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Indoor Localization Using a Smartphone: Approaches, Issues, and Challenges
Get PDFLocalization has gained priority in an increasingly inter-connected world. The majority of industries and sectors require some means of tracking the location of objects and/or people anywhere on the Earth, whether indoors or outdoors. GPS is an already-implemented and viable solution for outdoor localization. However, indoor localization is more challenging to implement and thus has become a broad area of research. Despite the challenges of tracking location in places where satellite GPS signals are unreliable or unreachable (i.e. within a building or structure), there has been considerable progress made in indoor localization research. Although current indoor localization technology can achieve certain accuracy, they usually requires extra equipment and thus can be too cumbersome and/or expensive for common purposes. A relatively new field of indoor localization research involves using the sensors built into smartphones to triangulate a user’s position within a structure. This eliminates the requirement for extra cumbersome sensors or accessories. This honors thesis surveys the current sphere of smartphone-based indoor localization research, analyzing the state-of-the-art approaches, their benefits and drawbacks. A test-bed is also developed to facilitate the evaluation of each method mentioned in this thesis
Breath: Capturing Energetic Forms in Pottery
Get PDFAs a Bachelor of Fine Arts candidate with an emphasis in Ceramics, the culmination of my undergraduate education was a formal showing of my work at the Gallery 130 in Meek Hall at The University of Mississippi, Oxford Campus from April 1, 2019 to April 5, 2019. I chose to make pieces of functional, utilitarian pottery with the intent of providing the user with an entrance into a memorable and contemplative experience. Taking influence from historical slipware mark-making - especially German Pennsylvanian Tulipware, I work to craft pieces that are inviting, generous, and strong.
Both my show and written thesis explore the importance of surface, and its relationship to utilitarian form. Both also elaborate on the effects of color not only as an expressive vehicle, but to help give definition to objects in space. The thesis addresses those things, along with my exploration of the idea of slowing down a moment in time through the use of pottery
An Exploration into the Benefits, Challenges, and Potential of Telehealth in the United States: A Mississippi Case Study
Get PDFHealthcare in the United States is in need of new solutions to provide access to care for all and decrease the rising costs of care. Telehealth is a developing model of healthcare delivery, and it will provide effective and equitable solutions to increase access to healthcare across the nation. As models of healthcare rapidly change, telehealth will continue to progress, but it is necessary for policy to complement the rapidly changing healthcare environment so that telehealth implementation can be successful. Along with access, telehealth has the opportunity to address many convenience barriers to healthcare, including distribution and number of practitioners, location barriers, and appointment availability. This thesis provides an exploratory literature review of the background, benefits, challenges, and potential of telehealth in the United States and provides original research into telehealth in Mississippi.
Mississippi is a unique state when it comes to healthcare, and it is a leader in telehealth across the nation. The goal of this original research is to explore healthcare in Mississippi and learn from healthcare administrators about the healthcare needs in Mississippi and how telehealth can provide solutions to current health barriers. The research was gathered through semi-structured interviews of healthcare administrators from three different sites in Mississippi, ranging from a rural wellness center to the largest telehealth center in the state. After completion of the interviews, the interview data were recorded in the form of notes and a synthesis document was drafted explaining the common themes of telehealth in Mississippi.
The results of the research were comparable to literature review; there was an emphasis on barriers to telehealth implementation such as reimbursement and health policy. Another commonality was that health systems and practitioners generally want to use telehealth services, but there currently are too many barriers to successful telehealth implementation for it to be a sustainable model. In order for telehealth to be successfully implemented, there needs to be more research, lobbying, and advocacy efforts to make prompt and effective change in health policies in the United States
Hit Me with your Best Shot: A Critical Analysis of the Resistance to Vaccine Utilization
Get PDFVaccines have provided humans protection from infectious diseases for centuries, yet the vaccination rate in the United States fails to come near one-hundred percent, allowing vaccine-preventable diseases to re-emerge in communities across the nation. Vaccines have proven to be a safe and effective method in preventing the spread of infectious disease, but vaccine resistance remains high due to false information perpetuated by anti-vaxxers, greatly impacting the vaccination rate in our country. This thesis, by means of a literature review, provides a critical analysis the resistance to vaccine utilization in the United States to determine what policy recommendations and interventions can be made to reduce the resistance to vaccines and increase the vaccination rate in our country.
