Biography

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Boston Universit

Influence of Season of Grazing and Intensity of Grazing on Vegetative Composition and Yields

Mixed prairie range sites vary in ability to produce for age for livestock consumption. One reason for the difference in variation is the degree of utilization of the ranges in past years. The purpose of the study was to determine variation in composition, cover and yields of grasses due to different intensities of grazing and season of use on two break range sites in the central Mixed Prairie. Four pastures were selected for study: a moderately summer-grazed, moderately year-long grazed, heavily winter-grazed, and heavily over-grazed summer and fall. All areas were compared to the cover, composition and yields of forbs and grasses on a nearby non-grazed area. Study areas were about the same size, well-watered and in a one-square-mile area. An accurate fifteen-year history on season of grazing and the number of cattle on each area except the heavily overgrazed pasture was available. On the basis of vigor illustrated by the decreaser forb, lead plant, the heavily grazed winter pasture supports a more vigorous type of plant life than any other area studied. The non-grazed area had the highest composition of climax species, such as big bluestem, little bluestem, side-oats grama, switch grass, and Indian grass. The heavily winter grazed pasture had a composition of climax species similar to that of the non-grazed area. But, as the intensity of grazing increased (with the exception of the heavily winter grazed pasture) composition of climax species decreased. Statistical comparisons of composition of big bluestem, little bluestem and side-oats grama showed no significant difference between the non-grazed area and the heavily winter-grazed pasture on the deep break site. However, when composition of the three grasses on the non-grazed area was compared to that of the moderately year-round grazed pasture and the heavily overgrazed pasture there was a significant decrease in the grasses with grazing at the 99 percent confidence limits. The density of forbs per square foot, and total number of species generally increased with increased grazing intensity. The number of plants generally increased as the grazing intensity increased. In general, forage production was greater in the heavily winter-grazed pasture than all others. When intensity of grazing increased on both deep and shallow break sites, total yield of forbs was higher (except on the heavily winter grazed pasture) and the total yield of mulch was lower

History in the Making: The Impact of Ideology in Lynne Cheney\u27s Children\u27s Books

This analysis of children’s literature attempts to understand the relationship between social reproduction and ideology. This thesis argues that children’s literature written by Lynne Cheney is a cultural artifact that constitutes an ideological history. In addition, it argues that her books can be used by ideological institutions to strengthen socially accepted practices through the theory of social reproduction. Since there is a lack of theory regarding cultural artifacts in literary studies, an adoption from the field of pedagogy called the theory of hidden curriculum is used to explain social reproduction. The process of social reproduction reinforces socioeconomic structures put in place in order to reinforce social norms

UTILIZING MOLECULAR AND STATISTICAL MODELING METHODS TO ENHANCE WHITE NOSE SYNDROME DETECTION IN BAT HIBERNACULA

White Nose Syndrome (WNS) is a fungal infection in bats caused by Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd). Successfully identifying hibernacula infected with WNS is essential to help control and regulate the spread of WNS. Assessing the presence of WNS in bat hibernacula is usually done by visually confirming Pd on hibernating bats within infected hibernacula. This can be problematic because most visual confirmation occurs during the winter when bat populations are at their peak within hibernacula. When surveys are conducted in the winter, there is an increased chance of disturbing bats. One alternative method to visually confirming WNS on bats in the winter is to test the hibernaculum environment for Pd DNA in the summer. This study compared a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay for Pd DNA to previous visual surveys for WNS within six bat hibernacula in southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas. Six quadrant were identified and sampled within each hibernaculum. Samples were taken, DNA was extracted, and PCR was performed to DNA specific to Pd. Agarose gel electrophoresis was utilized to verify if there was Pd DNA present in the amplified PCR product. In addition, this study created a WNS predictive model to determine the probability of WNS presence Missouri counties. This study found that Pd DNA was present in all hibernacula previously described as WNS positive by visual confirmation, in addition, this study found that one hibernaculum was misidentified as WNS negative. This study also predicted the probability that Missouri counties had WNS. The WNS predictive model was also tested in-field at seven different hibernacula in six different counties with 85% success

