Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Red Sea Crisis’S Supply Chain Disruption Impacts On The Shipping Industry, Po-Hsing Tseng, Nick Pilcher

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Since October 7, 2023, the Houthi militia in Yemen has continuously attacked Israel and its nearby ships in the Red Sea. This crisis has impacted on global ship operations, freight rates, and shipping networks, since this conflict seriously affects the international trade between Europe and Asia and brings many unpredictable butterfly effects (e.g. supply chain disruption, and high transportation costs in shipping and air cargo). This papero explores its impact on the supply chain and suggests potential solutions;, and to consider perceptions on who should be responsible for the crisis, and who will actually shoulder the responsibility for the crisis. …

Dna Barcoding In Species Identification Of Flying Fish (Exocoetidae) And Halfbeaks (Hemiramphidae) Larvae: A Comparative Study Of The Database Over A Decade, Hui-Ling Ko, Kwang-Tsao Shao, Ching-Yi Chen, Yen-Wei Chang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The families Exocoetidae and Hemiramphidae comprise migratory species, whose identification based on their external morphological characteristics can be challenging because of their similarities. DNA barcoding has been used in taxonomic and evolutionary studies to address these issues. The morphological characteristics of fish larvae change rapidly and often lack distinctive features, posing a challenge for species-level identification. This study used DNA barcoding to identify flying fish and half-beaked larvae. Using plankton nets, sampling was conducted seasonally between 2010 and 2013 in Nanwan, Taiwan. A total of 903 individuals were collected, of which 111 were identified as flying and half-beaked fish based …

Subsurface Origin Of Tex86 Signals Revealed By Cross-Seasonal Gdgt Distributions In Suspended Particulate And Sediment Samples From The Southern East China Sea, Hung-Lin Tsai, Da-Chen Lin

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The TetraEther indeX of 86 carbon atoms (TEX₈₆) proxy, which is based on isoprenoid glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (isoGDGTs) produced by Thaumarchaeota in marine environments, is widely used to reconstruct past sea surface temperatures (SSTs). However, evidence suggests that this proxy often instead reflects subsurface conditions, particularly in dynamic marginal seas. Therefore, we conducted a cross-seasonal study of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGT) distributions in the southern East China Sea (ECS), which is characterized by strong monsoonal and current-driven hydrographic variability. We analyzed surface sediments and the high-resolution vertical profiles of suspended particulate matter (SPM) collected from 2016 …

The Current Status And Challenges Of Efforts To Generate Blue Carbon Credits In Okinawa Prefecture, Takashi Tamura, Wei-Chung Chen, Takafumi Sasaki

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

In Okinawa Prefecture, the Mozuku aquaculture industry is keen on establishing Blue Carbon Credits. This enthusiasm stems from various perspectives, including climate change mitigation, improvement of fishing grounds, industry maintenance, and enhancement of fishing ground surveillance functions. However, the industry faces several challenges. One significant challenge is the lack of a clear remaining coefficient for Mozuku, which complicates the creation of credits. Additionally, there is a shortage of manpower within the fisheries cooperative, further exacerbating the problem. To address these challenges, it is crucial to secure human resources that can promote system understanding and establish a financial base for undertaking …

New Insights Into Decapod Chemical Communication: A Focus On The Hydrothermal Vent Crab Xenograpsus Testudinatus, Jishnu Panamoly Ayyappan, Mark June S. Consigna, Li-Chun Tseng, Jiang-Shiou Hwang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Chemical communication in decapod crustaceans has been extensively studied for over 150 years, with most of the research focusing on sex pheromones. These crustaceans inhabit chemically complex environments and rely on diverse chemical signals for essential behaviors such as mate recognition, predator avoidance, and social interaction. This review synthesizes key findings from studies on shrimp, crayfish, lobsters, and crabs, the most well-documented taxa in crustacean chemical ecology. Various appendages, including the first and second antennae, mouthparts, and walking legs, are involved in chemosensory detection. Special emphasis is placed on chemical communication in extreme environments such as hydrothermal vents (HVs), with …

Apply Cluster Analysis To Improve Interpretation Of Ert Images, Yin-Chun Hung, Yu-Xiang Zhao

