Rocky Mount is a 35-acre State Historic Site in Washington County, TN dating to the late 1700s when it served as the First Capitol of the Southwest Territory of the United States. In Fall 2021, Rocky Mount acquired an adjacent tract which includes several water sources: an artesian spring, a ditch with running water, and a cattle pond. A residential spring located on a neighboring property flows along an eastern property line. The purpose of this research was to assess the hydrologic resources of Rocky Mount’s new addition to 1) determine compliance with state water quality standards; and 2) identify subsurface hydrologic connections between water sources. In winter 2022, we sampled the four water sources for pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), electrical conductivity (EC), temperature, fecal coliform and E. coli bacteria during five site visits. Mean values for each parameter at each site were compared to state water quality standards and sites were assessed for similarity using the Kruskal Wallis non-parametric Analysis of Variance. In this study, none of the four sites met the state standard for drinking water due to presence of E. coli (drinking water limits E. coli to <1 CFU/100mL). However, all sites were well below the E. coli threshold for recreational water (<126 CFU/100mL). Only one site, the residential spring, was found to meet standards for recreational use for all water quality parameters. All other sites exceeded recreational use limits for pH (high alkalinity). Two sites, the cattle pond and the ditch, also exceeded recreational limits for turbidity. Kruskal Wallis test results indicated significant differences in water chemistry between sites for all parameters. Pairwise comparisons revealed differences between the residential spring and all other sites, suggesting different groundwater sources. The water quality findings will be helpful in future land use planning at the Rocky Mount Historic Site.

Archaeological sites are not static records of the past. They exist within a dynamic environment, and, as part of this environment, they undergo changes upon deposition. In order to make confident interpretations of past human behavior based on patterns observed in the archaeological record, it is first necessary to determine if these patterns were produced by human behavior or if they are the result of geogenic or biogenic process following burial. This investigation of site formation processes of farm middens at three Viking Age farms (Reynistaður, Stóra-Seyla and Syðra Skörðugil) in Skagafjörður, Northern Iceland, uses micromorphological analysis of thin sections to discern between cultural and natural processes which have contributed to the formation and preservation of the middens. My interpretations of the depositional and post-depositional processes of these three middens is based on micromorphological analysis of thin sections of 11 resin-impregnated intact sediment samples.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Researchers have demonstrated the impact that SSIs have on the healthcare system and the need to improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this project was to develop an educational program for the 8-member nursing staff of an outpatient vascular surgical office to help reduce the occurrence of SSI rates for patients seen pre and postoperatively after a noted increase in SSI rates at this clinical setting. Guided by the Fitzpatrick model, a group of 6 health care providers comprising 3 surgeons and 3 nurse practitioners served as content experts to conduct formative evaluation during development of the educational program. Members of the surgical office nursing staff completed a questionnaire; results were analyzed using descriptive analysis. Findings indicated that 100% of nursing staff had no on-site work training on basic signs and symptoms of infection and infection control; 100% of staff were not confident in assessment of the surgical site and addressing patient issues; and at least 50% reported that they lacked knowledge of proper wound care including bathing, dressing changes, and expected symptoms for healing and/or complications postoperatively. Educational materials were designed to address these gaps. This project might benefit the surgical center nursing staff by providing education to help reduce surgical site infection in vascular patients, and bring about positive social change by improving quality of life and patient outcomes for the vascular surgery patient through a reduction in the occurrence of SSIs.

The United States Department of Defense tests its weapons systems to many different real as well as man-made environments prior to deploying the systems to the troops. The intent of testing is to insure the systems function as they are intended without adverse reactions. One of the required tests is a Radiation Hazards test to insure that non-ionizing radio frequency waves generated by transmitters, such as radios and jammers, do not cause harm to personnel, ordnance or fuel. This test is typically performed at a DoD test lab and data taken at the lab is used to determine safe operating parameters for a particular piece of equipment. This thesis presents measurements as well as mathematical models to demonstrate methods that can be employed to take more relevant Radiation Hazards data.

