This thesis is devoted to the study the mixed dispersion fourth order nonlinear Schrodinger equations. Our main concern is standing wave solutions. Our approach is based on minimization methods with constraints. Under suitable conditions, we establish existence of minimizers and we investigate their qualitative properties, namely their sign, symmetry and decay at infinity as well as their uniqueness, nondegeneracy and orbital stability. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

An increasing number of students are selecting for-profit universities to pursue their education (Snyder, Tan & Hoffman, 2006). Despite this trend, little empirical research attention has focused on these institutions, and the literature that exists has been classified as rudimentary in nature (Tierney & Hentschke, 2007). The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that differentiated students who persisted beyond the first session at a for-profit university. A mixed methods research design consisting of three strands was utilized. Utilizing the College Student Inventory, student’s self-reported perceptions of what their college experience would be like was collected during strand 1. The second strand of the study utilized a survey design focusing on the beliefs that guided participants’ decisions to attend college. Discriminant analysis was utilized to determine what factors differentiated students who persisted from those who did not. A purposeful sample and semi-structured interview guide was used during the third strand. Data from this strand were analyzed thematically. Students’ self-reported dropout proneness, predicted academic difficulty, attitudes toward educators, sense of financial security, verbal confidence, gender and number of hours worked while enrolled in school differentiated students who persisted in their studies from those who dropped out. Several themes emerged from the interview data collected. Participants noted that financial concerns, how they would balance the demands of college with the demands of their lives, and a lack of knowledge about how colleges operate were barriers to persistence faced by students. College staff and faculty support were reported to be the most significant supports reported by those interviewed. Implications for future research studies and practice are included in this study.

abstract: Whilst linear mixed models offer a flexible approach to handle data with multiple sources of random variability, the related hypothesis testing for the fixed effects often encounters obstacles when the sample size is small and the underlying distribution for the test statistic is unknown. Consequently, five methods of denominator degrees of freedom approximations (residual, containment, between-within, Satterthwaite, Kenward-Roger) are developed to overcome this problem. This study aims to evaluate the performance of these five methods with a mixed model consisting of random intercept and random slope. Specifically, simulations are conducted to provide insights on the F-statistics, denominator degrees of freedom and p-values each method gives with respect to different settings of the sample structure, the fixed-effect slopes and the missing-data proportion. The simulation results show that the residual method performs the worst in terms of F-statistics and p-values. Also, Satterthwaite and Kenward-Roger methods tend to be more sensitive to the change of designs. The Kenward-Roger method performs the best in terms of F-statistics when the null hypothesis is true. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Statistics 2020

This research examines two pieces composed by me: Drop, for string octet, strobe lights, and electronic sounds (2015), and Decoder, for MIDI drums, holographic projections, and electronic sounds (2017). Both works interrogate a particular manifestation of digital technology: in the case of Drop, strobe lights, and in Decoder, digital screens. This process involves unpacking the character, language, and associations of a particular technology, and exploring how human performance complements, opposes, and negotiates with these elements. My analysis highlights the influence of Post-Digitalism in my work and aims to show how mixed-media performance technologies function metaphorically, and how their influence can be traced from their physical presence on stage to notated gestures in performance.

Thesis (MSc. (Physics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The stabilities of PtS to PdS and PdS to PtS were investigated using density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation. Their structural, electronic and mechanical properties were determined to show their stability and the effect of pressure on different compositions. We found good correlation of calculations with available ex-perimental data. The lattice parameters were observed to fluctuate with increasing con-centration for both systems. Furthermore, heats of formation were calculated to deter-mine the relative structural stability of the systems. They predict that the most stable structure is Pd50S50 P42/mmc and Pt25Pd25S50 P42/mmc being the least stable. Pd12.5Pt37.5S50 P42/m is the most stable and Pd50S50 P42/m being the least stable struc-ture. The Pt37.5Pd12.5S50 P1 was said to be the most stable structure and Pd50S50 P1 be-ing the least stable. The phonon dispersion calculations show that Pt50S50 P42/mmc, Pd50S50 P42/mmc, Pd12.5Pt37.5S50 P42/m and Pt50S50 P1 (derived from P42/mmc) are me-chanically stable, consistent with calculated elastic constants. The Pt25Pd25S50 P42/mmc show soft modes, which are due to vibrations of Pt and Pd atoms in the x - y plane which suggests the instability of the structure, in agreement with C66 being negative, and consistent with heats of formation. The lattice parameters decreased steadily with increasing pressure. An anomaly was observed in Pt50S50 P1 (derived from P42/mmc), where the c lattice parameter was found to increase with increasing pressure. The elec-tronic density of states (DOS) were performed on all compositions. The DOS were sub-jected to pressure and it was generally noted that the band gap increases with increas-ing pressure. It was observed that the smaller the band gap, the more stable the struc-ture. Furthermore, phonon dispersions under pressure show that compounds with the P42/mmc and P1 (from P42/mmc) symmetries display the mixing of lower and upper en-ergy bands at pressures above 30 GPa. / National Research Foundation