Friendship Is Manly: The Brony Fandom And The Challenge Of Masculinity

This dissertation examines the cultural phenomenon of Bronies, adult, mostly male, fans of the show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. When large numbers of grown men like a show designed for little girls, how do they contend with the challenges presented by the culturally accepted norms of masculinity? Do these fans disclose their love of ponies to others, if at all? An online mixed methods survey conducted in 2014 looks at how Bronies interact with the show, other fans, and non fans. While some Bronies are cautious about disclosing their fondness for ponies due to potential harassment, there is potential movement growing within the fan community that is slowly changing constructions of masculinity which fosters community and inclusivity. This project explores issues of masculine identity management in four sections. The first segment examines how Bronies experience harassment for being public fans. Secondly, how do secretive members of the fandom maintain their traditional masculine identity through self monitoring techniques like “The Stable.” Third, how are conceptions of masculinity changing in environments where hypermasculinity and ponies intersect, such as the case of military Bronies. Finally, the Brony fandom is aiding in the creation of a new framework of masculinity that distinguishes itself as a more inclusive gender construct separating itself from hegemonic masculinity

Maternity Homes: The Case of a Dying Institution.

Excerpt from the full-text article: The checkered career of a major social welfare institution appears to be near its end. Maternity homes as the major service to unmarried mothers face an uncertain future, with few indicators of a reversal in this current trend. The provision of social services as an expression of society\u27s conern for the problems of unwed mothers has invariably been accompanied by a dynamic combination of deep feelings of prejudice and ambivalence. However, the current uncertainty of their status; the confusion in attitudes and conflicting opinions about the value and purpose of homes for unmarried mothers are being expressed by the principal actors in this social welfare scene: the unmarried mothers themselves, social workers who constitute the main supporters of this service and administrators of homes responsible for the provision of residential care

\u3ci\u3eMobius\u3c/i\u3e: An Omnidirectional Robotic Platform and Software Architecture for Network Teleoperation

The following thesis presents the results of a project to develop and test an omnidirectional robotic system (hardware and software) at NASA Langley Research Center\u27s Robotics and Intelligent Machines Lab. The impetus for the project was the unique capabilities of omnidirectional systems. Some of the many potential benefits these systems have include improved material-handling capabilities in constrained environments (such as might be found in extraterrestrial manned habitats), efficient camera-based vehicle teleoperation, and simplified route planning for autonomous robot operations. The project\u27s focus was to design, build, and test a system that used Mecanum wheels to achieve omnidirectional motion. In addition to the mobility considerations, the robot was designed from the start as a platform for testing a high-level software architecture for Internet-enabled teleoperation. The robot, named Mobius, uses a high-level processor running Linux to connect to wireless networks, process user-input data, relay camera imagery, and communicate with a low-level microcontroller. All the programs for user input and imagery viewing from the onboard cameras are cross-platform, Internet-enabled, client-server applications. Because of its wireless network capability, when the robot is within range of a wide-area-network wireless access point, it can be driven from an arbitrary location on the Internet. The low-level control of Mobius\u27 motors is through a microcontroller-based fuzzy-logic algorithm. This algorithm combined with the methodology for user-input processing contributes to the robot\u27s capabilities of smooth translation in any direction, bidirectional rotation, and simultaneous translation with rotation. In its final configuration, the robot performs admirably as a demonstration platform for Mecanum-wheel-based omnidirectional motion, and a number of tests were designed and executed to evaluate the performance of both the omnidirectional motion, and the performance of the camera-based teleoperation-control software architecture. Future work (another robot with a unique Mecanum wheel-configuration and autonomous algorithms capability) — is already in progress, and is briefly outlined with regard to the lessons learned from Mobius