived from the weighted parsimony analysis of Hadrosauridae. Fitch parsimony and the Dispersal-Vicariance (DIVA) method were implemented to reconstruct ancestral areas for all clades of Hadrosauria. The results show that the genesis of Hadrosauridae occurred in eastern North America during the late Santonian. Soon after their origin, hadrosaurids dispersed to Asia, the ancestral area for the major Saurolophinae-Lambeosaurinae divergence. Lambeosaurines and saurolophines dispersed to North America and underwent major cladogenesis during the late Campanian. Within Saurolophinae, "maiasaurs" and "saurolophs" returned to Asia, while "kritosaurs" colonized South America by the late Campanian. Within Lambeosaurinae, "tsintaosaurs" dispersed to Europe no later than the late Campanian. The North American radiations of "hypacrosaurs", "parasaurolophs" and "corythosaurs" may have represented independent dispersal events from the Asian continent or, alternatively, were part of a single dispersal in the late Campanian with posterior occupations of Asia by a few species from those clades. Vicariant events may have occurred following several of the inferred hadrosaurid dispersals. Thus, both vicariance and dispersal may have been instrumental in shaping the recorded distribution of hadrosaurids. Two additional studies were conducted on European and South American hadrosaurids. Although well represented in Asia and North America, the presence of this animals in Europe and South America is known only from rare and fragmentary remains that are poorly documented and mostly unstudied. As a result, the impact of these animals on the phylogenetics and biogeography of hadrosaurids as a whole are not known. Here, I provide a revised and complete osteology of the type specimens and hypodigms for the only two taxa known from South America, Secernosaurus koerneri and Kritosaurus australis. K. australis is regarded as a junior synonym of S. koerneri, based on a combination of iliac and pubic characters unique to these two taxa. Inclusion of S. koerneri within the genus Kritosaurus is not supported by the phylogenetic analysis. S. koerneri is inferred to be a member of the "kritosaur" clade within Saurolophinae, as the sister taxon to the Argentinean OTU from Salitral Moreno. Another unnamed hadrosaurid, an OTU from Big Bend National Park, Texas, is positioned as the closest outgroup to the South American clade. The results of this biogeographical analysis indicates that the Secernosaurus clade originated in South America during the late Campanian after a dispersal event (probably followed by vicariance) from southern North America before the end of that geologic stage. Finally, and regarding European hadrosaurids, the observation of previously unrecognized characters in the maxilla and dentary of Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus (Campanian of China) and Pararhabdodon isonensis (Maastrichtian of Spain) led to a revision of the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the latter. In particular, the extreme elongation of the symphyseal region of the type and only material of Koutalisaurus kohlerorum (a dentary from the Maastrichtian of Spain) was also observed in T. spinorhinus. This implied that K. kohlerorum is indistinct from T. spinorhinus. This, in combination with the fact that P. isonensis and T. spinorhinus share a maxilla with elevated jugal joint continuous with the ectopterygoid ridge (a character not seen among Iguanodontoidea), led me to the conclusion that K. kohlerorum as a junior synonym of P. isonensis. The incorporation of those new characters in Bayesian and parsimony phylogenetic analyses of Hadrosauridae resulted in the inference that Pararhabdodon isonensis and Tsintaosaurus spinorhinus form a clade of basal lambeosaurines—the "tsintaosaurs". Fitch parsimony and Dispersal-Vicariance reconstruction of ancestral areas on the resulting phylogeny indicated that "tsintaosaurs" originated in eastern Asia during the middle or late Campanian and that P. isonensis represents a dispersal event (followed by vicariance) to Europe that occurred before the end of that geologic stage.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0460
Format: Thesis

Title: Cell Signaling and the Regulation of Axis Formation, Cell Proliferation, and Differentiation in Drosophila Melanogaster.
Creator: Poulton, John, Deng, Wu-Min, Horabin, Jamila I., Epstein, Lloyd, III, Thomas Keller, Tang, Hengli, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The development of multicellular animals involves a diverse array of cellular processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, and polarization. The control of these processes is largely governed by communication between different cells. This intercellular communication, known as cell signaling, is therefore a fundamental aspect of developmental and cellular biology. Despite a wealth of knowledge regarding the canonical cell signaling pathways, many questions remain regarding the...
Show moreThe development of multicellular animals involves a diverse array of cellular processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, and polarization. The control of these processes is largely governed by communication between different cells. This intercellular communication, known as cell signaling, is therefore a fundamental aspect of developmental and cellular biology. Despite a wealth of knowledge regarding the canonical cell signaling pathways, many questions remain regarding the mechanistic nature of the communication taking place during specific developmental events, as well as questions regarding the control of activation of cell signaling. In this dissertation I will use the egg chamber of Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to investigate the genetics and cellular biology surrounding two important developmental events involving cell signaling. In the first part I describe a role for an adhesion molecule, Dystroglycan (DG), in the communication between two important cell types present in the egg chamber (the follicle cells and the oocyte). This communication is of great developmental significance because it creates the foundation for the polarization of the oocyte. The finding that DG is involved in this process suggests that changes in cell adhesion are important in the communication that establishes oocyte polarity. In the second part of the dissertation I identify a novel role for the gene, Belle (Bel), in controlling the activation of a key cell signaling pathway known as Notch. Notch activation in the follicle cells is essential for many aspects of egg chamber development. I also demonstrate that the regulation of Notch by Bel occurs through Bel's role in the microRNA pathway, possibly through regulation of levels of another protein, Delta. Together my research sheds new light on two key facets of egg chamber development that will potentially elucidate similar mechanisms present in other aspects of development in Drosophila, as well as other organisms.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0459
Format: Thesis

Title: Morphological Barrier Island Changes and Recovery of Dunes after Hurricane Dennis, St. George Island, Florida.
Creator: Priestas, Anthony Michael, Fagherazzi, Sergio, Stallins, J. Anthony, Kish, Stephen, Georgen, Jennifer, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: A robust dune system is one of the principal factors in the protection of recreational and residential property within barrier islands. Storm surge from significantly large storm events may remove some or all of the dunes during overwash processes and deposit sediment as washover fans or terraces in the back-barrier. During the summer of 2005, Hurricane Dennis greatly overwashed much of the northwest barrier island chain along the Florida panhandle. The post-storm recovery of dunes and...
Show moreA robust dune system is one of the principal factors in the protection of recreational and residential property within barrier islands. Storm surge from significantly large storm events may remove some or all of the dunes during overwash processes and deposit sediment as washover fans or terraces in the back-barrier. During the summer of 2005, Hurricane Dennis greatly overwashed much of the northwest barrier island chain along the Florida panhandle. The post-storm recovery of dunes and morphological changes occurring after Hurricane Dennis within St. George Island State Park is investigated, in addition to the application of numerical methods as a supplemental tool in determining the post-storm "recovery state" of the barrier and envision morphologic trends. Dune recovery rates are estimated by calculating sediment volume changes of profiles through time. One-dimensional, spatial-series Fourier analysis of individual profiles are used to quantify the recovery and morphologic nature of secondary dunes. Two-dimensional Fourier analysis of elevation data were attempted to be used as a tool to discriminate geomorphic trends in the barrier. Digital elevation models are used to describe post-storm morphologic changes, and the future recovery state of the barrier may be supplemented by analyzing the distributions of curvature and gradients calculated numerically from LIDAR data. Results show that secondary dunes recovered at an average rate of ~3-4 cm per month, and sediment volume changes across transects varied between -1.5 m3/m to1.2 m3/m depending on the presence of vegetation, storm-debris pavement, and proximity to washover deposits. Despite some transects having a net sediment volume loss, all dunes in the presence of vegetation had increased in height. Vegetation did not propagate where storm-debris pavement existed during the one-year duration of the study. The presence of vegetation inhibited dune migration thus favoring dune growth or decreasing the effect of erosion from strong wind events. Fourier analysis of profiles captured changes in dune height at specific wavelengths. The highest energies from the spectra were usually at 30 to 40 meter wavelengths for each profile in time, which reflects the immobility of the dunes and may also reflect the controls of vegetation on dune spacing. The results of two-dimensional Fourier analysis on terrain data were difficult to interpret, but may prove a potential use in terrain analysis. Overwash was prevalent throughout the barrier. For the studied area, St. George Island had experienced inundation overwash with an estimated 100,000 ft3/ft net loss of sediment following the hurricane. Nearly the entire foredune complex was removed, save a few remnants. Storm surge had likely penetrated first in areas where foredunes were either low or discontinuous; in these areas, beach widening was less prevalent. In contrast, the beach widening (~30ft) occurred in areas where the foredunes were higher and more continuous.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0458
Format: Thesis

