Digital Commons Network^™

Pig Butchering In Cybersecurity: A Modern Social Engineering Threat, Sharon L. Burton, Pamela D. Moore

Publications

Pig butchering is an escalating cybersecurity threat that exploits social engineering to build trust and execute financial fraud. The relevance of this research problem lies in the growing incidence and sophistication of these scams, which have severe financial and psychological impacts on victims. The main purpose of this research is to uncover the methods used in pig butchering scams and their impact on individuals and businesses. The research focuses on digital platforms such as social media, dating apps, and professional networking sites, chosen for their wide user bases and the ease of establishing personal connections. The study period encompasses recent …

Instructional Systems Design: The Diffusion And Adoption Of Technology: (Volume 2), Cassandra Celaya (Author), Pamela J. Downing (Author), Jessica Shifflett (Author), Debbie Gdula (Author), Tracie Barr (Author), Miguel Ramlatchan (Author & Editor)

University Administration Bookshelf

Instructional designers, instructional systems designers, and other educational technologists are, by their nature, innovators. These professionals apply and extend the applied science of learning, systems, communication, and instructional design theory to help students learn. Technology in some capacity is used to make the connections between subject matter experts, teachers, instructors, and their learners. It is common for instructional designers to seek new tools, techniques, and innovations for the improvement of learning, access, quality, and student satisfaction. However, the adoption and diffusion of new educational technology and innovation is a complex process that depends on many variables. Understanding these processes and …

Santa Clara Magazine, Volume 65 Number 2, Fall 2024 [Print Issue 62:2], Santa Clara University

Santa Clara Magazine

12 - INCREASING ACCESS Discerning one’s dream requires a whole set of experiences based on community, opportunity, and, yes, cash. Leslie Griffy

16 - UNPACKING UTOPIA It seems like billionaire-backed utopias are popping up all over the map. What does it take to build a perfect city? Lauren Loftus

22 - A WEALTH OF WELL-BEING In his new book, Professor Meir Statman explores a holistic approach to financial and life well-being. Leslie Griffy

26 - A WOMAN'S PLACE Despite being denied access to the priesthood, Catholic women find new ways to lead. Leslie Griffy

Advances In Biomedical Research And Treatments: What Is Acceptable?, Michael L. Clancy, Khalid M. Iskandarani, Mitchell C. Mccrea

Journal of Health Ethics

This study investigated the technology acceptance (TA) of twenty-first century biomedical treatments by adults in the United States. A new TA instrument was created, using five distinct levels: (1) Healing and Prevention, (2) Replacement Organs, (3) Enhancements-Medical, (4) Enhancements-Discretionary, and (5) Transhumans. An on-line survey produced 353 usable responses, which showed distinct patterns for each of five biomedical treatment levels. There was clear support for Levels 1–3, but very strong opposition to Levels 4–5. The TA finding draws the line between which human interventions are acceptable versus others that should be prohibited through public policies and medical guidelines.

Devices And Dining: A Cross-Cultural Analysis Of Mobile Device Use In Italian And American Restaurants, O'Malley Jenkins

Senior Theses

The field of technology ethics has seen increasing growth and interest over the years. Many have begun to consider the impacts of technology’s use and whether it is being employed in a healthy manner by users. However, there has been limited investigation into whether the ways in which technology use varies across cultures. This study begins to address this gap by researching Italian and American device usage in fast food settings. Non-participant naturalistic observations were used to record data for 89 Italian and 88 American customers of fast food restaurants. Analysis of the collected data indicates that Americans use their …

Analysis And Design Of Synchronous Machines With Reluctance Rotor And Pm Stator Combined Excitation, Oluwaseun A. Badewa, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper studies motors that are part of a general class of synchronous machines with stator-only excitation including those that may be referred to in recent literature as of the flux switching, variable flux reluctance, or hybrid excitation type. In the studied example machine, the active stator has circumferentially magnetized spoke-type PMs and concentrated toroidal coils for improved slot fill and shortened end turns. A systematic analysis of the mmf produced by the toroidal coils in the stator and open-circuit airgap flux is developed to define feasible polarities of this synchronous motor and to establish that the dominant pole pair …