Artificial reefs are important management tools for red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus, fisheries in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. I deployed fish traps (0.97 m long; 0.64 m height; 175 x 115 mm funnel mouth size) to collect red snapper < 406 mm total length (TL) associated with pyramid-shaped artificial reef structures (3.7 m triangular base; 2.4 m height; 3.2 metric tons) to evaluate two reef distribution designs: (1) five closely-spaced pyramid units, and (2) five closely-spaced pyramids with two sets of two pyramids at 30.5, 61.0, and 91.5 m from the five pyramids. In 26 sampling trips, 927 red snapper were captured. Catch per unit effort (fish/hour) did not differ significantly among patterns (P= 0.396). Red snapper lengths differed significantly among patterns (P= 0.005), with the largest mean total length (235 mm, SE= 5.14) occurring at the pattern with 61.0-m spacing.

This project focused on aluminum precipitation within the Caustic Side Solvent Extraction (CSSX) process at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The CSSX process uses a solvent to separate cesium. In the scrubbing section, the solvent containing cesium is scrubbed with 0.05 M nitric acid to remove soluble sodium and potassium ions. During scrubbing, aluminum precipitation has been observed. Solids precipitation is of concern as solids might erode centrifugal contactor internals and/or plug transfer pipelines. Hence, it is important to identify conditions under which solids precipitation may occur and identify an operating region where solids precipitation is minimized. Room temperature experiments on the CSSX scrubbing process were conducted. Experimental results were compared with predictions from ESP (Environmental Simulation Program). The order and specific rate for the reversible aluminum precipitation reaction were obtained as a function of initial stream dilution and % carryover. The reaction was first order based on regression results.

Cricetidae, which includes a wide range of mice and rats, is the second-most diverse and abundant family of mammals. Though presently distributed across the Americas and Eurasia and also known from many fossil sites in western North America, few records have been studied from the east prior to the Pleistocene. This study has identified seven species of cricetids from the Gray Fossil Site (GFS), an early Pliocene site located in the northeast corner of Tennessee well-known for preserving fossils of many large mammals. While a few studies had previously noted the occurrence of cricetids at GFS, this study provides a detailed description of the cricetid assemblage and helps expand our understanding of small mammals from this site. Specimens were examined under stereomicroscope and DinoLite digital microscope camera, allowing qualitative assessment of occlusal morphology and quantitative comparison to modern cricetids and published fossil records from across North America. The most common taxa at the site included the deer mouse Peromyscus, which is currently the most abundant and widely distributed mammal in North America, deer mouse-like Postcopemys, and the woodrat Neotoma, which is larger rat with high-crowned molars that still lives in the region today. Other less common ones, like Sigmodon, Repomys, and Neotomodon, are also present. While most of the GFS specimens can be categorized into known genera, distinctive morphological features suggest the presence of new species. This assemblage of cricetids differs from those found at contemporaneous sites, emphasizing the spatial and temporal uniqueness of GFS. The Pliocene cricetid taxa at GFS exhibit diverse body sizes and dietary preferences, providing insights into the paleoecology of the region. As a biodiversity hotspot in the Appalachian region today, GFS was likely an important habitat for cricetid evolution during the Pliocene.

The rise in interest in wellbeing, heightened during the COVID pandemic, challenged the way we think about what it means to be healthy. While many people in recent years have researched well-being as the intersection of physical and mental health, few have explored the role of architecture in spaces with these programs. Like any service profession, architects have a duty to contribute to the health and wellbeing of the users of these buildings. This thesis aims to question the typical building type of fitness and wellness centers and propose a more integrated architectural model, enhanced with elements of the natural environment which play a role in the user's quest for total wellbeing.The final proposal is sited at an all-girls school in Bethesda, Maryland - the Holton-Arms School. / Master of Architecture / The rise in interest in wellbeing, heightened during the COVID pandemic, challenged the way we think about what it means to be healthy. While many people in recent years have researched well-being as the intersection of physical and mental health, few have explored the role of architecture in spaces with these programs. Like any service profession, architects have a duty to contribute to the health and wellbeing of the users of these buildings. This thesis aims to question the typical building type of fitness and wellness centers and propose a more integrated architectural model, enhanced with elements of the natural environment which play a role in the user's quest for total wellbeing.The final proposal is sited at an all-girls school in Bethesda, Maryland - the Holton-Arms School.

