Digital Commons Network^™

Disambiguart: A Neural-Based Inference Model For Knowledge Graph Disambiguation, Budhitama Subagdja, D. Shanthoshigaa, Ah-Hwee Tan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

One main challenge in constructing a knowledge graph (KG) is to deal with ambiguity. Specifically, an entity in the graph can be assigned with multiple meanings while two or more entities considered to have different meanings may actually be the same. Assigning an entity with the correct meaning may involve re-evaluation of its relevant contexts. This costly operation typically involves searching for other similar entities within the KG such that the context can be determined. In this paper, a new model called DisambiguART is proposed leveraging multi-channel matching and inference in a self-organizing neural network for sense disambiguation in knowledge …

Enhancing Deliberativeness: Evaluating The Impact Of Multimodal Reflection Nudges, Shun Yi Yeo, Zhuoqun Jiang, Anthony Tang, Simon Tangi Perrault

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Nudging participants with text-based reflective nudges enhances deliberation quality on online deliberation platforms. The effectiveness of multimodal reflective nudges, however, remains largely unexplored. Given the multi-sensory nature of human perception, incorporating diverse modalities into self-reflection mechanisms has the potential to better support various reflective styles. This paper explores how presenting reflective nudges of different types (direct: persona and indirect: storytelling) in different modalities (text, image, video and audio) affects deliberation quality. We conducted two user studies with 20 and 200 participants respectively. The first study identifies the preferred modality for each type of reflective nudges, revealing that text is most …

Cranial Ontogeny Of The Extinct Dwarf Tapir Tapirus Polkensis; With Comparison To That Of The Extant Tapirus Bairdii (Tapiridae, Perissodactyla), Johannah Orendorff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tapirus polkensis is the smallest known species of tapir to ever live, and the largest deposit of their fossils is currently located at the GFS in Gray, TN. Phylogenetics suggest that the extant T. bairdii may be the sister taxon to T. polkensis, although they differ greatly in their morphology. Variation exists among adult T. polkensis specimens, with patterns not present in T. bairdii. For this study, as series of 2D GMAs, with TPSs, were rendered on 10 skulls of T. polkensis and 48 skulls of T. bairdii, across both species’ ontogenetic series. Analyses confirmed that growth …

Understanding The Impact Of Ransomware On Biotechnology, Tswvyim Vang

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Biotechnology encompasses the use of research on both biology and technology to create products that can advance in areas such as healthcare and agriculture. Because of the technology and products that arise from the use of biotechnology, the industry is especially targeted by cyber-attacks. A prominent type of cyber-attack that is utilized by cyber criminals on biotechnology is ransomware. The goal of this project is to determine the impact of ransomware on biotechnology. The research questions posed are: Q1) What are real examples of ransomware attacks that have occurred on biotechnology companies and what patterns can be identified by these …

Silver Nanoparticles In Ammonia Sensing And Photovoltaics, Madhuka Liyanage

All Dissertations

Nanocomposite films (NCF) containing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), separated by thin layers of silica/poly-4-vinylpyridine/polyvinylpyrrolidone, were fabricated via drop casting, spin coating, dip coating on glass substrate and drop casting on nylon filter membranes. The more uniform films were produced by drop casting on nylon filter membranes due to their solvent wicking properties. The films demonstrate electrical conductivity that varies in response to moist ammonia and water vapors. The changes in conductivity are attributed to hydrogen bonding between ammonia and water molecules with the silica/polymer layers, as well as the direct adsorption of ammonia onto the silver surface. Notably, NCFs with polyvinylpyrrolidone …

A System And Method For Measuring Spatially Varying Surface Appearances With A Study Of Feathers, Jessica Baron-Lis

All Dissertations

Real-world materials, particularly biological structures such as feathers exhibit complex appearances that vary spatially across their surfaces. The field of computer graphics provides a means of understanding such surfaces through material modeling which uses both analytical models and data acquired from light-surface interactions. There are many efforts within the past decade in measuring materials for graphics, but common limitations in these works include not accounting for spatially varying properties and reliance on neural networks and synthetic datasets.