New Loads And Service Factors For Distribution Transformers Following The Transition To High-Efficiency Heat Pumps, Solar Pv, And Ev Charging, Steven B. Poore, Rosemary E. Alden, Timothy Rooney, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Replacement of conventional high-power appliances including heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) and resistive electric water heaters (EWHs) with heat pumps is expected to be implemented long-term to increase energy efficiency. Even with efficiency upgrades, future residential power demand may rise due to increasing electric vehicle (EV) penetration. Extensive experimental data from field demonstrators and regional utilities as well as thousands of synthetically generated loads are utilized to investigate the effect of heat pumps, EV charging, and distributed solar PV on residential power demand and distribution transformers. Values are established for typical rating distribution and connection to multiple houses to study …

Solar Pv And Ev Controls For Reactive Power Support On Large Distribution Systems Modeled With Experimental And Synthetic Loads, Rosemary E. Alden, Malcolm Mcculloch, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Changes to electric power distribution equipment may be needed to adapt to distributed energy resources (DERs) such as solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Within this paper, an optimization methodology for reactive power support (RPS) controls managed by utilities for EV bi-directional charger power factor and improve substation power quality and voltage across the system is proposed. An IEEE benchmark distribution system, the 123 node test feeder, is modified to include 1,765 experimental residential profiles at typical, high resolution of 15min from smart meters, solar PV generation calculated from weather data, and EV modules based on driver …

Editorial: Novel Computational Fluid Dynamics Methods For Diagnosis, Monitoring, Prediction, And Personalized Treatment For Cardiovascular Disease And Cancer Metastasis, Zahra Keshavarz Motamed, Nima Maftoon, Lakshmi Prasad Dasi, John F. Ladisa Jr.

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Optimal Design And Comparison Of Synchronous Machines With Inner And Outer Reluctance Rotors And Pm Or Dc Stator Combined Excitation, Oluwaseun A. Badewa, Ali Mohammadi, Donovin D. Lewis, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper presents an optimal design and comparative analysis for a toroidally wound reluctance rotor synchronous machine with either PM or DC excitation in the stator. The prototype of the PM version is experimentally evaluated, and its results are used to validate the model of the DC version as they share the same topology. The stator DC-excited synchronous (SDCES) motor is optimized at different outer diameters using large-scale multi-objective differential evolution (DE) and comparatively analyzed at power ratings typical for electric traction and propulsion applications. Its performance at reduced temperatures shows increased efficiency and goodness due to reduced losses, and …

Two-Level Design Optimization Of Ac Machines With Dc Stator Excitation And Minimal Torque Ripple Using Reluctance Rotor Profile Shaping, Ali Mohammadi, Oluwaseun A. Badewa, Yaser Chulaee, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Torque ripple mitigation in electric machines is important for a smooth and stable operation, minimize mechanical vibrations, and enhance the overall performance. In this paper, a novel two-level optimization method is proposed for the design of synchronous flux-switching and hybrid excitation machines with an innovative multi-point spline shaping method to minimize the torque ripple. This study uses models that are validated by experimental tests from a prototype with similar topology, and exemplifies the aforementioned optimization process on a 28 pole machine. The analysis results indicate that the torque ripple can be substantially reduced with improved electromagnetic torque of the electric …

Design Of High-Power Polyphase Pcb Coil Systems For Wireless Power Transfer, Donovin D. Lewis, Lucas Gastineau, Omer Onar, Malcolm Mcculloch, John F. Eastham, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Printed circuit board (PCB) coils have been pro- posed prior for implementation as inductive wireless charging coils to minimize size and cost. Utilization of PCBs can allow for a reduced cost, improved manufacturability, and a wide range of geometric customization options. To circumvent material limitations on insulation and thermal performance, parallel paths can be implemented to divide the current per path accordingly. Within this paper, an unconventional high power PCB coil is designed employing all possible techniques for wiring with axial and radial parallel paths with equivalent transposition to minimize circulating currents. Design studies are simulated in 3D finite element …

