Databases and Information Systems Commons^™

A Conceptual Decentralized Identity Solution For State Government, Martin Duclos

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, state governments, exemplified by Mississippi, have significantly expanded their online service offerings to reduce costs and improve efficiency. However, this shift has led to challenges in managing digital identities effectively, with multiple fragmented solutions in use. This paper proposes a Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) framework based on distributed ledger technology. SSI grants individuals control over their digital identities, enhancing privacy and security without relying on a centralized authority. The contributions of this research include increased efficiency, improved privacy and security, enhanced user satisfaction, and reduced costs in state government digital identity management. The paper provides background on digital …

Big Data Applications And Challenges In Giscience (Case Studies: Natural Disaster And Public Health Crisis Management), Amir Masoud Forati

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the application and significance of user-generated big data in Geographic Information Science (GIScience), with a focus on managing natural disasters and public health crises. It explores the role of social media data in understanding human-environment interactions and in informing disaster management and public health strategies. A scalable computational framework will be developed to model extensive unstructured geotagged data from social media, facilitating systematic spatiotemporal data analysis.The research investigates how individuals and communities respond to high-impact events like natural disasters and public health emergencies, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. In particular, it assesses the impact of socio-economic-demographic …

Convivial Making: Power In Public Library Creative Places, Shannon Crawford Barniskis

Theses and Dissertations

In 2011, public libraries began to provide access to collaborative creative places, frequently called “makerspaces.” The professional literature portrays these as beneficial for communities and individuals through their support of creativity, innovation, learning, and access to high-tech tools such as 3D printers. As in longstanding “library faith” narratives, which pin the library’s existence to widely held values, makerspace rhetoric describes access to tools and skills as instrumental for a stronger economy or democracy, social justice, and/or individual happiness. The rhetoric generally frames these places as empowering. Yet the concept of power has been neither well-theorized within the library makerspace literature …

Bayesian Convolutional Neural Network With Prediction Smoothing And Adversarial Class Thresholds, Noah M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for image classification for each frame in a video is a very common technique. Unfortunately, CNNs are very brittle and have a tendency to be over confident in their predictions. This can lead to what we will refer to as “flickering,” which is when the predictions between frames jump back and forth between classes. In this paper, new methods are proposed to combat these shortcomings. This paper utilizes a Bayesian CNN which allows for a distribution of outputs on each data point instead of just a point estimate. These distributions are then smoothed over multiple …

Human Capital In The Knowledge Economy : A 3-Country Case Study In Healthcare, James Scott Mccallum

Theses and Dissertations

During the present knowledge economy there appear to be labor shortages at the same time and in the same regions in which there is an excess of labor supply. Such a pattern would run counter to previous major economic disruptions, as well as questioning traditional free market economic theory of supply and demand principles. Implications for policy where there are global labor shortages along with surplus labor availability in a market economy, are significant. It will likely indicate a drag on economic growth for business sectors, for regions and perhaps globally. It would indicate an accompanying growing disparity of income. …

Online Review Analysis From Two Perspectives: Customers And Business Owners, Eunjung Lee

Theses and Dissertations

As online reviews become increasingly prevalent, both online businesses and customers face big data challenges. Individuals are now relying on reviews derived from websites where the reliability of a source depends on the reviewers. Customers spend much time and effort looking for reviews that are useful for them. Accordingly, online review platforms aim to explore various approaches to select useful reviews and present them to customers. At the same time, for business owners, marketers, and e-commerce managers, it has become an essential strategy in recent years to collect as many online reviews as possible. If marketers and managers are able …

Two Essays On Leveraging Analytics To Improve Healthcare, Deepika Gopukumar

Theses and Dissertations

The healthcare cost has continued to increase over the past few years despite various policies, efforts, and initiatives taken by the government. It is still projected to grow over the next few years by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Readmissions have been a major contributor to the increase in costs and have always been a contributing factor. To get a perspective, considering the fact that at least 9% of individuals who had COVID-19 were likely to get readmitted shortly, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 response team, along with …

Information Architecture For A Chemical Modeling Knowledge Graph, Adam R. Luxon

Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning models for chemical property predictions are high dimension design challenges spanning multiple disciplines. Free and open-source software libraries have streamlined the model implementation process, but the design complexity remains. In order better navigate and understand the machine learning design space, model information needs to be organized and contextualized. In this work, instances of chemical property models and their associated parameters were stored in a Neo4j property graph database. Machine learning model instances were created with permutations of dataset, learning algorithm, molecular featurization, data scaling, data splitting, hyperparameters, and hyperparameter optimization techniques. The resulting graph contains over 83,000 nodes …

