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Habitat Use and Trajectories of Beef Cattle in South Central Oklahoma
Get PDFRangelands continue to hold a prominent role in ecological systems and cultural history. Management of rangelands comprises the science and art of sustainably maintaining intensive production from the grasslands and scrubs. The production of beef cattle in the United States, especially in Oklahoma and Texas, is dependent on the sustainable management of rangelands. The first chapter provides additional background on the focus of this study, that is, rangelands and their associated management practices. The second- and third chapters present research toward improved management following two different objectives. Each respective objective evaluates an analysis methodology over a common set of data. These studies aim to examine 19 individual beef cattle in southcentral Oklahoma on 4,499 acres during a predetermined time-activity budget. The data was collected using collars fitted with global positioning system receivers and was analyzed using Esri ArcPro 3.0.2. The time-activity budgets focused on three diurnal periods and one non-diurnal: morning (0700 – 1000), afternoon (1100 – 1400), evening (1500 – 1800) and night (1900 – 2200). The second chapter focuses on the habitat use of the herd as captured in trajectory data collected by GPS collars. The objectives were to determine the general habitat use characteristics of the herd, throughout the day in context with identifying their main water source use. The results of chapter two suggest that during this study period the herd stayed within the herbaceous land that allowing for grazing and preferred a nearby man-made water source. The third chapter focused on an analysis of trajectory characteristics, where average relocation distance and Euclidean distance from the water source were of particular interest. The results of the third chapter found the herd traveled at a consistent distance during the diurnal periods and then decreased their travel by half during the night. The results of both chapters offer information useful in the guidance of livestock producers for rangeland design and grazing practices. In the third chapter I present an extended discussion of the results from earlier chapters as well as avenues for future research using similar datasets
Amy Beach's Sonata For Violin and Piano in A Minor, op.34: analysis and its Implications for violin Performance
Get PDFAmy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867–1944) is a largely forgotten American master composer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Her Sonata for Violin and Piano in A minor, op. 34 dates from 1896 and is a masterwork worthy of study and performance. Presently, the Sonata remains under-appreciated, which is a significant loss.
This document consists of the following components: 1) Beach's biographical sketch; 2) Beach’s general compositional style and background on her Violin Sonata; 3) theoretical analysis of four movements; 4) technique difficulties in each movement; 5) three different interpretations played by Gabrielle Lester duo, Tasmin Little duo, and Vera Vaidman duo.
The historical overview, analysis, and performing editions into Beach’s Violin Sonata serve to aid performers to learn and form their own interpretations of this Sonata
Native American Language Curriculum in Higher Education Through a Tribal Lens
Get PDFThis work provides a contemporary view of the perceived relevance, effectiveness, and impact of the University of Oklahoma Native American language courses, asking questions such as, why do these courses exist? Who is the audience for these courses? who benefits from them? What impact are they having on the Oklahoma tribes? Do they create speakers? To answer these questions, I conducted interviews with 6 current students, Native language teachers in higher education, and Native language teachers in tribal settings. I approach this research as a Native American (Mvskoke Creek) researcher through a tribal lens, with the aim of creating positive outcomes in Native American language revitalization. Results of the interviews show that although the language classes do not create speakers directly, they contribute significantly to the sense of identity that Native students on campus feel, and are part of the reason students attend this university. These classes also build meaningful relationships between the instructors and students, and create new respect for the Native Nations and cultures in this state
Psychosocial factors predicting adherence to the metabolic reset diet