Vaccine hesitancy has been around ever since the creation of the first vaccine and as the years went on, the modern anti-vaxx movement gained ground, voicing concerns over the ingredients in vaccines, the number of vaccines children receive in their first year, and the belief of the myth that vaccines cause autism. Even after medical science and years of research have validated the safety of vaccines and have shown no link to autism, vaccine hesitancy is still an issue as anti-vaxxers push to receive exemptions for medical, religious or philosophical reasons. Several states offer these types of exemptions, furthering the low vaccination rates in the United States and putting citizens’ health and safety at risk.
The findings of the critical analysis were comparable to the literature review: compulsory vaccine laws have proven to be a successful solution to increase vaccination rates; however, these laws are left up to the states, allowing many individuals to go unvaccinated as only Mississippi, West Virginia, and California do not allow religious and philosophical exemptions. In order to address the low vaccination rates in the United States, policy interventions must be made through the states, the federal government, health care providers, and community and government-based organizations to increase the vaccination rate in our country through measures intended to increase vaccine compliance. Without these policy interventions, our nation and our world will never be free from the threat of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases
Influence of Multidisciplinary Educational Experiences on Engineering and Nutrition Student Perceptions on Collaboration and Soft Skill Development
Get PDFSolutions to most real-world challenges require collaborative efforts by multidisciplinary teams to provide the breadth of perspective and expertise needed to create effective solutions. Interprofessional education is a pedagogical practice used to provide students with opportunities to broaden their professional perspective by encouraging students to work as a part of a diverse team to solve complex problems. This process strengthens discipline-specific skill development, problem-solving skills, and appreciation for other disciplines while providing experiences that are attractive to potential employers. Many students are interested in food science, but no food science courses are offered at the university where this study took place. To prepare students for this career field, an interprofessional product development project was created. This collaboration, between nutrition and chemical engineering, simulated a product development process. Nutrition students started with product design and then interacted with chemical engineering students to design a system capable of producing of 10 million units per year. Students were provided opportunities for meaningful reflection to enhance development of teamwork and communication skills. This multidisciplinary project provided students with an authentic experience of product development, from concept to shelf. The study objective was to analyze educational effectiveness of a seemingly unrelated collaboration between two disciplines and provide feedback for future courses. A mixed methods approach was used including course surveys and analysis of student reflections. Results indicated that students had a self-reported increase in communication skills, growth in leadership roles, improved decision making, and better understanding of their own and other disciplines. Common themes among students and classes included effective communication, successful collaboration, conflict resolution, diverse perspectives, student expectations, and an understanding of group roles. The findings suggest that the implementation of interprofessional education in college curriculum can effectively expose students to new perspectives and provide a unique avenue to promote skill development.
Keywords: Project-based learning, Multidisciplinary, Product developmen
Investigating the Response Criteria Shift Account for the Verbal Overshadowing Effect
Get PDFThe present study investigated the impact of response criteria shift effects within the verbal overshadowing effect (VOE). Participants watched a video recording of a burglary and were then given one of two tasks: either 1.) a recall task or 2.) a non- recall task (Tetris). Participants were then shown a two-person lineup and forced to identify the burglar. The results of the experiment indicated that participants who engage in the recall task demonstrate verbal overshadowing, despite being forced to identify from a lineup. Essentially, verbal overshadowing occurs without a shift in response criteria
A Study of the Kratom Alkaloids and Their Binding to the μ-Opioid Receptor
Get PDFKratom, a plant commonly found in southeast Asia, has traditionally been used for medicinal treatments. Recently, however, the popularity of the drug has significantly increased due to its euphoric effects, leading to it being used as an alternative to illegal opioids. Several alkaloid compounds have been isolated from the leaves of the plant. The main alkaloids seen are the following five alkaloids: mitragynine, 7-hydroxymitragynine, speciociliatine, speciogynine, and paynantheine. Two alkaloids, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, have exhibited high potencies and are potentially even more potent than morphine. Previous studies have indicated that the main mediator of the psychoactive effects is the opioid receptor system, specifically the μ-, κ-, and δ- opioid receptors. The highest binding affinities occur at the μ -opioid receptor and lesser affinities at the κ- and δ- opioid receptors. In this study, the μ -opioid receptor model was used to establish the ligand-receptor interactions between the receptors and the constituents of specific kratom alkaloids. This was accomplished using Schrodinger’s Maestro molecular modeling