Title: Guilty, Free and Wise: Determinism and Psychopathy Diminish Learning from Negative Emotions.
Creator: Stillman, Tyler F., Baumeister, Roy, Mele, Al, Tice, Dianne, Fincham, Frank, Joiner, Thomas, Department of Psychology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Emotional experiences can bring about personal growth. For instance, feeling guilty may prompt one to learn from a mistake, and this learning can bring about different and better future behavior. Four studies (N = 570) found that belief in free will facilitated learning from emotional experiences, as deterministic beliefs were associated with reduced learning. Studies included both correlational (Study 1) and experimental (Studies 2-4) designs. Emotional responsiveness, as defined by low...
Show moreEmotional experiences can bring about personal growth. For instance, feeling guilty may prompt one to learn from a mistake, and this learning can bring about different and better future behavior. Four studies (N = 570) found that belief in free will facilitated learning from emotional experiences, as deterministic beliefs were associated with reduced learning. Studies included both correlational (Study 1) and experimental (Studies 2-4) designs. Emotional responsiveness, as defined by low psychopathy scores, also facilitated learning from emotional experiences (Studies 3 and 4). The degree of learning associated with emotional experiences was measured by self-rating (Studies 1 and 2), independent evaluations of lessons learned (Study 3), and whether participants joined a campus recycling program (after being made to feel guilty about an environmental transgression; Study 4).
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0386
Format: Thesis

Title: The Psychological Presence of Family Improves Self-Control.
Creator: Stillman, Tyler F., Tice, Dianne M., Madsen, Charles, Baumeister, Roy F., Department of Psychology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Three studies supported the hypothesis that the psychological presence of family provides a temporary increase in self-control in three experiments. In Study 1, participants subliminally primed with the names of their family members subsequently performed better at an open-ended language task relative to participants primed with neutral words. Study 2 addressed two alternative ways of interpreting the results of Study 1. Participants in Study 2 who wrote a short essay about a family member...
Show moreThree studies supported the hypothesis that the psychological presence of family provides a temporary increase in self-control in three experiments. In Study 1, participants subliminally primed with the names of their family members subsequently performed better at an open-ended language task relative to participants primed with neutral words. Study 2 addressed two alternative ways of interpreting the results of Study 1. Participants in Study 2 who wrote a short essay about a family member with whom they had a good relationship demonstrated more self-control than those who wrote about a humorous episode or an enemy relationship, as measured by their performance on a simple but tedious math test. Study 3 was designed to demonstrate that self-control, rather than motivation, was affected by thoughts of the family. Participants primed with a visual cue of a family member ate fewer cookies than those not primed—when individual differences in eating restraint were controlled.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0385
Format: Thesis

Title: "Music Is My Vessel": An Exploration of African American Musical Culture Through the Life Story of Lavell Kamma.
Creator: Swan, Scott, Grindal, Bruce T., Uzendoski, Michael A., Lhamon, William T., Department of Anthropology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The life story of Farouk Lavell Kamma offers a glimpse into the changing cultural attitudes about popular music, race relations, and black national consciousness in 1950s and 1960s America. His reflectively reconstructed musical life story serves as a window on the experiences of an African-American musician during a socially dynamic period in American history. Between 1960 and 1975, Lavell – as a "soul" performer - participated in the genre of black popular music that became the vernacular...
Show moreThe life story of Farouk Lavell Kamma offers a glimpse into the changing cultural attitudes about popular music, race relations, and black national consciousness in 1950s and 1960s America. His reflectively reconstructed musical life story serves as a window on the experiences of an African-American musician during a socially dynamic period in American history. Between 1960 and 1975, Lavell – as a "soul" performer - participated in the genre of black popular music that became the vernacular soundtrack for the Civil Rights Movement. Musically, his career straddles the changes from doo wop to soul, and those changes in style are also reflective of social and cultural changes in black identity and consciousness. But the importance of music in the black community is not a contemporary phenomenon. Historically, music served as a conduit for social interaction and a vehicle for cultural expression, allowing African Americans to express the "double conscious" nature of their existence. Reconsideration of music as a processual activity -homologous to ritual, is necessary to understand the importance of music in the black community. In the century following emancipation, black communities encountered the forces of urbanization and secularization in their attempts to construct and maintain community. Music became a means by which individuals and groups within the community could locate themselves experientially in a changing social and cultural landscape. Urban blacks communities in particular allowed African Americans to find experiential accommodation in a variety of social and economic opportunities. The black church and jook joints were two important social spaces in which African Americans found experiential accommodation. Music was instrumental to African American expression and interaction in both the church and the jook joint. Music itself also served as a social space in which African Americans could locate themselves existentially. Lavell's life story reveals the complexity of the black urban landscape and the foundational role of music both in his life and in the life of the black community.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0408
Format: Thesis

Title: An Empirical Examination of the Intent of Firms to Adopt Mobile Commerce as a Marketing Strategy.
Creator: Swilley, Esther, Hofacker, Charles, Lamont, Bruce, Hartline, Michael, Kim, Daekwan, Department of Marketing, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Academic research in the phenomenon known as mobile commerce is just now coming to the forefront. However, most of this literature is coming from areas other than marketing, including information systems and management. Empirical investigations are looking at the technology behind mobility, as well as some scant consumer behavior studies. Even less is information at the firm level as to why firms should consider mobile commerce as a strategy for marketing purposes. Using the institutional...
Show moreAcademic research in the phenomenon known as mobile commerce is just now coming to the forefront. However, most of this literature is coming from areas other than marketing, including information systems and management. Empirical investigations are looking at the technology behind mobility, as well as some scant consumer behavior studies. Even less is information at the firm level as to why firms should consider mobile commerce as a strategy for marketing purposes. Using the institutional theory and the relational view of the firm to establish a theoretical foundation, this study attempts to fill the gap in marketing literature with respect to the management perspective of mobile commerce. An understanding in this area will allow firms to understand what is underlying the intentions to adopt a mobile commerce marketing strategy in terms of their relationships with stakeholders, and how to use that information for mobile commerce as a strategic competitive advantage. Data were collected from various industries around the United States through an online survey, a regular mail survey and surveys from student collection for an empirical examination of mobile commerce adoption. A sample base of 316 industry respondents was used for this study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to provide evidence of adequate model fit, and the structural model and hypothesized relationships were tested using Structural Equation Modeling. The significance of these findings to theory and management implications is discussed. Limitations of this study and a future research agenda are presented.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0409
Format: Thesis

