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open access

Analyzing Tuberculosis Vulnerability and Variables in Tarrant County

Description: Over 9 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) were reported worldwide in 2013. While the TB rate is much lower in the US, its uneven distribution and associated explanatory variables require interrogation in order to determine effective strategies for intervention and control. However, paucity of case data at fine geographic scales precludes such research. This research, using zip code level data from 837 confirmed TB cases in Tarrant County obtained from Texas Department of State Health Servic… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: McGlone, John Francis
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Developing a Soil Moisture-Based Irrigation Scheduling Tool (SMIST) Using Web-GIS Technology

Description: Software as a service (SaaS) is a primary working pattern and a significant application model for next generation Internet application. Web GIS services are the new generation of the Software as a service that can provide the hosted spatial data and GIS functionalities to the practical customized applications. This study focused on developing a webGIS based application, Soil Moisture-Based Irrigation Scheduling Tool (SMIST), for predicting soil moisture in the next seven days using the soil moi… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Nikfal, Mohammadreza
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Retail District Evolution: An Exploration of Retail Structure and Diversity, a Case Study in Denton, Texas

Description: It is well established that national retail chains impact small, single location retail businesses in terms of revenue generation, retail structure, retail type diversity, and location. This study examines the retail structure and diversity of five retail districts in the City of Denton, Texas. The analysis focuses on one central business district (CBD), one traditional retail strip center (University Drive, also known as US HWY 380), one special retail district (Fry Street District), one tradi… more
Date: August 2018
Creator: Bova, Joshua Paul
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Photoinduced Toxicity in Early Lifestage Fiddler Crab (Uca longisignalis) Following Exposure to Deepwater Horizon Spill Oil

Description: The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill resulted in a large release of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) into the Gulf of Mexico. PAH can interact with ultraviolet radiation (UV) resulting in increased toxicity, particularly to early lifestage organisms. The goal of this research was to determine the sensitivity of fiddler crab larvae (Uca longisignalis) to photo-induced toxicity following exposure to Deepwater Horizon spill oil in support of the DWH Natural Resource Damage Assessment. … more
Date: December 2015
Creator: Taylor, Leigh M.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

How Receiving Communities Structure Refugee Settlement Experiences: The Case of Burmese Immigrants in DFW

Description: The Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex (DFW) serves as a diverse resettlement location for globally displaced refugees. While research examines how the nation impacts refugee resettlement, studies that examine the role of the city and community in placemaking are still lacking. In city resettlement investigations, research often focuses broadly on advocacy and political movements rather than the impacts of local-level structures and policies. In this paper, I develop an evaluation model using Jenny P… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Stewart, Kaitlin Victoria
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Renewable Electricity in DFW: Access, Distribution, and Consumer Awareness

Description: Texas is the leading producer of renewable energy in the U.S, and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) is the largest metropolitan area in the state. Texas has a deregulated energy market, with three types of providers: privatized, public-owned, and co-operatives. Privatized providers compete in the deregulated market, and consumers choose between hundreds of electricity retailers. Public-owned providers are owned by the municipality, and electricity consumers that live within the city limits must use the m… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Greer, Marissa
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Quantification of the Seasonality and Vertical Dispersion Environment of PM2.5 Variation: A Comparative Analysis of Micro-Scale Wind-Based Buffer Methods

Description: Increasing PM2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micrometers) poses a significant health risk to people. Understanding variables critical to PM2.5 spatial and temporal variation is a first step towards protecting vulnerable populations from exposure. Previous studies investigate variables responsible for PM2.5 variation but have a limited temporal span. Moreover, although land-use classes are often taken into account, the vertical environment's influence (e.g., buildings, trees) on PM2.5 c… more
Date: May 2023
Creator: Ray, Noah R.
Partner: UNT Libraries

Global Techno-Capitalism and the Production of Hate: Understanding Political-Economic and Ideological Utility on YouTube and Gab

Description: The production of Hate, albeit a historical, long-existing, and relentless process, has been reinvigorated by the simultaneously globalizing and localizing power of cyberspace. Techno-capitalism, often perceived as the actuating force of neoliberal globalization, has emanated novel formations of social interaction, community formation, the dissemination of ideology, and political mobilization. Far-right ideology is being globalized throughout popular social cyberspaces like YouTube by thought l… more
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Date: July 2023
Creator: Esmonde, Jonathan Spencer
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Using Machine Learning to Develop a Calibration Model for Low-Cost Air Quality Sensors Deployed during a Dust Event

