Digital Commons Network^™

Surmounting Challenges In Aggregating Results From Static Analysis Tools, Dr. Ann Marie Reinhold, Brittany Boles, A. Redempta Manzi Muneza, Thomas Mcelroy, Dr. Clemente Izurieta

Military Cyber Affairs

Aggregation poses a significant challenge for software practitioners because it requires a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of raw data from diverse sources. Suites of static-analysis tools (SATs) are commonly used to assess organizational security but simultaneously introduce significant challenges. Challenges include unique results, scales, configuration environments for each SAT execution, and incompatible formats between SAT outputs. Here, we document our experiences addressing these issues. We highlight the problem of relying on a single vendor's SAT version and offer a solution for aggregating findings across multiple SATs, aiming to enhance software security practices and deter threats early with robust defensive operations.

Generative Machine Learning For Cyber Security, James Halvorsen, Dr. Assefaw Gebremedhin

Military Cyber Affairs

Automated approaches to cyber security based on machine learning will be necessary to combat the next generation of cyber-attacks. Current machine learning tools, however, are difficult to develop and deploy due to issues such as data availability and high false positive rates. Generative models can help solve data-related issues by creating high quality synthetic data for training and testing. Furthermore, some generative architectures are multipurpose, and when used for tasks such as intrusion detection, can outperform existing classifier models. This paper demonstrates how the future of cyber security stands to benefit from continued research on generative models.

Klimchouk’S Impact On The Development Of Speleogenetic Models For Castile Evaporites: West Texas And Southeastern New Mexico, Usa, Kevin W. Stafford

International Journal of Speleology

Due to the pioneering work of Alexander Klimchouk (2007), hypogene karst is now recognized as being complex and extensive throughout Permian strata of the greater Delaware Basin in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico (USA). Klimchouk heavily influenced our current understanding of hypogene speleogenesis in the Permian Ochoan Castile Formation where we now recognize diverse hypogene manifestations that include vertically-extensive breccia pipes, laterally-extensive blanket breccias, morphologically-varied caves, diagenetically-altered sulfates, and unique venting structures. Underlying Bell Canyon strata provide the transmissive zone for delivery and removal of solutionally aggressive fluids to the conformably overlying Castile evaporites. Current speleogenetic models indicate that …

Dispersion Of Artificial Tracers In Ventilated Caves, Claudio Pastore, Eric Weber, Frédéric Doumenc, Pierre-Yves Jeannin, Marc Lütscher

International Journal of Speleology

Artificial CO₂ was used as a tracer along ventilated karst conduits to infer airflow and investigate tracer dispersion. In the karst vadose zone, cave ventilation is an efficient mode of transport for heat, gases and aerosols and thus drives the spatial distribution of airborne particles. Modelling this airborne transport requires geometrical and physical parameters of the conduit system, including the cross-sectional areas, the airflow and average air speed, as well as the longitudinal dispersion coefficient which describes the spreading of a solute. Four gauging tests were carried out in one mine (artificial conduit) and two ventilated caves (natural conduits). …

Rates Of Diagenesis Of Tropical Insectivorous Bat Guano Accumulations: Implications For Potential Paleoenvironmental Reconstruction, Donald A. Mcfarlane, Joyce Lundberg

International Journal of Speleology

Cave guano deposits are increasingly being recognized as valuable repositories of paleo-climatic and paleo-environmental information. However, that value is constrained by rates of guano decomposition, and these rates have not been previously well-studied. Here we show that field and laboratory studies of deep insectivorous bat guano sequences in the caves of Borneo demonstrate the extreme dependence of decomposition rate on guano water content. Under tropical conditions, moist guanos exhibit decomposition coefficients (k) values of ~ 0.01, implying the loss of most of the organic content on decadal timescales. Under similar temperatures but drier conditions, k values drop to …

Subaqueous Carbonate Speleothems As Paleotemperature Archives – Clumped Isotope Thermometry And Stable Isotope Compositions Of Inclusion-Hosted Water, Attila Demeny, Ágnes Berentés, László Rinyu, Ivett Kovács, Gergely Surányi, Magdolna Virág

