Digital Commons Network^™

A Deep Learning Model For Early Diagnosis Of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus From Facial Images, Shourav Bikash Dey

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) poses significant challenges due to its complex and varied symptoms making diagnosis extremely challenging and time consuming. Symptoms of SLE often mimics other autoimmune or physical conditions and around 5 million people worldwide suffers from this condition, as reported by the Lupus Foundation of America during their study in 2019. However, diagnosis is much more difficult in developing countries with backdated clinical technology and setup therefore, making it virtually unknown the exact number of SLE patient count worldwide. Among all the heterogeneous symptoms presented by SLE, Butterfly Malar Rash (BMR) is one of the symptoms that …

Industrial Hemp Production And Potential Risks In Kentucky, Hoyeon Jeong

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Since the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2014 and 2018 legalized Industrial Hemp (Cannabis Sativa. L), interest in grain, fiber, and floral hemp production has seen growing pains. As an emerging crop, there is a research gap in the impact of weather and agronomic conditions on hemp production including THC (Delta 9 Tetrahydrocannabinol) and pollen drift as risks in hemp cultivation. The first essay aims to measure the impact of weather and agronomic factors on hemp grain, fiber, and floral yields in Kentucky using a yield-weather model with information on field locations. The results show that heat conditions during the growing …

The Ltar Grazing Land Common Experiment At Platte River High Plains Aquifer, M. Khorchani, M. Schmer, A. Freidenreich, T. Awada, G. Birru, S. Christofferson, R. Drijber, G. Erickson, V. Jin, R. Mcdermott, A. Suyker, A. Watson, B. Woodbury, Y. Xiong, J. Hiller, X. Sun, L. Li

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) consists presently of 18 sites within the contiguous United States that are managed by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and its partners. The LTAR network focuses on developing national strategies for more efficient, resilient, and profitable agricultural production systems, improved environmental quality, and enhanced rural prosperity. The Platte River High Plains Aquifer (PRHPA) LTAR site is managed jointly by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) and USDA-ARS and is one of the LTAR sites that conduct research on both integrated cropping and grazing systems. The PRHPA region …

A Technique For Visualization Of Multivariate Categorical Data, Janice James

CCAC Theses and Dissertations

Multivariate Categorical Data (MCD) plays a significant role in many industries, and the ability to understand the data is critical for insight and decision making. Visualization is a key tool for understanding the data. This dissertation designed and implemented a novel technique for visualizing MCD called Pivoting Parallel Charts (PPC). The design of PPC was informed by studying several existing MCD visualization techniques.

PPC visualizes MCD as a sequence of parallel axes with affixed bar charts. A user-specified axis, called the pivot, acts as the crucial point of consideration for all data relationships. The bar charts are color-coded by the …

A Road Map For Place Based Collaboration For Conflict Reduction, Joseph L. Zecher

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

No abstract provided.

Creation Of A Digital Storage System For Genome Sequencing Metadata, Jacquelin W. Olexa

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

As the field of computational genomics continues to expand in both potential and application, it is now more imperative than ever to ensure that massive genetic sequencing datasets are properly stored in an accessible manner. This project sought to establish a practical, user-friendly, secure system for a genomics research lab (the Good Lab; thegoodlab.org) at the University of Montana. A MySQL database and connected web application was ruled the best configuration to maximize utility and accessibility for the lab’s researchers. Building the logical framework for the database, creating the server, and sourcing data occurred over several months. The dataset ranged …

Improving Accessibility And Understanding: Studying The Impact Of Human Activities And Dam Removals On Anadromous Fish Species In The Pacific Northwest, Adia F. Bennett

Scripps Senior Theses

Human activities in North American watersheds have significantly impacted anadromous fish, causing some species of salmon and steelhead to become threatened and endangered. These fish hold ecological, cultural, and economic importance, yet factors such as habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, climate change, and hydroelectric dams continue to degrade populations. Dams are particularly harmful to anadromous fish, sparking a recent movement advocating for dam removals. This study uses NOAA’s 2022 Biological Viability Assessment to examine the response of anadromous fish to recent dam removals in the Pacific Northwest. Four populations were selected to analyze due to their interaction with sites that had …

Discovery Of Dna Aptamers As Probes For Detecting Ranavirus Mcp, Corbin Hudson

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Global amphibian populations have been declining since the late 20th century; one of the most significant contributors to these declines is a genus of viral pathogens known as Ranavirus (Rv). Frog virus 3 is one of these viral agents and is currently found affecting frog populations throughout NJ, MD, PA, DE, and VA. While Frog virus 3 is most known for afflicting frogs, the Ranavirus genus can also infect bony fish species as well as reptiles, allowing for a wide vector of transmission and making its spread a danger both locally and globally. In the absence of a cure, it …