Title: Cannabinoid Signaling in the Auditory Brain Stem of the Chick (Gallus Domesticus).
Creator: Stincic, Todd L., Hyson, Richard, Logan, Timothy, Johnson, Frank, Meredith, Michael, Licht, Mark, Department of Psychology, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Nucleus magnocellularis (NM) is a cochlear nucleus in the avian auditory brain stem which solely receives excitatory input from the auditory nerve fibers of cranial nerve VIII (cnVIII) and bilaterally innervates nucleus laminaris. The primary function of NM neurons is to code the temporal characteristics of acoustic stimuli and pass on this information to nucleus laminaris for use in coincidence detection and ultimately sound localization. Robust and dynamic stimuli could easily overwhelm...
Show moreNucleus magnocellularis (NM) is a cochlear nucleus in the avian auditory brain stem which solely receives excitatory input from the auditory nerve fibers of cranial nerve VIII (cnVIII) and bilaterally innervates nucleus laminaris. The primary function of NM neurons is to code the temporal characteristics of acoustic stimuli and pass on this information to nucleus laminaris for use in coincidence detection and ultimately sound localization. Robust and dynamic stimuli could easily overwhelm many other synapses, but NM not only faithfully encodes important features of sounds, but can also enhance the information. Synaptic depression is one consequence of the large, rapid currents produced in NM in response to acoustic stimuli. The progressive decline in postsynaptic responses could lead to a failure in temporal coding. Therefore, depression must therefore be managed to allow coding not just at the onset, but throughout the duration of an ongoing stimulus. Many synaptic adaptations can be found at the cnVIII-NM synapse which act to dynamically adjust neuronal signaling in order to maintain consistent coding. GABAB receptors, in particular, present an interesting situation where activity-dependent inhibition can lead to an enhancement of neural signaling. The increase in synaptic reliability is presumably mediated through a conservation of neurotransmitter. The cannabinoid (CB) system represents another type of signaling that can mediate negative feedback, reducing neurotransmitter release. Furthermore the cannabinoid receptor one (CB1) is present in many sensory systems and is found throughout the brain of the chick. Relevant to auditory processing, the ganglion cells which form cnVIII produce CB1 mRNA. Immunohistochemical labeling of CB1 revealed that the calyceal terminals, not the cell bodies, of NM contain the functional receptor. Activation of these receptors with WIN 55,212-2 (WIN), a CB agonist, reduces excitatory postsynaptic currents, most likely through lowering of vesicle release probability. The high safety factor of neurotransmission at the calyx synapse means that a reduction in peak amplitude does not necessarily inhibit action potentials, but does appear to reduce the degree of observed synaptic depression. Endogenous CB production has been shown to occur in an activity-dependent manner, through either activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors or postsynaptic depolarization/intracellular Ca2+ rises. High frequency stimulation was able to induce an enhancement effect in current clamp which was blocked by pretreatment with a CB antagonist. The stimulation protocol was subsequently used under voltage clamp, but did not appear to initiate endogenous cannabinoid production as measured by paired-pulses. This finding suggests that metabotropic glutamate receptor activation is not sufficient to elicit cannabinoid production or paired-pulses are not a good measure in NM. If cannabinoids are produced endogenously at this synapse then the Ca2+-sensitive production pathway could be necessary as it require postsynaptic depolarization which does not occur under voltage clamp. A second way to measure CB effects is to measure the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous postsynaptic events. Picrotoxin, a GABAA antagonist, was used to isolate effects on glutamatergic signaling for study. In most cases picrotoxin had no effect; however, the drug was able to cause a near complete cessation of spontaneous postsynaptic currents in NM. A CB antagonist AM251 had an effect in the other direction and was able to preferentially increase the frequency, but not the amplitude of spontaneous events. These findings demonstrate that the vast majority of spontaneous depolarizing events are from random GABA release and there is a basal level of CB production even in an unstimulated slice. Another possibility is that the deafferentation-induced rise in intracellular Ca2+ caused this CB release. Unfortunately at this time we did not record from NM neurons with both picrotoxin and AM251 present in the bath. This limits our ability to interpret the data as it is not clear if the additional spontaneous events are from increased GABA or glutamate release. We did not detect any CB1 mRNA labeling of the superior olive which is responsible for the GABAergic input to NM. Also, WIN had an effect on depression even with picrotoxin present. This indirect evidence points to glutamate release as the underlying cause for the increased events. This study was by no means an exhaustive examination of CB signaling in the chick auditory brain stem. Rather, we made the first steps toward a new line of research as we now clearly know that CB1 is present and able to modulate signaling at the cnVIII-NM synapse. At this time we do not fully know how, to what degree, and when CB signaling is engaged. The functional purpose of CB would appear to enhance the coding of temporal events, however, we do not know at what scale. CB1 activation could function in a synapse-specific manner, complementary to GABAB activation, reducing synaptic depression at high rates of stimulation. Another, simpler role could be to maximize the signal to noise ratio by keeping the frequency of spontaneous glutamate release low. Further experiments will be needed to clarify these intriguing results.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0387
Format: Thesis

Title: Characterization and Applications of Ph-Responsive Polyelectrolyte Complex and Multilayers.
Creator: Sui, Zhijie, Schlenoff, Joseph B., Alamo, Rufina G, Dorsey, John G., Rill, Randy L., Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) have received a growing interest since the early sixties. PECs have been used for large-scale industrial applications and have demonstrated enormous potentials in various fields such as coatings, binders and flocculants. Using the Layer-by-layer deposition technique, an ultrathin polyelectrolyte multilayer coating was first built in 1990 and soon both theoretical and practical interest in these coatings were growing exponentially. In the first part of this...
Show morePolyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) have received a growing interest since the early sixties. PECs have been used for large-scale industrial applications and have demonstrated enormous potentials in various fields such as coatings, binders and flocculants. Using the Layer-by-layer deposition technique, an ultrathin polyelectrolyte multilayer coating was first built in 1990 and soon both theoretical and practical interest in these coatings were growing exponentially. In the first part of this dissertation, studies were focused on the fundamental properties of polyelectrolyte multilayer and complex systems, such as the effect of molecular weight of polyelectrolytes and the effect of ionic strength on the multilayer buildup and the thermodynamics of the polyelectrolyte complexation. In the second part, a series of pH-tunable polyelectrolyte complexes and pH-responsive multilayers were designed and studied. Random copolymers composed of pH-independent "strongly" charged parts and pH-dependent "weakly" charged parts were introduced for making pH-tunable polyelectrolyte complex and pH-responsive multilayers. A systematic study of the pH induced change of multilayer configuration, including film decomposition, phase separation and surface charge rearrangement, was conducted. It was found, by varying the mole percent of the weakly charged segments in the multilayers, the outcome of external pH changes on the multilayers varied from total film decomposition, to forming microporous surface, and finally to yielding a surface-charge-tunable multilayer, which meant the ability of controlling the surface charge polarity and density via pH. The outcome was essentially due to the combination of two types of charge interaction, charge extrusion and charge expulsion. It was also demonstrated that, with the use of the pH-responsive polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings to modify the substrate surface, the adsorption and release of biomaterials, such as proteins, could be controlled by varying the surface charge property via simple pH switch. Potential applications of this finding were proposed in the dissertation.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0401
Format: Thesis

Title: Climatological Characteristics of the Jet Streams over West Africa.
Creator: Suk, Jonathan David, Nicholson, Sharon E., Fuelberg, Henry E., Cai, Ming, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: This paper examines the climatology of the major jet steams over West Africa. Three prominent jets occur at varying heights in the atmosphere, and while each jet is zonal in its flow, their sizes, magnitudes, and directions vary greatly. The Tropical Easterly Jet is shown to be the strongest and most consistent in its location at approximately 200 to 150 hPa. As its name implies, this jet stream consists of easterly flow and has been the topic of many studies over the Tibetan Plateau and...
Show moreThis paper examines the climatology of the major jet steams over West Africa. Three prominent jets occur at varying heights in the atmosphere, and while each jet is zonal in its flow, their sizes, magnitudes, and directions vary greatly. The Tropical Easterly Jet is shown to be the strongest and most consistent in its location at approximately 200 to 150 hPa. As its name implies, this jet stream consists of easterly flow and has been the topic of many studies over the Tibetan Plateau and Indian Ocean due to its relationship with the Indian Monsoon. On a smaller scale, the African Easterly Jet is prominent over West Africa at approximately 700 to 600 hPa. Although it is associated with the African Monsoon, its strength is related to the temperature contrast between the dry desert to its north, and the cool, moist south-westerlies to the south. The third jet stream is the only one that is westerly in direction. It is the least studied of the three jets. The Low Level Westerlies are located between 1000 and 850 hPa. Although they exhibit a smaller velocity, they are believed to exert a significant influence on the precipitation pattern over West Africa. The goal of this project is to determine the climatological characteristics of the three jet streams, especially during the summer months of June, July, August, and September. Along with building a database to analyze the climatological trends of the jets, their interrelationships are also studied. The speed of the Low Level Westerlies is shown to have a significant correlation with the speed of the Tropical Easterly Jet. And, although the African Easterly Jet occurs in the center of the atmospheric column between the other two jets, it does not have a significant relationship to either of the jets located above and below. The conclusions of this paper naturally lend themselves to further research to help explain not only the reason why the Tropical Easterly Jet and the Low Level Westerlies are related, but also the influence that these systems have on the local environment. In addition, future research should determine the larger scale implications of each jet's location in relation to the other jet streams
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0400
Format: Thesis

Title: Building Trust: An Examination of the Impacts of Brand Equity, Security, and Personalization on Trust Processes.
Creator: Stoecklin-Serino, Catharina Maria, Paradice, David B., Hofacker, Charles F., Mason, Robert M., Bush, Ashley A., Department of Management Information Systems, Florida State...
Show moreStoecklin-Serino, Catharina Maria, Paradice, David B., Hofacker, Charles F., Mason, Robert M., Bush, Ashley A., Department of Management Information Systems, Florida State University
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Abstract/Description: The over-arching purpose of this research is to broaden the study of trust as it applies to developing stable relationships in electronic environments. Previous research has investigated many aspects of trust, but has not looked at the incremental development of it. This may be because methods are difficult to develop that study process models and concepts are difficult to operationalize that influence the incremental progression of variables. Previous empirical research identifies...
Show moreThe over-arching purpose of this research is to broaden the study of trust as it applies to developing stable relationships in electronic environments. Previous research has investigated many aspects of trust, but has not looked at the incremental development of it. This may be because methods are difficult to develop that study process models and concepts are difficult to operationalize that influence the incremental progression of variables. Previous empirical research identifies antecedents that emerge to enhance initial perceptions of trust. These may possibly influence the progression of trust to deeper levels. More conceptual work identifies antecedents that swiftly cultivate trust, allowing for stable relationships to develop more quickly. The antecedents investigated in this study are the use of security symbols, trustworthy brand names, and personalization techniques. Developing and testing a process model using antecedents of trust offers one method to study trust development. This dissertation documents a longitudinal experiment that tested hypotheses of the process model, producing data sets that were analyzed using regression and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of the study indicate that the use of security symbols and trustworthy brand names have a positive and lasting effect on trusting beliefs. The results also show that personalization has a decreasing and lasting effect on trusting beliefs. There was no support for the hypothesis that trust develops over time in electronic environments.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0388
Format: Thesis

