ABSTRACT: A numerical technique is developed for the design and optimization of the microstructure of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The technique is based on evaluating the sensitivity functions of the different variables that need to by optimized (such as the two-dimensional or three-dimensional platinum distributions in the catalyst layers and the distributions of the porosity and carbon content in the catalyst and gas diffusion layers) and is using a gradient based technique to compute the optimum of these distributions. The sensitivity functions are computed using a novel adjoint-method approach that is presented in detail in this dissertation and which proves to be robust, reliable, and numerically efficient. This optimization technique is relatively general and can also be applied to the optimization of other variables of the fuel cells, such as geometric dimensions and cell structure. Our numerical results show an increase of 10-15% in the power density of conventional fuel cells as a result of keeping the total amount of platinum constant but properly redistributing it throughout the catalyst layer. We also show that one can increase the power density of conventional PEMFCs by approximately 20% by optimizing the distributions of the Nafion, carbon, and catalyst content in in the cell simultaneously.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): December 8, 2021.
NOTE (Keywords): adjoint, optimization, PEMFC, sensitivity
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Petru Andrei, Professor Directing Dissertation; Arda Vanli, University Representative; Shonda Bernadin, Committee Member; Simon Foo, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Electrical engineering
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Lanaghan_fsu_0071N_17246.pdf
TITLE: National Medievalism in Russia and Turkey
AUTHOR: Lanaghan, Nathaniel P.,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Romanchuk, Robert
MEMBER (committee member): Johnson, David F. (David Frame), 1956-
MEMBER (committee member): Wakamiya, Lisa Ryoko, 1969-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (67 pages)
ABSTRACT: There is a growing trend of invoking the Middle Ages to ground modern identity in something familiar and historic (Utz, 2022). In an increasingly interconnected yet insecure world, Russia and Turkey have emerged as regional powers, or in the case of Russia, a great power with imperial aspirations, and are attempting to secure their place in the new multipolar world order. Dmitri Trenin (2013) suggests there is an "astonishing likeness" in the twenty-first century development of Russia and Turkey. These countries have adopted Western institutions and had, at one point, sought integration with the West. At present, however, disillusionment with the Western model and a desire to restore past glories of empire have encouraged the governments of these nations to distance themselves from Western influence, setting them down a path hostile to its values and concerns. This is compounded by what Russian author Eugene Vodolazkin (2016b) calls the "ever-present twofold issue of excessive individualization and the secularization of life" (p. 35) synonymous with liberal society that the ruling governments of Russia and Turkey present as detrimental to traditional culture and values underpinning their civilization-states. While a wide variety of positions exist within the respective cultural and political discourses in Russia and Turkey, the governments of Presidents Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan have instrumentalized mythologized narratives of national identity, rooted in the Middle Ages, to decouple themselves from and "otherize" the West in pursuit of revanchist foreign policies and autocratic domestic policies.The result has been the top-down imposition of national identity founded on the myths of the glorious past. Reaching back to the Middle Ages, which is regarded as the era of "civilizational birth" for Russia and Turkey, myths, characters, symbols, and values of the imagined past are being reconstructed to question the "individualized and secularized" character of modern society. Governments and institutions have sponsored cultural medievalism in media, with TV and film being among the most popular and widespread. State-sponsored medievalism has become a silver screen staple in these countries, with shows like Sophia (София, 2016) in Russia and The Great Seljuk (Büyük Selçuklu, 2020) in Turkey being financed partly or entirely by their respective governments. Literature, or more specifically books by elite writers, however, remain outside of overt government control. In this study, I will consider/treat/examine Laurus¬ (published 2012, translated 2015) by Eugene Vodolazkin and ¬My Name Is Red (published 1998, translated 2001) by Orhan Pamuk – two titles with stories set in the Middle Ages and themes that relate to the questioning of national character, identity, and self. ¬My Name Is Red was written before neo-Ottoman medievalism in popular culture became a widespread, state-sanctioned phenomenon in Turkey. Laurus, conversely, was written when medievalism was instrumentalized by the state to legitimize concepts such as the "Russian world." I will determine how these works of medievalism summon the Middle Ages to respond to issues of national identity and provide insight on the author's positions vis-à-vis their respective government and institutions. This analysis seeks to identify and label a trend of invoking the Middle Ages in Russia and Turkey under the framework of what I propose to call "national medievalism." I will provide examples of national medievalism in context and explain how it is utilized in the interrogation and propagation of national identities. This study of medievalism will provide insight on how the Middle Ages are perceived and instrumentalized in Russia and Turkey and provide context to the rise of popular medievalism in their respective cultural discourses.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 28, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Erdogan, Identity, Medievalism, Putin, Russia, Turkey
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Robert L. Romanchuk, Professor Directing Thesis; David F. Johnson, Committee Member; Lisa Ryoko Wakamiya, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Comparative literature
SUBJECT: Slavic countries
SUBJECT: Middle East--Study and teaching
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: LandiConde_fsu_0071N_17184.pdf
TITLE: Glucagon-like Peptide 1-Mediated Modulation of Kv1.3 Activity
AUTHOR: Landi Conde, Daniel Roberto,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Fadool, Debra Ann
MEMBER (committee member): Vincis, Roberto
MEMBER (committee member): Stagg, Scott
MEMBER (committee member): Lenhert, Steven John
MEMBER (committee member): Bertram, R. (Richard)
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Biological Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (155 pages)
ABSTRACT: There is a well-established relationship between the olfactory and the endocrine systems. At the center of this relationship sits the olfactory bulb, which acts as a relay station for the sense of smell. In fact, neurons in the olfactory epithelium and the olfactory bulb express a myriad of metabolic receptors. Mitral cells are the major projection neurons in the olfactory bulb, and they express receptors for important metabolic factors such as glucose, insulin, and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). GLP-1 is a gut hormone that aids in the regulation of blood glucose by promoting the release of insulin following a meal. The main source of GLP-1 is the intestinal L-cells, but it is also released from neurons in the central nervous system. Mitral cells in the olfactory bulb express the receptor for GLP-1 (GLP-1R). The GLP-1R is a G-protein-coupled receptor that is mechanistically coupled to adenylyl cyclase, which catalyzes the conversion of ATP into cAMP, leading to the activation of cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase A (PKA). GLP-1R action increases neuronal excitability by reducing the hyperpolarizing currents in mitral cells through an unknown mechanism. The main voltage-gated potassium channel in mitral cells is Kv1.3. Since the effect of GLP-1 on mitral cell excitability is lost in Kv1.3-/- cells, it is hypothesized that GLP-1R activation leads to an inhibition of Kv1.3 activity. My project focuses on describing the signaling pathway that leads to Kv1.3 inhibition upon GLP-1 stimulation. Previous reports conclude that GLP-1R activation in multiple tissues leads to a partial inhibition of potassium channels, usually via phosphorylation. To test this, I transfected Kv1.3 and the GLP-1R in a heterologous expression system (HEK293) and performed both electrophysiological and biochemical assays. GLP-1 stimulation leads to an overall decrease in currents generated by Kv1.3 without affecting the channel's kinetic properties for activation, inactivation, or deactivation. This effect is lost in mutant versions of Kv1.3 that are resistant to Serine phosphorylation. In parallel, I performed an immunoprecipitation of Kv1.3 from transfected cells following GLP-1 stimulation. As revealed by immunoblotting, Kv1.3 protein extracted from cells co-expressing the GLP-1R show a marked increase in Serine/Threonine phosphorylation when compared to the control. Taken together, my results indicate that GLP-1R activation does indeed lead to Serine phosphorylation of Kv1.3, causing a partial inhibition of its activity without apparent changes in its kinetic properties. An exception would be the triple mutant S3A-Kv1.3, wherein the half-point to maximal activation (V1/2) shows a depolarizing shift without a reduction in the generated currents. Because of this, my results point to a role for S105 in the activation of Kv1.3 that is independent of ionic conductance. GLP-1-induced inhibition, however, is not as strong as the one previously observed in mitral cells. I hypothesize that the phosphorylation is mediated by cAMP-dependent PKA activation, but I discuss the possibility of different pathways affecting Kv1.3 that are part of the complex reaction cascade triggered by GLP-1. In conclusion, GLP-1-mediated phosphorylation of Kv1.3 might lead to the disincorporation of Kv1.3 channels from the membrane, effectively reducing the hyperpolarizing currents in the cell without affecting the kinetic properties of channel activity. My results point to possible therapeutic targets that may contribute to the modulation of mitral cell activity and, through it, olfactory ability and metabolic regulation.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Biological Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 23, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): GLP-1, glucagon-like peptide 1, Kv1.3, metabolism, olfaction, potassium channel modulation
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Debra Ann Fadool, Professor Directing Thesis; Roberto Vincis, Committee Member; Scott Stagg, Committee Member; Steve Lenhert, Committee Member; Richard Bertram, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Physiology
SUBJECT: Neurosciences
SUBJECT: Neurosciences
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Law_fsu_0071E_17098.pdf
TITLE: Synthetic Access to Complex 5-8-5 Diterpenes
AUTHOR: Law, James,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Frederich, James H.
MEMBER (university representative): Spencer, Robert G. M.
MEMBER (committee member): Miller, Brian G.
MEMBER (committee member): Alabugin, Igor V., (Professor)
MEMBER (committee member): Smith, Joel
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (332 pages)
ABSTRACT: Fusicoccin A is a diterpene glycoside phytotoxin which stabilizes 14-3-3 protein-protein interactions. The unique structure contains a 5-8-5 carbotricyclic framework which, when decorated with distinct substitution patterns, is found in a distinct array of natural products. With the goal of optimizing fusicoccin as a starting point to design small molecules which are potent and selective stabilizers of 14-3-3 PPIs, we designed a synthetic strategy to access fusicoccin in a divergent way. Herein, the design and implementation of said strategy will be discussed and progress towards the total synthesis of fusicoccin will be reported. Additionally, the requirement for reaction development provided an opportunity to gain insight into organotitanium chemistry. This work will also be outlined in the following document.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 5, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): 5-8-5, Fusicoccin, hydromethylation, photochemistry, titanacyclobutanes, Total synthesis
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): James Harrison Frederich, Professor Directing Dissertation; Robert Spencer, University Representative; Brian Miller, Committee Member; Igor Alabugin, Committee Member; Joel Smith, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Chemistry, Organic
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Law_fsu_0071N_17179.pdf
TITLE: Wildfires in the Apalachicola National Forest, USA from 1992-2018: Relationships to Soil Dryness and Lightning
AUTHOR: Law, Zachery Taylor,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Elsner, James B.
MEMBER (committee member): Johnson, Bradford D.