Get PDFObesity and diabetes have very high prevalence rates in the modern world and are two key characteristics of metabolic syndrome. This in turn has been linked to other chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, cancer, arthritis, and schizophrenia. Different health models and theories implicate certain variables that appear to play key roles in motivating people to adopt healthy behaviors like dietary changes, which are often challenging to adhere to. The current research examined how well three psychosocial factors (health self-efficacy, healthy eating mindset, and sense of community) correlated to adherence to the Metabolic Reset Diet (MRD). This diet is highly restrictive and involves primarily, the consumption of meat, cheese, and eggs for 30 days. It was hypothesized that those who have high self-efficacy, a healthy mindset, and a strong sense of community would be more likely to adhere to the MRD. Further, a sense of community might also be strong enough to moderate the effects of low self-efficacy and health mindset. Participants were recruited from the Martin Clinic Facebook group and page, whose founder developed this MRD. Prior to starting the diet, individuals completed measures for the three predictors, a demographic questionnaire, and questions regarding prior experience with the MRD. Each day they are on the diet, they checked in online with a report regarding adherence to the diet foods. After 30 days, they completed a follow-up survey. All data was collected online. A multiple regression analysis yielded non-significant results. The conclusion of the current study is that health self-efficacy, healthy eating mindset and sense of community are not good predictors for adherence to the MRD. However, a larger sample size might have yielded significant correlations. Future research might examine additional factors such as familial support and health literacy
Exploring the generation and preservation of dust during the Quaternary and Neoproterozoic
No full textGlobal sediment movement and production are important to understand when reconstructing Earth’s past geography and climate. Loess—terrestrial sedimentary deposits composed of predominantly eolian-transported silt—record the most complete records of climate in the nonmarine realm and some of the largest concentrations of dust in Earth’s geologic record. The goals of this dissertation are to 1) test hypotheses related to the on-going debate surrounding the generation of abundant fine-grained material that accumulates as loess deposits, and 2) identify and characterize the sediment transport mechanisms and depositional environments of a massive and structureless sedimentary sequence in Tanzania, which is herein interpreted as a record of Neoproterozoic loess. This abstract aims to illustrate the connections and relationships between the three chapters submitted as part of this dissertation. Each chapter is formatted for publication in various peer-reviewed scientific journals, including the Journal of Geophysical Research (American Geophysical Union) and the Journal of African Earth Sciences (Elsevier).
Many processes have been proposed to be efficacious mechanisms in the production of silt. These include glacial grinding, eolian saltation, fluvial comminution, and many types of weathering such as insolation-, salt-, frost- and pedogenic weathering. While processes such as glacial grinding and eolian saltation have been extensively studied to illustrate their efficacy for generating silt, pedogenic weathering has not been tested rigorously, either by experimental or empirical studies. Chapter I aims to test this hypothesized mechanism for silt generation by comparing granulometric data and major, trace, and rare earth element geochemistry of two modern soils from varying climates (hot-arid and hot-humid), in order to discern whether the silt fraction formed in situ (autochthonous) or was sourced from eolian processes (allochthonous). Granulometric results indicate that the hot-humid soil (located in southeastern Puerto Rico) contains abundant (>70%) silt- and clay-sized grains (average mode ~15 µm), while the hot-dry soil (located in southern California) contains very minimal silt-sized material (<6%; average mode ~40µm); additionally, geochemical results indicate the Puerto Rico silt- and clay-fraction is at least partially derived from eolian inputs (e.g., African dust, Lesser Antilles volcanic ash) and the Anza Borrego silt-fraction is indistinguishable from local and regional dust sources (e.g., Greater Mojave Desert dust). Therefore, the results from Chapter I suggest pedogenic weathering is not a significant factor in silt production for geologically significant loess deposits, as the Puerto Rico soil contains significant silt in a grain-size fraction finer than typical loess, and the Anza Borrego soils contains essentially no in situ silt.
Chapters II and III of this dissertation concentrate on describing, analyzing, and interpreting the provenance, sediment transport mechanisms, and depositional environment of the Neoproterozoic Manyovu redbeds in western Tanzania, which we interpret as a partial record of loess. The Manyovu redbeds are a unique, and understudied, sedimentary deposit that records extreme tectonic and climatic shifts in Earth history, such as supercontinent assembly as well as major climatic shifts including the enigmatic Snowball Earth events. First, we utilized U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology and modal composition trends to better constrain the age and source of sediment preserved in the Manyovu strata (Chapter II). U-Pb detrital zircon ages indicate maximum depositional ages (MDAs) as young as 613.6 ± 1.2 Ma, which is almost 200 Ma younger than the previously dated, underlying lavas. Additionally, detrital zircon age spectra and modal compositions indicate the sediment for the Manyovu redbeds was both locally and regionally sourced, and the mid-Manyovu strata likely record the initiation of Pan-African Orogenesis in the Mozambique Belt of Eastern Africa.