Assessment Of The Impact Of Various Feature Extraction Techniques On The Effectiveness Of Music Genre Classification In Neural Network Models., Sabhdh Grace

ICT

This research focuses on Music Genre Classification (MGC) using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and various datasets, including raw audio files (WAV) and extracted features such as Mel Spectrograms (MS), Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC), and Chroma Features (CF). The study employs Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods (ESMM), combining qualitative research and experimental analysis to explore different model inputs and their performance. Several CNN-based models, including 2D CNN, 2D CNN-LSTM, 1D CNN, and 1D CNN-LSTM, were tested. However, the models generally underperformed, with most achieving accuracy of 10% or lower, and the best model (raw audio 1D CNN) reaching only 20%. The research …

Project Final Report Watershed Center Of Excellence, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute

KWRRI Research Reports

With the goal of providing a structured foundational background for watershed management to Kentucky’s watershed coordinators and other water quality professionals, the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute developed the Kentucky Watershed Academy, a six-module series of core training content. The modules address the following subject areas:

• Module 1: The Clean Water Act & Related Water Quality Laws

• Module 2: Water Quality Basics

• Module 3: Dealing with Data

• Module 4: Land Use Impacts & Related Best Management Practices

• Module 5: Likely Partners

• Module 6: Effective Communications

As a result of this project, a total of …

Development Of Small Ligands Targeting Pathogenic Rna Repeats In Neurodegenerative Diseases, Zhihua Chang

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Pathogenic microsatellite RNA expansions are toxic and can cause neuronal degeneration and dysfunction. Therapeutics that eliminate or neutralize these RNA repeats hold great promise for the treatment of many neurodegenerative diseases because they are uniformly fatal but there is no effective treatment available today. New compounds targeting these pathogenic RNA repeat sequences represent new hope to treat these diseases. The overall goal of my dissertation is to develop a high-throughput screening assay to identify small ligands as potential drug candidates against disease-associated RNA repeats and probe binding mechanisms to guide the design of optimized drug candidates, and eventually validate therapeutic …

Centering Climate Science In Learning, Déana Scipio, Priya Pugh, Kali Natarajan, Deb L. Morrison, Bethany Kogut, Karli Honebein, Michelle Grove, Jen Eklund

Climate, Water, and the Environment Research

The Washington State ClimeTime Network has been designed to build capacity for climate science learning, as well as broader NGSS implementation. As a network, we acknowledge the diversity of scientific histories and practices and continue to explore these variations to deepen our teaching and learning of climate science. This paper provides visions of what we mean by climate science centered learning, principles for fostering climate science learning, and guidance for capacity-building to achieve systemic implementation of climate science learning.

Use Of Otolith Microchemistry To Determine Natal Origins For Silver Carp Hypophthalmichthys Molitrix In The Lower Mississippi River Basin, C. Barshinger, M. Eggleton, J. Spurgeon

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Two Otolith Processing Methods For Silver Carp Age Estimation, J. N. Stevens, C. E. Barshinger, J. J. Spurgeon, M. A. Eggleton, S. E. Lochmann

Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Eco-Cultural Restoration Of Mouralherwaqh: Site Description And Invasive Species Treatment Plan In King Salmon, California, Natalie Bridget Calderon, Myion Rickey, King Baptista, Owen Bardsley, Jillian Snowhook

Undergraduate Scholarship

In July of 2022, the Wiyot Tribe bought back one of their first pieces of ancestral forest within the Mouralherwaqh "more-RAH-share-wahg" village area (Wiyot, 2022). Before this repatriation, the Tribe owned less than 1% of their ancestral lands; after, the Tribe’s land holdings increased by 10% (Reclaiming Mouralherwaqh | Humboldt NOW | Cal Poly Humboldt, 2022). Mouralherwaqh is a 46 acre coastal site located near present day King Salmon, California and has high ecological and culturally significant values (Wiyot, 2022). Prior to the change of ownership, Mouralherwaqh was privately-owned and in 2014 underwent a clear-cut timber harvest within eight-acres of …

Implications Of Using Edna As A Monitoring Tool In The Elk River Estuary, Trinity Brooke Spencer, Christy Elaine Wheatley, Fernando Edgar Martinez