MEMBER (committee member): Lester, Sarah
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Geography
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (49 pages)
ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic climate change is shifting the risk of wildfires worldwide. The influence of climate change on fire hazards is diverse and complex and varies by region. Regional studies provide a more local perspective on the changing climate. In this study, the fire threat in the Southeast United States is investigated and the association between soil dryness and lightning-ignited wildfires in the Apalachicola National Forest (ANF) is examined. The relationship between pre-fire season dryness and the number of fires during the fire season is quantified with a statistical model. Soil dryness in the duff layer is estimated using the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) which is a measure of moisture deficit based on temperature and net rainfall computed using daily summary-of-the-day values from the nearby first-order weather station. The probability of daily wildfire occurrence in the ANF is found to increase by 27% for every centimeter increase in daily soil moisture deficit and by 14% for every 100 daily lightning strikes. Given the strong statistical relationship between the KBDI during April and wildfires in the ANF from May to July, a seasonal prediction model is constructed to skillfully portend the occurrence of wildfires. Results show nearly a 20% increase in the average rate of wildfires from May through July for every one-centimeter increase in soil moisture deficit during April. Long-term upward trends in soil dryness are also shown, with the trend most pronounced during the driest months. This analysis indicates the potential for a greater risk of fires in the ANF in the future. Finally, the opportunity for future work is highlighted, and another model is proposed to further distinguish between a season with many small fires versus a season with a few big fires.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Geography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 28, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Drought, KBDI, Keetch-Byram Drought Index, Lightning, Statistics, Wildfire
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): James B. Elsner, Professor Directing Thesis; Bradford Johnson, Committee Member; Sarah Lester, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Physical geography
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: LeBlanc_fsu_0071E_16977.pdf
TITLE: Democratic Engagement as Socially Just Leadership Education: A Case Study in Social Work Education
AUTHOR: Leblanc, Julie Beth,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Guthrie, Kathy L.
MEMBER (university representative): Tripodi, Stephen J.
MEMBER (committee member): Beatty, Cameron C.
MEMBER (committee member): Khurshid, Ayesha
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (166 pages)
ABSTRACT: Democratic engagement and socially just leadership education are emergent approaches to community engagement and leadership education. Three critical and timely tensions set the stage for this study: tensions between higher education's exclusionary roots and public purpose; tensions between leadership education's neoliberal foundations and social justice values; and tensions between community engagement's oppressive foundations and democratic principles. The study used case study approach to explore how the principles of democratic engagement and socially just leadership education are operationalized through community engagement initiatives. Data collection involved the review of 26 documents and interviews with 13 participants, including community partners, faculty, administrators, and students. Findings from this study revealed accreditation, professional competencies, and the curriculum; the international alternative spring break program; and case-based learning allow for democratic engagement's enactment. Democratic engagement's enactment is restricted by a lack of centralized structure, disconnects with and within partnering community organizations, and a lack of horizontal integration in the curriculum. Conditions allowing socially just leadership education to be enacted include accreditation and professional competencies, the diversity and social justice course requirement, and the diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan. Socially just leadership education was restricted by a mismatch in leadership and social justice terminology and internal college dynamics. The study's major themes have broad implications for higher education's community engagement movement in a multitude of ways, including findings which illustrate universal definitions of community engagement do not exist, democratic engagement and socially just leadership education are mostly synonymous, minimal institutionalized support structures exist for leadership education, and community partners are co-educators in social work education. This study proposes a model for situating democratic engagement as the operationalization of socially just leadership education in the social work profession. Implications for community partners, faculty, and administrators include considerations that social work educators are socially just leadership educators, significant power dynamics are at play in community-university partnerships, community engagement is diversity, equity, and inclusion work, and the transdisciplinary of community engagement should not be underestimated. Keywords: democratic engagement, socially just leadership education, social work education, higher education
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 3, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): community engagement, democratic engagement, higher education, social work education, socially just leadership education
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Kathy L. Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; Stephen J. Tripodi, University Representative; Cameron C. Beatty, Committee Member; Ayesha Khurshid, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Education, Higher
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Lian_fsu_0071E_16898.pdf
TITLE: Opto-Electrical Characteristics of Halide Perovskites
AUTHOR: Lian, Xiujun,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Gao, Hanwei
MEMBER (university representative): Hanson, Kenneth G.
MEMBER (committee member): Boebinger, Gregory S.
MEMBER (committee member): Weidenhoever, Ingo Ludwing M.
MEMBER (committee member): Xiong, Peng
MEMBER (committee member): Dobrosavljević, Vladimir
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Physics
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (105 pages)
ABSTRACT: Halide perovskites have shown rapid development in opto-electrical applications, such as solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and photodetectors owing to their superior optical and electrical properties. Particularly, halide perovskites surpassed the state-of-art efficiency of semiconductor compounds such as CdTe and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) used in solar cells in just about a decade. Perovskite's ease of synthesis in ambient environment and its simple sandwich device structures indicate the potential of this thin-film solar cell technology to become a low-cost alternative to the commercially available photovoltaic technologies. However, the halide perovskites suffer from moisture-induced degradation, which holds up the commercialization. Long-term operation in the ambient environment for halide perovskites without costly encapsulation is in great demand. Recent research in optoelectronics has diverted from the use of the original 3-dimensional (3D) halide perovskites to 2-dimensional (2D) halide perovskite materials. Besides the inherited superior optical and electrical properties from their 3D counterparts, the 2D halide perovskites that are composed of the hydrophobic organic ligands feature satisfying stability against moisture. In this dissertation, the desirable properties of 2-dimensional (2D) halide perovskite for photovoltaics were discovered via electrical transport study and numerical simulation. Probing with electrical and optical stimuli, the transport process including injection, drift, diffusion, recombination, and extraction of photoexcited charge carriers were investigated using a scanning probe technique called scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPCM), and then numerically simulated via the finite element analysis. Below-bandgap energy states were discovered at the crystal edge of the 2D halide perovskites. The desorption of the long-chain organic ligands that served as spacers between the 2D inorganic sheets caused the formation of 3D halide perovskite-like crystalline near the edge. Using the combination of SPCM measurement and finite element analysis simulation, we proved that type-II heterojunctions were formed at the interfaces between the 2D perovskite and 3D perovskite, and these rectified junctions could efficiently facilitate electron-hole dissociation and suppress the energy loss through charge recombination. As our most important finding, this type-II heterojunction is rooted in the boosted photovoltaic efficiency reported previously. Adopting the bulk solar cell structure, we further proposed the design idea for utilizing such rectified heterojunction in 2D perovskite-based photovoltaic devices, promising higher stability and efficiency in the future perovskite-based solar cell. Significant developments in the performance and stability of 3D perovskite-based opto-electrical devices were also demonstrated in this dissertation by embedding 3D halide perovskite nanoparticles in a more stable compound. Light-emitting diodes based on host-guest structure of inorganic 3D halide perovskite CsPbBr3 and non-perovskite material Cs4PbBr6 showed highly enhanced device stability and power-conversion-efficiency. The inorganic composition of the emitting material and the self-assembled encapsulation of 3D halide perovskite nanoparticles led to improved device stability under continuous operation. The shallow trap-states generated at the CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 interfaces resulted in strongly enhanced photoluminescence and quantum yield that led to improved device efficiency. The studies in this dissertation indicated great potential of halide perovskite towards more stable and efficient optoelectronic devices.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Physics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 1, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): 2-dimensional, Halide perovskites, optoelectrical applications, scanning photocurrent microscopy, transport properties, type II heterojunction
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Hanwei Gao, Professor Directing Dissertation; Kenneth Hanson, University Representative; Gregory Boebinger, Committee Member; Ingo Wiedenhover, Committee Member; Peng Xiong, Committee Member; Vladimir Dobrosavljevic, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Condensed matter
SUBJECT: Materials science
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Lipham_fsu_0071N_17072.pdf
TITLE: The Young Dead: a Multimethod Study of the Influence of Digital Media Convergence on the Creation and Sustainability of an Online Community
AUTHOR: Lipham, Kathleen Nicole,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Neal, Michael R.
MEMBER (committee member): Edwards, Leigh H., 1970-
MEMBER (committee member): Burnett, Gary, 1955-
MEMBER (committee member): Fiscus-Cannaday, Jaclyn
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of English
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (91 pages)
ABSTRACT: Since their formation in 1965, the Grateful Dead have consistently captivated audiences, both young and old, on such a large scale that the Dead fanbase have their own, unique label and subculture. Though scholarship on the Dead and the Deadhead community has always existed, The Young Dead deserve attention. The Young Dead are Deadheads that were born post-1995 who, despite not being able to see the band perform live, still identify as significant members of the Grateful Dead fandom community. Moreover, not only have fans of the Grateful Dead persevered throughout the band's existence, but even after the death of Garcia in 1995 (the assumed "end" of the band) the persistence of Deadhead fans, and their culture, within society, literature, and scholarship shows a possible connection to digital media convergence and digital spaces. Thus, The Young Dead allow us to see not only the persistence of a culture and phenomenon over more than half a century, but a recreation, reiteration, and reformation of the Deadhead fan base itself that seems to be directly related to technology and digital spaces/environments. In order to understand how The Young Dead community is composing and communicating within convergent online spaces to form significant bonds, I outlined four research questions: (1) How do The Young Dead interact in convergence spaces? (2) How do The Young Dead describe themselves? (3) How do The Young Dead describe their fandom? (4) How does the fandom function as a community within these spaces? To answer these questions, I used a multimethod methodology and collected qualitative and quantitative data through surveys and interviews. In order to analyze the data, I used an inductive coding scheme based on the data I collected. Through the survey and interview method, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of The Young Dead community and shed light on the communicative and compositional practices that they are employing within convergent online spaces. These findings provide insight into online fan communities that have possible implications in rhetorical and compositional pedagogical practice, digital archive work, and fandom studies.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 6, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Convergent Spaces, Deadhead, Digital Archives, Media Convergence, Online Communites, Online Fandom
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Michael Neal, Professor Directing Thesis; Leigh Edwards, Committee Member; Gary Burnett, Committee Member; Jaclyn Fiscus-Cannaday, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Rhetoric
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Liu_fsu_0071E_17029.pdf
TITLE: Understanding the Structure-Property Correlations in Fast-Ion Conductors and Ferroelectric Materials via Combined Magnetic Resonance and Computational Studies
AUTHOR: Liu, Haoyu,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Hu, Yan-yan
MEMBER (university representative): Andrei, Petru
MEMBER (committee member): Latturner, Susan
MEMBER (committee member): Zhu, Lei, 1978-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (138 pages)
ABSTRACT: Short-range structural ordering is critical to functional properties such as ion migration and ferroelectricity. The discovery and development of high-performance functional materials rely on advanced characterization tools and theoretical models. This dissertation focuses on solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and imaging (MRI) studies of fast-ion conductors as solid electrolytes (SEs) and ferroelectric materials to understand the structure-property correlation, aided by computational investigations.All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) which employ SEs, have gained much attention due to their improved safety and energy density compared with the current commercial liquid-electrolyte-based lithium-ion batteries. However, challenges such as limited power density, narrow electrochemical stability window, poor interfacial contact, and dendrite growth associated with current SEs urge an in-depth fundamental understanding of their working mechanism and strategies to address these challenges. The mechanism of dendrite formation and propagation in solid electrolytes is different from that in liquid systems, and the challenges in non-invasively tracking the process in real-time leave the exact mechanism elusive. In Chapters 2 and 3, dendrite growth in solids at both the interface and bulk of different depths in Li/ Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) /Li solid cells is probed using three-dimensional in situ and ex situ MRI non-invasively. We show that the accumulation of Li microstructure kicks off from the surface of Li metal electrodes before hard shorting the Li/LLZO/Li cell. More importantly, we identified Li dendrite originated from both the interface and the bulk LLZO electrolyte, which is supported by quantitative experimental evidence from tracer-exchange NMR. Halide-based SEs recently gained much attention due to their improved ionic conductivity compared with oxide-based electrolytes and good chemical/electrochemical stability. Chapter 4 introduces a series of Br-doped Li3YCl6. XRD has shown increased lattice parameters, with broadened channels for Li+-ion conduction. 7Li, 35Cl, 79Br NMR are employed to study the local structure, and the results reveal distortion in the symmetry due to defect formation. Li3YCl4Br2 has short T1 relaxation time, which is an indicator of high Li+ ion mobility. NMR and AIMD calculations show that introducing Br into the Li3YCl6 structure changes it from a one-dimensional to a three-dimensional conductor. By revealing Li dendrite formation mechanisms and understanding the origins of fast Li+-ion conduction in SEs with combined experimental and computational studies, we hope to achieve rational designs of SEs for the next-generation batteries. The centrosymmetric polymorph of KNaNbOF5 undergoes a reconstructive transition from a rare A-site vacancy ordered perovskite to a unique non-perovskite high-temperature phase. Previously, the high-temperature phase was proposed to exhibit dynamical disorder with mixed occupancy of O and F on the anion sites owing to hopping rotations of the [NbOF5]2− octahedra. In Chapter 5, 19F NMR techniques demonstrate the dynamic anion configurations through this reconstructive transition. Based on NMR experiments and first-principle calculations, we conclude that the high-temperature phase exhibits Cmcm symmetry with hopping rotations of the [NbOF5]2− octahedra occurring only about the Fapical−Nb−O axis of the octahedra such that there are no O/F mixed occupancy anion sites. We use these results to refine the microscopic description of the reconstructive transition and its driving force. This work demonstrates the efficacy of 19F NMR techniques combined with electronic structure calculations to understand thermodynamically driven changes in heteroanionic materials. Solid-state NMR spectroscopy, microscopy, and relaxometry combined with computational investigations prove to be powerful to unveil structural modulation-property correlations providing insights and guidelines for new material discoveries.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 24, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): DFT, Ferroelectric Materials, MRI, NMR, Solid Electrolyte
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Yan-Yan Hu, Professor Directing Dissertation; Petru Andrei, University Representative; Susan Latturner, Committee Member; Lei Zhu, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Chemistry
SUBJECT: Materials science
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Lizotte_fsu_0071N_17217.pdf
TITLE: Geochemical Investigation of Lake Jackson 2021 Dry-down Event Water and Chemical Evolution along Flow Path Using Calcite Saturation Conditions
AUTHOR: Lizotte, Emily Ann,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Ye, Ming
MEMBER (committee member): Chanton, Jeffrey P.