Cross Dataset Evaluation For Iot Network Intrusion Detection, Anjum Farah

Theses and Dissertations

With the advent of Internet of Things (IOT) technology, the need to ensure the security of an IOT network has become important. There are several intrusion detection systems (IDS) that are available for analyzing and predicting network anomalies and threats. However, it is challenging to evaluate them to realistically estimate their performance when deployed. A lot of research has been conducted where the training and testing is done using the same simulated dataset. However, realistically, a network on which an intrusion detection model is deployed will be very different from the network on which it was trained. The aim of …

Empowering People With Cognitive Disabilities To Live Independently By Supporting Their Self-Management Of Food And Related Expenses, Apoorv Prasad

Theses and Dissertations

People with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) often have difficulty in planning and organization that can impact their eating habits and lifestyle. We have created a novel mobile software application to support choosing meals and making healthy food purchases that meet dietary preferences within a specified budget. The core functions allow 1) Managing user profiles to support personalization 2) Obtaining recipe recommendations to fit profile, budget, and foods-on-hand 3) Planning food purchases, and 4) Reviewing foods-on-hand, budget and the nutritional balance of recent meals and food purchases.The application supports self-introspection to help people with ADHD review their history of food …

Barriers And Drivers Influencing The Growth Of E-Commerce In Uzbekistan, Madinakhon Tursunboeva

Theses and Dissertations

Electronic commerce (e-commerce) has become a major retail channel for businesses in developed countries. However, it is still considered an innovation in developing countries. Specifically, e-commerce in Uzbekistan is in the early stages of emergence despite its advance in recent years in terms of Internet penetration, a strong retail sector, new national regulations, and a young population. The study aimed to identify barriers and drivers influencing e-commerce growth in Uzbekistan. A Delphi research design was utilized to answer the research questions of the study, which categorized and ranked factors that Uzbekistani entrepreneurs are facing when engaging in e-commerce processes. A …

Privacy And The Digital Divide: Investigating Strategies For Digital Safety By People Of Color, Denavious Hoover

Theses and Dissertations

People of color are becoming increasingly concerned with digital privacy. They are concerned about the obfuscated data collection and sharing practices of major social media plat- forms and the strong entitlement of other users in the online space to their content. This study examines how people of color conceptualize and behave to produce safety in the online space, or, in other words, digital privacy. This study challenges notions that people are not purposeful about privacy in the online space and highlights the voices of people of color, whom are not of- ten included in theorizing or decision making about the …

A Methodology To Identify Alternative Suitable Nosql Data Models Via Observation Of Relational Database Interactions, Paul M. Beach

Theses and Dissertations

The effectiveness and performance of data-intensive applications are influenced by the suitability of the data models upon which they are built. The relational data model has been the de facto data model underlying most database systems since the 1970’s. However, the recent emergence of NoSQL data models have provided users with alternative ways of storing and manipulating data. Previous research has demonstrated the potential value in applying NoSQL data models in non-distributed environments. However, knowing when to apply these data models has generally required inputs from system subject matter experts to make this determination. This research, sponsored by the Air …

Snow-Albedo Feedback In Northern Alaska: How Vegetation Influences Snowmelt, Lucas C. Reckhaus

Theses and Dissertations

This paper investigates how the snow-albedo feedback mechanism of the arctic is changing in response to rising climate temperatures. Specifically, the interplay of vegetation and snowmelt, and how these two variables can be correlated. This has the potential to refine climate modelling of the spring transition season. Research was conducted at the ecoregion scale in northern Alaska from 2000 to 2020. Each ecoregion is defined by distinct topographic and ecological conditions, allowing for meaningful contrast between the patterns of spring albedo transition across surface conditions and vegetation types. The five most northerly ecoregions of Alaska are chosen as they encompass …

Diffusion Of Falsehoods On Social Media, Kelvin Kizito King

Theses and Dissertations

Misinformation has captured the interest of academia in recent years with several studies looking at the topic broadly. However, these studies mostly focused on rumors which are social in nature and can be either classified as false or real. In this research, we attempt to bridge the gap in the literature by examining the impacts of user characteristics and feature contents on the diffusion of (mis)information using verified true and false information. We apply a topic allocation model augmented by both supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms to identify tweets on novel topics. We find that retweet count is higher …

Creativity And Engagement In Ideas Crowdsourcing: A Situation Awareness Perspective, James Gitau Wairimu