Analytical And Fe Modeling For The Design Of Coreless Axial Flux Machines With Halbach Array And Surface Pm Rotors, Matin Vatani, Yaser Chulaee, John F. Eastham, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper introduces a rapid analytical modeling approach for coreless axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machines featuring surface-mounted and Halbach PM array rotors. The methodology employs a 2D model at an arbitrary diameter of the machine and converts AFPM machines into an equivalent linear machine. Initially, equations for PM flux density, accounting for harmonic content, are developed for both rotor types. Subsequently, a force equation is derived for the 2D equivalent machine based on the Lorentz force equation and the stator winding factor. In the final step, a torque equation at an arbitrary diameter—specifically, the average diameter in this paper—is …

Multi-Disk Coreless Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors With Surface Pm And Halbach Array Rotors For Electric Aircraft Propulsion, Matin Vatani, John F. Eastham, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper presents multiple single- and multi-disk coreless axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) motors, focusing on specific power density and reliability for electric aircraft propulsion. Several 3D finite element analysis (FEA) parametric studies were conducted to assess the geometric impacts on a single-disk coreless AFPM motor featuring two separate stators and a double-sided Halbach array rotor configuration. These studies form the foundation for the design of both single and multi-disk machines. Single-disk coreless AFPM motors with rotor back iron embedded between the stators, offering magnetically decoupled stators, are subsequently introduced. The paper concludes by presenting four multi-disk coreless AFPM motor …

Multi-Wound Axial Flux Generators With Halbach Array Rotors, Matin Vatani, Yaser Chulaee, John F. Eastham, Xiaoze Pei, Dan M. Ionel

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

This paper presents three coreless axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) generator topologies that feature magnetically and electrically decoupled outputs using a single prime mover. The proposed topologies include: (1) two separate generators mounted on the same shaft, (2) a nested configuration with a smaller generator inside a larger one, and (3) a multi-wound generator with two sets of windings and different pole numbers for each rotor side. The multi-wound generator is selected for further investigation due to its superior power-to-volume ratio and the advantage of utilizing a single structure for stator cooling. The airgap magnetic flux density equation is derived …

Importance Sampling To Learn Vasopressor Dosage To Optimize Patient Mortality In An Interpretable Manner, Anshul Rastogi

Holster Scholar Projects

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction resulting from an improperly compensated bodily response to infection. There is a high urgency among clinicians to develop a set of real-time explainable treatment guidelines and tools to address the high mortality rate of sepsis patients. We present a reinforcement learning approach for vasopressor drug dosage in intensive care unit sepsis patients to achieve a better-than-expert treatment policy. We preserved interpretability with a prototype learning layer and learn actions in an off-policy manner with importance sampling. We evaluated our design on the MIMIC-IV deidentified electronic health record dataset with an 80%-20% training-validation split for …

Feasibility Of Creating A Non-Profit And Nongovernmental Organization Cybersecurity Incident Dataset Repository Using Osint, Stanley Mierzwa, Iassen Christov

Center for Cybersecurity

Organizations of all types are prone to cybersecurity and information security attacks. Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are not exempt from using information technology solutions and, thus, have been the recipient victims of cyber attackers. There exist many areas and venues where data are collected to report back annually on the status and numbers of cybersecurity attacks against many sectors of our society. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) catalogs sixteen critical sectors that are considered vital to the United States. However, finding where the NPO and NGO community should reside with …

Mechanics Based Characterization Of Elastic Metamaterials, Mamdudur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

In bandgap engineering there is a shortage of systematic design approach which enables one to select design variables to achieve bandgap in desired frequency range. Tools that can address this can open new areas of interest, especially since phononic crystals with low frequency bandgaps have multitude of applications in attenuation of structural vibration. Furthermore, mechanics-based characterization of phononic crystals had not seen much progress in the recent years while a lot of applied research had been conducted on phononic materials with material phase periodicity and other factors taken into consideration. This work aims to propose a systematic characterization approach of …

Vascular Calcification In A Mouse Model Of Chronic Kidney Disease And In Human Peripheral Arterial Disease, Breanna Pederson