MEMBER (committee member): Wang, Yang, (Graduate Assistant in Teaching)
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (51 pages)
ABSTRACT: Lake Jackson in Leon County Florida is a shallow perched dissolution lake, which sits above the Cody Scarp and is formed from the coalescence of sinkholes. Lake Jackson currently has two open sinkholes, Porter Sink and Lime Sink. Periodic draining of the lake through Porter Sink is integral to the ecological health of the lake because of its shallow, flat-bottomed, closed-basin geology. Increased inflow of polluted stormwater is commonly in the form of nitrogen, phosphorus from fertilizers, which feeds the growth of algae and depletes the water of dissolved oxygen. This process is controlled through periods of draining in which the sun bakes the muck at the lake bottom. Dry-down event water from Lake Jackson's Porter Sink flows directly to the Upper Floridan Aquifer, creating an understudied vulnerability to the local drinking water source. Carbonate dissolution conditions with respect to calcite saturation were geochemically modeled for Lake Jackson over storm and draining periods as well as at two sites downgradient of the lake: the Florida State University (FSU) Well and Wakulla Springs. Dissolution conditions are represented as saturation indices with respect to calcite (SIC) and were calculated using Visual MINTEQ 3.1 with values for temperature, pH, Ca2+ concentrations, Mg2+ concentrations, and total alkalinity as CaCO3. Calcite saturation conditions at the Wakulla Springs site did not provide a distinct event- water signature, likely due to dilution effects and multitude of sources. Distinct shifts in Lake Jackson and FSU Well SIC values compared with PCO2 values calculated by Visual MINTEQ and normalized against atmospheric CO2 identified the arrival of event source water. These arrivals were supported by the conceptual geochemical understanding of the study sites and event water for draining event conditions and for low-inflow, exposed Porter Sink conditions. In addition to identifying Porter Sink event water at the FSU Well, SIC versus PCO2 relationships may be used to further investigate reactions and source waters responsible for shifts in Upper Floridan Aquifer hydrochemistry.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 8, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Calcite, Geochemical, Saturation, Sinkhole
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Ming Ye, Professor Directing Thesis; Jeffrey Chanton, Committee Member; Yang Wang, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Geology
SUBJECT: Hydrology
SUBJECT: Geochemistry
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Long_fsu_0071E_16969.pdf
TITLE: Influence of Organometallic Actinide Systems on Bonding and Electronic Properties within the F-Block
AUTHOR: Long, Brian N.,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Albrecht-Schmitt, Thomas E.
MEMBER (university representative): Dobrosavljević, Vladimir
MEMBER (committee member): Kennemur, Justin Glenn
MEMBER (committee member): Schurko, Robert W.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (286 pages)
ABSTRACT: The actinide series is of great importance, possessing applications in clean energy, space travel, medicinal use, and even household smoke detectors. Despite everyday applications, our knowledge of the actinides is severely limited compared to the rest of the periodic table. Low available quantities of these elements, in addition to hazardous radiotoxicity, presents a unique set of challenges when studying them. Nuclear energy presents grand opportunities for clean energy and is a leading source adopted by many countries; however, difficulties in recycling and separating these elements from nuclear waste proves to be a pervasive task. Furthering the limited understanding of bonding and electronic properties characteristic of the actinide series will present new opportunities for recycling and waste separation techniques. Historically, f-electrons were thought to be chemically inert, only participating in electrostatic interactions and displaying heavily localized behavior. Actinides were thought to act like their lanthanide counterparts; however, this is now known to be false. Actinide−carbon bonding showed the first evidence of covalency in the actinide series, differentiating their bonding properties from the lanthanides. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated how the greater radial extension of the 5f orbitals beyond the 4f orbitals results in greater reactivity and a lower degree of localization of the 5f electrons. Chapter 1 will provide background information on the actinide series, as well as its historical importance and applications. Information regarding the importance of organometallic actinide chemistry, intervalence charge transfer, and challenges in working with these elements is discussed. Chapters 2 and 3 build a baseline for intervalence charge transfer studies within the actinide series, presenting a series of dinuclear systems with neptunium, plutonium, and various lanthanide analogues. These complexes allow for flexible redox studies and will be applied for the synthesis of mixed-valent systems displaying the delocalization of f-electrons, pushing the boundary on our understanding of these fundamental properties. Chapter 3 transitions from the localized properties of f-electrons to their unique bonding properties by introducing an organometallic synthetic precursor. Metal−carbon bonding is a nearly untouched field in transplutonium elements, which is surprising considering the reported differences in covalency between the actinide−carbon and lanthanide−carbon bonding, as well as the prevalence of americium and curium in nuclear waste. Chapters 5 demonstrates how the addition of azine bridging ligands to these organometallic systems allows for the tuning of covalency in actinide−nitrogen bonding, a common target in improving separations techniques. Chapter 6 presents the first reported structural characterization of a curium−carbon bond, opening doorways to a new field of actinide chemistry: organocurium chemistry. In addition to unexpected bonding differences between curium and its samarium analogue, organometallic curium demonstrates never before seen optical properties, including significantly redshifted emission in a putative Cp′3Cm, as well as the quenched photoluminescence of (Cp′3Cm)2(μ−4,4′−bpy). This work introduces actinide systems that serve as a baseline for intervalence charge transfer experiments and the delocalization of f-electrons, as well as a series of transplutonium complexes possessing actinide−carbon bonding, possessing bonding and electronic properties never before observed with these elements.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 2, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Actinides, Americium, Coordination, Curium, Inorganic, Plutonium
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Thomas E. Albrecht-Schzart, Professor Directing Dissertation; Vladimir Dobrosavljevic, University Representative; Justin G. Kennemur, Committee Member; Robert W. Schurko, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Nuclear chemistry
SUBJECT: Chemistry, Inorganic
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Longley_fsu_0071E_17230.pdf
TITLE: Successful Aging: A Comprehensive Outcome and Marital Relationship Processes
AUTHOR: Longley, Kasey,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Grzywacz, Joseph G.
MEMBER (university representative): Burdette, Amy M.
MEMBER (committee member): Cui, Ming, 1971-
MEMBER (committee member): Rehm, Marsha Lynn
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Health and Human Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Human Development and Family Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (105 pages)
ABSTRACT: The projected increase in the population of older adults (ages 65 and older) brings with it concerns about unavoidable loss through age-related chronic illnesses like dementia, cancer, or arthritis (Jaul & Barron, 2017). Successful aging is a multidimensional concept that acknowledges potential morbidity but offers a compelling alternative to unavoidable loss by incorporating dimensions of aging other than physical health (Rowe & Kahn, 1998). As successful aging is an inherently multidimensional concept it should not be limited to being explored in a unidimensional manner. However, there have been few attempts to study it comprehensively. Instead, many studies tend to examine unidimensional aspects of successful aging, particularly focusing on physical health (Cosco et al., 2014). Latent variable analysis offers a methodological approach that allows for a flexible understanding of successful aging. However, few studies have utilized such an approach (Mana & Bezdicek, 2020), leaving it ripe for further development.There is potential in utilizing the marital relationship to promote successful aging through improving relationship processes. The marital relationship, specifically, is a critical focus as it has the possibility to shape health outcomes through the distinct processes of support and strain (House et al., 1988). However, outside of a few exceptions (Ko et al., 2007; Tracy & Utz, 2020), there has been little exploration of the marital relationship processes that may affect a person's overall health and well-being and subsequent ability to age well. Based on the assumption that successful aging is a multidimensional concept, these two studies work together to better understand the multiple factors contributing to successful aging, particularly the marital processes of support and strain. As such, both papers are interrelated. Study 1 was designed to apply the LPA statistical method as a strategy to produce a comprehensive outcome for successful aging. The samples included N=2,257 participants from the MIDUS 2 and N=3,351 participants from the MIDUS Refresher. Latent profile analysis (LPA), a statistical method that allows for the grouping of individuals without using preconceived determinants, (Gibson, 1963), was applied to various indicators of the dimensions of physical, mental, and cognitive function and active engagement with life. To evaluate the criterion validity of the identified latent profiles in the MIDUS 2, the same measures were analyzed in a demographically matched cohort of adults from the MIDUS Refresher. To evaluate the content validity of the profiles, demographics including race, age, sex, ethnicity, and educational attainment were explored with the profile assignment for both MIDUS 2 and MIDUS Refresher, respectively. Results from Study 1 indicated four distinct profiles two demographically matched data sets: the MIDUS 2 and the MIDUS Refresher. These profiles were reproduced in a demographically similar cohort of adults. Finally, the demographic correlates of the profiles of successful aging do follow patterns like those observed in single dimensional assessments of health, and identified latent profiles generally comport with descriptions of health in the general population. The results from Study 1 provided an expanded understanding of successful aging by verifying the validity of the latent profiles. Study 2 used the profiles created in Study 1 and multinomial logistic regression to explore the contributing factors for spousal support and strain at time one (MIDUS 1), on the successful aging profile at time two (MIDUS 2). The goal of this study was to explore the impact of the relationship processes of marital support and strain on successful aging. The final sample included n=868 participants from the MIDUS 1 and MIDUS 2 who were married at time one and had been married only once by time two. Marital dissolution (i.e., separation, divorce, widowhood) by time two was also explored as a covariate. Potential gender differences in the association of spousal support and spousal strain with successful aging were also explored as an interaction model. Results from the multinomial logistic regression model for Study 2 indicated that spousal support at time one was not associated with less detrimental profiles of successful aging at time two, and spousal strain at time one was associated with more detrimental profiles of successful aging at time two. There was no significant relationship between spousal support, spousal strain, gender, and successful aging profiles in the interaction model. This study exemplified the potential to apply family science measures to a multidimensional successful aging outcome.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Human Development and Family Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 7, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Aging, Health, Holistic health, Marriage, Relationship processes, Successful aging
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Joseph G. Grzywacz, Professor Directing Dissertation; Amy Burdette, University Representative; Ming Cui, Committee Member; Marsha Rehm, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Aging
SUBJECT: Medical sciences
SUBJECT: Mental health
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Lord_fsu_0071E_17117.pdf
TITLE: Facilitating Student Engagement in Experiential Learning: An Implementation Evaluation of a Centralized, Interdisciplinary Program
AUTHOR: Lord, Tracey Dowling,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Herrington, Carolyn D.