Feathers from modern birds present diverse appearances due to how light interacts with their unique hierarchical microstructures. Variations in those structures lead to …

Gravity Wave Breaking Over Northern Utah With An Advanced Mesospheric Temperature Mapper And Sodium Lidar, Eric Davis

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Considerable progress has been made in recent decades in the understanding of gravity wave (GW) dynamics. However, there remain important aspects and effects that are poorly understood. In particular, the coupling and deposition of their energy and momentum into the mesosphere lower thermosphere (MLT) region and the interaction and instability dynamics that are directly associated with GW breaking. Using an Advanced Mesosphere Temperature Mapper (AMTM) several strong wave breaking events were observed in the summer of 2015 at USU’s BLO research station. These events have exhibited high momentum fluxes and associated strong wave breaking, prompting detailed data analyses. Rossby waves, …

Climate Prediction As An Adaptive Force-Multiplier: Reasons For Hope In A Rapidly Changing World, Matthew D. Laplante

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

It's not unreasonable to feel pessimistic about our future under climate change. But "believing the science" doesn't require you to accept that we are headed toward apocalypse. It is true that human-caused climate change is real, it is underway, and our societies face many increased risks because of it. But that's just part of what climate science tells us about our future world. This same field is responsible for the recent and rapid development of tools and techniques that permit the identification of patterns in our oceans and atmosphere that will aid us in making increasingly accurate predictions about climate—the …

Potamogeton Crispus Invasion: Impacts On Native Aquatic Plants And Associated Faunal Habitat, Meghan-Grace Slocombe

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Aquatic invasive plants are non-native plants that invade a water body and displace native aquatic plants. Invasion depletes the native plant community's ability to provide ecosystem services, including improved water quality, decreased problematic algae, and increased animal habitat. The loss of these ecosystem services reduces the value of fishing, boating, and swimming opportunities in aquatic ecosystems. The potential changes in plant communities and services are particularly important at sites targeted for restoration because project goals typically include increasing ecosystem services, including wildlife habitat. Curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus L.) is a problematic invasive species in North America. To better manage …

Managing For Disturbance: Trade-Offs Associated With Population Resilience And Ecosystem Size, Ellie Wallace

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Populations can recover from and withstand disturbance through characteristics such as reproduction and maintaining large abundances. While these traits are beneficial to native species conservation, they can simultaneously challenge effective invasive species management. Effective invasive species control requires sufficient efforts to overcome a population's ability to recover from disturbance, such as harvest. My dissertation aimed to address how the size of an invasive population and its ability to recover from disturbance impact a suite of invasive species control methods, including those that (1) target mainly larger and older individuals (i.e., mechanical removal), (2) target all sizes of individuals (i.e., targeted …

On The Challenges Posed By Non-Machian Solutions To Relationalism In General Relativity, Zachary Matthew Zito

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The relationship between Mach’s Principle and solutions to Einstein’s field equations is examined, with special attention to Friedmann-Lematre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) cosmology. Mach’s Principle is outlined, and the extent to which general relativity fulfills Machs vision is assessed. It is argued that several important solutions to Einsteins equations, particularly the FLRW cosmological models, embody key Machian features. In order to elucidate the FLRW cosmological model, the associated energy-momentum tensor for a perfect fluid under the assumptions of large-scale homogeneity and isotropy is derived and used to obtain the Friedmann equations that govern cosmic expansion. It is shown that FLRW cosmology can be …

To Bee Or Not To Bee: Investigating Pesticide Behavior Inside And Outside Of Semi-Field Cages, Mallory Bingham

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Bees play an important role in ecosystems and food production through pollination. One such bee, the alfalfa leaf cutting bee (ALCB) is a very efficient pollinator and is essential in alfalfa seed production. However, bees face increasing harm, most notably due to the deleterious effect of pesticides used in agriculture, and much research is dedicated to investigating the extent of effects that pesticides have on different bee populations. One common tool used to study the effects of pesticide exposure on bees is semi-field cages. These cages have some key advantages, such as restricting bee foraging to plots sprayed with pesticides …

Navigating The Challenges Of Coccidioides Surveillance: Insights From The Environment Of El Paso County, Texas, Tanzir Hossain