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The completeness and accuracy of collecting and investigating geotechnical and marine engineering geological conditions are key to the success or failure of engineering development. Traditional marine engineering and geotechnical surveys often require the assistance of geophysical methods to fully present the geological conditions. Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) is an advanced geophysical method that produces accurate cross-sections of underground resistivity. Although 2D ERT has been widely used in geotechnical engineering and marine engineering, many uncertainties remain hidden behind the vivid and colorful resistivity profiles. To apply 2D ERT profiles effectively in geotechnical and marine geological surveys and monitoring, it is essential …

Geo-Chemical Fractionations Of Phosphorus In Sediments Of Thuy Trieu Lagoon And Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, Phu H. Le, Ngoc H. Pham, Dung T. Le, Tuan Linh T. Vo, Binh V. Tran, The V. Ho

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The geochemical fractions of phosphorus (P) and its bioavailability in sediments of Thuy Trieu Lagoon and Cam Ranh Bay were investigated. Twenty-four surface sediment samples were collected in the dry season (Jun 2024) and the rainy season (Oct 2024). A sequential extraction procedure was applied to identify the phosphorus (P) fractions in sediments, including Exchangeable P (Ex-P), iron-bound P (Fe-P), aluminum-bound P (Al-P), calcium-bound P (Ca-P), and residual P (Res-P). Total P (TP) ranged from 214.9 to 2365.2 µg.g^-1, and the Ca-P fraction was the dominant chemical form in sediments. Based on the results of Pearson correlation and …

Beyond Basic Needs : Exploring The Antecedents And Outcomes Of Seafarers’ Well-Being, Chian Liou, Cheng Kuo Sung, Kimberly Hsiu-Chin Lee, Jiunn Liang Guo

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Given the importance of seafarers’ mental health and the limited literature on this topic, this study aims to explore the causes and consequences of seafarers’ well-being. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and hierarchical regression analysis. Consistent with the predictions of the happy and productive worker thesis, this study found that the more satisfied the seafarers are with the shipping company’s seafarer policy, the higher their well-being tends to be, leading to a more positive work attitude. Interestingly, the study found that a company effect is significantly present in this correlation; that …

Empowering Shipping Management Competence With Artificial Intelligence: A Strategic Approach To External Environmental Volatility, Yu-Kai Huang, Cheng-Hsien Hsieh, Chi-Chang Lin, Yu-Tzu Chang, Yu-Chao Cheng

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The shipping industry is undergoing significant transformation with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), yet challenges remain in effectively adopting AI technologies. This study addresses the key concerns influencing AI adoption in shipping management. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) integrated with the PEST model, an evaluation framework was developed to assess AI applications in shipping companies. Based on expert input collected through the Delphi method, four constructs and twelve criteria were identified, with the 'Technological' dimension being the most critical. 'Robustness,' 'Costs,' and 'Data quality' emerged as the top factors affecting AI implementation. The framework offers practical insights for shipping …

Comparative Evaluation Of Deep Learning Models For Predicting Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus Pelamis) Catch Based On Climatic Factors, Peng Ding, Hui Xu, Xin Zhuang, Yan-Lun Wu, Fengyuan Shen, Yujie Xiao, Jiensi Zhulidezi, Wei-Yu Lee

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

To investigate the impact of climatic factors on skipjack tuna catch, this study collected and analyzed annual global skipjack tuna catch data spanning from 1960 to 2021, along with corresponding monthly data for the key indicator of El Nino events (Niño1+2, Niño3, Niño4, and Niño3.4), the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), the North Pacific Index (NPI), and the global sea-air temperature anomaly index (dT). The optimal lag years of climatic factors were identified by selecting the maximum absolute cross- correlation coefficients. Subsequently, the predictive performance of LSTM, BiLSTM, and CNN-BiLSTM models …

Key Success Factors In Using The Lifting Method To Construct A Steel Bridge Pylon, Ming-Chao Su, Hui-Ping Tserng

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Constructing the inclined steel pylon of cable-stayed bridges is challenging because of the pylon’s height, spatial limitations, and safety concerns. To address these challenges, this study developed a modular lifting method that can enhance the efficiency and precision of pylon construction. The proposed method involves using rotation jigs to temporarily assemble the pylon, horizontal positioning on temporary supports, and synchronized lifting through computer-controlled hydraulic systems. Field implementation on a large-span bridge project revealed that compared with the traditional method, the proposed method resulted in higher welding quality, lower risks associated with great-height operations, and a shorter on-site assembly time. The …

