The ambiguity plaguing the definition of empathy has not only been constrained to its content (i.e., assessing decoding or encoding) but how it is expressed in the individual (i.e., as a trait or ability). Any separation in the theorizing of a construct should be clearly reflected and labeled in the...
In a Modular High Temperature Gas Reactor (MHTGR), the Depressurized Conduction Cooldown (DCC) event can be separated into three distinct stages: 1) depressurization, 2) air ingress and, 3) natural circulation. During normal operations, the HTGR utilizes forced convection to move the helium coolant through the reactor core. Thus, during normal...
Participation in regular physical activity is important for individuals with a mobility disability to decrease risk of chronic disease, improve quality of life, and maintain and improve functional ability. Consequently, there is a need for programs that can facilitate the adoption and maintenance of regular physical activity for adults with...
Sperm mobility is defined as the net movement of a sperm population against resistance. Previous research demonstrated that the cell-permeant Ca2+ indicator rhod-2 AM gave a fluorescent signal predominantly in the head region of fowl sperm that differed between sperm mobility phenotypes. This thesis served to explore the role of...
Carbonation of Carbon is of concern for reinforced concrete bridges. While long-term environmental deterioration of structures is unavoidable, protective design allows a structure to fulfill its service life without any significant serviceability or strength loss due to deterioration. Understanding the process of concrete carbonation and the effect it has on...
Many organisms with complex life cycles undergo transition periods associated with increased vulnerability to predation. Several evolutionary adaptations have been proposed as antipredator defenses for organisms during risky transition periods. These include: shortening of the transition period, parental care, cryptic coloration, and synchrony of risky transitions with large numbers of...
Night is an extraordinary resource. Unlike air, water, or soil, nighttime is a spatio-temporal phenomenon, which leads to many crucial roles. It provides refuge to wildlife species, triggers hormonal and behavioral responses among a wide variety of organisms, and serves as an essential migratory backdrop for species that navigate by...
A deep neural network was developed and trained to identify the sounds of pomacentrids (damselfishes) in the National Park of American Samoa. Four years of continuous, passive acoustic data were recorded by a single stationary hydrophone. Deep neural networks enable the full utilization of such large datasets by automating laborious...
The Aleutian tern (Onychoprion aleuticus) is a species of high conservation concern in Alaska due to large declines at known breeding locations since the 1960s. Due to the small population size and ephemeral behavior of this species on the nesting grounds, there is little basic biological information available and data...
This research addresses the relationship between television
programming and body image. It specifically investigates what the Music
Television network's (MTV) dance show, "The Grind," communicates
about female body image. Two studies were conducted. Study one used
seven coders from a western United States high school to record female
body images...