MEMBER (university representative): Whalon, Kelly J.
MEMBER (committee member): Jones, Tamara Bertrand
MEMBER (committee member): Cox, Bradley E.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (125 pages)
ABSTRACT: The increasing shift for higher education institutions to recognize career readiness as an institutional priority (Cruzvergara et al., 2018) is leading the need to identify ways to scale student engagement in at least one high-impact practice (HIP), such as experiential learning opportunities, prior to graduation (Huang et al., 2018). Traditionally, higher education institutions have relied on academic schools and colleges to embed experiential learning in academic program requirements highly dependent upon the learning goals and outcomes for each individual major (Swenson & Greiman, 2018). Now that many institutions are launching experiential learning graduation requirements, higher education administrators are actively seeking ways to enhance institutional capacity to foster student engagement in experiential learning in the form of a centralized, interdisciplinary experiential learning curriculum.Research has shown that high-impact educational practices (HIPs) are positively beneficial for college students from many backgrounds and include gains in developing skills that are essential in the workplace (Kuh, et al., 2017; Wolniak & Engberg, 2015; Kinzie, 2012). While a formula for implementing experiential learning as a high-impact practice that will work on every campus for every student does not exist (Coker & Porter, 2015), career services offices should be leveraged to implement new experiential learning institutional models and programs (Huang et al., 2018). Lastly, a centralized, interdisciplinary experiential learning curriculum should demonstrate to external stakeholders, such as policymakers, families and hiring employers, contributions to a student's understanding and growth in attainment and application of career readiness competencies. In June 2019, Florida State University (FSU) became the largest public university to institute an experiential learning graduation requirement, publicly committing that "every student should – and can – participate in transformative, career-building experiential learning" (Farnum-Patronis, 2019, June, para. 3). The Experience Recognition Program (ERP) is a Career Center and institutional mission-critical program or service as it is currently the only approved low-cost (zero-credit, noncredit hour course) or no-cost option (co-curricular certificate) available for undergraduate students to satisfy the experiential learning graduation requirement. Despite the long-running nature of ERP for almost 50 years, no program assessment is on record. This implementation study reviewed the program components in regards to criteria for effective high-impact practice implementation as well as industry principles for supervising students engaged in experiential learning activities and career readiness education to offer insight into programs successes and suggested areas of improvement. This implementation study evaluated ERP's components of student-supervisor preset learning outcomes, hands-on oversight from qualified faculty and periodic, structured reflection on learning outcomes (Burke & Carton, 2013) through content analysis and instructional faculty interviews. Findings indicated that ERP components were designed in alignment with key elements of high-impact practices that make them effective, industry best practices for faculty facilitation of student engagement in experiential learning activities and career readiness education.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 21, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): career readiness, experiential education, experiential learning
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Carolyn D. Herrington, Professor Directing Dissertation; Kelly Whalon, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Bradley E. Cox, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Education, Higher
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Louis_fsu_0071N_17261.pdf
TITLE: The Policing of Black Womanhood by the Rhetorics of Capitalism
AUTHOR: Louis, Nerline,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Lathan, Rhea Estelle, 1961-
MEMBER (committee member): Neal, Michael R.
MEMBER (committee member): Kilgore, John Mac
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of English
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (81 pages)
ABSTRACT: In order to survive the perpetual abuse and subjugation of a White supremacist patriarchy, Black women have historical operated within the ideological framework of Black Feminist Thought. The onset of colonial expansion, along with the caste system of Slavery, act as catalysts for the racist institutions prevalent in our contemporary world. In order to ensure upward social mobility for both her and her family, Black women are required to navigate the rhetorics of capitalism. This navigation is underscored by a rejection of society's controlling images, a push for self-definition in public spaces, and activism from everyday Black women. This paper seeks to understand how the rhetoric of capitalism police images of Black womanhood. This journey is to be analyzed using Black Feminist Thought as both methodology of analysis and a subject to be defined. This investigation demands consideration because a Black female experience can offer society insights into how to effectively combat social injustice.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 25, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Rhea Lathan, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael Neal, Committee Member; John Kilgore, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: British literature
SUBJECT: Irish literature
SUBJECT: English literature
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Lteif_fsu_0071E_17024.pdf
TITLE: Interactions between Polyelectrolytes on a Surface, in Aqueous Solutions and Nanocomposites
AUTHOR: Lteif, Sandrine,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Schlenoff, Joseph B.
MEMBER (university representative): Locke, Bruce R.
MEMBER (committee member): Kennemur, Justin Glenn
MEMBER (committee member): Mattoussi, Hedi
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (197 pages)
ABSTRACT: The interactions of charged polymers, polyelectrolytes, on surfaces and in solution have gained a lot of attention throughout the years. Depositing alternating layers of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes forms multilayers, PEMUs. Their association in solution leads to phase separations forming materials termed polyelectrolyte complexes, PECs. The repeat unit of the oppositely charged polyelectrolyte can be varied. The functional group linked to the repeat units dictates the strength of ion pairing. Their self-assembly in solution creates polymer nanoparticles and, in a network, produces polymer nanocomposites. These materials have been used for a variety of applications such as coatings, electronic devices, and drug delivery systems. Adding a certain salt concentration to the material can influence the polymer/polymer interaction within the complex. This work features three main interfaces at which polyelectrolyte interactions were studied: on a substrate through PEMUs, in solution through polymer nanoparticles and in nanocomposites. The pairing strength of a polythiouronium polyelectrolyte having a positively charged thiouronium group, like the guanidinium, was evaluated by the formation of PEMUs at various salt concentrations. Polyguanidiniums such as polyarginine are known to form like-charge ion pairings and hydrogen bonding. The same unusual characteristics cause the strong interactions of the polythiouronium with polyanions. High concentrations of salt dissociated the strong polythiouronium/polyanions complexes. The polythiouronium was selected to seek another example of a strong polycation and to form a PEMU with polyzwitterions, which are known for their weakly interacting strength and net-neutral charge. The second interface consists of the self-assembly of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with positively charged end groups in solution, and as a nanofiller, in a nanocomposite. Polydimethylsiloxane is biocompatible and highly hydrophobic; however, when self-assembled exhibits poor stability and tends to collapse. Introducing a glassy shell of polystyrene sulfonate enhances the stability of these polymer nanoparticles and improves the mechanical properties of the nanocomposite which exhibited thermal resistance. Using x-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy, the nanocomposite's unique morphology was deduced. Its hydrophobic properties were probed using a solvatochromic dye and were used to encapsulate inorganic nanoparticles. The gold nanoparticles are hydrophobically capped and they appeared to be encapsulated within the PDMS core. Their assembly was studied by x-ray scattering in the presence of a PSS shell in solution and the loading capability of the nanoparticle was determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The newly formed material is a novel polymer nanoparticle/polymer nanocomposite that takes advantage of the PDMS malleability and biocompatibility. The nanoparticle can thus be used for biological applications such as bio-imaging and sensing. The last section compares the interactions of different polycations with lipid layers (monolayer or bilayer) to mimic the mechanism of surface sterilization. The functional group varied between a primary or tertiary ammonium, a guanidinium and two different thiouronium groups. Ammoniums are known for their ability to disrupt lipid bilayers and for their use in disinfectants. Polyarginine, a strong positively charged polymer, is recognized for its cell-penetrating ability due to its unique salt-bridge like interactions. Radioactive unilamellar phosphocholine vesicles were prepared and used to deposit a monolayer on a hydrophobic scintillator and a bilayer on a hydrophilic one. The interactions of the layers and the deposition were monitored by radiocounting. Polyarginine and the polymer with a higher composition of a hydrophobic thiouronium exhibited the strongest interactions. These investigations of the interactions between polyelectrolytes at different interfaces serve as a guide to design a variety of functional materials. Understanding the structure-property polymer relationship allows the build-up of materials with tuned properties.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 31, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Joseph B. Schlenoff, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bruce Locke, University Representative; Justin Kennemur, Committee Member; Hedi Mattoussi, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Chemistry
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Lundstrom_fsu_0071N_17207.pdf
TITLE: Geographic Overlap of Potentially Hybridizing Species in the Fish Family Poeciliidae in Their Native Ranges
AUTHOR: Lundstrom, Sierra,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Travis, Joseph, 1953-
MEMBER (committee member): Grubbs, R. Dean
MEMBER (committee member): Okamoto, Daniel Kenji
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Biological Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (44 pages)