Deep Learning-Based Model For Automated Prediction Of Coastal Changes: A Robust Approach To Environmental Forecasting, Tsair-Fwu Lee, Chu-Ho Chang, Chin-Shiuh Shieh, Chih-Hsien Wu, Jen-Chung Shao, Chien-Liang Chiu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

The coastline stands as a critical domain encompassing industry and the environment. The escalating global warming, leading to elevated sea levels and intensified wave-current interactions, has given rise to substantial coastal erosion. This predicament, in conjunction with excessive human development and Taiwan's coastal areas' extreme climatic impact, accentuates the perceptibility of coastal beach alterations. As a result, coastal erosion has emerged as a pressing issue necessitating resolution. Traditional methodologies for assessing coastline changes have conventionally relied on manual measurements. However, owing to the fluctuating distance of coastlines, influenced by tidal patterns, extended measurement processes over several months are susceptible to …

Model Performance For Predicting Trends And Analyzing The Impacts Of Sea Surface Temperature Changes In The Gulf Of Thailand, Tanatpong Udomchaipitak, Nathaphon Boonnam

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study focuses on assessing and improving the predictive performance of sea surface temperature (SST) in the Gulf of Thailand under unique environmental challenges. Data from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) were utilized, covering the period from July 1994 to June 2024 at depths ranging from 0 to 30 meters. After cleaning the data using the Interquartile Range (IQR) method, the processed dataset was tested using four models: Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) architectures, including Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), as well as Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Model performance was enhanced by tuning the parameters over …

Explorations Of Dna-Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Interactions To Develop Multiplexed Molecularly Specific Biosensors For Inflammation, Amelia K. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses

Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-12 (IL-12) are central regulators of immune signaling and key biomarkers of disease, yet existing assays for their detection remain slow, invasive, and lack multiplexing ability. This dissertation advances the development of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) optical nanosensors capable of real-time, multiplexed, and molecularly specific cytokine detection through innovative use of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) interfaces.

First, an IL-6-specific DNA aptamer was employed as both a dispersing agent and recognition probe for SWCNT fluorescence sensing. Sequence modifications, including anchor domains, truncations, and thermally induced refolding, were systematically tested to optimize sensitivity and selectivity. The …

Utilizing Deep Learning Audio Models For Blind And Low Vision Crosswalk Assistance, Wayne Lam

Dissertations and Theses

Navigating urban environments poses significant challenges for blind and low vision (BLV) individuals, particularly at street intersections where determining when it is safe to cross can be life-threatening. In New York City, where pedestrian fatalities are on the rise and only 2% of intersections are equipped with Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS), alternative solutions are urgently needed. This thesis proposes an audio-based deep learning approach to support BLV individuals at crosswalks by detecting traffic movement direction and idling states using spatial sound. With 4-channel audio capturing capabilities of wearables, such as Meta Project Aria glasses, we explore state-of-the-art sound event localization …

It’S Time To Stop Calling People "Stakeholders", Bethann Garramon Merkle, Evelyn Valdez-Ward, Priya Shukla, Skylar R. Bayer

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Although the term “stakeholder” has been widely used in science communication, recent expansion in the discourse around the negative connotations of the term necessitate that scientists and practitioners cease using the term. We discuss why this shift is necessary, how it affects our own praxis, and suggest resources for working through more respectful and just language. Looking to the science communication literature can help recalibrate terminology in positive ways.

Cost-Effective Strategies For Feral Swine Control: Exploring Trapping Equipment Cooperatives, Phil Kenkel, Riza Radmehr, Rodney Holcomb, Mckenzie Boyce

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) in the United States have become a growing concern, with a population of ≥6 million and causing annual damages of ≥$1.5 billion USD. Because of their high reproductive capacity, effective control methods are crucial to reducing or slowing their population growth. While remotely monitored and triggered traps have proven to be an effective control strategy, the cost of sophisticated trapping equipment, which can cost ≥$7,000 USD, is often cost prohibitive for many landowners. Despite the pressing need to address the challenge of making effective feral swine control methods more affordable, there are few studies …

Chemoproteomic Profiling Of A Carbon-Stabilized Gold(Iii) Macrocycle Reveals Cellular Engagement With Hmox2, Sailajah Gukathasan, Chibuzor Ngozi Olelewe, Libby Ratliff, Jong H. Kim, Alyson M. Ackerman, J. Robert Mccorkle, Sean Parkin, Gunnar F. Kwakye, Jill M. Kolesar, Samuel G. Awuah