Whispers from the Ghost House is the concrete manifestation of the mutable nature of childhood memory held within the nebulous forms of home. In all of its many incarnations home exists as a construction out of time and space that absorbs the accumulation of life performed around and within its walls. Home is idealized and sought after, both sanctuary and snare. The iterations of home I created are primarily constructed from repurposed materials with inherent histories; unstable and malleable. Cardboard and paper holds the plastic veneer of various mediums to shape, color, and mar surfaces. The home develops an identity as it absorbs each action and material, gradually becoming an entity as well as a receptacle, to both display and obfuscate the nostalgic and the unattainable. Each hardened home becomes a haunted being in which memories interlace and fade away as they transform into the wild twisted houses of reverie. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Warfarin, the most commonly prescribed anticoagulant, is principally metabolized by cytochrome P450 2C9 which functions by inhibiting the Vitamin K epoxide reductase. Genes CYP2C9 and VKORC1 code for these two proteins, respectively. CYP2C9 and VKORC1 exhibit genetic polymorphisms that have been shown to affect warfarin response and favorably facilitate warfarin dosing and improve clinical outcomes. However, none of these studies have involved populations from sub-Saharan Africa where the potential benefit of optimal dosing and reduced complications is greatest. Therefore, the thesis describes a study designed to investigate the role of genetic variations in CYP2C9 and VKORC1 on the time taken to reach a stable therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) and warfarin dose required to maintain a therapeutic INR. This was a cross-sectional study of patients on warfarin to determine the relationship between genetic polymorphism in CYP2C9 and VKORC1 amongst black and mixed ancestry South Africans and clinical surrogates of warfarin metabolism. Medical records were accessed to determine time to INR and warfarin doses. DNA was extracted from blood samples, and genotyping for polymorphism in CYP2C9 (*2,*3,*8,*11) and VKORC1 (1173C>T, 1639G>A, 3730G>A) was accomplished by PCR-RFLP, Sanger sequencing and iPlex Mass Sequencing. Our results show that the genetic profile of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 differs between Black Africans (BA) and their Mixed Ancestry (MA) counterparts. VKORC1-1639AA genotype was observed at frequencies of 0.11 and 0.01 in the MA and BA, respectively. Time to stable INR was not influenced by CYP2C9 and VKORC1. Furthermore, compared to known genetic polymorphisms in these genes from population out of Africa, both qualitative and quantitative differences were observed. Finally, we found that VKORC1 genetic variation significantly affected the doses of warfarin in MA but had no effect in BA. These results suggest that further research in this area is warranted, and that it will be important to include populations from sub-Saharan Africa in future if the potential to develop personalized algorithms which integrate pharmacogenomics to assist with effective warfarin dosing and prevention of warfarin related complications is to be realized.

No longer are suburban towns filled with households made up of large middle-class white families. In recent years, America’s diverse, elderly, and singles have joined this demographic in increasing numbers. The large square footages of homes and properties do not serve smaller households and are not environmentally sustainable. They demand significant heating and cooling and reliance on automobiles for everyday transportation due to the lack of walkability and transit connectivity. These two issues result in a high carbon footprint compared to living in a dense urban environment. Urban design interventions can help these suburbs facing population growth, demographic change, and unsustainable lifestyles. Solutions include a shift towards mixed-use development, densification, greening, and walkability. Implementing these design strategies in a strategic balanced way can help improve sustainability efforts, the health and wellness of the residents, and community engagement.

0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

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