ABSTRACT: Understanding the factors that influence a species' geographic range and the overlap between the ranges of distinct species remains a central question in both ecology and evolution. Here we investigate the influences of hybridization and the breakdown of reproductive isolation and a key innovation, matrotrophy (the provision of energy for embryonic development after fertilization), on species ranges and range overlaps in the fish family Poeciliidae. We assessed whether pairs of species that hybridize have different amounts of range overlap than pairs of species with similar divergence times that do not hybridize. We also assessed whether matrotrophic species have larger ranges than lecithotrophic species (lecithotrophic species provide all energy for embryonic development before fertilization). To investigate our hypotheses, we reviewed the literature on poeciliid fishes and plotted the ranges of all extant species in ArcGIS. The data we worked on was compiled by M. Tobler and Z. Culumber in 2019 and consisted of museum collection records for individuals of distinct species. We quantified the ranges for 407 different fish species. We then we added data on the estimated time of divergence between sister taxa, based on the phylogenetic tree (Furness et al. 2019). We found that the areas of overlap between sister taxa depended upon time since divergence. However, the slopes of range overlap and divergence time were of opposite sign between species pairs that hybridize and species pairs of similar divergence times that do not hybridization and range overlap (km2). Based on our results, we believe that the species that are closely related but not hybridizing have smaller areas of overlap because they are still in the stage of primary differentiation, are experiencing secondary contact after prior geographic separation that no longer exists or are in a stable hybrid zone. When comparing the ranges of closely related placentals and non-placentals, we found that multiple closely related species that shared the same reproductive strategy did not have any range overlap. This lends support to the theory that placentation evolved separately in different geographic areas. A future question that researchers could answer using these data would be what is causing the geographic overlap between species. Another future biogeographic study may be an evaluation of whether water features are leading to a decline in species diversity based on habitat preferences or their normal range.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Biological Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 1, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): hybridization, lecithotrophy, matrotrophy, native ranges, Poeciliids, range overlap
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Joseph A. Travis, Professor Directing Thesis; Ralph D. Grubbs, II, Committee Member; Daniel K. Okamoto, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Ecology
SUBJECT: Evolution (Biology)
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Luttig_fsu_0071E_16953.pdf
TITLE: Pedagogical Values of Undergraduate Choral Conducting Faculty
AUTHOR: Luttig, Morgan Elizabeth,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Adams, Kari
MEMBER (university representative): Jones, Evan Allan
MEMBER (committee member): Fenton, Kevin
MEMBER (committee member): Hanawalt, Michael
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Music
CORPORATE NAME: College of Music
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (132 pages)
ABSTRACT: Conducting courses are a common feature of the choral music teacher education curriculum. However, practicing teachers often place lower value on conducting skills than other skills necessary for effective teaching. There may be a disconnect between the emphasis placed on conducting in the undergraduate curriculum and the relevance of conducting skills for beginning teachers in the K-12 choral classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine the pedagogical values of undergraduate choral conducting faculty as they relate to the needs of practicing choral educators through a survey of course content, teaching methods, and suggested curriculum additions. Current undergraduate choral conducting faculty (N = 173) from NASM-accredited institutions responded to an online questionnaire. Participants rated how much they emphasize conducting topics in their undergraduate choral conducting classroom and how important those same topics are for practicing choral educators using Shulman's Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) framework (Shulman, 1986). In addition, faculty participants responded to open-ended questions regarding the purpose of conducting skills, effective methods of curricular instruction, and suggested additions to the undergraduate choral conducting curriculum. Participants rated Content Knowledge (CK) Skills as their highest priority followed by Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) Skills and Pedagogical Knowledge (PK) Skills for both emphasis in conducting curriculum and importance to practicing educators. However, in individual ratings, emphasis and importance of PCK topics did not match—faculty rated PCK topics as highly important but not emphasized in the conducting curriculum. Results indicated a need for conducting curriculum redesign to better serve the needs of preservice teachers. Most faculty reported instructor feedback and conducting demonstrations to be effective methods of teaching undergraduate choral conducting. Participants also indicated a need for increased time spent on rehearsal skills in the choral conducting curriculum. Because the purpose of conducting skills for practicing educators takes the form of both conductor-related and rehearsal-aid purposes, additional conducting curriculum time spent on rehearsal skills would be advantageous. It should also be considered that many participants reported a need for increased diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in the choral conducting curriculum. Conducting taught in combination with pedagogical skills might provide a more holistic conducting-teaching experience that is relevant to the multifaceted nature of classroom teaching. Though CK skills are highly emphasized and valued by current conducting faculty, they also find PK and PCK skills important to add to the conducting curriculum. Currently, CK skills are emphasized in the choral conducting curriculum, though adding PCK and PK elements will help preservice teachers be better prepared for classroom instruction. Additional implications are discussed.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): February 16, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Choral, Conducting, Pedagogy, Undergraduate
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Kari Adams, Professor Directing Dissertation; Evan Jones, University Representative; Kevin Fenton, Committee Member; Michael Hanawalt, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Music--Instruction and study
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Lyles_fsu_0071N_17198.pdf
TITLE: Lithic Analysis of Stone Tool Raw Material in Relation to Paleoindian and Early Archaic Settlement Patterns in the Aucilla River Basin
AUTHOR: Lyles, Brent A.,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Halligan, Jessi J.
MEMBER (committee member): Leppard, Thomas P.
MEMBER (committee member): Mehta, Jayur M. (Madhusudan)
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Anthropology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (77 pages)
ABSTRACT: The Aucilla River Basin consists of archaeological sites temporally ranging from Paleoindian to Mississippian periods. Along with the archaeological sites, quarry outcrops utilized for stone tool production by past populations are scattered visible, and hidden throughout the landscape. Here, I look at the raw material at sites, Page-Ladson (8JE591), Little River Rapids, Half Mile Rise Sink (8TA98), Sloth Hole (8JE121), and Ryan-Harley (8JE1004), to determine if the people who stayed at these locations were using local or non-local raw material for stone tool production. This observation is following the Uwharrie-Allendale model established by Randy Daniels (2001), to determine if people were 'mapping on' locations based on in response to local chert quarries. I also macroscopically and microscopically analyze the diagnostic stone tool of Little River Rapids, determining the raw material source based on criteria laid out by Upchurch et al. (2008) quarry cluster approach.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 25, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Jessi J. Halligan, Professor Directing Thesis; Thomas P. Leppard, Committee Member; Jayur M. Mehta, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Archaeology
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Ma_fsu_0071E_17096.pdf
TITLE: Characterization of the Subcellular Localization of ORF52/KicGAS and Functional Roles during the Life Cycles of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus
AUTHOR: Ma, Siming,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Zhu, Fanxiu
MEMBER (university representative): Levenson, Cathy W.
MEMBER (committee member): Dennis, Jonathan Hancock
MEMBER (committee member): Jones, Kathryn M.
MEMBER (committee member): Tang, Hengli
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Biological Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (134 pages)
ABSTRACT: Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is a gammaherpesvirus that causes Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and two lymphoproliferative diseases. We previously reported KSHV ORF52/KicGAS (KSHV inhibitor of cGAS) to inhibit cGAS (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase), the principal sensor of cytosolic DNA. Compared to its target protein, cGAS, whose intracellular localization is closely regulated, the predicted molecular weight of ORF52 is relatively small (14 kDa) but remains excluded from the nucleus. As a late-phased lytic protein of KSHV, we also previously reported that ORF52 is required for progeny viral production, likely during virion assembly, a process that takes place in the cytoplasm of host cells. Thus, we speculated its controlled localization to be important for the proper functioning of ORF52. We first performed extensive microscopy and characterized the intracellular localization of KSHV ORF52 in detail. Under different experimental conditions, we observed primarily homogeneous localization of the protein in the cytoplasm, but also saw different patterns of bright focus, perinuclear halo, or wire-loop bundling in a minor population of expressing cells. Furthermore, we confirmed the focus pattern was likely formed by ORF52:DNA condensation, which was due to relocalization of cytoplasmic ORF52 signal induced by cytosolic DNA. Looking into the underlying molecular controls, we located a region near the N-terminus that is critical for the exclusively cytoplasmic localization of ORF52. Further analyses revealed two CRM1-dependent nuclear export signals (NESs), one at the N-terminal domain satisfying a PIK-NES, which is functionally more important. Similar NESs were also identified in other γ-2 (RRV, MHV68, HVS, EHV-2, and BHV-6), but not in γ-1 herpesviruses (EBV, MaHV4). Point mutation at the nuclear-localized EBV ORF52 (BLRF2) at S36 to hydrophobic residues enables relocations to the cytoplasm, suggesting the designated area to be essential for the localization of gammaherpesviral ORF52s, but evolutionarily bifurcated at genus level. Interestingly, even though there are two functional NESs were recognized in it, we noticed that KSHV ORF52 remained cytoplasmic upon treatment of Leptomycin B (LMB), a CRM1 inhibitor. Furthermore, we also observed inconsistencies in response to LMB between KSHV ORF52 and its truncational mutants, as well as among its homologues, suggesting additional controls to the localization that are specific to KSHV. In our attempt to explain this phenomenon, we performed nuclear export reporter assays and mRNA-exporter luciferase reporter assays only to find KSHV ORF52 may inhibit CRM1-mediated nuclear export. Finally, we tested KSHV ORF52 mutants for its inhibition of cGAS-mediated-IFN response, inhibition of CRM1-mediated nuclear export, production of infectious KSHV progeny virion during viral reactivation, and enhancement of microtubule cytoskeleton bundling/polymerization. In each experiment, we observed the key residues for NES that are critical to the cytoplasmic localization to be required. Altogether, these data suggested versatile functions of KSHV ORF52 and the importance of intracellular localization for its normal functioning in the KSHV life cycle, which shed light on future studies on KSVH-associated pathogenesis.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Biological Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 4, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): cGAS, CRM1, KSHV, localization, NES, ORF52
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Fanxiu Zhu, Professor Directing Dissertation; Cathy W. Levenson, University Representative; Jonathan H. Dennis, Committee Member; Kathryn M. Jones, Committee Member; Hengli Tang, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Molecular biology
SUBJECT: Virology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: MacFarlane_fsu_0071E_17052.pdf
TITLE: A Theoretical Model for the Exploration of Meaning in Vocation
AUTHOR: Macfarlane, John K.,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Osborn, Debra S., 1968-
MEMBER (university representative): Cox, Bradley E.
MEMBER (committee member): Sampson, James P.