After determining the new age constraints and provenance for the Manyovu redbeds, we utilized field observations, particle-size analysis, and supplementary geochemical data to better constrain the depositional environment (Chapter III). Previous work had described the Manyovu redbeds as thick, massive, monotonous, red sandstone, and interpreted the deposits as shallow marine rocks. We logged a 285-m section, where we found no evidence for water-laid deposition of these units. The strata lacked sedimentary structures, channelization, and erosive contacts; instead, a significant fraction of the Manyovu redbeds studied is internally massive, fine-grained (silt – fine sand), and exhibits blocky fracture patterns, concretion horizons, and microfabrics indicative of pedogenesis. Based on these observations, we reinterpret the Manyovu redbeds as recording deposition in a continental, eolian-dominated setting. Together, Chapters II and III redefine the Manyovu redbeds as at least late Cryogenian to Ediacaran in age, consisting of mostly loess and pedogenically altered loess that may record periglacial deposition, yielding broad implications for Neoproterozoic paleoclimate and Pan-African Orogenesis in East Africa
A comparative investigation of equine-related and bovine-related human fatalities in Oklahoma
No full textSince the late 1990s, there have been a growing number of research efforts evaluating the patterns associated with equine-related injuries. Most of the data collected focuses on demographics, cause of injury, and sustained injuries of the individuals studied. There is a copious amount of published research discussing rates of injury and safety concerns in both equine and bovine activities. However, there is an impressive lack of research concerning mortality. This study identified patterns in the demographics, causes of sustained injury, location of injury, cause of death, and injury characteristics in equine-related fatalities in comparison to bovine-related fatalities in Oklahoma. Data for this study was collected by examining cases from the years 2000-2022 from the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner case database. Of the total cases, 80% of the decedents were male. A large majority of the equine-related fatality cases involved males under 18 years of age and between 60-69 years of age with sustained injuries of the head, neck, and thoracic regions. A significant portion of the equine-related fatality decedents were in a mounted position during the incident that led to their demise. The most documented equine-related injuries were inflicted by being kicked or a result of blunt force trauma upon impact with a hard surface. A majority of the bovine-related fatality cases involved males of the ages 60-69 and 70-79, with sustained injuries of the head, neck, and thoracic regions while being unmounted. These bovine-related injuries were most often inflicted by being butted, trampled, or resulted from blunt force trauma upon impact. Of the total cases examined, approximately 42% of the causes of death were Blunt Force Trauma of the Head/Neck and about 32% were Multiple Blunt Force Injuries. Given the lack of autopsies performed in the cases examined, mechanism of death was not readily apparent for analysis. However, 10 cases included lists of specific fatal injuries observed. These fatal injuries documented assisted the descriptive patterns identified in the study and their implications. The findings in this study are consistent with previous research, where a higher frequency of children in equine-related cases and a higher frequency of elder adults in bovine-related cases was reported. There was also a similarity between current literature and the findings in this study, where equine-related cases most often occurred while mounted and bovine-related cases most often occurred while unmounted. In both equine- and bovine-related cases, injuries to the head/neck region and thoracic cavity were most prevalent, as reflected in the other studies. The findings suggest that there is high vulnerability of the head, neck, and chest in both equine-related and bovine-related activities. This implies the need for the development of and adherence to safety protocols and the acceptance of the use of safety equipment in both equine- and bovine-related activities. The use of protective riding vests and ASTM/SEI certified helmets may significantly decrease the number of serious and/or fatal injuries sustained in equine-related and bovine-related accidents. An increase in awareness and education concerning the risks associated with and safe handling practices of equine and bovine species may also mitigate serious and/or fatal injuries. The results also have potential applications to the mediation of the possible adverse consequences against the animals involved. Future research could determine whether other jurisdictions outside of Oklahoma experience similar patterns with equine- and bovine-related fatalities. A more detailed understanding of these patterns could inform safety protocol research, presenting public education and alternative approaches to preventative health measures targeted at decreasing equine- and bovine-related fatalities
Barriers, Challenges, and Supports for Latino/a/x Music Educators
Get PDFLatino/a/x students are the largest minoritized group in the United States (Urrieta, Jr. & Ruiz Bybee, 2022), yet the Latino/a/x community remains underrepresented in music education when compared to their overall U. S. population (DeLorenzo & Silverman, 2016; Elpus, 2015; Escalante, 2019a). Despite projections that the number of Latino/a/x students will grow to 30% of the total public-school enrollment by 2030 (the National Center for Education Statistics, 2022), the educator population remains predominately White (Noboa-Ríos, 2019). Few researchers have examined the underrepresentation of the Latino/a/x community in music education, and those who have done so have focused on smaller groups using qualitative methods.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the educational experiences of Latino/a/x music educators at three stages (primary and secondary school, preservice, and in-service). A secondary purpose was to examine the possible differences in perception of challenges, barriers, and support systems at these different stages of their educational experience. Latino/a/x music teachers (N = 136) employed during the 2022–2023 school year and who resided in states with one million or more Latino/a/x residents responded to a researcher-designed survey.