Title: Mobile Agent Protection with Data Encapsulation and Execution Tracing.
Creator: Suen, Anna, Yasinsac, Alec, Burmester, Mike, Hawkes, Lois, Department of Computer Science, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Mobile agent systems provide a new method for computer communication. A mobile agent can migrate from platform to platform, performing a task or computation for its originator. Mobile agents are a promising new technology; however, there exist many security issues that need to be addressed. Security issues consist of protecting the agent platform and protecting the mobile agent. The toughest task is protecting the mobile agent, who is subject to attacks from the platform it is operating on....
Show moreMobile agent systems provide a new method for computer communication. A mobile agent can migrate from platform to platform, performing a task or computation for its originator. Mobile agents are a promising new technology; however, there exist many security issues that need to be addressed. Security issues consist of protecting the agent platform and protecting the mobile agent. The toughest task is protecting the mobile agent, who is subject to attacks from the platform it is operating on. This thesis is concerned with protecting a mobile agent who collects data on behalf of its originator. A new mobile agent protection protocol, the data encapsulation protocol, is presented in this thesis.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0399
Format: Thesis

Title: Study of Correlations Between Microwave Transmissions and Atmospheric Effects.
Creator: Stringer, Andrew James, Foo, Simon Y., Yu, Ming, Harvey, Bruce A., Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Understanding the effects of atmospheric conditions with respect to microwave propagation and performance is critical to the design and placement of microwave antennas for modern communication systems. Weather data acquisition in the state of Florida is underdeveloped and the published effects of weather on microwave communications are limited to general models based on large regional climate models. The goal of this research is to correlate atmospheric conditions and microwave transmission...
Show moreUnderstanding the effects of atmospheric conditions with respect to microwave propagation and performance is critical to the design and placement of microwave antennas for modern communication systems. Weather data acquisition in the state of Florida is underdeveloped and the published effects of weather on microwave communications are limited to general models based on large regional climate models. The goal of this research is to correlate atmospheric conditions and microwave transmission via the existing Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Road Weather Information System (RWIS) network, new Environmental Sensor Station (ESS) sites, and Harris Corporation network management software – Netboss. The microwave radios in the FDOT microwave infrastructure through powerful Netboss scripting tools and options are utilized to record the received signal level (RSL) output of the microwave radios for signal analysis. This RSL data is analyzed and correlated with the acquired ESS weather data to determine basic atmospheric effects on microwave propagation. Methods for analysis of correlated data include existing atmospheric attenuation models, such as the Global (Crane) and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) models, and empirical methods such as the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), Short Time Fourier Transform (STFT), Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and wavelet decomposition, and correlation analysis of each method used. The data is treated as a discrete non-stationary signal. Results do not show a clear correlation between receiver signal level (RSL) and weather parameters for several of the test methods. Testing the correlation and cross correlation of the raw data yielded weak correlation. The simulation of rain attenuation via the ITU model displayed weak insignificant results for the sets of RSL data. The FFT and STFT both incorporate too much noise and distortion to accurately compute a correlation. Wavelet decomposition shows a strong correlation between several weather parameters and a weak correlation for others. This result confirms the wavelet decomposition analysis and agrees with trends found in the RSL and weather parameters. Further analysis points to multipath fading and atmospheric ducting. During early hours of the morning, reflections from moist surfaces, such as tree foliage and other terrestrial objects, water vapor and dew will cause transmitted signals to reach the receive antenna out of phase, which will cause attenuation or gain while atmospheric ducting will cause gain in the RSL and is visible in the acquired data. It is concluded that weather conditions such as water vapor, mist, and rising fog have an effect on microwave propagation.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0396
Format: Thesis

Title: African American Students' Graphic Understanding of the Derivative: Critical Case Studies.
Creator: Stringer, Eddy W., Aspinwall, Leslie N., Shaw, Kenneth, Easton, Peter, Jakubowski, Elizabeth, School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Data suggests that a significant loss of African American students from STEM majors occur between their freshmen and sophomore year. This attrition corresponds to the time period when students encounter the calculus sequence. For this reason, calculus persists as a serious barrier preventing African American students from entering STEM fields. There has been a dearth of research studies on how African American students learn or engage in the learning of calculus. In this study, I developed...
Show moreData suggests that a significant loss of African American students from STEM majors occur between their freshmen and sophomore year. This attrition corresponds to the time period when students encounter the calculus sequence. For this reason, calculus persists as a serious barrier preventing African American students from entering STEM fields. There has been a dearth of research studies on how African American students learn or engage in the learning of calculus. In this study, I developed cases describing two African American participants – Matt and Danny- and their methods used to complete tasks and create meaning for the graphs of functions and their derivatives. Three research questions were investigated: 1. What is the role of graphic representations in African American male community college students' construction of the derivative in calculus? 2. How do African American male community college students synthesize graphic and analytic meaning of the derivative in calculus? 3. What pedagogical approaches are the most effective in assisting African American students with visual understanding of derivative graphs? During the task-based clinical interviews, the participants were presented with both analytic tasks and graphic tasks and asked to calculate derivatives when presented with analytic tasks (symbols) and to draw derivative when presented with the graphs as I sought to gain understanding of the mathematical processes. The participants' understanding of the derivative was different because of their preference for mathematical processing. Matt relied on analytic processing and symbolic representation. His understanding of the derivative merely involved the manipulation of formulas, which is dominated by most college mathematics examination. Danny relied on a combination of analytic processing and geometric processing and preferred to primarily operate on graphic representations. His understanding of the derivative was associated with both analytic representations (formulas) and graphic representation. This study found that the participants' knowledge was strongly associated with their mathematical processing capabilities. Matt's overreliance on his memory and analytic thinking impeded his understanding of derivative graphs. This one-sided thinking caused Matt's knowledge (procedural and conceptual) to be disconnected and only understood how to complete tasks when asked questions in the right context. Danny's harmonic thinking enabled him to complete tasks with much less difficulty than Danny. Danny's flexibility with his thinking allowed him to understand the changes in the slope of the tangents of graph when he was not presented with a formula to associate with the graphs. Both participants would frequently use verbal –description to aid their understanding of the behavior of derivative graphs when their analytic and visual thinking would fail. The study demonstrates that using graphical representation for functions and their derivative have the potential for producing richer understanding of the concept of the derivative. It also demonstrates that some African American students need further understanding of graphs with a cusp, a sharp corner, a vertical line, vertical asymptotes, or any other discontinuity. It also shows that students are able to connect their procedural knowledge with their conceptual knowledge when students are able to work between both graphic representation and analytic representations.
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Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0397
Format: Thesis

Title: Characterization of Nanotube Buckypaper Manufacturing Process.
Creator: Yeh, Cherng-Shii, Liang, Zhiyong, Simpson, James R., Wang, Ben, Zhang, Chuck, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The discovery of single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) gives an important boost to nanomaterial research. Since the nanotubes have exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, they are considered very promising reinforcement materials for developing high performance nanocomposites. One of the effective methods for fabricating nanotube composites is to make nanotubes into buckypaper form (Nanotube Buckypaper). The nanotubes are pre-formed into buckypaper of well-dispersed tube network...
Show moreThe discovery of single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) gives an important boost to nanomaterial research. Since the nanotubes have exceptional mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, they are considered very promising reinforcement materials for developing high performance nanocomposites. One of the effective methods for fabricating nanotube composites is to make nanotubes into buckypaper form (Nanotube Buckypaper). The nanotubes are pre-formed into buckypaper of well-dispersed tube network, so as to control tube dispersion and loading as well as microstructures in the resulting composites. In this research, we characterized the quality of buckypaper with different fabricating parameter combinations, and performed statistical analysis on the quality of the produced buckypapers. A statistical model of the nanotube buckypaper process was developed to investigate the contribution of fabricating parameters, including suspension concentration, sonication level and time, filtration vacuum pressure, and surfactant types on nanotube bundle quality as measured by rope size and pore size. Statistical modeling is also used to estimate the variability associated with manufacturing, the image taken, and the measurement processes. The statistical analysis shows that all the selected factors are influential to the quality of buckypaper, and the interactions between these factors contribute more than the factors themselves. Overall, the selection of surfactant is crucial to the formation of a uniform tube rope network of nanotube buckypaper in both average performance and variability. The microscopy characterization of the nanotube buckypaper samples, designed experiment, and variance components analysis all provide strong evidence that Triton X-100 is the best surfactant in terms of better dispersion effect, higher repeatability and less variability in producing nanotube buckypapers. Therefore, the process of fabricating buckypaper with Triton X-100 is suggested to construct a reliable and repeatable model of nanotube buckypaper process, and the model can be further used to optimize operating parameters and predict the quality of nanotube buckypapers.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0420
Format: Thesis