International Journal of Speleology

Clumped isotope measurements of carbonates and stable isotope analyses of water trapped in fluid inclusions are both promising techniques to determine carbonate formation temperatures. Cave-hosted carbonate deposits (speleothems) are excellent targets for such studies, but kinetic fractionations and diagenetic influences frequently deteriorate the temperature data obtained from these methods. However, subaqueous carbonate deposits may provide reliable data, as kinetic fractionations are less significant in underwater environments. In this study, subaqueous speleothems, whose formation temperatures were directly measured in the water, were investigated. Additionally, temperatures calculated from the oxygen isotope fractionations between calcite and fluid inclusion-hosted water were compared with clumped …

The International Crisis In Numeracy Education, Nathan D. Grawe

Numeracy

The OECD recently released results from the 2022 administration of the Programme for International Student Assessment test. As other studies suggest, pandemic mitigation policies resulted in deep learning loss including in basic mathematics which forms the foundation of numeracy. Perhaps of greater concern, however, in many countries pandemic effects amplify declining performance that dates back a decade or more. Losses of two or more years' worth of mathematics education are not uncommon among developed countries. The editorial makes an urgent call for research that identifies practical steps to reverse these trends.

Infusing Quantitative Reasoning Skills Into A Differential Equation Class In An Urban Public Community College, Tanvir Prince

Numeracy

This research centers on implementing Quantitative Reasoning (QR) within a differential equations course at an urban public community college. As a participant in the Numeracy Infusion for College Educators (NICE) faculty development program, I sought to integrate QR skills into my curriculum. Students in the course were introduced to QR goals using real-world data sets, particularly those related to population growth, which aim to enhance their understanding, sharpen their problem-solving abilities, and cultivate a positive perspective on the real-world relevance of mathematics. Preliminary findings indicate varied levels of QR skill development among students. These results underscore the potential benefits of …

Assessing Compliance To Water Resources And Reconstruction Framework During Post-Conflict Reconstruction Borno State, Muritala Olaniyi Oke Dr

Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies

Northeast and northwest of Nigeria have, as a result of activities of Boko Haram, bandit and kidnappers, had their public and private properties destroyed. Governments and other stakeholders, upon some successes of the military, have started post-conflict reconstruction to rebuild the war-torn urban and rural communities with the provision of water taking the center stage. This paper looks at the utilisation of Water Resources and a Reconstruction framework for integrating water projects into reconstruction processes. This paper rests on the argument that water projects during reconstruction should not be handled as “normal” water projects and that a more culturally and …

Climate Monitoring In The Caumont Cave And Quarry System (Northern France) Reveal Near Oxygen Isotopic Equilibrium Conditions For Carbonate Deposition, Ingrid Bejarano-Arias, Carole Nehme, Sebastian Breitenbach, Hanno Meyer, Sevasti Modestou, Damase Mouralis

International Journal of Speleology

The study of modern cave deposits forming under near isotopic equilibrium conditions can potentially help disentangle the processes influencing the oxygen isotope system and suitability of stalagmites as archives of past hydrological or thermal changes. We used cave monitoring to evaluate the impact of kinetic isotope fractionation and assess the conditions under which modern cave carbonates form in the Caumont cave and quarry system, located in Normandy, northwest France. Over 20 months, we collected climatological data, dripwater, and modern carbonate samples at 2–4-week intervals at three different stations inside the Caumont cave and quarry system. We find highly stable (10.4 …

Reverse Pseudo-Gours: A New Sub-Type Of Folia Observed In The Nerja Cave (Se Spain), Cristina Liñán Baena, Concepción Jiménez De Cisneros, Yolanda Del Rosal, Paolo Forti