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the influence of performance feedback in user motivation and creativity development in idea crowdsourcing engagement. Creativity occurs when users of idea crowdsourcing communities engage in direct and indirect interactions that expose them to a pool of knowledge that enhances their cognitive development leading to the contribution of novel ideas for innovation in organizations. Additionally, participant motivation to engage in ideas crowdsourcing is increased through rewards and conditions that make the ideation process more inclusive and enjoyable. An idea network design is developed by applying social network analysis principles. The idea network design consists of mechanisms for motivating …

The Ensemble Mesh-Term Query Expansion Models Using Multiple Lda Topic Models And Ann Classifiers In Health Information Retrieval, Sukjin You

Theses and Dissertations

Information retrieval in the health field has several challenges. Health information terminology is difficult for consumers (laypeople) to understand. Formulating a query with professional terms is not easy for consumers because health-related terms are more familiar to health professionals. If health terms related to a query are automatically added, it would help consumers to find relevant information. The proposed query expansion (QE) models show how to expand a query using MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) terms. The documents were represented by MeSH terms (i.e. Bag-of-MeSH), which were included in the full-text articles. And then the MeSH terms were used to generate …

Relational Database Design And Multi-Objective Database Queries For Position Navigation And Timing Data, Sean A. Mochocki

Theses and Dissertations

Performing flight tests is a natural part of researching cutting edge sensors and filters for sensor integration. Unfortunately, tests are expensive, and typically take many months of planning. A sensible goal would be to make previously collected data readily available to researchers for future development. The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) has hundreds of data logs potentially available to aid in facilitating further research in the area of navigation. A database would provide a common location where older and newer data sets are available. Such a database must be able to store the sensor data, metadata about the sensors, …

Factors That Influence The Perception Of Higher Education Leaders In The Adoption Process Of Instructional Technology And Distance Education, Diego Tibaquirá

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed by this study was that many administrators at institutions of higher learning are faced with the task of finding ways to provide the latest technologies while being extremely constricted by budgets and the rising cost of education. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the perceptions of higher education leaders in the adoption process of Instructional Technology and Distance Education. This included an examination of the decision-making process and what determined if Instructional Technology and Distance Education were either implemented or upgraded at various higher learning institutions.

The researcher implemented a mixed-methods …

A Pedagogy Of Techno-Social Relationality: Ethics And Digital Multimodality In The Composition Classroom, Kristin M. Ravel

Theses and Dissertations

I bring together the relational ethics of feminist critical theory with approaches of multimodal rhetoric to examine the ethical implications of composing on social media platforms. Most social media platforms are designed to value consumerism, efficiency, quantity of web traffic, and constant synchronous response over concerns of responsible and critical communication. I propose a rhetorical approach of techno-social relationality (TSR) as an intervention against such corporate-minded design. Through this approach, I argue that civil engagement is not limited to people’s social responsibilities but rather is entwined in complex, material-technical contexts. By considering the responsibility of our machines as much as …

Three Essays On Individuals’ Vulnerability To Security Attacks In Online Social Networks: Factors And Behaviors, Neshat Beheshti

Theses and Dissertations

With increasing reliance on the Internet, the use of online social networks (OSNs) for communication has grown rapidly. OSN platforms are used to share information and communicate with friends and family. However, these platforms can pose serious security threats to users. In spite of the extent of such security threats and resulting damages, little is known about factors associated with individuals’ vulnerability to online security attacks. We address this gap in the following three essays.

Essay 1 draws on a synthesis of the epidemic theory in infectious disease epidemiology with the social capital theory to conceptualize factors that contribute to …

Culture And Code: The Evolution Of Digital Architecture And The Formation Of Networked Publics, Geoffrey Gimse

Theses and Dissertations

Culture and Code traces the construction of the modern idea of the Internet and offers a potential glimpse of how that idea may change in the near future. Developed through a theoretical framework that links Sheila Jasanoff and Sang-Hyun Kim’s theory of the sociotechnical imaginary to broader theories on publics and counterpublics, Culture and Code offers a way to reframe the evolution of Internet technology and its culture as an enmeshed part of larger socio-political shifts within society. In traveling the history of the modern Internet as detailed in its technical documentation, legal documents, user created content, and popular media …

The Assessment Of Technology Adoption Interventions And Outcome Achievement Related To The Use Of A Clinical Research Data Warehouse, Katie A. Mccarthy

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: While funding for research has declined since 2004, the need for rapid, innovative, and lifesaving clinical and translational research has never been greater due to the rise in chronic health conditions, which have resulted in lower life expectancy and higher rates of mortality and adverse outcomes. Finding effective diagnostic and treatment methods to address the complex challenges in individual and population health will require a team science approach, creating the need for multidisciplinary collaboration among practitioners and researchers.