Title: Analysis and Predictions of Extreme Coastal Water Levels.
Creator: Xu, Sudong, Huang, Wenrui, Niu, Xufeng, Nnaji, Soronnadi, Abichou, Tarek, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Understanding the characteristics of probability distribution of extreme water levels is important for coastal flood mitigation and engineering design. In this study, frequency analysis has been conducted to investigate probability distributions along the coast of the U.S. by using three-parameter General Extreme Value (GEV) method. The GEV model combines three types of probability distributions (Type I for Gumbel distribution, Type II for Fretchet, or Type III for Weibull) into one...
Show moreUnderstanding the characteristics of probability distribution of extreme water levels is important for coastal flood mitigation and engineering design. In this study, frequency analysis has been conducted to investigate probability distributions along the coast of the U.S. by using three-parameter General Extreme Value (GEV) method. The GEV model combines three types of probability distributions (Type I for Gumbel distribution, Type II for Fretchet, or Type III for Weibull) into one expression. Types of distributions can be clarified by one of the three parameters of the GEV model for the corresponding studied stations. In this study, the whole U.S. coast was divided into four study areas: Pacific Coast, Northeast Atlantic Coast, Southeast Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico Coast. Nine National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stations with a long history of data (more than 70 years) in the four study areas were chosen in this study. Parameters of the GEV model were estimated by using the annual maximum water level of studied stations based on the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) method. T-test was applied in this study to tell if the parameter, , was greater than, less than or equal to 0, which was used to tell the type of the GEV model. Results show that different coastal areas have different probability distribution characteristics. The characteristics of probability distribution in Pacific Coast and Northeast Atlantic Coast are similar with extreme value I and III model. The Southeast Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico Coast were found to have similar probability distribution characteristics. The probability distributions were found to be extreme value I and II model, which are different from those of the Pacific Coast and Northeast Atlantic Coast. The performance of the GEV model was also studied in the four coastal areas. GEV model works well in the five studied stations of both the Pacific Coast and the Northeast Atlantic Coast but does not work well in the Southeast Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico Coast. Adequate predictions of extreme annual maximum coastal water levels (such as 100-year flood elevation) are also very important for flood hazard mitigation in coastal areas of Florida, USA. In this study, a frequency analysis method has been developed to provide more accurate predictions of 1% annual maximum water levels for the Florida coast waters. Using 82 and 94 years of water level data at Pensacola and Fernandina, performances of traditional frequency analysis methods, including advanced method of Generalized Extreme Value distribution method, have been evaluated. Comparison with observations of annual maximum water levels with 83 and 95 return years indicate that traditional methods are unable to provide satisfactory predictions of 1% annual maximum water levels to account for hurricane-induced extreme water levels. Based on the characteristics of annual maximum water level distribution Pensacola and Fernandina stations, a new probability distribution method has been developed in this study. Comparison with observations indicates that the method presented in this study significantly improves the accuracy of predictions of 1% annual maximum water levels. For Fernandina station, predictions of extreme water level match well with the general trend of observations. With a correlation coefficient of 0.98, the error for the maximum observed extreme water level of 3.11 m (NGVD datum) with 95 return years is 0.92 %. For Pensacola station, the prediction error for the maximum observed extreme water level with a return period of 83 years is 5.5 %, with a correlation value of 0.98. In frequency analysis of 100 year coastal flood (FEMA 2005), annual extreme high water levels are often used. However, in many coastal areas, long history data of water levels are unavailable. In addition, some water level records may be missed due to the damage of measurement instruments during hurricanes. In this study, a method has been developed to employ artificial neural network and harmonic analysis for predicting extreme coastal water levels during hurricanes. The combined water levels were de-composed into tidal signals and storm surge. Tidal signal can be derived by harmonic analysis, while storm surge can be predicted by neural network modeling based on the observed wind speeds and atmospheric pressure. The neural network model employs three-layer feed-forward backgropagation structure with advanced scaled conjugate training algorithm. The method presented in this study has been successfully tested in Panama City Beach and Apalachicola located in Florida coast for Hurricane Dennis and Hurricane Ivan. In both stations, model predicted peak elevations match well with observations in both hurricane events. The decomposed storm surge hydrograph also make it possible for analysis potential extreme water levels if storm surge occurs during spring high tide.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0416
Format: Thesis

Title: Velocity Field Measurements of He II Forced Flow Using the Particle Image Velocimetry Technique.
Creator: Xu, Ting, Sciver, Steven W. Van, Brooks, James S., Luongo, Cesar A., Schwartz, Justin, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: We report measurements of the velocity fields in He II forced flow obtained by the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique, a technique which uses micron scale tracer particles to track the flow. We demonstrate that the micron size solid deuterium particles are the best choice for tracing He II forced flow in a horizontal channel. A novel particle seeding device has been developed to form micron size solid hydrogen isotope tracer particles directly within a He II flow. The tracking...
Show moreWe report measurements of the velocity fields in He II forced flow obtained by the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique, a technique which uses micron scale tracer particles to track the flow. We demonstrate that the micron size solid deuterium particles are the best choice for tracing He II forced flow in a horizontal channel. A novel particle seeding device has been developed to form micron size solid hydrogen isotope tracer particles directly within a He II flow. The tracking mechanism and the fidelity of these particles have been examined and are discussed herein. He II forced flows up to 287 mm/s are created in a square cross-section visualization channel within Liquid Helium Flow Visualization Facility (LHFVF). In the adiabatic flow case, visualization results confirm the existence of the turbulent boundary layer, with the measured velocity profiles being in reasonable agreement with empirical correlations for the classical fluids. No temperature dependence to the velocity profiles is observed within the temperature range tested (1.65 K to 2.10 K). We also tested the case of thermal counterflow in the horizontal channel without net flow. Heater powers ranging from 0.4 kW/m2 to 6.6 kW/m2 were applied to the channel at two different bath temperatures, 1.80 K and 1.95 K. We observe millimeter size vortices randomly located in the transient velocity field as measured by the tracer particles. The mean velocity results confirm that the tracer particles do not exactly track the normal fluid component motion, an effect which was observed by previous researchers with vertically oriented thermal counterflow channels. No turbulent boundary layer is observed in this case. A quantitative comparison with previous research in this area is also presented. Finally, we examine forced flow He II with constant applied heat flux, in which the forced flow is coupled with the thermal counterflow. In this case, the measured particle velocity fields show a similar flow pattern as the adiabatic case and the turbulent boundary layer remains. The mean velocity of the tracer particles is seen to be greater than the flow velocity and increases linearly with the normal fluid velocity; however, the rate of increase is less than predicted based on the two-fluid model. Observing and quantifying He II flow velocity fields can extend our knowledge of He II fundamentals and facilitate the refining of existing He II fluid dynamics models.
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Date Issued: 2007
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0417
Format: Thesis

Title: Na+ during Dhpg Application Plays a Critical Role in DHPG-Induced Inhibition of NMDA Channel-Mediated Synaptic Responses in CA1 Neurons.
Creator: Zhong, Peng, Chen, Chi-Kai (Kevin), Yu, Xian-Min, Shanbhag, Sachin, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Receptor trafficking such as endocytosis may decrease the number of surface receptors and hence down-regulate receptor-mediated functions. Previous studies showed that dynamic endocytosis of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor/channels (NMDARs) inhibits the gating of remaining surface NMDARs characterized by a reduction in channel open duration. Surprisingly, the blockade of Na+ influx prevents the gating down-regulation of remaining surface NMDARs induced by NMDAR endocytosis. More importantly, if...
Show moreReceptor trafficking such as endocytosis may decrease the number of surface receptors and hence down-regulate receptor-mediated functions. Previous studies showed that dynamic endocytosis of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor/channels (NMDARs) inhibits the gating of remaining surface NMDARs characterized by a reduction in channel open duration. Surprisingly, the blockade of Na+ influx prevents the gating down-regulation of remaining surface NMDARs induced by NMDAR endocytosis. More importantly, if this gating down-regulation is prevented, NMDA channel endocytosis produces no change in NMDA channel-mediated whole-cell and synaptic responses. Here, I report that blocking Na+ influx only during (R,S)-3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine (DHPG) application, which induces NMDA channel endocytosis, could effectively block the down-regulation of NMDA channel-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) induced by NMDA channel endocytosis in adult CA1 neurons. This finding provided the first evidence confirming that the Na+ influx blockade during DHPG application sufficiently prevents DHPG-induced down-regulation of NMDA channel-mediated synaptic responses in CA1 neurons.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0522
Format: Thesis