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Coccidioidomycosis, or Valley fever, is a fungal infection resulting from the inhalation of spores from the Coccidioides species (C. immitis and C. posadasii), native to arid areas of the Western Hemisphere. Coccidioidomycosis presents considerable health hazards and can be fatal. It affects between 206,000 and 360,000 individuals annually, leading to 700 to 1,100 fatalities in the United States alone. In response to these issues, extensive research has concentrated on therapeutic goals for this infectious disease. Nonetheless, more limited research has focused on the environmental detection of its causative fungi, which is crucial for forecasting treatment needs and formulating preventive strategies. …

Single Valued Neutrosophic Hypersoft Set Based On Merec-Moosra Mcdm Methods For Evolution Of Sustainable Strategies For The Circular Supply Chain Based On The Beverage Industry, Alaa Salem, Rayan Hussein, Ahmed Abdelmouty, Mohamed Abouhawwash

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Corporate enterprises around the world are facing increasing pressure to operate sustainably due to rising environmental concerns such as climate change, resource scarcity, and ecological degradation. In response, circular supply chain (CSC) practices have emerged as a promising solution, especially within the manufacturing and beverage sectors. CSC focuses on reusing materials, minimizing waste, and creating value from products that have reached the end of their lifecycle. This study investigates the challenges and opportunities of applying circular supply chain management (CSCM) in the beverage industry, which is known for generating significant waste due to high production volumes. The research identifies key …

Harnessing Edna Metabarcoding To Monitor Species Diversity In Restoration Sites: Insights From Laikipia, Kenya, Cornelius Okello, Nina Wambiji, Susana W. Kihia, Nehemiah Ongeso, Samuel Mwakisha Mwamburi, Anthony Wandera, Marie Estelle Demory, Margaret Awuor Owuor

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Restoration of degraded arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) dryland ecosystems gained traction globally with the enactment of the Bonn Challenge and UN Decade of Restoration. This has been domesticated in Kenya's context by The Forest and Landscape Restoration Implementation Plan (FOLAREP). However, effectively monitoring restored ecosystems is crucial but challenging because of data gaps and technical hurdles, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to assess and restore biodiversity. This study aimed to pilot soil environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to detect species compositions rapidly, evaluate population structures and abundances, and characterize taxonomic groups. The results from this study serve as a …

Exploring The Pedagogical Impact Of Software Development Live Streams: Informal Learning Opportunities For Software And Game Developers, Ella Kokinda

All Dissertations

Live streaming is an increasingly popular medium for throwing back the curtain on software development where streamers and viewers share their knowledge and experiences. Popular platforms like Twitch and YouTube enable developers to stream live coding sessions where people around the world can engage in real-time collaboration, feedback, knowledge sharing, and skill development. This work investigates the pedagogical implications and learning opportunities present in software and game development live streaming while focusing on the role of streaming as a learning environment and collaborative community. We begin by exploring summer camps as an informal learning opportunity for STEM education, highlighting the …

Strengthening The Bonds Between Us: An Empirical Investigation Of Morale In Human-Ai Teams And The Socially Supportive Ai Teammates Who Empower It, Rohit Mallick

All Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how artificial intelligence (AI) can be designed to improve the collective emotion within a team. A team's collective emotion, or morale, describes how motivated, optimistic, and enthusiastic the group is in accomplishing its goals. We conducted four studies that compared different social support strategies that AI teammates can provide to the team. Study 1A found that AI teammates who communicate with emotions can better motivate human team members and promote awareness of team dynamics and environmental changes. Study 1B found that human teammates become more motivated and happier when their AI teammates express joy and are close …

Microplastics In Coastal And Marine Environments: A Critical Issue Of Plastic Pollution On Marine Organisms, Seafood Contaminations, And Human Health Implications, Rebecca Muñiz, Md. Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Plastic has quickly become one of the world's most prevalent environmental pollutants. Population growth has only amplified the demand, resulting in 430 million tons of plastic produced annually, with 11 million tons ending up in our oceans. Without intentional intervention, plastic waste in the oceans is expected to triple, posing severe risks for the aquatic ecosystems, animals, and humans dependent on these waters. As plastic accumulates in oceans and other water environments, the non-biodegradable particles break down into micro- and nano-plastics, invading coastal and marine organisms and causing considerable physiological and morphological damage. This is especially concerning for the millions …