International Journal of Speleology

A new sub-type of folia named “reverse pseudo-gour” has been observed and described in the Nerja Cave, southern Spain. It consists of fairly vertical, thin barriers (about 5 mm high and 2 mm thick) that develop on the underside of a sub-horizontal surface (shelfstone) and grow in the opposite direction to normal gours (rimstone dams), generating sinuous shapes. Their mineral composition is essentially calcium carbonate, although globular aggregates composed of clay and phosphate minerals have also been identified. The genesis and evolution of these reverse pseudo-gours occur just at the air-water interface and are controlled by (1) the sub-horizontality of …

Brain-Inspired Spatio-Temporal Learning With Application To Robotics, Thiago André Ferreira Medeiros

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The human brain still has many mysteries and one of them is how it encodes information. The following study intends to unravel at least one such mechanism. For this it will be demonstrated how a set of specialized neurons may use spatial and temporal information to encode information. These neurons, called Place Cells, become active when the animal enters a place in the environment, allowing it to build a cognitive map of the environment. In a recent paper by Scleidorovich et al. in 2022, it was demonstrated that it was possible to differentiate between two sequences of activations of a …

Brain-Inspired Spatio-Temporal Learning With Application To Robotics, Thiago André Ferreira Medeiros

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The human brain still has many mysteries and one of them is how it encodes information. The following study intends to unravel at least one such mechanism. For this it will be demonstrated how a set of specialized neurons may use spatial and temporal information to encode information. These neurons, called Place Cells, become active when the animal enters a place in the environment, allowing it to build a cognitive map of the environment. In a recent paper by Scleidorovich et al. in 2022, it was demonstrated that it was possible to differentiate between two sequences of activations of a …

Determining The P-Wave Velocity Structure In The Near-Surface Of Nw Miami, Florida, Using Quarry Blasts, Elham Moslemi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The fact that Florida is an earthquake-free region has caused seismologists to pay less attention to it. Few earthquakes in this state mean it is not a usual practice to study the propagation of seismic waves. However, utilizing data from quarry blasts, we studied wave propagation in this region. The primary objective of the project is to investigate the near-surface P-wave velocity structure and factors that may affect it. We also analyzed the amplitude of signals versus distance and blast size. A network of up to 10 Raspberry Shake instruments around the NW Miami-Lakes mining area was deployed where four …

Determining The P-Wave Velocity Structure In The Near-Surface Of Nw Miami, Florida, Using Quarry Blasts, Elham Moslemi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The fact that Florida is an earthquake-free region has caused seismologists to pay less attention to it. Few earthquakes in this state mean it is not a usual practice to study the propagation of seismic waves. However, utilizing data from quarry blasts, we studied wave propagation in this region. The primary objective of the project is to investigate the near-surface P-wave velocity structure and factors that may affect it. We also analyzed the amplitude of signals versus distance and blast size. A network of up to 10 Raspberry Shake instruments around the NW Miami-Lakes mining area was deployed where four …

Integration Of Algae And Biomass Processes To Synthesize Renewable Bioproducts For The Circular Economy, Jessica Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapid population growth and global industrialization have substantially heightened the demand for fossil-based fuels and products in various sectors of the global economy, including energy production, transportation fuels, and as raw materials for petrochemicals. The intense consumption of fossil fuels has caused immense environmental impacts, especially pertaining to carbon dioxide emissions. Shifting to renewable feedstocks (raw materials) is expected to reduce these emissions by lowering the carbon footprint of fuels and products compared to traditional fossil-derived alternatives. This transition aligns with the goal of creating a sustainable and circular economy, emphasizing efficient resource use, and reducing waste generation through recycling …

Integration Of Algae And Biomass Processes To Synthesize Renewable Bioproducts For The Circular Economy, Jessica Martin

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rapid population growth and global industrialization have substantially heightened the demand for fossil-based fuels and products in various sectors of the global economy, including energy production, transportation fuels, and as raw materials for petrochemicals. The intense consumption of fossil fuels has caused immense environmental impacts, especially pertaining to carbon dioxide emissions. Shifting to renewable feedstocks (raw materials) is expected to reduce these emissions by lowering the carbon footprint of fuels and products compared to traditional fossil-derived alternatives. This transition aligns with the goal of creating a sustainable and circular economy, emphasizing efficient resource use, and reducing waste generation through recycling …