Title: Retroflection from Slanted Coastline Modeling Rings Injection into the South Atlantic during Glacials/Interglacials.
Creator: Zharkov, Volodymyr, Nof, Doron, Kostka, Joel, Clayson, Carol Anne, Weatherly, Georges, Program in Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Recent proxies analysis suggest that, at the end of the last glacial, there was a significant increase in the injection of Agulhas rings into the South Atlantic (SA). This brought about a dramatic increase in the salt-influx (from the Indian Ocean) into the SA helping re-start the then-collapsed meridional overturning cell (MOC), leading to the glacial termination. Here, we propose a mechanism through which large variations in ring production take place. To gain a preliminary understanding of...
Show moreRecent proxies analysis suggest that, at the end of the last glacial, there was a significant increase in the injection of Agulhas rings into the South Atlantic (SA). This brought about a dramatic increase in the salt-influx (from the Indian Ocean) into the SA helping re-start the then-collapsed meridional overturning cell (MOC), leading to the glacial termination. Here, we propose a mechanism through which large variations in ring production take place. To gain a preliminary understanding of the processes in question, we develop a nonlinear analytical model of retroflection from a slanted non-zonal coastline. In is known that the balance of long-shore momentum flux requires that the solution of retroflecting currents involves ring shedding on the western side. An important aspect of the ring dynamics is the ring intensity α (analogous to the Rossby number), which reaches its maximum value of unity when the upstream potential vorticity (PV) is zero. Friction leads to a slow-down and a decrease in α. The main difficulty is that the solution of the system of equations for conservation of mass and momentum of zonal currents leads to the conclusion that the ratio (Φ) of the mass flux going into the rings and the total incoming mass flux is approximately 4α/(1+2α) . This yields the "vorticity paradox"-- only relatively weak rings (α ¬ >1/2 ) could satisfy the necessary condition Φ ¬ >1. Physically, this means, for example, that the momentum-flux of zero PV currents upstream is so high that, no matter how many rings are produced and no matter what size they are, they cannot compensate for it. We show here that when the slant of coastline (γ) exceeds merely 15°, Φ does not reach unity regardless of the value of α. Namely, the paradox disappears even for small slants. Our slowly varying nonlinear solution does not only let us circumvent the paradox. It also gives a detailed description of the rings growth rate and the mass flux going into the rings as a function of time. Interestingly, for significant slants (γ ¬1/2 ) could satisfy the necessary condition Φ ¬ >1. Physically, this means, for example, that the momentum-flux of zero PV currents upstream is so high that, no matter how many rings are produced and no matter what size they are, they cannot compensate for it. We show here that when the slant of coastline (γ) exceeds merely 15°, Φ does not reach unity regardless of the value of α. Namely, the paradox disappears even for small slants. Our slowly varying nonlinear solution does not only let us circumvent the paradox. It also gives a detailed description of the rings growth rate and the mass flux going into the rings as a function of time. Interestingly, for significant slants (γ ¬1. Physically, this means, for example, that the momentum-flux of zero PV currents upstream is so high that, no matter how many rings are produced and no matter what size they are, they cannot compensate for it. We show here that when the slant of coastline (γ) exceeds merely 15°, Φ does not reach unity regardless of the value of α. Namely, the paradox disappears even for small slants. Our slowly varying nonlinear solution does not only let us circumvent the paradox. It also gives a detailed description of the rings growth rate and the mass flux going into the rings as a function of time. Interestingly, for significant slants (γ ¬°) , the rings reach a terminal size corresponding to a balance between the β -force and both the upstream and downstream momentum fluxes. This terminal size is unrelated to the ultimate detachment and westward drift due to β. The developed model enables us to obtain the nonlinear analytical solutions for eddy shedding, including the theoretical ranges of detached eddies radii, their propagation speeds, and their periods of detachment, as well as the average amount of mass flux going into the rings. Using the dependence of these aspects on the coastline slant, we show that there are restricted possibilities for ring detachment when the coast is oriented in the north –south direction. We define a critical coastline angle below which there is rings shedding and above which there is almost no shedding. In the case of the Agulhas region, the particular shape of the African continent implies that rings can be produced only when the retroflection occurs beyond a specific latitude where the angle is critical. During glaciation, the wind stress curl (WSC) vanished at a latitude lower than that of the critical angle, which prohibited the retroflection from producing rings. When the latitude at which the WSC vanishes migrated poleward towards its present day position, the corresponding coastline angle decreased below the critical angle and allowed for a vigorous production of rings. Simple process-oriented numerical simulations (using the Bleck and Boudra model) are in good agreement with our results and enable us to affirm that, during the glacials, the behavior of the Agulhas Current (AC) was similar to that of the modern East Australian Current (EAC), for which the coastline slant is supercritical.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0525
Format: Thesis

Title: Reducing the WCET of Applications on Low End Embedded Systems.
Creator: Zhao, Wankang, Whalley, David, Srivastava, Anuj, Baker, Theodore P., Engelen, Robert A. van, Gallivan, Kyle, Department of Computer Science, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Applications in embedded systems often need to meet specified timing constraints. It is advantageous to not only calculate the Worst-Case Execution Time (WCET) of an application, but to also perform transformations that attempt to reduce the WCET, since an application with a lower WCET will be less likely to violate its timing constraints. A compiler has been integrated with a timing analyzer to obtain the WCET of a program on demand during compilation. This environment is used to investigate...
Show moreApplications in embedded systems often need to meet specified timing constraints. It is advantageous to not only calculate the Worst-Case Execution Time (WCET) of an application, but to also perform transformations that attempt to reduce the WCET, since an application with a lower WCET will be less likely to violate its timing constraints. A compiler has been integrated with a timing analyzer to obtain the WCET of a program on demand during compilation. This environment is used to investigate three different types of compiler optimization techniques to reduce WCET. First, an interactive compilation system has been developed that allows a user to interact with a compiler and get feedback regarding the WCET. In addition, a genetic algorithm is used to automatically search for an effective optimization phase sequence to reduce the WCET. Second, a WCET code positioning optimization has been investigated that uses worst-case path information to reorder basic blocks so that the branch penalties can be reduced in the worst-case path. Third, WCET path optimizations, similar to frequent path optimizations, are used to reduce the WCET. There are several contributions to this work. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first compiler that interacts with a timing analyzer to use WCET predictions during the compilation of applications. The dissertation demonstrates that a genetic algorithm search can find an optimization sequence that simultaneously improves both WCET and code size. New compiler optimizations have been developed that use WC path information from a timing analyzer. The results show that the WCET code positioning algorithms typically find the optimal layout of the basic blocks with the minimal WCET. It is also shown that frequent path optimizations can be applied on WC paths using worst-case path information from a timing analyzer to reduce WCET. These new compiler optimizations described in this dissertation not only significantly reduce WCET, but also are completely automatic.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0528
Format: Thesis