Achieving Fairness In Zoning Laws With Machine Learning, William Schimitsch

College Honors Program

Zoning is a powerful regulatory tool that determines how municipalities use and develop land. The goal of zoning is to classify land use (e.g., residential, commercial, industrial) to maximize compatibility among neighboring parcels. Local zoning decisions, however, are made by small-sized boards, often through an opaque process, which raises concerns about bias and fairness. In the United States, zoning has historically prioritized single-family housing and thus created economic barriers that limit access to certain communities. Given the task of classifying land use and the wealth of geographical, demographic, and infrastructural data describing each parcel, the problem of bias in zoning …

More Concerns About Atmospheric Methane Removal Efforts, Joshua Luczak

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported record-high global atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (419.3 ppm) in 2023, alongside atmospheric methane levels (1922.6 ppb) now over 160% above pre-industrial levels. The World Meteorological Organization predicts 2024 could surpass 2023 as the warmest year on record, with more frequent and severe extreme weather events. Meeting the Paris Climate goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C—or ideally 1.5°C—above pre-industrial levels is becoming increasingly difficult. To address these challenges, efforts are expanding beyond reducing greenhouse gas emissions. While carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies have been the focus, attention is now turning to …

Triple-Valued Neutrosophic Set, Quadruple-Valued Neutrosophic Set, Quintuple-Valued Neutrosophic Set, And Double-Valued Indetermsoft Set, Takaaki Fujita

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Concepts such as Fuzzy Sets, Neutrosophic Sets, Rough Sets, and Plithogenic Sets have been extensively studied to address uncertainty, finding diverse applications across various fields. A Double-Valued Neutrosophic Set (DVNS) extends traditional neutrosophic sets by introducing two distinct indeterminacy components: one leaning towards truth and the other towards falsity. In this paper, we explore Triple-Valued Neutrosophic Sets, Quadruple-Valued Neutrosophic Sets, and Quintuple-Valued Neutrosophic Sets, as well as an extension of the Indetermsoft Set, termed the Double-Valued Indetermsoft Set. Note that related concepts such as the Multi-Valued Neutrosophic Set and the n-Valued Refined Neutrosophic Set have already been established.

Towards Explainable And Robust Nlp: Neutrosophic Probability Augmentation In Text Classification, Nabil M. Abdel-Aziz, Mahmoud Ibrahim, Khalid A. Eldrandaly

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

The rapid growth of textual data necessitates advanced text classification models. However, traditional methods struggle with ambiguity and uncertainty in natural language, reducing classification reliability. To address this, we integrate neutrosophic logic, which explicitly models truth, indeterminacy, and falsity, into a DistilBERT-based text classification framework. Additionally, we employ data augmentation using synonym replacement to enhance generalization. Our approach is evaluated on the AG News dataset, classifying articles into four categories: World, Sports, Business, and Science/Technology. By incorporating neutrosophic attributes, the proposed framework assesses text quality, mitigates uncertainty, and improves robustness against ambiguous inputs. Experimental results demonstrate an accuracy of 94.10%, …

Effects Of Environmentally Relevant Concentrations Of Roundup On Oxidative-Nitrative Stress, Cellular Apoptosis, Prooxidant-Antioxidant Homeostasis, Renin And Cyp1a Expressions In Goldfish: Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Kidney Damage During Roundup Exposure, Md Imran Noor, Md Saydur Rahman

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Roundup is one of the most widely used glyphosate-based harmful herbicides in the United States as well as globally, which poses a severe risk for terrestrial and aquatic organisms. In order to identify the detrimental effects of Roundup exposure in aquatic organisms, we investigated the environmentally relevant concentrations of Roundup exposure (low dose: 0.5 μg/L and high dose: 5.0 μg/L for 2 weeks) on renin expression, oxidative-nitrative stress biomarkers (e.g., 2,4-dinitrophenol, DNP; and 3-nitrotyrosine protein, NTP), prooxidant-antioxidant enzymes expressions (e.g., superoxide dismutase, SOD; and catalase, CAT), cellular apoptosis, and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) mRNA levels in the kidneys of goldfish …

The Role Of Individual Values In Bryant University's Sustainability Efforts, John Boccuzzi Iii