Chemistry Faculty Publications

In this work, we discovered a novel organometallic gold(III) macrocycle, Au-Mac1, that demonstrates anticancer potency in a panel of triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC), and based on this complex, a biotinylated-Au-Mac1 probe was designed for target identification via chemoproteomics, which uncovered the engagement of HMOX2 of the heme-energy metabolism pathway. Using orthogonal chemical biology and molecular biology approaches, including immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and cellular thermal shift assays, it was confirmed that Au-Mac1 engages HMOX2 in cells. Downstream effects of Au-Mac1 on the depletion of mitochondrial membrane proteins and bioenergetics point to the potential role of HMOX2 in cancer. Importantly, Au-Mac1 …

Eulerian Smoke Simulation With Multiple Fields, Diyang Zhang

Dartmouth College Master’s Theses

Fluid simulation is a cornerstone of computer graphics, enabling the realistic depiction of dynamic phenomena such as smoke, fire, and other gaseous behaviours. This thesis focuses on advancing Eulerian smoke simulation techniques, with a particular emphasis on grid-based simulations that capture intricate vortical structures and fine visual details.

We propose several detail-preserving frameworks that incorporate various scalar and vector fields within the simulation pipeline, including velocity, impulse, and Lamb vectors, along with their decompositions and transformed representations. By mathematically analyzing the properties of impulse, we derive its scalar fields decomposition (ImpSFD), which introduces an alternative numerical interpretation, and Vortex-Particles in …

Food Insecurity Among Graduate Students At The University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Amy Elizabeth Callahan

All ETDs from UAB

College food insecurity (FI) has grown steadily as a field of research over the past fifteen years. Existing research primarily has demonstrated that FI is a persistent problem with various risk factors and myriad potential impacts on students, though graduate students are largely understudied in favor of undergraduate and aggregated student populations. Given the unique circumstances graduate students face, as well as expected demographic differences such as age and household characteristics, this is a serious gap in the literature. This dissertation aims to investigate graduate student food insecurity in the United States, and particularly at the University of Alabama at …

How To Be A Nature Detective (1966) By Millicent E. Selsam, Maughn Rollins Gregory

Picture Books

Coming up with the most reasonable explanation of the available clues is something we all do on a daily basis. This book describes animal tracks as clues from which children can make inferences about what kind of animal left them and what they were doing when they did.

Copyright And Artificial Intelligence, Part 2: Copyrightability

Copyright, Fair Use, Scholarly Communication, etc.

This report by the United States Copyright Office addresses the legal and policy issues related to artificial intelligence (AI) and copyright as outlined in the Office’s August 2023 Notice of Inquiry (NOI).

The report will be published in several parts each one addressing a different topic. This part addresses the copyrightability of works created using generative AI. The first part, published in 2024, addresses the topic of digital replicas—the use of digital technology to realistically replicate an individual’s voice or appearance. A subsequent part will turn to the training of AI models on copyrighted works, licensing considerations, and allocation of …

Substrate Preference And Foraging Behavior Of Two Declining Warblers In Appalachian Shrublands, Samantha Fishman

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Shrubland and early successional habitats (ESH) support a diversity of wildlife, including many declining songbirds. However, nonnative shrubs increasingly dominate these habitats, potentially altering habitat quality by influencing prey availability. Habitat quality can be assessed by observing foraging behaviors of songbirds and identifying preferred and avoided substrates as well as testing the predictions of optimal foraging theory; specifically that birds will maximize their energy gain relative to the costs. We examined foraging behaviors of Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera; GWWA) and Chestnut-sided Warblers (Setophaga pensylvanica; CSWA) in ESH on private lands in Virginia with varying amounts …

Establishing A Conventional Linac-Based Electron Flash Beam, Justin Defrancisco

Theses and Dissertations

Problems: A rediscovered radiotherapy technique, FLASH, involves increasing the dose rate to >40 Gy/s. For a given dose, FLASH is shown to decrease the normal tissue complication probability without affecting the tumor control probability. More preclinical studies are necessary to confirm and enable these desirable properties on humans. Current preclinical investigations have diverse constraints, requiring FLASH apparatuses with flexible parameters and accurate control. However, there are limited FLASH platforms available, the existing ones are costly. Our institution is not in possession of any such infrastructure. Even if available, dosimetry and beam control in FLASH are extremely lacking. There is …

