The endangered Hawaiian Duck (koloa maoli; Anas wyvilliana), a non-migratory and island-endemic species, experienced a significant population decline during the twentieth century due to factors such as habitat loss, overharvest, introduced mammalian predators, and hybridization with introduced feral Mallards (A. platyrhynchos). A key objective for Hawaiian Duck recovery is to...
Fundamental objectives in the field of conservation biology involve understanding the processes that influence small and declining populations and applying that knowledge to develop appropriate monitoring strategies and targeted management and conservation actions. Critical first steps in determining the relative role of factors that drive population declines involves estimation of...
If P is an integer polynomial denote the degree of P by ∂(P) and let H(P) be the maximum of the absolute value of the coefficients of P. Define Λ(P)=2[superscript ∂(P)]H(P) and for a fixed prime p let C[subscript p] denote the completion of the algebraic closure of the p-adic...
Aquatic animals are exposed to a variety of natural and
anthropogenic xenobiotics. Biotransformation of xenobiotics was
examined in three aquatic animals: a primitive mollusc (chiton);
a shellfish which is an important human food source (oyster);
and, a lower vertebrate model for toxicological studies (rainbow
trout). Since digestive glands of Cryntochiton...
Since bulk p-CuO/n-ZnO heterocontacts were first proposed for gas detection, rapid development has taken place in improving the overall functionality of these structures. While bulk heterocontacts have been shown to exhibit desirable sensitivity and selectivity characteristics, these devices suffer from innate diffusion and ZnO/CuO connectivity drawbacks that limit their effective...
Signals from the R/V Langseth’s tuned airgun array were recorded on an array of 33 EarthScope FlexArray seismometers deployed in the Oregon Coast Range from 43.5° to 45°N as part of the 2012 Ridge2Trench experiment to image the structure of the Juan de Fuca plate. This segment of the Juan...
Software engineers often need help with discovering and learning how to use APIs. For example, software engineers who are starting to learn Java, and they want to implement a certain feature in a program, they might want to reuse existing APIs in order to save time versus rewriting it themselves...
Spreadsheets are a widely used end-user programming tool. Field audits have found that 80-90% of spreadsheets created by end users contain textual and formula errors in spreadsheets. Such errors may have severe negative consequences for users in terms of productivity, credibility, or profits. To solve the problem of spreadsheet errors,...
End-user programmers often struggle to create programs that run quickly and effectively, which can be a major deterrent in completing their tasks as desired. Current research has primarily focused on catching user mistakes, such as errors or misused formulas. However, end users deal with issues other than just correctness. In...
The design of programming tools is slow and costly. To ease this process, we have developed a design pattern catalog aimed at providing guidance about how to design tools for developers. This guidance is grounded in Information Foraging Theory (IFT), which empirical studies have shown to be useful for understanding...
Significant increases in the amount of data being streamed, collected, and processed have resulted in widespread adoption of the use of microservices to build scalable software applications. Unfortunately, current tools and frameworks are often insufficient at providing a simple, unified experience for the design, development, and deployment of microservices. They...
More than 50% of American families have at least one pet nowadays, and the number is still rising. Pet caring needs are also growing with it. When people need to leave home for work or vacation, leaving pets home alone might bother some pet owners. Unfortunately, existing approaches all have...
Collaboration with people in a team environment to build software is common. In the beginning stage of a team project, it is required that a team decides what tools and services to utilize to control the source code for the project, communicate with the members, and manage the tasks. In...
An empirical statistical model is developed that relates the non-tidal motion of the ocean surface currents off the Oregon coast to forecasts of the coastal winds. The empirical statistical model is then used to produce predictions of the surface currents that are evaluated for their agreement with measured currents. Measurements...
Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have less atherosclerosis than others with and without mental retardation (MR). Why individuals with DS do not develop atherosclerosis similarly to others is not known. The insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), a common neuroendocrine disorder underlying cardiovascular disease, has not been investigated in adults with DS...
The properties of (1-x)BaTiO3-xBi(Mg1/2Ti1/2)O3 (BT-BMT) ceramics were fabricated from reagent-grade ceramic powders by solid-state methods and investigated for solubility, relative permittivity, dielectric loss, polarization, and electromechanical strain. The solubility limit was found to be between x = 0.3 and 0.4. Ba-deficient samples were fabricated, corresponding to stable single-phase compositions; these...