Honors Projects in Data Science

This research examines student, faculty, and staff perspectives on sustainability at Bryant University, with the goal of understanding how individual values align with the university's environmental initiatives. The objective is to assess perceptions of Bryant's current sustainability practices, explore how effectively these efforts are communicated across campus, and identify potential gaps between institutional action and community awareness. To achieve this, the study gathers qualitative data through an open-ended survey and applies sentiment analysis to interpret student attitudes toward sustainability. By analyzing these responses alongside Bryant's sustainability marketing efforts, this research will identify gaps between student engagement and institutional messaging The …

Analysis And Derivation Of The Compressible Euler System With Nonlinear Velocity Alignment: An Investigation Into Collective Behavior, Mckenzie Meredith Black

Theses and Dissertations

Collective behavior refers to the observable patterns, actions, or movements that emerge within a group of entities, such as individuals, animals, or particles, when they interact with each other. In this study, we concentrate on the pressureless compressible Euler system, expanding it to incorporate a family of nonlinear velocity alignment. This extension represents a nonlinear iteration of the Euler-alignment system within collective dynamics, revealing intriguing asymptotic emergent phenomena such as alignment and flocking. Our investigation explores different types of nonlinearity and nonlocal communication protocols, unveiling a diverse spectrum of asymptotic behaviors within the system.

In focusing on the derivation, we …

Supershift Properties For Nonanalytic Signals, Fabrizio Colombo, Irene Sabadini, Daniele Carlo Struppa, Alain Yger

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The phenomenon of superoscillations is of great interest in microscopy, antenna design, and material sciences. This phenomenon has been generalized and has given rise to the concept of supershift, which is a far reaching extension that applies to functions that may present discontinuous derivatives. From this perspective, this is a notion that might have significant applications. This paper will provide an up to date report on the complex connections between the concept of supershift and that of analyticity.

Assessing Relationships Between Water Quality, Precipitation, Land Cover And Stormwater Conveyance Type Across A Range Of Sub-Watersheds In The Southeastern Coastal Zone, Kevencia Sabine Gabriel Faton

Theses and Dissertations

The expansion of urban land use/cover along the coast may degrade water quality by introducing a plethora of pollutants and pathogens that negatively impact human and ecological health. It is hypothesized that anthropogenic contaminants associated with stormwater runoff increase with increasing urban density and vary with the timing and magnitude of rainfall. In this study, we examined land use/cover change and relationships between Escherichia coli (E. coli), turbidity, nutrients, and the timing and magnitude of rainfall in two different types of stormwater conveyances (ditches and ponds) within Murrells Inlet, SC during the summer of 2023. Our results indicate …

Bayesian Joint Modeling Of Longitudinal Data And Interval-Censored Failure Time Data, Yuchen Mao

Theses and Dissertations

Longitudinal data are a collection of repeated observations of the same subjects at different points in time. Interval-censored data arise when the time to the event of interest for each subject is never exactly observed but known to fall between two consecutive points in time. Joint analysis of longitudinal data and interval-censored failure time data can lead to more accurate estimates compared to separate modeling when the correlation among events of interest or intracluster correlation is present. The aim of this dissertation is to develop efficient and reliable joint analyses of longitudinal and interval-censored failure time data using Bayesian methods. …

Self-Supervised Learning And Its Applications In Medical Image Analysis, Siladittya Manna

Doctoral Theses

Self-supervised learning (SSL) enables learning robust representations from unlabeled data and it consists of two stages: pretext and downstream. The representations learnt in the pretext task are transferred to the downstream task. Self-supervised learning has appli- cations in various domains, such as computer vision tasks, natural language processing, speech and audio processing, etc. In transfer learning scenarios, due to differences in the data distribution of the source and the target data, the hierarchical co-adaptation of the representations is destroyed, and hence proper fine-tuning is required to achieve satisfactory performance. With self-supervised pre-training, it is possible to learn repre- sentations aligned …

One Size Doesn’T Fit All: Towards Design And Evaluation Of Developmentally Appropriate Parental Control Tool, Prakriti Dumaru, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

As children progress through developmental stages, they undergo substantial biological, cognitive, and social changes, creating unique needs for online safety across different age groups (e.g., young children, tweens, teens). The existing parental control tools fail to account for these differences, leaving a notable gap in the literature on parental mediation. To this end, we conducted 10 focus group sessions with a total of 20 parents to understand their preferences for age-appropriate design components that promote self-regulation and open communication, followed by an ideation workshop with four UX design experts to translate these preferences into customized features. We then evaluated these …