Theses and Dissertations

Vascular calcification is a process in which calcium and phosphate crystallize to form hydroxyapatite in the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. There are two forms of arterial calcification: intimal and medial, which occur via different etiologies. Intimal calcification is associated with atherosclerosis and occurs in the layer of endothelial cells adjacent to the artery lumen. Medial arterial calcification (MAC) is independent of atherosclerosis and occurs in the middle, muscular layer of the artery. MAC is strongly associated with aging, diabetes mellitus, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). MAC is frequently in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Most studies to date …

A Systems Biology Approach To Predict Phenotypes From Genotypes For Plants And Bacteria, Niaz Bahar Chowdhury

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Predicting phenotypes from genotypes is a central challenge in systems biology in understanding how organisms respond to environmental and genetic changes. To address this, genome-scale metabolic models (GSMs) integrated with omics data and machine learning provide a comprehensive framework to connect genotype to phenotype. This dissertation utilizes these approaches in plants and bacterial systems, revealing key metabolic adaptations. In maize, a root-specific GSM reveals metabolic reprogramming under nitrogen stress, offering strategies for improving stress tolerance. Building on this, a multi-organ maize GSM of temperature stress identifies metabolic bottlenecks, providing targets to enhance crop resilience. Similarly, in rice, a grain-specific GSM …

Roles Of The His-Purkinje System In Long Qt Syndrome Mediated Arrhythmias, Anthony Owusu-Mensah

Biomedical Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a genetic or drug-induced electrophysiological disorder in the heart that prolongs the QT interval on the electrocardiogram. LQTS is present in considerable proportions (1:3000 to 1:5000) of the general population. LQTS has a high incidence of malignant ventricular arrhythmias during physical and emotional stress and is a significant cause of sudden death in younger subjects. This poses a substantial medical burden on the healthcare system in terms of morbidity, mortality, and finances. Despite extensive genetic research into LQTS, the mechanisms underlying spontaneous initiation and maintenance of arrhythmias are not fully understood. Beta-blockers are the standard …

A Sophisticated Model Of Human Atherosclerosis On A Chip, Brandon J. Tefft

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Investigating Gender Bias In Large Language Models Through Text Generation, Shweta Soundararajan, Sarah Jane Delany

Conference papers

Large Language Models (LLMs) have swiftly become essential tools across diverse text generation applications. However, LLMs also raise significant ethical and societal concerns, particularly regarding potential gender biases in the text they produce. This study investigates the presence of gender bias in four LLMs: ChatGPT 3.5, ChatGPT 4, Llama 2 7B, and Llama 2 13B. By generating a gendered language dataset using these LLMs, focusing on sentences about men and women, we analyze the extent of gender bias in their outputs. Our evaluation is two-fold: we use the generated dataset to train a gender stereotype detection task and measure gender …

Impact Of Tib2 Source On The Microstructure And Properties Of Tib2–Sic–B4c Ceramics, Steven M. Smith, Suzana Filipovic, William G. Fahrenholtz, Gregory E. Hilmas, Carlo Baldisserri, Laura Silvestroni

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To date, the thermal and electrical properties of three-phase ceramics containing a boride phase, silicon carbide, and boron carbide have not been studied in detail. Further, the effect of the source of the boride powder has also not been investigated. This study produced three-phase ceramics containing titanium diboride, silicon carbide, and boron carbide using three different TiB₂ sources: commercial powder, TiB₂ synthesized by boro/carbothermal reduction, or (Ti,Cr)B₂ synthesized by boro/carbothermal reduction to address the effect of the TiB₂ source. Ceramics containing synthesized TiB₂ or (Ti,Cr)B₂ reached >99% relative density, while the ceramic produced from …

Effects Of Low-Cycle Fatigue Fracture Of Longitudinal Reinforcing Steel Bars On The Seismic Performance Of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Piers, Yu-Fu Ko, Jessica Gonzalez

Mineta Transportation Institute

Earthquakes, which can cause tremendous local stress and strain on infrastructure, can cause reinforced concrete (RC) bridges to collapse due to the concrete cracking and fracture of the steel reinforcement rebars. The fracture of longitudinal reinforcing steel due to low-cycle fatigue is one of the main causes of failure in RC structures under earthquake loading. The purpose of this research is to include the effects of low-cycle fatigue fracture of longitudinal reinforcing steel bars on the seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge piers. To obtain a greater understanding of low-cycle fatigue failure of steel reinforcement of RC bridge piers subjected …