Title: Time-Varying Coefficient Models with ARMA-GARCH Structures for Longitudinal Data Analysis.
Creator: Zhao, Haiyan, Niu, Xufeng, Huﬀer, Fred, Nolder, Craig, McGee, Dan, Department of Statistics, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The motivation of my research comes from the analysis of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) data. The FHS is a long term prospective study of cardiovascular disease in the community of Framingham, Massachusetts. The study began in 1948 and 5,209 subjects were initially enrolled. Examinations were given biennially to the study participants and their status associated with the occurrence of disease was recorded. In this dissertation, the event we are interested in is the incidence of the coronary...
Show moreThe motivation of my research comes from the analysis of the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) data. The FHS is a long term prospective study of cardiovascular disease in the community of Framingham, Massachusetts. The study began in 1948 and 5,209 subjects were initially enrolled. Examinations were given biennially to the study participants and their status associated with the occurrence of disease was recorded. In this dissertation, the event we are interested in is the incidence of the coronary heart disease (CHD). Covariates considered include sex, age, cigarettes per day (CSM), serum cholesterol (SCL), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and body mass index (BMI, weight in kilograms/height in meters squared). Statistical literature review indicates that effects of the covariates on Cardiovascular disease or death caused by all possible diseases in the Framingham study change over time. For example, the effect of SCL on Cardiovascular disease decreases linearly over time. In this study, I would like to examine the time-varying effects of the risk factors on CHD incidence. Time-varying coefficient models with ARMA-GARCH structure are developed in this research. The maximum likelihood and the marginal likelihood methods are used to estimate the parameters in the proposed models. Since high-dimensional integrals are involved in the calculations of the marginal likelihood, the Laplace approximation is employed in this study. Simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the performance of these two estimation methods based on our proposed models. The Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence and the root mean square error are employed in the simulation studies to compare the results obtained from different methods. Simulation results show that the marginal likelihood approach gives more accurate parameter estimates, but is more computationally intensive. Following the simulation study, our proposed models are applied to the Framingham Heart Study to investigate the time-varying effects of covariates with respect to CHD incidence. To specify the time-series structures of the effects of risk factors, the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) is used for model selection. Our study shows that the relationship between CHD and risk factors changes over time. For males, there is an obviously decreasing linear trend for age effect, which implies that the age effect on CHD is less significant for elder patients than younger patients. The effect of CSM stays almost the same in the first 30 years and decreases thereafter. There are slightly decreasing linear trends for both effects of SBP and BMI. Furthermore, the coefficients of SBP are mostly positive over time, i.e., patients with higher SBP are more likely developing CHD as expected. For females, there is also an obviously decreasing linear trend for age effect, while the effects of SBP and BMI on CHD are mostly positive and do not change too much over time.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0527
Format: Thesis

Title: Foreign Language Reading Anxiety: Investigating English-Speaking University Students Learning Chinese as a Foreign Language in the United States.
Creator: Zhao, Aiping, Hasson, Deborah J., Wood, Susan, Lan, Feng, Kennell, Patrick, School of Teacher Education, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The aim of this study was to explore the foreign language reading anxiety among learners of Chinese in colleges in the United States. Early studies on foreign language anxiety had an obvious focus on the language skill of speaking (e.g., Aida, 1994; Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986; Phillips, 1992; Young, 1986) and the foreign language anxiety study related to other language skills such as reading, listening and writing have not drawn researchers' attention until very recently (Cheng, Horwitz &...
Show moreThe aim of this study was to explore the foreign language reading anxiety among learners of Chinese in colleges in the United States. Early studies on foreign language anxiety had an obvious focus on the language skill of speaking (e.g., Aida, 1994; Horwitz, Horwitz & Cope, 1986; Phillips, 1992; Young, 1986) and the foreign language anxiety study related to other language skills such as reading, listening and writing have not drawn researchers' attention until very recently (Cheng, Horwitz & Schallert, 1999; Saito et al., 1999; Vogely, 1998). Foreign language reading anxiety is a construct that is related to but distinct from general foreign language anxiety (Saito, Horwitz, & Garza, 1999; Sellers, 2000; Shi & Liu, 2006). Alphabetic and syllabic target languages such as English, Spanish, and Japanese have been studied in the foreign language reading anxiety research but logographic language has rarely been included. By including Chinese, a logographic language, as a target language in research on the foreign language reading anxiety, this study intended to expand the understanding of the nature of foreign language reading anxiety and also the reading process of Chinese as a foreign language. According to the sociocognitive perspective of reading (Bernhardt, 1991), reading is a meaning-reconstruction process where readers interact with not only the text-based components but also the extra-text components of a reading passage. Text-based components are such as word recognition, phonemic/graphemic decoding, and syntactic features. In reading a Chinese passage, learners of Chinese usually spend excessive time on word recognition due to the non direct relation between the form and the pronunciation of a Chinese character. Humans are limited in cognitive capacity (Eysenck, 1992). Therefore, after most of the cognitive capacity is used in dealing with word recognition, very little cognitive capacity is available for the activation of discourse knowledge, prior knowledge, and metacognition that deal with the extra-text components. The inefficient reading process might lead to reading anxiety among readers. Bernhardt (2005) pointed out that the role of affect such as anxiety had been neglected from the previous reading models, which might explain some more of the variance in reading performance. A review of the previous studies demonstrated that many fundamental questions concerning foreign language reading anxiety such as the sources of foreign language reading anxiety and the relation between foreign language reading anxiety and foreign language reading performance had not been thoroughly investigated. Two basic assumptions raised by Saito et al. (1999) informed the proposed study. First, foreign language reading anxiety was a construct that was related to but distinct from foreign language anxiety. Second, foreign language reading anxiety varied depending on different target languages. In this study, the researcher explored the following specific research questions. 1. What is the foreign language reading anxiety level among English speaking university students learning Chinese as a foreign language in the United States? 2. What background variables are related to foreign language reading anxiety? a. Is gender related to foreign language reading anxiety? b. Is course level related to foreign language reading anxiety? c. Is time spent in China related to foreign language reading anxiety? 3. Is there a relationship between foreign language reading anxiety and foreign language reading performance? A survey research design was employed in this study. Survey research has been widely used in foreign language anxiety studies (e.g., Horwitz et al., 1986; Saito et al., 1999). A total of 125 learners of Chinese in a large public research university in the U.S. took part in this survey study. The primary data source came from the two anxiety instruments, namely, Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (Horwitz et al., 1986) and Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (Saito et al., 1999) and also a background information questionnaire. Data from an email interview were the secondary data source triangulating the results obtained from the primary data source. Statistical analysis such as 2*2*2 factorial ANOVA and Pearson Product - Moment correlation analysis were adopted in this study. The study found: 1.The level of foreign language reading anxiety was similar to the level of general foreign language anxiety among learners of Chinese. Reading Chinese as a foreign language was anxiety-provoking to some students. Unfamiliar scripts, unfamiliar topics and worry about the reading effect were identified as the main sources of foreign language reading anxiety. 2. There was a significant course level effect on the level of foreign language reading anxiety with intermediate students having a significantly higher level of foreign language reading anxiety than elementary students. 3. There was a significant negative correlation between foreign language reading anxiety and foreign language reading performance. The findings suggest that reading was as anxiety-provoking to learners of a non-cognate non-western language as speaking did. The unfamiliar scripts were found to be the major source of foreign language reading anxiety, which confirmed one of the hypothesized sources of Saito et al. (1999). The finding about the significant course level effect on the level of foreign language reading anxiety also conformed to the studies done among learners of Japanese (Kitano, 2001; Saito & Samimy, 1996; Samimy & Tabuse, 1992). This finding reminded instructors of Chinese that as students advanced into higher level classes their foreign language reading anxiety increased due to the new characters needed to be learned and the increasing level of difficulty of the reading passages. Measures such as raising students' radical awareness, choosing reading passages that fit students' proficiency level, providing background information about the topic of reading passage and giving evaluation feedback after the reading activity were suggested to decrease students' level of reading anxiety. The limitations in both the research design and the statistical analysis were acknowledged. The limitations in research design mainly came from the exclusion of advanced class students, the cancellation of the face to face small group discussion, the inclusion of the researcher's students, and the use of non standardized reading scores. The mean replacement of the missing data, the small cell size in the ANOVA analysis and the ceiling effect of the reading score were the limitations existing in the statistical analysis procedures. Future research was suggested to include advanced level students in examining the role that unfamiliar culture elements played in foreign language reading anxiety as advanced level students had more opportunity to encounter cultural elements in the more authentic reading materials. The relation between foreign language reading anxiety and the use of different word recognition strategies, different topics and styles of reading passages are also worth exploring.
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Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0529
Format: Thesis