Implications of this research highlight teaching practices, areas of deficiency in teacher preparation programs, and strategies for the recruitment of secondary students into higher education. Findings revealed that the Latino/a/x educational experience greatly varied based on socioeconomic status and being a first-generation college student. Financial challenges and lack of support were consistent barriers at all educational levels while family and peers served as the greatest support systems. In order to create a more equitable experience for our students in the classroom and the educators with whom they interact, it seems crucial that researchers further investigate the Latino/a/x educational experience.
Keywords: Music Education, Latino, Latina, Latinx, recruitment, retentio
A-Species
Get PDFWe introduce a generalized notion of combinatorial species called -species, where is a Hopf algebra. The role played by the symmetric group, , in the classical theory of species is now replaced with the wreath product . We show that category of -species admits a monoidal structure under the Cauchy and Hadamard product. Under certain choices of , we recover the notion of Joyal's species, -species defined by Choquette and Bergeron, and -species defined by Henderson. We define many bilax monoidal functors involving the category of -species. The first functor we construct, , goes from the category of species to -species. This functor sends the regular representation of the symmetric group to the regular representation of , and we use this functor to construct the appropriate definitions of -Hopf monoids built from common Hopf monoids. When , we recover the functor defined by Choquette and Bergeron. We then define -Fock functors, which are bilax functors between the category of -species and the category of vector spaces. We analyze the images of certain -Hopf monoids under them and show that they are all isomorphic as Hopf algebras to the Hopf algebra of polynomials invariant under the hyperoctrahedral group, . We end by showing a sub Hopf algebra of a quotient of the ring of -colored set partitions functions surjects onto and has a one-sided inverse
Teacher beliefs & identity: How can professional development reduce deficit thinking about Latinx students.
Get PDFThis study is part of a growing body of research that suggests striving to be civic agents and continuously advancing social justice take a systematic approach to professional development (PD) to address the specific challenges teachers of Latinx students face. Despite interest from researchers on how teacher PD can address the challenges affecting the Latinx population needs, there has yet to be an agreement on the best PD approach (Matsko & Hammerness, 2014; Liou & Rojas, 2016; Sosa & Gomez, 2012). This intervention study focused on how the systematic implementation of participatory action research professional development (PARPD) influenced teachers' mindsets by allowing them to reflect on how their beliefs and actions impact their teaching practice. Focused interviews with self-identified feminist teachers provided insight into residual negative beliefs and biases that teachers may have toward their Latinx students. An action plan addressed the needs discovered during the investigation phase.
Findings demonstrated the awareness of the teachers of their need for PD that addresses their cultural competence, which in turn, as it develops, will impact their teaching effectiveness.
The findings in this study add to current research that suggests to districts and higher education the need for systematic implementation of PARPD to approach the challenges that teachers face when dealing with students from disenfranchised student groups such as Latinx students. The study highlights the importance of additional research on how teachers can be supported to further their understanding of PARPD and its application to classroom practice
Signal Processing Techniques for Radar Cross Section Measurements Using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing Waveforms
Get PDFIn recent work conducted at the University of Oklahoma’s Advanced Radar Research Center, it has been shown that using orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) offers a significant time reduction in taking wideband radar cross section (RCS) measurements, compared with traditional techniques. This has led to an interest as to whether or not the reduced measurement time enables wideband RCS measurements of moving targets. In an attempt to answer this question, this thesis presents a simulation framework for RCS extraction of a moving target.
Because the target is moving, it is assumed that measurements are taken in an outdoor environment. As such, ground clutter is the primary competing interference. It is shown that in order to recover the target RCS, range-Doppler filtering must be performed. As a result, the filter shape, available Doppler resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio become the primary determiners of performance. Some closed-form expressions are derived to help determine acceptable system parameters and improve performance.
Interfering signals from other transmitters are also considered in this work. It is shown that if an interfering signal corrupts part of the spectrum, filtering is impossible because the target cannot be located in the range-Doppler space. To combat this, the spectrum is nulled at points where interference occurs. This enables filtering to be applied; however, nulls will exist in the RCS measurement. Finally, some spectral reconstruction techniques are discussed and tested with the purpose of estimating pieces of the spectrum that were lost