software. The major natural alkaloids of the plant were selected for his study because of their high abundances within the kratom plant as well as their binding affinities. Docking of the ligands to the receptor took place after both the alkaloid ligands and the opioid receptor model were prepped for docking and a grid of the active sites were generated. Data generated from each docking yielded information on the best poses/positions of the alkaloids for binding to the receptor, interactions between the ligands and receptors, and the estimated binding affinities. The study aimed to find patterns within the alkaloid structural group that would lead to the identification of key structural components and/or protein residues that are essential to binding with the μ-opioid receptor. The results of this study will lead to a new understanding of the effects kratom and its alkaloids have within the human body and help determine its potential for abuse. In addition to the results found in this study, future studies will help create a database of these alkaloids and their structures to facilitate the process of identifying them and perceiving their interactions with the μ-opioid receptor
Institutional Divides: How Democracy Affects Economic Complexity In The Transition Economies Of Eastern Europe And Central Asia
Get PDFThe transition economies, in making their way from a command economy to an integrated market economy, experience vastly different levels of development. This work proposes an influence of inclusive, democratic institutions on increased economic complexity. This project reviews the history of diverging political and economic policy decisions across the region. Case studies for Poland, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan review trade data and democratic policies to better understand groups of development across the region. This paper utilizes Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson’s institutional developmental theory as a basis for the creation and sustainability of democratic and economically diverse structures
Case Study of Various Financial and Managerial Accounting Issues
Get PDFThis thesis is different from the traditional thesis done for the Honors College. This thesis took place over the course of 2 semesters of classes in Accounting 420. Dr. Vicki
Dickinson led this class and helped shape our professional development in the field of accounting. The cases were not the only part of the thesis. Every other week of the class an accounting firm would come visit. They would have a slideshow and guest speaker and discuss accounting related topics that were relevant to the field. Afterwards there was always an opportunity to network with the professionals. There were also two other case studies that each student had to participate in. These case studies were done in a randomized group. These case studies were put on by PWC and KPMG. We all had to speak in front of partners the findings that we came up with that would best help the company we were assigned. This class not only helped my professional development, but also helped boost my recruiting and knowledge in accounting. Being able to meet with the professionals in a relaxed setting was extremely beneficial. All of these cases in some way, shape, or form required an in-depth analysis into a company’s financial statements. The Cases discussed in my thesis are all relevant to major accounting issues. Most of them are pertaining to accounting methods and the differences it has on financial statements. A major benefit of this thesis is getting the ability to look at different industries. I was able to see oil and gas companies all the way to technology companies. This wide variety of clients is hard to find in the professional world because everyone is specialized. This insight will give me a head start for my career as an accountant
To Sleep or Not to Sleep, That is the Question: Sleep, Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Pregnancy
Get PDFPregnancy is a time associated with many changes in a woman’s body including hormonal, metabolic, physical, and physiological changes (Miller, 2004; Okun, Kiewra, Luther, Wisniewski, & Wisner, 2011). A related concern is pregnant women and the impact of disturbed sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 36% of the population in Mississippi experience an insufficient amount of sleep (CDC, 2014). Moreover, sleep disturbances in pregnancy are significantly associated with antenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms (Volkovich, Tikotzky, & Manber, 2015; Yu et al., 2017).
The present study assessed potential relations between sleep disturbances, anxiety, depressive symptoms and other potential covariates (i.e. maternal age and gravidity) in pregnant Mississippi women.
Participants included 438 pregnant women (76.6% Caucasian; Mage = 28.30) recruited at a local OB/GYN clinic in North Mississippi. Sleep disturbances, depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale – 21 (DASS-21), respectively.
Sleep, measured by PSQI, was significantly positively associated with depression symptoms assessed by EPDS (r = .26, p < .01) and anxiety symptoms measured by DASS-21 (r = .33, p < .01). A linear regression demonstrated that antenatal anxiety is a significant predictor of sleep disturbances while controlling for depression, F(2, 296) = 18.44, p < .001. Additionally, correlation analysis demonstrated no significant relationship between disturbed sleep, and age (r = -.03, p = .66) or disturbed sleep, and gravidity (r = .01, p = .81).
Anxiety symptoms during pregnancy are a distinct predictor of sleep disturbances in pregnancy. Sleep disturbances, antenatal anxiety and depressive symptoms were all associated with one another. Screening followed by intervention or prevention should be incorporated into routine obstetric appointments in hopes of caring for both the physical and mental well-being of the pregnant woman and her unborn child