Title: A Comparative Citation Analysis Study of Web-Based and Print Journal-Based Scholarly Communication in the XML Research Field.
Creator: Zhao, Dangzhi, Burnett, Gary, Dennis, Lawrence C., Logan, Elisabeth, Burnett, Kathleen, Belton, Benjamin Keith, School of Library and Information Studies, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: The accelerated development of information technology, especially the rapid growth of the Web, is changing the circumstances and consequently the structures and processes of scholarly communication. Since the Internet as a powerful communication medium has radically improved the efficiency of communication, scholarly communicative activities are increasingly being conducted over the Internet: interacting with peers, searching for information, publishing research results, etc. As a result,...
Show moreThe accelerated development of information technology, especially the rapid growth of the Web, is changing the circumstances and consequently the structures and processes of scholarly communication. Since the Internet as a powerful communication medium has radically improved the efficiency of communication, scholarly communicative activities are increasingly being conducted over the Internet: interacting with peers, searching for information, publishing research results, etc. As a result, there is renewed interest in the study of scholarly communication to see the types of communication that are taking place and the similarities to what we have come to expect from print based communication. New data sources and tools for scholarly communication research are becoming increasing available on the Web as well. These data and tools have opened up the possibility of new topics of inquiry applying new methods leading to new theories (Borgman, 2002; Zhao & Logan, 2002). The present study explores this possibility through an author citation analysis of scholarly communication patterns in the extensible Markup Language (XML) research field using data both from the Web as indexed by Research Index (http://www.researchindex.com) and from print journals as indexed by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)s Science Citation Index (SCI). A series of citation analyses including author visibility analysis and author co-citation analysis have been conducted, and comparisons of results from the two data sources have been carried out controlling for data scope and citation counting method respectively, to identify the similarities and differences between Web-based and print journal-based scholarly communication as revealed by citation analysis and to reveal the capacity of scientific papers published on the Web along with existing citation indexing tools for Web publications as an alternative data source to the ISI databases for citation analysis studies. Meanwhile, publications and characteristics of three groups of highly visible authors have been examined and compared authors highly visible both on the Web and in journals, those only in journals, and those only on the Web, to ascertain the possible contributing factors to the differences identified from the two data sources. Based on these, the present study also explores possible improvements of data sources and tools on the Web and the requirements for a problem solving environment (PSE) for scholarly communication research. XML is one of the most promising research areas and also one of the research fields that has taken an early move to online publishing. Through a series of citation analyses of the XML research field, the present study identifies the ideas and thinkers that have influenced the conceptual development within the field, the sub-areas in this field that appear to be more active, and the interrelationship of the sub-areas and of core researchers. Findings from this study indicate that the XML research field is a coherent research field in which scholars are well interconnected through intellectual and social ties. Researchers in this field are communicating research results heavily on the Web, especially results from studies at the research front. The two groups of XML scholars who actively publish on the Web or in journals share very few publications, and are concerned with different issues. While all study XML related standards or specifications and XML database design and implementation, research on XML applications is a focus only in journals, and research into the Semantic Web and programming for and processing of XML data is better represented on the Web. It appears that while emerging specialties such as the Semantic Web are more visible on the Web, new trends in long-existing specialties such as Software agents are well represented in journals. However, these two groups have similar citing behavior and their collective view of author visibility and the intellectual structure of the research field is very similar as well. This is indicated by the very high correlation between author ranking by number of citations resulting from ResearchIndex and that from SCI when the same citation counting method was used. This is also suggested by the similar relative locations of specialties, to which both groups have contributed, on the maps resulting from Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) of the two data sources. Conclusions can be drawn from the findings that evaluation of scholars and examination of intellectual structures based on the collective view of citers on the Web should be considered as equally valid as those based on citers view in journals, provided the discipline being studied is well-published on the Web. In order to gain a complete picture of the scholarly communication patterns in the XML research field, multiple data sources should be used rather than only the ISI databases or ResearchIndex. These findings also seem to evidence a two-tier system in scholarly communication that is believed by some scholars to be a probable future model of the scholarly communication system (Poultney, 1996; van Raan, 2001). In this model, the first tier is a free space which represents the scholarly enterprise in real time and is most likely to feature free Web-based publications, while the second tier is the world of more formal publications that is most likely to continue to be dominated by journals (van Raan, 2001, p. 61). In other words, in this model, research would largely be initially reported on the Web to obtain priority and fast recognition and then gradually distributed through other more formal channels such as journals to gain formal acceptance. Data sources and tools increasingly available on the Web have opened up the possibility of new topics of inquiry applying new methods leading to new theories. However, they currently do not cover as many disciplines and are not as easy to use as the ISI databases. These are some of the aspects in scholarly communication systems that need to be improved and to which citation analysis can contribute. A well designed problem solving environment (PSE) for scholarly communication research can be a solution. The preliminary exploration of such a PSE in the present study is a start and hopefully will lead to a full discussion in the future.
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Date Issued: 2003
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0530
Format: Thesis

Title: Traffic Capacity and Speed Analyses of Freeway Work Zones Based on Computer Simulation.
Creator: Zhu, Kangyuan, Ping, W. Virgil, Mussa, Renatus Nyakiamo, Tung, Leonard J., Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Traffic capacity, queue discharge rates and vehicle speeds at work zones were equally essential in assessment of work zone performance and traffic operation. This study was conducted to analyze the traffic flow characteristics in freeway work zones based on the traffic data collected from CORSIM simulation. A total seven related factors were input into CORSIM software and 129,600 times of CORSIM simulation were run in the designed experiments. In the capacity and queue discharge rate analyses...
Show moreTraffic capacity, queue discharge rates and vehicle speeds at work zones were equally essential in assessment of work zone performance and traffic operation. This study was conducted to analyze the traffic flow characteristics in freeway work zones based on the traffic data collected from CORSIM simulation. A total seven related factors were input into CORSIM software and 129,600 times of CORSIM simulation were run in the designed experiments. In the capacity and queue discharge rate analyses, it was found that capacity could not be obtained definitely on the onset of congested traffic conditions at work zones although the probability to reach the maximum flow rate on the onset of congested traffic conditions was the highest. With analysis of variance, it was found that almost all the levels in each selected factor were statistical significant with respect to the capacity and mean queue discharge rate. The additive regression models of capacity and mean queue discharge rate with the related factors were obtained. The capacity regression models had R-Square 0.903 and 0.726 respectively with or without considering the interaction effects of two factors. However, the models for mean queue discharge rate had R-Square 0.944 and 0.762 respectively with or without considering the interaction effects of two factors. The results showed that consideration of interaction effects of factors would improve the fitness of models greatly. In addition, mean queue discharge rate was more stable to estimate than the capacity. Number of simulation runs required for capacity analyses at work zones was also studied. It was found that 5 times of simulation runs were adequate for capacity analyses with 95% confident level within 5% estimation errors. In speed analyses, under uncongested traffic conditions, the speeds along freeway work zones were controlled mainly by the FFS (or Speed Limit) although there were some minor fluctuations in the traffic flow. However, under congested traffic conditions the speed characteristics were much more complex and the standard deviation of vehicle speeds were much larger. The speed patterns under congested traffic conditions could be divided into seven sections each with different traffic flow characteristics. Since the large standard deviations of the point speeds, only space-mean speed in three sections out of the seven sections was analyzed. Additive regression models of space-mean speed with related factors were developed under both congested and uncongested traffic conditions. The results showed space-mean speed models under uncongested traffic conditions had R-Square 0.902 and 0.870 respectively with or without considering the interaction effects of two factors. However, under congested traffic conditions, space-mean speed models had R-Square 0.801 and 0.742 respectively with or without considering the interaction effects of two factors. It indicated that it was more difficult to estimate speeds under congested traffic flow. In addition, simulation runs were analyzed for space-mean speed estimation at freeway work zones. The results showed 5 times of simulation runs were adequate for speed analyses with 95% confident level within 10% estimation errors under uncongested traffic conditions. However, under congested traffic conditions, 7 or more times of simulation runs were preferred.
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Date Issued: 2004
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0516
Format: Thesis

Title: Evaluation and DSP Based Implementation of PWM Approaches for Single-Phase DC-AC Converters.
Creator: Zhou, Lining, Chang, Jie J., Zheng, Jim P., Roberts, Rodney G., Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida State University
Abstract/Description: Switching-mode single-phase DC-AC converters have been widely used in critical applications such as uninterrupted power supply systems and AC motor drivers. Among various control techniques, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technique is the most effective one that is commonly used to regulate the magnitude and frequency of the converter's output voltage. With recent revolution in the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology, the trend of converter control is moving to DSP based real-time...
Show moreSwitching-mode single-phase DC-AC converters have been widely used in critical applications such as uninterrupted power supply systems and AC motor drivers. Among various control techniques, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technique is the most effective one that is commonly used to regulate the magnitude and frequency of the converter's output voltage. With recent revolution in the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) technology, the trend of converter control is moving to DSP based real-time digital control system. Digital control has the advantage of low cost with increased flexibility and accuracy. In this thesis, three open-loop PWM control schemes are evaluated and compared in both time domain and frequency domain. Theoretical analysis and spectrum evaluation have been completed. Digital simulation is conducted for each of the control schemes to verify the theoretical analysis. Experimental implementation based on a TMS320F2812 DSP is presented and finally system experimental results are demonstrated.
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Date Issued: 2005
Identifier: FSU_migr_etd-0519
Format: Thesis

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