MEMBER (committee member): Krach, S. Kathleen (Shelly Kathleen)
MEMBER (committee member): Dong, Shengli
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (137 pages)
ABSTRACT: This dissertation sought to investigate the Hierarchical Model of Vocational Meaning (HMVM), a theoretical model that could be used to explore constructs of meaning thought to be associated with vocation. There is a gap in the literature between what is provided and what is needed to research vocational meaning effectively. The HMVM represents a theoretical paradigm for examining four levels of meaning that include (1) Survival, (2) Egocentrism, (3) Group Welfare, and (4) Universal Connection. Each level of meaning is measured by the Vocational Meaning Survey (VMS) that assesses the respective meaning constructs in terms of importance. The four scales of the VMS consist of Basic Needs (Survival), Self Enhancement (Ego Centrism), Team Enhancement (Group Welfare), and Transcendence (Universal Connection). The investigation of the HMVM employed the use of the VMS to explore the model with respect to (1) the relationship of the HMVM constructs to each other, (2) whether the constructs are associated with age, gender, and race, and (3) the extent to which the constructs predict (a) meaningful work and (b) life satisfaction in the presence of age, gender and race. The sample population consisted of n=252 MTurkers. The participants were at least 18 years of age and resided in the U. S. The strength of the relationships among the four constructs of the HMVM was investigated through Pearson correlations and structural equation modeling (SEM). The relationship between the four HMVM constructs with respect to (a) age was through Pearson correlations, to (b) gender through t-tests, and to (c) race through MANOVA. Hierarchical regression was employed to ascertain whether the four dimensions of the HMVM predict (a) meaningful work (MW) and (b) life satisfaction (LS) in the presence of age, gender and race. The results of the analyses revealed that all correlations between pairs of HMVM constructs were statistically significant (r = .159, p < .05), and that the correlations between Self Enhancement and Transcendence and between Team Enhancement and Transcendence exceeded practical significance (r > .50). No dimensions of the HMVM were significantly (p < .05) associated with age. The dimensions Team Enhancement and Transcendence significantly (p< .05) differentiated genders with males scoring higher than females. All four dimensions of the HMVM differentiated among four racial/ethnic groups with Blacks earning higher scores that the respective comparison groups. The dimensions Team Enhancement and Transcendence captured significant (p < .001) independent variation in predicting both meaningful work and life satisfaction. The background variables age, gender and race failed to perform as mediating variables and were unrelated to either criterion variable, MW or LS. Implications of the results for refinement of the HMVM theory and for improving the psychometric quality of the VMS, as the operational form of the theory, are discussed.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 24, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Calling, Meaningful Work, Spirituality, Vocation, Vocational Meaning, Vocational Meaning Survey
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Debra Osborn, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bradley Cox, University Representative; James P. Sampson, Jr., Committee Member; S. Kathleen Krach, Committee Member; Shengli Dong, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Counseling psychology
SUBJECT: Medical sciences
SUBJECT: Psychobiology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Mack_fsu_0071N_17195.pdf
TITLE: Transness on the Stage: Representation and Reception of Transgender Characters in Musical Theatre
AUTHOR: Mack, Rose,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Broyles, Michael, 1939-
MEMBER (committee member): League, Panayotis
MEMBER (committee member): Buchler, Michael Howard, 1966-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Music
CORPORATE NAME: College of Music
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (83 pages)
ABSTRACT: Using Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Head Over Heels, and The Knife as a starting point, this thesis explores the representation of transgender characters in musical theatre. While other forms of queer representation have found a home on the musical theatre stage, depictions of transgender characters are extremely limited and written from the perspective of cisgender people, for cisgender people. While some aspects of the characters ring true (for example, the ideas of touch), there are points that do not accurately represent how the trans experience unfolds for many trans people. Most of the portrayals tend to devolve into stereotypical representations, which leads to unintended consequences, ranging from problematic comments to blatant transphobia. This affects how trans people see themselves represented and also how cisgender people understand who trans people are. This thesis aims to look at these representations in order to show how these depictions influence the perception of transgender people.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Music.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 5, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Musical Theater, Queer, Reception History, Representation, Transgender
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Michael Broyles, Professor Directing Thesis; Panayotis League, Committee Member; Michael Buchler, Committee Member.
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: MackinnonGreenwalt_fsu_0071N_17172.pdf
TITLE: Pre-Sleep Feeding, Sleep Quality, and Markers of Recovery in NCAA Division I Female Soccer Players
AUTHOR: Mackinnon Greenwalt, Casey,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Ormsbee, Michael J.
MEMBER (committee member): Hickner, Robert C., 1962-
MEMBER (committee member): Panton, Lynn B. (Lynn Biship)
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Heatlh and Human Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (61 pages)
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Due to the high metabolic demand of sport, it is essential that athletes meet their caloric need to support training, recovery, and muscle growth. Consuming protein before sleep may have positive effects on sleep, overnight recovery, muscle protein synthesis, and performance. Additionally, consuming carbohydrates before sleep may improve hours of sleep and reduce wake episodes throughout the night. Pre-sleep fat consumption, particularly saturated fat, may also increase wake episodes throughout the night, therefore decreasing quality. Furthermore, sleep is a time where growth and recovery occur; metabolic activity is at its lowest point, and higher rates of growth hormone are secreted, thus promoting recovery. Sleep is typically the longest post-absorptive period, so examining the potential effects of pre-sleep food consumption is warranted for the impact on both sleep and recovery. Currently no data exist to assess pre-sleep nutrition habits in elite female athletes, particularly soccer players. Methods: In a retrospective study, 14 Division I female soccer players (mean ± sd: age 20.8 ± 1.4 years; height 167.9 ± 4.87 cm; weight 64.1 ± 6.9 kg; BMI 22.7 ± 0.5 kg/m2) from four universities wore a WHOOP, Inc. band 24h a day for the entire 2020-2021 competitive season to measure activity, sleep, and recovery. Surveys were administered through the WHOOP app every 3 days over the season to collect data on pre-sleep feeding habits and their effects on sleep quality, sleep quantity, and markers of recovery (as defined by resting heart rate [RHR], heart rate variability [HRV], and a WHOOP, Inc. generated recovery score). Descriptive results were completed using R studio.  No significant differences between high versus low kilocalorie (p = 0.10, 0.42), protein (0.69, 0.65), fat (p = 0.16, 0.81), and carbohydrate (p = 0.17, 0.81) pre-sleep consumption were reported on metrics of sleep, including hours of sleep and wake episodes, respectively). Furthermore, no significant differences existed between high versus low pre-sleep kilocalorie (p = 0.84, 0.84, 0.81), protein (p = 0.64, 0.70, 0.06), fat (p = 0.26, 0.76, 0.81), and carbohydrate (p = 0.66, 0.93, 0.92) consumption and metrics of recovery, including RHR, HRV, and recovery score, respectively. Conclusion: These findings suggest no significant impact of pre-sleep feeding on metrics of sleep or recovery. However, the meals consumed were small, and may not have been enough to elicit any positive responses in sleep or recovery. Further research is warranted to examine the effects of pre-sleep feeding on athletes in a controlled, laboratory-based setting. This study was sponsored by WHOOP, Inc.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 11, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Female athlete, Female Physiology, Nutrition, Pre-sleep feeding, Pre-sleep nutrition, Sleep
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Michael J. Ormsbee, Professor Directing Thesis; Robert C. Hickner, Committee Member; Lynn B. Panton, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Physiology
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Maillet_fsu_0071E_16996.pdf
TITLE: Essays on Policy and Women's Health
AUTHOR: Maillet, Annalise,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Kitchens, Carl T.
MEMBER (university representative): Padavic, Irene
MEMBER (committee member): Rodgers, Luke P.
MEMBER (committee member): Kantor, Shawn Everett
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Economics
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (174 pages)
ABSTRACT: This dissertation contains three studies which focus on how health policies affect women. The second chapter examines how public health policies can lead to unintended effects that undermine their efficacy. Beginning in the mid-1930s, most states enacted policies requiring serological syphilis tests prior to receiving a marriage license. Using novel county-level health statistics, I find no evidence suggesting that the policies were effective at reducing the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections. The serological testing policies had two unintended consequences that potentially reduced their effectiveness. First, the increased cost of marriage deterred marriage for young couples. Using microdata from the U.S. Census, I find that these policies delayed marriage and fertility and increased female educational attainment and employment. Second, marriage licenses decreased in counties with pre-marital testing policies and increased in bordering counties, suggesting that couples traveled to marry in less restrictive states. Chapters 3 and 4 address the effects of professional guidelines on health decisions. In 2014, to address concerns of overtreatment, a panel of experts released new guidelines on the amount of normal tissue to be excised around a tumor in breast conserving surgery (BCS) for early-stage cancers. In a differences-in-differences set-up utilizing the variation in timing of the guidelines and clinical stage at diagnosis, I find that women with stage 1 and stage 2 breast cancer receive fewer re-excision surgeries following initial BCS and are less likely to receive mastectomy after the guidelines relative to women with more advanced disease. The decrease in mastectomy is driven by patients who would have gone on to receive further reconstructive surgery. In Chapter 4, I study the effects of changes to cervical cancer screening guidelines recommending screening begin at age 21 rather than age 18. The guidelines significantly decreased the probability young women report having ever been screened relative to women over the age of 21. The delay in recommended screening also delayed receipt of other services from specialist providers. For example, I find suggestive evidence that the guidelines decreased the probability of using long acting reversible contraceptives for young women and increased the use of contraceptive methods with higher typical use failure rates.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 1, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Carl Kitchens, Professor Directing Dissertation; Irene Padavic, University Representative; Luke Rodgers, Committee Member; Shawn Kantor, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Economics
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Mao_fsu_0071E_17011.pdf
TITLE: Time Series and Machine Learning Models for Financial Markets Forecast
AUTHOR: Mao, Siqi,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Niu, Xufeng, 1954-
MEMBER (university representative): Ökten, Giray
MEMBER (committee member): Barbu, Adrian G., 1971-
MEMBER (committee member): Huffer, Fred W. (Fred William)
MEMBER (committee member): Wu, Wei
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Statistics
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (102 pages)
ABSTRACT: The prediction of financial time series is an essential topic in quantitative investment. In this dissertation, we proposed two types of new models. They are bidirectional encoder representations from Transformers-based financial sentiment index enhanced (BERTFSIE) models and analysts' recommendation index enhanced (ARIE) models. Compared to statistical time series models, BERTFSIE models and ARIE models involve not only the assets log-returns but also the financial sentiment of investors' reactions and analyst recommendations individually. Furthermore, an adaptive epoch size selection strategy, an early stopping for sequential data strategy, and a novel hyperparameters selection strategy (Score voting) are proposed to solve the over-fitting problem in the training process of a neural network model when its size is large, and the training data is limited. An experimental study is conducted examining the BERTFSIE models and ARIE models. Additionally, they are compared with statistical time series models (e.g., Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with Explanatory Variable (ARIMAX) model, and the Vector Autoregressive Moving Average (VARMA)), machine learning models (e.g., Long short-term memory (LSTM)), and hybrid models (e.g., ARIMA-LSTM, VARMA-LSTM) in terms of predicting the log-returns and direction movements of two stocks from four industries (Technology: Alphabet Inc., Verizon Communications Inc.; Finance: Citigroup Inc., The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.; Pharmaceutical: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, AbbVie Inc.; Retail: Costco Wholesale Corporation, Target Corporation) with three testing proportion: 10\%, 20\%, 30\%. To be more specific, the forecastability of different models is evaluated in two separate ways: the prediction ability of the assets log-returns is assessed by root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE), and the prediction ability in the direction of the assets log-returns are judged by weighted $F_1$ score and weighed AUC score. Meanwhile, one step ahead forecasting and rolling forward with expanding windows are selected in the experimental study. The results of the experimental study indicate that BERTFSIE models perform almost uniformly better than the other models in terms of weighted $F_1$ score and weighed AUC score. In addition, with the increase of the validation size and testing size, the performance difference among these models is diminishing. At the same time, ARIE models have competitive performance with BERTFSIE models in some selected industries.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Statistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 24, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Xufeng Niu, Professor Directing Dissertation; Giray Okten, University Representative; Adrian Barbu, Committee Member; Fred Huffer, Committee Member; Wei Wu, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Statistics
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Marcous_fsu_0071E_17234.pdf
TITLE: Philosophy, out of Bounds: The Method and Mysticism of Simone Weil
AUTHOR: Marcous, Carmen Maria,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): May, Simon Căbulea
MEMBER (university representative): Day, Matthew
MEMBER (committee member): Rawling, Piers
MEMBER (committee member): McNaughton, David, 1946-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Philosophy
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (161 pages)
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is exposition on the themes of method and mysticism in the work of Simone Weil. Nearly a decade before the onset of her first mystical experience, Weil developed a method to be rigorously applied in daily philosophical reflection. She outlines this method in her dissertation on Descartes (1929-1930). I examine the question of how Weil applied method to philosophical reflection on her mystical experiences (onset 1938-1939). I analyze Weil's mystical experiences as a type of transformative experience in L. A. Paul's strict sense of the term. On Paul's view, an experience is transformative if it is both epistemically and personally transformative. An experience is epistemically transformative if the only way to know what it is like to have it is to have it yourself. An experience is personally transformative if it changes your point of view, including your core preferences (Paul, 2014). I present a thought experiment and textual evidence to motivate the claim that Weil's mystical experiences meet Paul's conditions for transformative experience. I then propose two epistemological facts that can be revealed by philosophical reflection on mystical experience. First, it is possible to read meaning erroneously in the appearances of things. Second, it is possible to come to hold to the certainty of a conviction for reasons that elude the intellect. My findings suggest that Weil's late views on philosophy accommodate these two epistemological constraints, thereby demonstrating a possible connection between Weil's mystical experiences and her mature views on the nature, scope, and proper method of philosophy. However, my preliminary findings also suggest that Weil's early work on method may have anticipated these epistemological obstacles prior to the onset of her first mystical experience. Thus, further exposition of Weil's method is needed to support or elucidate the claim (Rozelle-Stone and Davis, 2021) that Weil's epistemology underwent significant changes because of her mystical experiences.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Philosophy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 1, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): epistemology, method, mystical experience, mysticism, Simone Weil, transformative experience
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Simon May, Professor Directing Dissertation; Matthew Day, University Representative; John Rawling, Committee Member; David McNaughton, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Philosophy
SUBJECT: Religion
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: MarinVelasquez_fsu_0071E_17150.pdf
TITLE: Trees of Life: Yucatec Maya Women Herbal Healers and the Transfer of Herbal Healing Knowledge
AUTHOR: Marin-Velasquez, Melba,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Khurshid, Ayesha
MEMBER (university representative): Carrasco, Michael
MEMBER (committee member): Jones, Tamara Bertrand
MEMBER (committee member): Beatty, Cameron C.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (185 pages)
ABSTRACT: Indigenous people around the world maintain worldviews that emphasize the interconnection between living and non-living entities and the spiritual and physical worlds. Healers in these communities believe that imbalance occurs when these connections are lost and use Indigenous healing knowledge of medicinal plants, prayers, and rituals to reinstate balance. However, healers perceive that due to the lasting effects of colonization the Indigenous knowledge is in the process of being lost. This study aims to illustrate how Yucatec Maya women healers in Belize explore their identities, agency, and empowerment using the Indigenous healing knowledge as tools of decolonization to resist and transform institutional structures. This study will use a decolonizing methodology, the Tree of Life, to explore the healers' lived experiences through their stories of acquisition, practice, and transferal of their Indigenous healing knowledge.Keywords: Indigenous research methodology, Indigenous healing knowledge, healers, decolonization, education
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 1, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): decolonizing methodology, education, Indigenous healing knowledge, Indigenous research
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Ayesha Khurshid, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michael Carrasco, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand-Jones, Committee Member; Cameron Beatty, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Education
SUBJECT: Multicultural education
SUBJECT: Gender expression
SUBJECT: Gender identity
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Marshall_fsu_0071E_17003.pdf
TITLE: The Role of Academic and Social Inegration in High-Achieving, Low Income Student Retention
AUTHOR: Marshall, Melanie,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Guthrie, Kathy L.