The general objective of this study was to develop
models and datasets that would significantly advance our
ability to assess the current and future effects of global
change on the biosphere. The focus was in two areas: (1)
preparing environmental datasets at regional to small
watershed scales; and (2) developing...
The first committed step in DNA biosynthesis occurs by direct reduction of
ribonucleotides. This reduction is catalyzed by ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), an
enzyme which uses a unique radical mechanism to facilitate the transformation. All four
DNA precursors are synthesized by a single enzyme. Therefore, an intricate pattern of
regulation has...
A 1 kW series hybrid powertrain was developed at Oregon State University for use in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This powertrain was designed to give mission flexibility and increased flight time to fixed-wing vertical takeoff and landing UAVs and multirotor UAVs. The powertrain components, an internal combustion engine and a...
The purposes of this paper are to present the results of an experimental effort to measure the level swell in an air/water system and to generate a methodology for determining the volume-averaged void fraction within the Oregon State University (OSU) Advanced Plant Experiment (APEX) Test Facility. The results were then...
This thesis presents the details of a large-scale laboratory experiment to study the
turbulence generated by waves breaking on a fixed barred beach. The data set includes
comprehensive measurements of free surface displacement and fluid velocity for one
random and one regular wave case.
Observations of the time-averaged turbulent kinetic...
Bedrock groundwater dynamics in headwater catchments are poorly understood and
poorly characterized. Direct hydrometric measurements have been limited due to the
logistical challenges associated with drilling through hard rock in steep, remote and
often roadless terrain. Here we develop and use an inexpensive, portable bedrock
drilling system to explore bedrock...
The tendency of wood to shrink and swell with changing moisture content remains as one of the most significant challenges to using wood in its many applications. Viscoelastic Thermal Compression (VTC) has been shown to significantly increase the density, strength and stiffness of wood. However, dimensional stability is still a...
Birds affected the community structure of an Oregon rocky shore by
preying upon mussels (Mytilus spp.) and limpets (Collisella spp.). The
impact of such predation is potentially great, as mussels are the
competitively dominant mid-intertidal space-occupiers, and limpets are
important herbivores in this community.
Prey selection by birds reflects differences...
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important crops in the world supplying about 18.8 percent of the world's caloric energy supply and 20 percent of the world's protein. In the Pacific Northwest (PNW), over one million hectares of wheat are grown every year. Wheat production is typically...
Stratified bongo net samples taken at depths between 0 and 500 m at Ocean Station “P” in the subarctic Pacific in early July 1971 have been analyzed to determine the vertical structure of the zooplankton community. Distributions for 99 categories of animals have been grouped by factor analysis into five...
This paper details a method to compute absolute water velocity profiles from glider-based acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements based on the "shear method" developed for lowered ADCPs. The instrument is a 614-kHz Teledyne RDI ADCP integrated into the body of a Teledyne Webb Research Slocum Glider. Shear is calculated...
________________________________________________________________________
AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF
Christopher Edward Ordonez for the degree of Master of
The lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) solid solution system is currently the workhorse of piezoelectric-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) research. Among bulk materials it is known to be one of the strongest piezoelectrics, with extremely high piezoelectric coefficients and electro-mechanical coupling factors. Reproducing these exceptional qualities in thin film form, however, requires precise tuning...
Substituted phenols are important substructures for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, natural products and biological probe molecules. The properties of phenolic molecules are substantially influenced by the substitution patterns of the phenolic ring. The chemical synthesis of phenols with various substitution patterns is an enduring challenge and multiple strategies have emerged. However, some...
Article 1: Behavior of Epoxy Injected Diagonally Cracked Full-Scale CRC Deck-Girders.
Many cast-in place reinforced concrete deck-girder bridges (RCDG) remain in the national inventory and exhibit diagonal cracking. Epoxy injection has been in use for several decades as a method for sealing diagonal cracks, but the effects on girder behavior...
:
_____________________________________________________________________
Christopher C. Higgins
Article 1: Behavior of Epoxy Injected Diagonally Cracked
The City of Woodburn, Oregon's Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) has been investigating several natural alternatives for improving effluent quality. Based on its current National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, the WWTP will require additional reduction of temperature and ammonia levels in the summer, especially in the critical month of...
In this dissertation, the structural properties, thermodynamics and defect behavior of amorphous metal oxides and polyoxometalates are studied. Amorphous metal oxides have many applications, most notably as a semiconducting material used as the active matrix of thin film transistors. Alas, the amorphous nature of these materials makes studying them rather...