Intercellular Mitochondrial Transfer Contributes To Microenvironmental Fate Redirection Of Mammary Cancer Cells, Julie Sofie Bjerring

Biomedical Sciences Theses & Dissertations

The dynamic cellular microenvironment, made up of resident cells and various macromolecules, differs markedly across tissues in the body. The multidirectional signals that cells receive from this microenvironment, along with the signaling they send back, heavily influence their physiology and behavior. Recent important findings have further validated this notion as the mammary microenvironment has been shown to suppress tumor progression by redirecting cancer cells to adopt a normal mammary epithelial progenitor fate in vivo. However, the mechanism(s) driving changes in metabolic reprogramming and cancer fate redirection is understudied. The work presented in this dissertation focuses on exploring the impact of …

Feasibility Study Of Oyster Shell Filtration Media For Stormwater Pollutants Removal, Sadiq Omer

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The depletion of resources has raised interest in reusing or incorporating by-products into alternative materials. In the effort for net zero emissions, waste reduction, and a circular economy, it is crucial to reinvent the alternative utilization strategy for by-products as construction materials sustainably. This research examines the alternative utilization strategy for oyster shell by-products in regular stormwater pollutant removal best management practices (BMPs).

Numerous research has examined the utilization of oyster shell waste as a construction material in Asia and Europe, specifically focusing on the physical properties of crushed oyster shells as alternatives for aggregates. No studies have been identified …

Optical Investigation Of A Low-Pressure Plasma In A Superconducting Radio-Frequency Cavity, Zachary A. Caudell

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The state-of-the-art cryomodules for particle accelerators use superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities. It is known that accumulation of hydrocarbon impurities reduces the cavity surface work function, decreasing cryomodule performance metrics such as field emission, thermal stability, and accelerating gradients. An in-situ method of plasma processing has recently been developed to clean the cavities and restore cryomodule performance [1]. This study is to understand the properties of the low-pressure plasmas generated in a C100 SRF cavity and ultimately to improve the performance of plasma surface cleaning using optical emission spectroscopy. Using a 500 mm focal length Czerny-Turner monochromator coupled with a photomultiplier …

Delivery Of Tgfβ3 From Magnetically Responsive Coaxial Fibers Reduces Spinal Cord Astrocyte Reactivity In Vitro, Jessica L. Funnell, Jasper Fougere, Diana Zahn, Silvio Dutz, Ryan J. Gilbert

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A spinal cord injury (SCI) compresses the spinal cord, killing neurons and glia at the injury site and resulting in prolonged inflammation and scarring that prevents regeneration. Astrocytes, the main glia in the spinal cord, become reactive following SCI and contribute to adverse outcomes. The anti-inflammatory cytokine transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGFβ3) has been shown to mitigate astrocyte reactivity; however, the effects of prolonged TGFβ3 exposure on reactive astrocyte phenotype have not yet been explored. This study investigates whether magnetic core-shell electro spun fibers can be used to alter the release rate of TGFβ3 using externally applied magnetic fields, …

Atmospheric Waves Experiment (Awe) Advanced Mesopheric Temperature Mapper (Amtm) Optical System Design, Alignment, And Image Quality Verification, James Champagne, Roy Esplin, Tyrel Rupp, Greg Hopkins, Burt Lamborn, Erik Syrstad, Mike Holt, Matt Ralphs

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The AWE AMTM is a wide field-of-view (WFOV) infrared imaging radiometer designed for use in measuring the P₁(2) and P₁(4) emission lines of the earths OH layer. From these measurements, the atmospheric temperature is determined and finally images of gravity waves will be produced as the AWE field of view transverses the OH layer. Designed, built, and characterized by Utah State University (USU) and its Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL), the sensor has been externally mounted to the International Space Station (ISS) looking nadir. Images will be collected and analyzed for a minimum of two years. The …