MEMBER (university representative): Hines, Erik M.
MEMBER (committee member): Iatarola, Patrice
MEMBER (committee member): Hu, Shouping
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (73 pages)
ABSTRACT: First-generation, low-income students currently complete higher education degrees at lower rates than their peers. It is well established that focusing on a students' academic and social integration during their first four semesters can aide in their degree persistence. This study aims to provide ways in which higher education professionals can support low-income first-generation students on their path to obtaining a college degree. Specifically, it investigates academic and social integration efforts that aided in their success.To further research the lived experiences of first-generation, low-income students, individual interviews were conducted with nine students at the University of Florida. Student-participant responses were coded and analyzed using NViVo12 software. The findings highlighted several ways in which Student Affairs practitioners can support the academic and social transition of their students. These results suggest that, while each students' integration experience is unique and varied, there are consistent concepts that should be considered when supporting this population of students to degree completion.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 4, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Kathy Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; Erik Hines, University Representative; Patrice Iatarola, Committee Member; Shouping Hu, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Education, Higher
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Masek_fsu_0071E_16984.pdf
TITLE: Spatial Disparity and Educational Sorting of U.S. Internal Migration
AUTHOR: Masek, Marty,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Carlson, Elwood, 1950-
MEMBER (university representative): Schmertmann, Carl P.
MEMBER (committee member): Hauer, Mathew
MEMBER (committee member): Reynolds, John K.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Sociology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (127 pages)
ABSTRACT: Over the past few decades, U.S. communities have become increasingly unequal in terms of aggregate educational composition. Extant research shows that educational composition predicts community prosperity and community wellbeing consistently and strongly. Research on changes in community educational composition over time suggests that internal migration—movement within a country—plays a key role in such change, but this research does not often quantify or measure the role of internal migration. Therefore, this dissertation closely examines the role of internal migration in heightening or mitigating between-community educational disparity. I use 2013-2017 American Community Survey (ACS) data to estimate several measures of migration at relatively small geographic units, covering every square mile of the United States. These geographic units serve as "communities" for which I also construct a measure of educational capital (EC)—the proportion of the population ages 25 to 64 with at least a bachelor's degree.The current study has four analytic chapters with related research goals. The first analytic chapter explores the relative contributions of origin and destination community EC in shaping the educational composition of migration flows between origin-destination pairs. The second analytic chapter examines the effect of extant community EC on net migration patterns by education group—bachelor's degree and higher (BA+) and less than bachelor's degree (<BA)—and age group to evaluate the potential for internal migration to exacerbate or mitigate between-community disparity. The third analytic chapter articulates population processes underlying migration-induced changes in community EC. And the fourth analytic chapter estimates the effect of migration-induced change on community EC annually and over one generation. All analyses focus on ages 25 to 64. Findings in the first analytic chapter indicate that migration flows from a single origin can have widely different educational compositions depending on destination EC. Educational sorting occurs to destinations such that destinations with highly educated populations attract migration flows that are even more highly educated than the destination and the origin, on average. Analogously, destinations with low levels of education attract migration flows with even lower levels of education than the destination and the origin, on average. Findings in the second analytic chapter measuring net migration for each community indicate that current internal migration patterns reinforce existing between-community spatial disparity in EC. Not only do communities with high extant EC receive positive net migration of the BA+ group, but these highly educated communities experience negative net migration of the <BA group. At the same time communities with low EC experience positive net migration of the <BA group and negative net migration of the BA+ group. Thus, migration of the <BA group contributes to between-community disparity in EC in tandem with the migration of the BA+ group. Further findings reveal a life cycle in this pattern for the BA+ group, while the <BA group has no such life cycle. The third analytic chapter exploring the processes of migration-induced change indicate that changes in the number of BA+ adults in communities occurring via migration more commonly result from differences in the educational compositions of in-migrants compared to out-migrants rather than the sheer number of in-migrants compared to out-migrants. The fourth analytic chapter demonstrates the magnitude of migration-induced change in EC for each community over a generation if migration patterns remain unchanged, ignoring for the moment other population processes. In this scenario, mean community EC decreases as measures of variability (i.e., standard deviation) increase. Communities already at the top continue to pull ahead, and many at the bottom see sizeable decreases in community EC over time. I also highlight exceptional cases. Overall, findings reveal a self-reinforcing pattern of selective internal migration between U.S. communities that exacerbates spatial disparity in community EC by conferring further advantage to EC-rich communities at the expense of those that are already disadvantaged.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Sociology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 9, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Communities, Education, Geographic Disparity, Internal Migration, Spatial Disparity
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Elwood Carlson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Carl Schmertmann, University Representative; Mathew Hauer, Committee Member; John Reynolds, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Demography
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: May_fsu_0071E_17004.pdf
TITLE: Impact of the Current Feedback and Model Resolution on the Atmosphere and Ocean Mixed Layer over the Gulf Stream
AUTHOR: May, Jackie,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Bourassa, Mark Allan
MEMBER (university representative): Meyer-Bäse, Anke
MEMBER (committee member): Wing, Allison
MEMBER (committee member): Liu, Guosheng, (Professor of meteorology)
MEMBER (committee member): Liu, Guosheng, (Professor of meteorology)
MEMBER (committee member): Wu, Zhaohua
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (116 pages)
ABSTRACT: The atmosphere and the ocean interact through air-sea heat and momentum fluxes. Thesefluxes are critical in ocean, atmosphere, and coupled modeling across a broad range of spatial and temporal scales, from large-scale global modeling to very high-resolution regional studies and from climate studies to operational forecasting. It is important to minimize the air-sea flux errors in order to obtain accurate and realistic model results. This study investigates two sources of air-sea flux errors within the Gulf Stream region during winter months: the horizontal model resolution of the atmosphere and the ocean, and the dynamical coupling and current feedback between the ocean surface currents and the wind stress. Four different atmospheric and ocean coupled model simulations are completed with various combinations of 2 km (submesoscale resolving) and 6 km (submesoscale permitting) grid spacing. Four additional model simulations are completed using the same model resolutions defined in the first four experiments, but the coupling and feedback between the surface currents and the wind stress is included. The dynamical coupling and the current feedback lead to large changes in the surfacestress and stress curl patterns. This leads to a reduction in the ocean's mean and eddy kinetic energy, which largely controls the Gulf Stream path. The dynamical coupling is also found to control the physical gradient related to the atmospheric horizontal momentum advection. The stress gradient largely explains the variability in the horizontal advection when the dynamical coupling is not included, while the current gradient across current direction largely explains the variability in the horizontal advection when the dynamical coupling is included. Additionally, the dynamical coupling and current feedback is found to be important in regulating the mixed layer depth and SST throughout the warm water to the right of the Gulf Stream path due to the horizontal heat advection in the mixed layer. A high-resolution ocean model is found to also be important in influencing the Gulf Stream path, as well as constraining the submesoscale vertical heat fluxes to the ocean's mixed layer. The atmospheric model resolution is found to impact the magnitude of the stress, wind work, sea surface height, and surface currents, in addition to the strength of the horizontal and vertical winds throughout the atmospheric column. The dynamical coupling and current feedback, as well as having a high-resolution atmosphere and ocean, is further found to be important in the vertical extent of the state parameter fields, as well as in the atmospheric circulation patterns.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 8, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Mark A. Bourassa, Professor Directing Dissertation; Anke Meyer-Baese, University Representative; Allison Wing, Committee Member; Guosheng Liu, Committee Member; Zhaohua Wu, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Meteorology
SUBJECT: Oceanography
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: McCown_fsu_0071E_17126.pdf
TITLE: Early Applicants: Does Timing of the Admissions Application Impact First-Time, 1st-Year Enrollment and Success in Open-Admissions Institutions
AUTHOR: McCown, Amber S.,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Cox, Bradley E.
MEMBER (university representative): Myers, John P. (John Patrick)
MEMBER (committee member): Mokher, Christine G.