Syntheses, Photophysics, & Application Of Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Frameworks, Zachary L. Magnuson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porphyrins are a group of heterocyclic macrocycles that play crucial roles in various biological processes such as electron transfer, catalysis, and sensing. Hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood of mammals, and chlorophyll, which drives photosynthesis in plants and algae, are both porphyrins. The ability of porphyrins to bind metal ions and their unique electronic and photophysical properties make them an excellent platform for designing functional materials for various applications, often drawing inspiration from their function in nature. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials that have been extensively studied in recent years due to their high surface …

Synthetic Studies Of Potential New Ketogenic Molecules, Mohammad Nazmus Sakib

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ketogenic diet has gained popularity in the past few decades among people and physicians due to its various health benefits. A significant amount of research has been done for the modification of the original ketogenic diet and investigation of its potential health benefits. However, synthesis of novel ketogenic compounds as a dietary supplement has not received the same level of attention. That is the primary objective of this research project.

The first chapter of this manuscript describes the synthesis of various short and medium chain esters of different polyols that have been done so far, and areas of their …

All Quiet On The Digital Front: The Unseen Psychological Impacts On Cybersecurity First Responders, Tammie R. Hollis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Driven by the increasing frequency of cyberattacks and the existing talent gap between industry needs and skilled professionals, this research study focused on the crucial human element in the domain of cybersecurity incident response. The objective of this dissertation was to offer a meaningful exploration of the lived experiences encountered by cybersecurity incident responders and an assessment of the subsequent impacts on their well-being. Additionally, this study sought to draw comparisons between the experiences of cybersecurity incident responders and their counterparts in traditional emergency response roles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cohort of 22 individuals with first-hand experience working …

All Quiet On The Digital Front: The Unseen Psychological Impacts On Cybersecurity First Responders, Tammie R. Hollis

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Driven by the increasing frequency of cyberattacks and the existing talent gap between industry needs and skilled professionals, this research study focused on the crucial human element in the domain of cybersecurity incident response. The objective of this dissertation was to offer a meaningful exploration of the lived experiences encountered by cybersecurity incident responders and an assessment of the subsequent impacts on their well-being. Additionally, this study sought to draw comparisons between the experiences of cybersecurity incident responders and their counterparts in traditional emergency response roles. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a cohort of 22 individuals with first-hand experience working …

Syntheses, Photophysics, & Application Of Porphyrinic Metal-Organic Frameworks, Zachary L. Magnuson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Porphyrins are a group of heterocyclic macrocycles that play crucial roles in various biological processes such as electron transfer, catalysis, and sensing. Hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood of mammals, and chlorophyll, which drives photosynthesis in plants and algae, are both porphyrins. The ability of porphyrins to bind metal ions and their unique electronic and photophysical properties make them an excellent platform for designing functional materials for various applications, often drawing inspiration from their function in nature. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of porous materials that have been extensively studied in recent years due to their high surface …

Synthetic Studies Of Potential New Ketogenic Molecules, Mohammad Nazmus Sakib

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The ketogenic diet has gained popularity in the past few decades among people and physicians due to its various health benefits. A significant amount of research has been done for the modification of the original ketogenic diet and investigation of its potential health benefits. However, synthesis of novel ketogenic compounds as a dietary supplement has not received the same level of attention. That is the primary objective of this research project. The first chapter of this manuscript describes the synthesis of various short and medium chain esters of different polyols that have been done so far, and areas of their …

Influence Of Thickness And Capping Materials On The Static And Dynamic Properties Of Ferrimagnetic Thin Films, Noha Alzahrani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spintronics traditionally relied on ferromagnetic materials for their strong spin properties but facedissues like large stray magnetic fields. To address these challenges, researchers turned to antiferromagnetic materials with fast spin dynamics, due to their zero net magnetic moment but the lack of a net spin moment complicated operation. In this context, ferrimagnetic materials have emerged as promising alternatives. They combine ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic traits and feature different magnetic ions in their sublattices. This dissertation explores how film thickness and capping materials affect the properties of ferrimagnetic thin films.