Description: Low-cost sensors have the potential to create dense air monitoring networks that help enhance our understanding of pollution exposure and variability at the individual and neighborhood-level; however, sensors can be easily influenced by environmental conditions, resulting in performance inconsistencies across monitoring settings. During summer 2020, 20 low-cost particulate sensors were deployed with a reference PM2.5 monitor in Denton, Texas in preparation for calibration. However, from mid to … more
Date: May 2021
Creator: Hickey, Sean
Partner: UNT Libraries

Wildfire Influence on Rainfall Chemistry and Deposition in Texas during the 2011-2014 Drought

Description: From 2011 to 2014, one of the most severe and intense droughts in Texas recorded history led to widespread wildfires across the state, with unknown effects on atmospheric nutrient and pollutant deposition. The objectives of this research were to: (1) characterize the frequency, magnitude, and spatiotemporal distribution of Texas wildfires (2011-2014); (2) identify smoke occurrence and source regions at eight Texas National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) National Trends Network (NTN) site… more
Date: August 2021
Creator: Williamson, Thomas
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

An Assessment of Riparian Buffer Effectiveness in the Upper Hickory Creek Watershed: A GIS Approach Using the Riparian Buffer Delineation Equation (RBDE) and the Buffer Improvement Potential Percentage (BP)

Description: As population increases and urbanization occurs, watershed management will be critical in the protection of water resources in North Central Texas. By 2040, Denton County will nearly double its 2010 population. The Upper Hickory Creek Watershed lies west of Denton and empties into Lake Lewisville. Lake Lewisville provides drinking water for Denton, Dallas, and other neighboring cities. Mitigation of non-point source pollutants as a result of urban and agricultural practices is essential to prot… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Yesildirek, Monica Veale
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Geography of Partial-Market Exits: Applying Geospatial and Econometric Methods to Analyze 2017 Department Store Closures in the United States

Description: Many factors have prompted the adoption of partial-market exit strategies in retail as a means of reducing cost and minimizing risk. These mass closures have become more frequent in recent years. Marketers and economists have offered explanations for these closures linked to the rise of e-commerce, the real estate cycle and general changes in consumer taste. The research here marks an attempt to apply geospatial and econometric methods to better understand what factors explain the spatial varia… more
Date: May 2019
Creator: Reed, Connor
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Public Market Trade Areas: Local Goods, Farmers, and Community in the U.S. Southwest Region, 1996-2016

Description: The number of public markets in the United States increased from more than 300 in the 1970s to more than 8,600 by 2016. This increase in markets is related to changes in food production, localism and the local food systems movement, socioeconomic changes, cultural changes, and perceptions of embeddedness. Research on the underlying conditions for the success of public markets is scant in the United States, and especially in the USDA Southwest Region. This study provides analysis of public marke… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Oppenheim, Vicki Ann
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Urban Trees as Sinks for Soot: Deposition of Atmospheric Elemental Carbon to Oak Canopies and Litterfall Flux to Soil

Description: Elemental carbon (EC), a product of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, contributes to climate warming and poor air quality. In urban areas, diesel fuel trucks are the main source of EC emissions from mobile sources. After emission, EC is deposited to receptor surfaces via two main pathways: precipitation (wet deposition) and directly as particles (dry deposition). Urban trees may play an important role in removing EC from the atmosphere by intercepting and delivering it directly… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Rindy, Jenna
Partner: UNT Libraries

Green Entrepreneurialism and the Making of the Trinity River Corridor: The Intersection of Nature and Capital in Dallas, Texas

Description: Since the adoption of neoliberalism, many cities have taken to integrating nature with capital accumulation to create a sense of place. This has been closely tied to urban greening, or green "revitalization." As part of curating this desired character, city governments are working to roll out plans to restore and renew neighborhoods using their natural landscapes through methods such as reforestation, the creation of parks, and commercial development. These cities, deemed Entrepreneurial cities… more
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Date: May 2019
Creator: Krupala, Katie Ilene
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

What Would a Waterbird Do? An Annual Study of 13 Urban Wetlands in Frisco, Texas

Description: Intention for this study is driven by finding patterns that may be shown to reveal primary factors of influence for the abundance and diversity of wetland birds. These correlations may be used to promote wetland management strategies for the benefit of waterbird species, and help illuminate current local wetland conditions for waterbirds, respectively. The idea is to help enliven individuals to become a more conscious steward and manipulator of our environment through incorporating structural a… more
Date: May 2020
Creator: Proctor, Jayce Alan
Partner: UNT Libraries