MEMBER (committee member): Perez-Felkner, Lara
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (78 pages)
ABSTRACT: Two-year state and community colleges provide convenient and affordable educational opportunities with open admissions policies, which make them "value-added institutions that are uniquely different than traditional colleges and universities" (Grubbs, 2020, p. 205). Students across the nation enroll in 2-year colleges to pursue their academic goals because of distinct variations, which include flexible admissions and enrollment policies. However, the lack of deadlines at open-access institutions may contribute to entry and retention challenges for students who apply late, particularly for those who may be un- or under-prepared for college. Few studies have considered the relationship between admissions application timing, characteristics of traditional first-time in college students, and 1st-semester academic outcomes, which was the focus for this research. The study population was chosen because admissions offices have greater access to high school students through recruitment efforts such as college fairs and classroom visits. Central to this work were the hypotheses that applicants who apply early in their senior year tend to have higher high school GPAs, are more likely to enroll in the fall following high school graduation with better 1st-semester outcomes and are more inclined to return in the subsequent spring semester. The study involved an examination of admissions application data for 3,479 first-time, 1st-semester applicants who applied to a public college with open access policies requiring only a standard high school diploma or GED. Demographic data, high school academic performance, and factors related to college preparation were collected from the institution's student information system and the date the admissions application was submitted. The study population was limited to high school seniors who applied to the institution for the fall semester immediately following graduation. The hypotheses were analyzed using chi-square tests, ANOVA, and a series of regression models. Variables related to admissions application timing, which were segmented into distinct recruitment periods to include the fall prior to high school graduation, spring of high school graduation, and summer after high school graduation, were used across all models. These periods correspond to blocks of time representing opportunities for admissions offices to implement targeted and actionable strategies to influence first-time student enrollments. The analysis of the models suggested variations in student characteristics across the recruitment periods. Students who apply to an institution with open access policies in the fall prior to their high school graduation tend to enter with higher GPAs and although they enroll at a lower rate, they are more likely to attempt and earn more credit hours in their 1st semester. Additionally, earlier applicants tend to have higher 1st semester GPAs and yet are less likely to return for the subsequent spring semester. In contrast, applicants who apply to the institution in the summer after high school graduation have lower high school GPAs and 1st semester academic outcomes if they enrolled. The results of the study indicate applicant characteristics vary depending on when first-time, 1st-year students apply to the institution, and these findings may influence strategies admissions offices at open-access institutions employ to attract and enroll traditional high school students while also considering initiatives to increase first semester student outcomes.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education.
NOTE (Date of Defense): March 30, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Admissions, Open Access, Student Recruitment
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Bradley Cox, Professor Directing Dissertation; John Myers, University Representative; Christine Mokher, Committee Member; Lara Perez-Felkner, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Community colleges
SUBJECT: Education, Higher
SUBJECT: Education, Higher--Administration
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: McFarland_fsu_0071E_17134.pdf
TITLE: Numerical Solutions of the Many-Electron Ground State
AUTHOR: McFarland, John,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Manousakis, Efstratios
MEMBER (university representative): Mascagni, Michael
MEMBER (committee member): Bonesteel, N. E.
MEMBER (committee member): Piekarewicz, Jorge
MEMBER (committee member): Balicas, Luis
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Physics
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (83 pages)
ABSTRACT: We examine two wave function optimization methods for producing the ground state. The first is a novel method for optimizing the location of the nodes of the fermion ground-state using a combination of diffusion Monte Carlo (DMC) and projected gradient descent (PGD). A PGD iteration shifts the parameters of a node-fixing trial function in the opposite direction of the DMC energy gradient, while maintaining the cusp condition for atomic electrons if necessary. The energy gradient required for this is calculated from DMC walker distributions by one of three methods derived from an exact analytical expression. The energy gradient calculation methods are combined with different gradient descent algorithms and a projection operator that maintains the cusp condition of atomic systems. We apply this PGD method to trial functions with randomized variational parameters, for simple atomic systems and the homogeneous electron gas, and the nodes are dramatically improved. For atomic systems, PGD lowered the DMC energy to the same level as nodes optimized by variational Monte Carlo (VMC). This PGD method departs from the standard procedure of optimizing the nodes with a non-DMC scheme such as variational Monte Carlo, Density function theory, or configuration interaction based calculation, which do not directly minimize the DMC energy. The second ground state optimization method that we examine implements imaginary-time time-dependent Density functional theory (it-TDDFT) propagation to periodic systems by modifying the Quantum ESPRESSO (QE) package. This implementation of it-TDDFT propagation converges to the exact energy produced by the standard self consistent field (SCF) method in all but one case, where it converged to a slightly lower value than SCF. This suggests it-TDDFT is a useful alternative for systems where SCF has difficulty reaching the Kohn-Sham ground state.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Physics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 6, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): DFT, DMC, Gradient Descent
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Efstratios Manousakis, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michael Mascagni, University Representative; Nicholas Bonesteel, Committee Member; Jorge Piekarewicz, Committee Member; Luis Balicas, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Condensed matter
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: McQueen_fsu_0071E_16970.pdf
TITLE: Mentorship in the Preparation and Careers of Black Women Technology Majors at HBCUs
AUTHOR: Mcqueen, Arlisha F.,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Perez-Felkner, Lara
MEMBER (university representative): Mardis, Marcia A.
MEMBER (committee member): Jones, Tamara Bertrand
MEMBER (committee member): Mokher, Christine G.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (89 pages)
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this dissertation in practice was to understand how women faculty and mentors influenced black women's career pathways in technology. The setting for this study was graduates from a 4-year public, mid-level university in North Florida, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. The exploratory study design was used through a qualitative case study to investigate outcomes associated with Black women's experiences of having a mentor or women instructor as an undergraduate in the Computer Information Systems (CIS) department at Florida A&M University (FAMU) selecting technology as a career choice. The study focus was measured through the experiences and perceptions of how women faculty and mentorship shape career pathways of CIS graduates. The analysis resulted in the identification of four a-prior codes with four additional themes becoming sub-themes, and two additional themes were identified in the coding cycles. Nine total themes were identified. Findings highlighted the importance women faculty and mentors had on Black women career pathways in technology. Implications discussed for FAMU CIS department were to expand career knowledge and opportunities, enhance mentorship for Black women and improve women hiring and visibility.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education.
NOTE (Date of Defense): February 02, 2022.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Lara Perez-Felkner, Professor Directing Dissertation; Marcia Mardis, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Christine Mokher, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Education, Higher
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: MedinaFarias_fsu_0071E_17093.pdf
TITLE: Modeling Flavivirus Pathogenesis in a Stem Cell Derived Blood-Brain Barrier Endothelial Cell System
AUTHOR: Medina Farias, Maria Angelica,
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Tang, Hengli
MEMBER (university representative): Li, Yan
MEMBER (committee member): Yin, Qian (Assistant professor of biological science)
MEMBER (committee member): Zhu, Fanxiu
MEMBER (committee member): Dennis, Jonathan Hancock
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Biological Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (121 pages)
ABSTRACT: Flaviviruses are positive sense single-stranded enveloped RNA viruses, most are mosquito-transmitted viruses that cause systemic infection as they disseminate through the bloodstream in vertebrate hosts. The members of the flavivirus genus are highly similar in structure and genome organization, however, some viruses have been associated with neurological complications in humans, like Zika virus (ZIKV) and West Nile Virus (WNV); while others have been linked to hemorrhagic fever like Dengue virus (DENV) and Yellow Fever virus (YFV). In the context of brain neuroinvasion, viral entry into the brain can occur through different mechanisms, for example, direct infection of brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs) or breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) homeostasis. The specifics of how flaviviruses gain access to the central nervous system (CNS) remain incompletely understood, highlighting the need for researching the viruses' phenotype in the context of the BBB and CNS. In our lab, we use human pluripotent stem cell derived BMECs (iBMECs) and different CNS cellular units including primary astrocytes and stem cell derived forebrain organoids to model the brain microenvironment in vitro. Comparing viral infection phenotypes between ZIKV, DENV and other flaviviruses in the BBB we seek to understand the different neuroinvasion mechanisms used by flaviviruses. We have evaluated how a variety of neurotropic and non-neurotropic flaviviruses might use different mechanisms to access the brain, which is typically protected by blood-brain barrier (BBB), we utilized iPSC-derived human brain microvascular endothelial cells (iBMECs) to study virus-BBB interactions. These iPSC-derived cells exhibited functional and physiological BBB properties and faithfully recapitulated the in vivo neuroinvasiveness of flaviviruses. We further developed a BBB model consisting of cocultured iBMECs and astrocytes in transwell setups. This model exhibited high TEER value and selectively blocked non-neurotropic flaviviruses from crossing the barrier. We next focused on developing bacterial-virus co-infection models to understand how bacterial cell wall components may alter barrier function and viral permeability. To this end, I have discovered an unknown mechanism where bacteria cell wall components may increase BBB permeability and allow for traditionally non-neurotropic viruses to establish infection in the iBMECs and the brain Overall, we were able to effectively model flavivirus neuroinvasion using iBMECs. Our research led to the description of brain-invasion mechanisms that modulate the ability of viruses to infect this physiologically relevant protective brain barrier. Highlighting the importance of virus' ability to directly infect the iBMECs and the relationship between the cellular response to inflammation and virus permissiveness.
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Biological Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 1, 2022.
NOTE (Keywords): Blood brain barrier, Flavivirus
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Hengli Tang, Professor Directing Dissertation; Yan Li, University Representative; Qian Yin, Committee Member; Fanxiu Zhu, Committee Member; Jonathan Dennis, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Cytology
SUBJECT: Virology
SUBJECT: Molecular biology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Mehra_fsu_0071N_17178.pdf
TITLE: The Associations between Sleep, Anxiety, and Error-Related Brain Activity in Youth
AUTHOR: Mehra, Lushna M.,
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Meyer, Alexandria
MEMBER (committee member): Proudfit, Greg Hajcak
MEMBER (committee member): Meltzer, Andrea L.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Psychology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2022
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (55 pages)
ABSTRACT: Due to the high prevalence of anxiety disorders and their associated impairment, elucidating neural mechanisms that underlie these disorders has been increasingly prioritized. Specifically, the error-related negativity (ERN) has been identified as a neural marker that indexes risk for anxiety across development. Approximately half of the variance in the ERN can be attributed to factors other than genetic inheritance, including factors such as parenting style and stressful life events. The present study sought to examine associations between the ERN and another factor — sleep difficulties. This study serves as a novel examination of the associations between self-reported naturalistic sleep difficulties, anxiety, and the ERN. In a sample of 221 females, ages 8 to 15 years old, we first examined the relations between chronic (i.e., over the past month) and recent (i.e., over the past week) sleep disturbances and the ERN. We then investigated whether a specific chronic or recent sleep difficulty uniquely predicts the ERN. In exploratory analyses, we assessed whether the ERN moderates and/or mediates the relationship between sleep difficulties and anxiety. Results indicated that youth who report chronically shorter sleep duration, chronically worse sleep, and recent shorter sleep duration on school days over the past week have a larger ERN. In addition, recent sleep duration on school days over the past week uniquely predicted the ERN. Exploratory analyses indicated the ERN moderates the associations between chronic sleep quality and total anxiety, as well as that between chronic sleep quality and child social anxiety. Finally, results suggested the ERN may partially mediate the link between sleep problems and anxiety. Future studies should clarify the direction of these associations via longitudinal designs.