Undergraduate Scholarship

This study compares the efficacy of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to traditional capture-based methods such as seine netting and minnow trapping for monitoring fish assemblages in the Elk River estuary. The Elk River estuary is located in Humboldt County, California and hosts a diverse range of fish species due to its tidal influences and brackish habitat. A restoration is planned for this area, thus it is important to explore the effectiveness of different fish monitoring methods that could be used to evaluate restoration success. For this capstone project, we conducted a pilot study at five sites within the Elk River …

Riparian Revegetation: Re-Indigenizing The Powers Creek Tributary Of The Baduwa’T Watershed At Blue Lake Rancheria, California, Genesis Beltran, Ruben Lopez, Ben Stock

Undergraduate Scholarship

This project focuses on the ecological and cultural restoration of Powers Creek, a tributary of the Baduwa’t watershed at Blue Lake Rancheria, California. Riparian ecosystems play a critical role in biodiversity, water quality, and climate resilience, particularly for species like salmonids reliant on cold-water refugia. The restoration efforts, guided by Indigenous knowledge, addressed the removal of non-native competitive species such as Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) and French broom (Genista monspessulana) – which are shown to increase wildfire severity and challenge native plant communities – in addition to freeing established plantings of vegetative competition. Through collaborative planning …

Braving The Elements: Loss Of Metals From Mardi Gras Beads Due To Handling And Weathering, Thomas O. Carmichael, Ruth H. Carmichael

Gulf and Caribbean Research

The largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the U.S. are found along the Gulf of Mexico coast. With increasing awareness of and concern for environmental and human health risks due to pollution from Mardi Gras celebrations, there is a need for studies to quantify potential harms. We conducted a 2—part study to determine whether use—related handling and weathering of common Mardi Gras beaded necklaces results in loss of potentially harmful metals to the environment at levels of ecological or human health concern. Our data indicate that weathering and use—related handling can cause metals to be shed from the metallic coating of …

Evaluation Of Physicochemical Properties Of Chicken Sausages Containing Whey Protein Isolate And Guar Gum, Nur Hamizah Hamid, Namasivayam Navaranjan

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The present work aims to evaluate the physicochemical properties and proximate composition of adding whey protein isolate (WPI) and guar gum (GG) as emulsion gels in chicken sausages formulated with different fat percentages. The fat reduction resulted in products having lower moisture content (p

Application Of Three Of Selected Medicinal Plant Extracts In Brunei Darussalam To Improve Shelf Life Of Poultry Product, Hazirah Abd Hamid, Namasivayam Navaranjan, Zohrah Sulaiman, Aida Maryam Binti Hj Basri

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Abstract. Bioactive compounds from plant derived in food application become increasingly in demand due to natural and nutritionally safe products. Due to some issues concerning food safety on the excessive use of synthetic preservatives; the present study aims to investigate the natural alternatives to synthetic antimicrobial food additives. The chicken meat’s shelf life was studied by adopting bio-based antimicrobial agents using three of selected native medicinal plants; P. betle, A. catechu, and A. tricolor, against common foodborne pathogens; E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. The overall results revealed that, all study extracts possessed antioxidant properties by DPPH …

Byproducts Of Tropical Marine Processing As A Candidate For Industrial Food Ingredients: An Appraisal On Macro And Micronutrients, Abdul Aziz Jaziri, Hajariah Hasanuddin, Rossita Shapawi, Ruzaidi Azli Mohd Mokhtar, Wan Norhana Md. Noordin, Masmunira Rambli, Nurul Huda

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Tropical marine fish is a main raw material for surimi processing plants, including golden threadfin bream (Nemipterus virgatus Houttuyn, 1782) and swallowtail dwarf monocle bream (Parascolopsis eriomma Jordan & Richardson, 1909). After processing, more than 60% of fish are considered as byproducts (i.e., head, viscera, skin, bones, fins and scale), and tend to discard due to poor-utilization. Hence, this paper aims to evaluate macro- and micro-nutrients derived from golden threadfin bream (GTB) and swallowtail dwarf monocle bream (SDMB). The higher content of protein (25.31 ± 0.81%) was observed in the skin part of GTB, followed by the flesh (21.26 ± …

Σ-Ary, Minnesota State University Moorhead, Mathematics Department

Math Department Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Evolution Of Angular Momentum In Triaxial Dark Matter Halos, Tara C. Nester

Honors College Theses

Galactic halos are believed to form through both the early inflow of dark matter from the cosmic web and mergers over an extended period. At the same time, stellar disks are forming within this evolving halo. How a stellar disk responds to a changing halo is investigated in this study using live n-body disks embedded in an analytic triaxial potential. At triaxialities of a few percent, we find that while there are subtle perturbations in the disk, there is no significant change in the total disk angular momentum. However, between 5 and 10% triaxialities there is a sharp transition to …

Enumeration Of Increasing Trees, Garrett M. Southwood

Honors College Theses

We consider the generating function for increasingly labelled trees. By generalizing the proof through symbolic method, we are able to study various statistics regarding binary increasing trees with respect to height restrictions. We then apply our approach to special colorings of increasing trees in order to obtain their generating functions and, from there, derive the counting sequence for (ak+a)-colored recursive trees. We also present some interesting bijections between colored and non-colored increasing trees.

