Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Computer Science and Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Computer Science and Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Instructional Systems and Workforce Development. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

This study analyzed demographic differences and differential mortality between the Mississippi State Asylum (MSA) and the state of Mississippi. Using census records, Biennial Reports, death certificates, and vital statistics from the Mississippi State Board of Health, statistical methods including Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard analysis were employed to explore significant differences in population demographics, hazard of death, and survivorship in general and with tuberculosis. Key results include proportionally more females in the MSA, increased hazard of death/decreased survivorship within the MSA compared to the State, and increased hazard of death/decreased survivorship for Black/AA individuals compared to their White/EA counterparts. This study demonstrates the intersectionality of sex, race, and institutionalization on survivorship and highlights the continued relevance of such issues in modern times, particularly regarding institutional treatment.

This study investigates frailty, defined as the accumulation of deficits in physiological functioning, by applying the Skeletal Frailty Index (SFI) to a skeletal sample (N=67) recovered from the Mississippi State Asylum (MSA), and in a comparative sample, the Terry Collection. The SFI was statistically modified to increase its utility here. Variables that influence frailty, including age, sex, stress in early-life, and resilience, were assessed relative to four SFIs: Overall, Nutritional, Activity, and Infection. This study finds that the predicted relationships between the SFIs and the aforementioned variables are largely absent in the MSA sample. When compared to individuals in the Terry, MSA individuals generally manifest a lower prevalence of biomarkers but have reduced longevity, which suggests that MSA patients experienced higher frailty and lower resilience. This may be attributable to negative biosocial experiences over the life course prior to institutionalization, but primarily to often-negative environmental conditions during institutionalization.

We are at the threshold of a great change in architectural design. With cheaper and more ubiquitous computing, ?smart? spaces and responsive environments are increasingly becoming plausible and affordable. Are we as architects prepared? Can the profession of architecture respond to current computing technologies? Most critics agree that one of the first (most important) problems that ?smart? homes will help to address is that of spiraling costs of elderly healthcare and care giving. But what is the problem with healthcare? Even if there is a problem, the rural home is different from an urban home. Will the technologies that are designed for the urban home work in a rural setting? What are the differences between urban and rural healthcare models? In this thesis, we address the above questions through research of current problems and models of rural healthcare and through a documentation of studies and reports published over the last decade. This research helps us to understand if architecture can really augment healthy aging in rural home settings. In conclusion, we will examine the role of architecture (and architects) in the context of ubiquitous computing and ?smart? spaces in rural areas and propose a possible solution for this problem.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Aerospace Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Mississippi State University. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.