The effect of chloroethylclonidine on nodrenaline-induced contractions of the rat aorta was studied. Chloroethylclonidine (1.5 × 10-5 M) shifted noradrenaline dose-response curve to the right approximately 5000-fold without depressing the maximum. The response to noradrenaline after chloroethylclonidine was not antagonized by phenoxybenzamine (10-7 M), prazosin (10-7 M), WB 4101 (10-7 M) nor yohimbine (10-5 M) and is therefore not mediated via α1-adrenoceptors. These results would suggest that there is a homogenous population of chloroethylclonidine-sensitive α1-adrenoceptors in the rat aorta and that chloroethylclonidine treatment reveals a non-α-adrenoceptor noradrenaline binding site in this tissue.

Enligt undersökningar som har gjorts konstateras att digitala verktyg används mindre inom byggsektorn i jämförelse med andra branscher. Den digitala utvecklingen är viktig för hur byggbranschen kommer att se ut i framtiden. I nuläget finns ett intresse för att öka användningen av digitala verktyg från byggföretaget Skanska. En mobil version av tidplaneringsprogrammet Asta Powerproject finns på marknaden, nämligen Site Progress. Site Progress används för att stämma av projektets aktiviteter via mobila enheter. Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur en digital avstämning av tidplan går till genom att använda Site Progress. Vidare analyseras applikationens användarvänlighet och målet är att komma fram till om Site Progress skulle kunna implementeras i kommande projekt. I studien genomförs en undersökning på projekt Kvarteret Trollhättan 31, som är en om- och tillbyggnation av kontor. I början av undersökningen observerades hur avstämningen går till i nuläget på projektet. Därefter genomfördes samma avstämning med det digitala verktyget Site Progress. Undersökningen avslutades med kvalitativa intervjuer i syfte att ta del av produktionsledarnas tankar om det nuvarande arbetssättet samt deras inställning till införande av Site Progress. Studien resulterar i att Site Progress medför att avstämning sker direkt på plats och att all dokumentation hamnar på en enhet. I nuläget går det ej att tilldela fler personer på en och samma summa i Site Progress Manager, detta kan försvåra arbetet med avstämning. För att Site Progress ska implementeras i arbetet med avstämning av tidplan krävs justeringar för att åtgärda verktygets brister. / Compared to other industries, digital tools are seldomly used in construction, for which digital development is vital for the growth of that industry. Skanska, a Swedish construction company, has a growing interest in the use of such tools. A mobile version of Asta Powerproject, called Site Progress, is currently available on the market and enables mobile users to record the task progress from a remote location. The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to analyse how Site Progress works. This thesis also examines the usage of the mobile application, in order to achieve the goal to determine if Site Progress can be implemented in progress reporting for future projects. During the bachelor thesis a study has been performed on the project Kvarteret Trollhättan 31, which is a rebuilding and extension of an office building. In order to gain a better understanding of how the reporting process is today, an observation was made. Production managers were interviewed in order to take their thoughts about the product into consideration in the thesis work. They also shared their thoughts about progress reporting today and the process behind it. The study showed that the progress update through Site Progress can be made at any time and from any location. Also, all of the project data ends up on the same device. One of the difficulties with Site Progress Managers today is that it is not possible to assign more than one person to one task. Some adjustments and improvements needs to be done in order to implement Site Progress in the work with project progress reporting.