Catalytic Deoxygenation Of Oleaginous Biomass To Renewable Diesel And Sustainable Aviation Fuel Via Decarboxylation/Decarbonylation, Chukwudalu Great Umenweke

Theses and Dissertations--Chemistry

Several technologies have been developed to produce hydrocarbon biofuels – renewable diesel (RD) and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) – from fats, oils, and greases (FOG), with the hydroprocessing of esters and fatty acids (HEFA) representing one of the most mature pathways. In its current form, HEFA is mainly reliant on the hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) reaction, which has several drawbacks since HDO requires large amounts and pressures of hydrogen, feedstocks of high purity and cost, as well as problematic sulfided catalysts that risk contaminating the biofuel product with sulfur. A process based on decarboxylation/decarbonylation (deCO_x) offers an attractive alternative to …

Long Term Dynamics Of A Stage Structured Population Model With Nonlocal Dispersal, Md Yasin

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis is based on the 2023 paper “Dynamics of Classical Solutions of a Two-Stage Structured Population Model with Nonlocal Dispersal.” We study the long-term behavior of a population with two life stages, juvenile and adult, moving across space using nonlocal dispersal mechanism. The main goal is to understand the conditions under which the species survives or goes extinct on the long run. This is determined by a key value called the principal spectrum point, λp.

First, using results from the literature on existence of solutions for general initial value problems on Banach spaces, we establish that for any given …

X-Ray Standing-Wave Fluorescence Study Of The Interaction Of An Anti-Microbial Peptide With A Supported Phospholipid Bilayer, Gobind Basnet

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

To understand the mechanism by which anti-microbial peptide penetrates biological membranes,the study uses artificial supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) deposited on solid substrates. These bilayers were prepared from a lipid mixture of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine (DMPC)and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1’-rac-glycerol (DMPG) in a 10:1 molar ratio and were incubated both with and without indolicidin. Additionally, bilayers were studied after incubation with a labeled form of indolicidin, which involved attaching a 1.8 nm diameter gold nanoparticle to the peptide’s terminal arginine group.

X-ray reflectivity (XRR) was employed to identify structural differences between SLBsincubated with indolicidin and those without it. The introduction of gold labeling facilitated the …

Climate Variability Study For Arid Regions, Faisal Almutairi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Water is the primary source for all living species to thrive, and water scarcity has been a primary concern for biological species and plants in arid regions due to urban planning, population growth, poor water management, and overgrazing. The objective of this research was to study the climate variability in precipitation and temperature for an arid region. This research encompasses two distinct studies. The first study examined the impact of climate variability on precipitation in Phoenix. Precipitation data were acquired from NOAA from 1948 to 2023 and the study was broken down into three time scales: annually, seasonally, and monthly. …

Prospective Use Of Detection Dogs As A Screening Tool For Mycoplasma Ovipneumoniae In Bighorn Sheep (Ovis Canadensis), Michele C. Lovara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae is a bacterium that can spill over from domestic sheep (Ovis aries) to bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), with effects in bighorn sheep ranging from low to no lamb recruitment to whole-herd all-age die-offs from resulting pneumonia. Fast and reliable pathogen or disease detection is essential for managing outbreaks in bighorn sheep and emergences in affected populations. Detection dogs are increasingly being enlisted to close gaps and further complement various disease, pathogen and virus research and response efforts. This thesis explores the use of conservation detection dogs as a potential tool for M. ovipneumoniae surveillance in bighorn sheep through …

Shifting Waters: A 41-Year Time-Series Analysis Of Surface Water Change In The Prairie Pothole Region, Madison Dejarlais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Prairie Pothole Region (PRR) is a landscape defined by a dynamic surface water system, with wetlands, lakes, and rivers playing critical roles in supporting biodiversity, regulating floods, and maintaining hydrological balance. This study conducts a time-series analysis of surface water change in the PPR from 1984 to 2024, using remote sensing tools including Google Earth Engine, ArcGIS Pro, and ENVI. 41 annual surface water presence rasters were compiled into a cumulative dataset, allowing for both year-to-year comparisons and broader trend analysis. Results indicate that the presence of surface water in the PPR has not followed a simple linear trend. …