This report contains the data gathered at Ocean Station "P" in late June and early July of 1971 on the "SUBARCTIC-A" cruise of R/V YAQUINA. The data include: 1) temperature, salinity, and oxygen profiles; 2) estimates of zooplankton displacement volumes at different depths; and 3) estimates of the numerical density...
Previous research has shown significant improvements in standard measurements of student learning in traditional classroom settings when constructivist instruction techniques are skillfully applied as opposed to its traditional counterpart, direct instruction. The purpose of this study is to apply the concept of constructivism in musical instruction. The working hypothesis is...
Aminal radical intermediates were generated by the method of radical translocation and reacted in C-C bond forming reactions with electronically deficient alkenes (Schiedler et al. Org. Lett. 2012, 14, 6092). Aminal radical intermediates can participate in inter- and intra-molecular reactions using both Bu3SnH and (TMS)₃SiH as hydride donors. Carbon–carbon bonds...
Camelids are known for frequent occurrence of general ill-thrift. In other species, neutrophil dysfunction has been identified as a cause of ill-thrift, and linked to chronic fungal and bacterial infections. However, no reference values exist for neutrophil function testing in camelids, which inhibits accurate evaluation of neutrophil deficiency in this...
About twenty years ago, a large, rural, doctoral granting institution with an undergraduate population of approximately 24,000 in the pacific northwest of the United States established the Math Excel program. Students would attend lectures three times a week for 50 minutes like a traditional course, and they would also attend...
Experiments were conducted to determine if the plagiotropic
growth habit of rooted cuttings of Douglas-fir might result from a
system favoring the accumulation of indoleacetic acid in the adaxial
side of the shoot in response to vertical placement.
Actively growing excised branch terminals were subjected to
gravitational disorientation to determine...
Cheese has been produced since ancient times and continues to be an important nutrient-dense staple in many diets around the world. Cheese quality is of high importance to consumers, and it is important for cheese producers to establish process controls to prevent and control cheese spoilage. Fungal spoilage is of...
Topology optimization (TO) is a mathematical method to find the optimal size, shape and connectivity of a domain under specified conditions, and has had many applications in engineering design. However, challenges remain in realizing TO as an effective design tool for many design situations. Uncertainty is ubiquitous in nature and...
Shrapnel is an exploration through memory. It’s a work that bends and twists upon itself and, as memory often does, lands within worlds and experiences only for a moment before jumping to the next story or thought. This text is a hybrid work that doesn’t fit neatly within any specific...
Increased automation and computerization have led to new demands and people are quickly transitioning to monitoring automated process and autonomous machines. Human oversight of automated process is important and desired, but people often require aid to navigate information from autonomous sources. An effective way to manage this information is with...
Kombucha is a traditional fermented beverage that has become increasingly popular in the United States due to its perceived health benefits and unique flavor profiles. The drivers of kombucha flavor have not been fully characterized, at least in part because it is produced using a complex microbial community, leading to...
During the interstate expansion of the 1950s, many conventionally reinforced concrete
deck girder bridges were built throughout the country. These now vintage bridges
commonly exhibit diagonal cracking and rate inadequately for shear, thus they are
candidates for shear strengthening to extend their useful life. Near-surface mounted
(NSM) retrofitting is a...
Visual programming languages (VPLs) have been widely used to support end-user programming. However, end users are still not able to reuse code as actively as professional programmers, even when given abundant resources such as a large VPL program repository. One reason may be that current VPL development environments lack features...
Many older reinforced concrete deck girder (RCDG) bridges contain straight bar terminations of flexural reinforcement. Common bridge design practice of the 1950s did not consider the additional demands on the terminated bars from shear and flexure. Moreover, more stringent code specifications and heavier permit trucks contribute to the insufficient ratings...
Kombucha is a fermented sweet tea beverage of Asian origin which has become popular in the West due to its distinct flavor and possible health benefits. Kombucha is fermented by inoculating sweet tea with yeast and bacteria until a pellicle, referred to as a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and...
Wheat stripe rust (WSR), also called yellow rust of wheat (Tricitum spp.), causal agent Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici (Pst), is a foliar disease of major economic importance on wheat, especially grown in temperate locations. WSR causes major losses of wheat yield, estimated at nearly $ 1 billion per year, and...