Analysis of Interrelationships between Climate Change and Cotton Yield in Texas High Plains

Description: The Texas High Plains produces the most substantial amount of cotton in Texas. The region is a semi-arid area with limited precipitation, and it is, therefore, susceptible to climate change. Cotton production in the Texas High Plains is mostly dependent on irrigation to increase yield. The overall goal of this research was to study the interrelationships between climate change and cotton yield using correlation analysis and also to study how climate has changed in the region using trend analys… more
Date: May 2020
Creator: Sarbeng, Lorenda
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Crisis, New Imperialisms, and Accumulation by Dispossession: The Case of the Pakistan Railways

Description: My research examines the three interrelated concepts of crisis; new imperialisms, spatial-temporal fix and accumulation by dispossession (ABD) stemming from the work of David Harvey as a way to understand the contested history of the Pakistan Railways. For the first thirty odd years after Pakistan's inception in 1947, the railways, a state-owned institution, was the primary mode of transport for the public, cargo, and workers. Alongside basic infrastructure, the railways had a vast network of h… more
Date: August 2020
Creator: Khan, Sher Ali
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Reconstructing Identity with Urban Community Agriculture: How Refugees Confront Displacement, Food Insecurity, and Othering through Community Farming

Description: Ethnic and religious conflict, and the deepening of capitalism have led to global diaspora at unprecedented levels. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that as of 2015, 1 in every 122 persons worldwide were either a refugee, internally displaced, or seeking asylum. The U.S. currently admits the largest number of refugees worldwide. However, policies fail to reflect the multitude of elements that constitute successful resettlement. Moreover, many refugees come from farming… more
Date: May 2017
Creator: Griffin, Marinda
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Improvement of the Soil Moisture Diagnostic Equation for Estimating Root-Zone Soil Moisture

Description: Soil moisture information can be used accurately in determining the timing and amount of irrigation applied to plants. Pan and Pan et al. proposed a robust and simple daily diagnostic equation for estimating daily soil moisture. The diagnostic equation evaluates the relationship between the soil moisture loss function and the summation weighted average of precipitation. The loss function uses the sinusoidal wave function which employs day of the year (DOY) to evaluate the seasonal variation in … more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Omotere, Olumide Olubunmi
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Automated Tree Crown Discrimination Using Three-Dimensional Shape Signatures Derived from LiDAR Point Clouds

Description: Discrimination of different tree crowns based on their 3D shapes is essential for a wide range of forestry applications, and, due to its complexity, is a significant challenge. This study presents a modified 3D shape descriptor for the perception of different tree crown shapes in discrete-return LiDAR point clouds. The proposed methodology comprises of five main components, including definition of a local coordinate system, learning salient points, generation of simulated LiDAR point clouds wit… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Sadeghinaeenifard, Fariba
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Seeds of Disempowerment: Bt cotton and Accumulation by Dispossession in the States of Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh in India

Description: In 1991, India adopted neoliberalism, a system of political economic practices that promotes private property and free trade, as its political and economic system to promote development in their country. India's neoliberal reform has created issues surrounding human development, resource accumulation, and power struggles. Eleven years later, in 2002, Bt cotton was introduced to the Indian agricultural sector. This research examines how the genetically modified organism Bt cotton is being used t… more
Date: May 2018
Creator: Hoyt, Andrew
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Memory and Continuity Amidst Irreversible Decline in the Texas Big Empty

Description: This thesis interrogates sense of place and place attachment in the Big Empty on the north central Texas plains. The region stretches from the Red River on the north to the Colorado River basin on the south and from the Cross Timbers on the east to the Caprock escarpment on the west. Since 1930, the Big Empty has seen sustained and severe population decline such that some counties there now register less than a quarter the population they did at their peaks during the interwar years. Through in… more
Date: December 2016
Creator: Underwood, Robert Reed
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Hurricane Harvey and the Devastation of Dispossession

Description: Disaster science is a procedural field often construed as producing blanket policies that attempt to cover everyone, but the complexity of human lived experiences must have a space to exist within disaster science if its research and findings are to be effective. This thesis illustrates that disaster policies and publications often leave out the most vulnerable communities—those in greatest need of collective support. Through critically analyzing beautification through green space, discussing p… more
Date: December 2021
Creator: Espinoza, Samantha
Partner: UNT Libraries
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