Rare-earth transition metal ferrimagnetic amorphous alloys have garnered attention in the realm …

Influence Of Thickness And Capping Materials On The Static And Dynamic Properties Of Ferrimagnetic Thin Films, Noha Alzahrani

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spintronics traditionally relied on ferromagnetic materials for their strong spin properties but facedissues like large stray magnetic fields. To address these challenges, researchers turned to antiferromagnetic materials with fast spin dynamics, due to their zero net magnetic moment but the lack of a net spin moment complicated operation. In this context, ferrimagnetic materials have emerged as promising alternatives. They combine ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic traits and feature different magnetic ions in their sublattices. This dissertation explores how film thickness and capping materials affect the properties of ferrimagnetic thin films. Rare-earth transition metal ferrimagnetic amorphous alloys have garnered attention in the realm …

Refining The Machine Learning Pipeline For Us-Based Public Transit Systems, Jennifer Adorno

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to the Population Division of the United Nations, in the United States, almost 90% of the population will live in urban areas by the year 2050. As the population in a given area increases, higher traffic congestion follows due to an increase of vehicles in the road. A possible way to alleviate congestion could be with widespread use of public transit. However, according to the US Census Bureau, the percentage of individuals commuting through public transportation has been decreasing steadily over time, and the American Community Survey reports that during 2019, only around five percent of the US population …

Refining The Machine Learning Pipeline For Us-Based Public Transit Systems, Jennifer Adorno

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

According to the Population Division of the United Nations, in the United States, almost 90% of the population will live in urban areas by the year 2050. As the population in a given area increases, higher traffic congestion follows due to an increase of vehicles in the road. A possible way to alleviate congestion could be with widespread use of public transit. However, according to the US Census Bureau, the percentage of individuals commuting through public transportation has been decreasing steadily over time, and the American Community Survey reports that during 2019, only around five percent of the US population …

Human Vs Machine: Hyper-Realistic Avatars And Their Efficacy As A Communication Channel, Jill S. Schiefelbein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyper-realistic avatars (HRAs), a form of synthetic media, are custom-created digital embodiments of a human, created by capturing and combining that person’s video and vocal likeness. This is the first known study of the efficacy of videos delivered by hyper-realistic avatars as a communication channel in comparison to videos delivered by their human counterparts. An experiment testing how information retention, engagement, and trust vary between viewers of videos delivered by a real human, videos delivered by the HRA representing that same human, and videos delivered by the HRA that discloses to viewers that it is a hyper-realistic avatar is presented. …

Human Vs Machine: Hyper-Realistic Avatars And Their Efficacy As A Communication Channel, Jill S. Schiefelbein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hyper-realistic avatars (HRAs), a form of synthetic media, are custom-created digital embodiments of a human, created by capturing and combining that person’s video and vocal likeness. This is the first known study of the efficacy of videos delivered by hyper-realistic avatars as a communication channel in comparison to videos delivered by their human counterparts. An experiment testing how information retention, engagement, and trust vary between viewers of videos delivered by a real human, videos delivered by the HRA representing that same human, and videos delivered by the HRA that discloses to viewers that it is a hyper-realistic avatar is presented. …

Using Social Network Analysis To Measure And Visualize Student Clustering Within Middle And High Schools, Geoffrey David West

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The dominant philosophy of American public schools has been to group students together based on similar characteristics. Known as tracking, high achieving students would take courses on the “college track” while others would take “career track” courses. It was not long until advocates noticed that this process unfairly advantaged affluent and White student over poor and minoritized groups. A new process called “ability grouping” took over where tracking left off, but to the same effect. It is difficult to measure the degree students are grouped together by a certain characteristic, and while a few research papers aim to do so, …