To address this need, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) created the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program. The CTSA …

Testing The Fault Tolerance Of A Wide Area Backup Protection System Using Spin, Kenneth James

Theses and Dissertations

Cyber-physical systems are increasingly prevalent in daily life. Smart grids in particular are becoming more interconnected and autonomously operated. Despite the advantages, new challenges arise in the form of defending these assets. Recent studies reveal that small-scale, coordinated cyber-attacks on only a few substations across the U.S. could result in cascading failures affecting the entire nation. In support of defending critical infrastructure, this thesis tests the fault tolerance of a backup protection system. Each transmission line in the system incorporates autonomous agents which monitor the status of the line and make decisions regarding the safety of the grid. Various malfunctions …

Evaluating Machine Learning Techniques For Smart Home Device Classification, Angelito E. Aragon Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Smart devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) have transformed the management of personal and industrial spaces. Leveraging inexpensive computing, smart devices enable remote sensing and automated control over a diverse range of processes. Even as IoT devices provide numerous benefits, it is vital that their emerging security implications are studied. IoT device design typically focuses on cost efficiency and time to market, leading to limited built-in encryption, questionable supply chains, and poor data security. In a 2017 report, the United States Government Accountability Office recommended that the Department of Defense investigate the risks IoT devices pose to operations security, …

Imitating Human Responses Via A Dual-Process Model Approach, Matthew A. Grimm

Theses and Dissertations

Human-autonomous system teaming is becoming more prevalent in the Air Force and in society. Often, the concept of a shared mental model is discussed as a means to enhance collaborative work arrangements between a human and an autonomous system. The idea being that when the models are aligned, the team is more productive due to an increase in trust, predictability, and apparent understanding. This research presents the Dual-Process Model using multivariate normal probability density functions (DPM-MN), which is a cognitive architecture algorithm based on the psychological dual-process theory. The dual-process theory proposes a bipartite decision-making process in people. It labels …

A Methodology For Evaluating Relational And Nosql Databases For Small-Scale Storage And Retrieval, Ryan D. Engle

Theses and Dissertations

Modern systems record large quantities of electronic data capturing time-ordered events, system state information, and behavior. Subsequent analysis enables historic and current system status reporting, supports fault investigations, and may provide insight for emerging system trends. Unfortunately, the management of log data requires ever more efficient and complex storage tools to access, manipulate, and retrieve these records. Truly effective solutions also require a well-planned architecture supporting the needs of multiple stakeholders. Historically, database requirements were well-served by relational data models, however modern, non-relational databases, i.e. NoSQL, solutions, initially intended for “big data” distributed system may also provide value for smaller-scale …

Online Social Networks’ Investigations Of Individuals’ Healthy And Unhealthy Lifestyle Behaviors And Social Factors Influencing Them —Three Essays, Mahyar Sharif Vaghefi

Theses and Dissertations

More than half of U.S. adults suffer from one or more chronic diseases, which account for 86% of total U.S. healthcare costs. Major contributors to chronic diseases are unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, which include lack of physical activity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and drinking too much alcohol. A reduction in the prevalence of health-risk behaviors could improve individuals’ longevity and quality of life and may halt the exponential growth of healthcare costs. Prior studies in the field have acknowledged that a comprehensive understanding of health behaviors requires the examination of individual’ behaviors in supra-dyadic social networks. In recent years, the growth …

Three Essays On Trust Mining In Online Social Networks, Gelareh Towhidi

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation research consists of three essays on studying trust in online social networks. Trust plays a critical role in online social relationships, because of the high levels of risk and uncertainty involved. Guided by relevant social science and computational graph theories, I develop conceptual and predictive models to gain insights into trusting behaviors in online social relationships.

In the first essay, I propose a conceptual model of trust formation in online social networks. This is the first study that integrates the existing graph-based view of trust formation in social networks with socio-psychological theories of trust to provide a richer …

Quantitative Phenotype Analysis To Identify, Validate And Compare Rat Disease Models, Yiqing Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

The laboratory rat has been widely used as an animal model in biomedical research. There are many strains exhibiting a wide variety of phenotypes. Capturing these phenotypes in a centralized database provides researchers with an easy method for choosing the appropriate strains for their studies. Current resources such as NBRP and PhysGen provided some preliminary work in rat phenotype databases. However, there are drawbacks in both projects: (1) small number of animals (6 rats) used by NBRP; (2) NBRP project is a one-time effort for each strain; (3) PhysGen web interface only enables queries within a single study – …