Accessing And Assessing Components Of Elementary And Middle School Students’ Mathematical Disposition Through Metaphors, Emily Deal, Edward Mooney, Amanda Cullen, Neet Priya Bajwa, Allison M. Kroesch, Julien Corven, Beth Macdonald

Faculty Publications – Mathematics

This study examined student-generated metaphors comparing food to math as a means of accessing and assessing components of prekindergarten through Grade 8 students’ (N = 306) mathematical disposition. Previous research provided insight into predominantly affective components of older students’ mathematical disposition (i.e. Grade 4 through college). However, we extend these findings to include nonaffective components and younger students. Our study highlights the value in conceptualizing mathematical disposition as the sum of three mental functions, namely cognitive (e.g., mental processes such as reasoning), affective (e.g., attitudes, feelings, beliefs about mathematics or oneself as a learner), and conative (e.g., effort, grit, …

The Future Of Hydropower In Southeast Asia’S Renewable Energy Transition, Olivia Cairns

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis will examine the barriers to implementing hydropower in Southeast Asia and propose responsible solutions. This is necessary because Southeast Asia is not on track to reduce carbon emissions to meet climate change mitigation goals. Coal often outcompetes renewable energy sources as a means of addressing the growing demand for electricity. Many insist that the potential for solar and wind power expansion is high, but often ignore the key problems with these renewables at an industrial scale. Hydroelectric dams face rampant social opposition, mistrust due to policy failures, and a poor reputation for causing social and environmental harm. Yet, …

Drone-Based Topographic Monitoring Of The Doheny Beach Replenishment Project As An Alternative To Land-Based Monitoring, Miller Mccraw

CMC Senior Theses

The rising threat of coastal erosion to California’s beach ecosystems and economy has fueled a rise in coastal stabilization projects, including beach replenishment. This process’s potentially adverse impact on a beach’s topography and ecosystem makes post-replenishment monitoring essential for long-term coastline management. Drone-based monitoring presents itself as a faster, cheaper, and safer alternative to traditional post-replenishment monitoring but has little proof of concept as a practical substitute. This study used drone-based photogrammetry coupled with publicly available wave data to track elevation changes at Doheny and San Capistrano Beach after a beach replenishment project to both determine the beach’s resilience to …

The Impact Of The Use Of Mercury In Mining In Colombia, Johan Martinez

CMC Senior Theses

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining is a practice that is common all around the world, especially in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It is also one of the leading consumers of mercury and leading sources of emissions. Governments have banned the use of mercury completely, including Colombia, but it continues to be used and emitted into the environment. This issue is exacerbated because there is a lack of standards, a lack of research done regarding mercury use in mining, and a complex socio-political history in Colombia. For this reason, this paper seeks to provide a proposed pathway for research to …

Re-Evaluation Of Lethal Radiation Dose In Drosophila Melanogaster Using 350 Kev Electrons, Dariia Hozhenko

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Radiation dosimetry from a 350 KeV electron beam and its impact on Drosophila melanogaster response serve as the focal points of this study. While previous research has established an LD50 (lethal radiation dose for 50 % of the population) exceeding 452 Gy across mainly all developmental stages, this investigation extends the understanding by examining dose-dependent differences throughout development, from the pupae stage into adulthood. Fruit flies, irradiated at their most sensitive stage, the egg phase, displayed a notable reduction in effective LD50, especially when accounting for long-term effects. Specifically, the LD50 values decreased to approximately 59 Gy for the maximum …

Mechanism Of Action Of Kl-50, A Candidate Imidazotetrazine For The Treatment Of Drug-Resistant Brain Cancers, Eric D. Huseman, Anna Lo, Olga Fedorova, James L. Elia, Susan E. Gueble, Kingson Lin, Ranjini K. Sundaram, Jooneseok Oh, Jinchan Liu, Fabian Menges, Matthew G. Rees, Melissa M. Ronan, Jennifer A. Roth, Victor S. Batista, Jason M. Crawford, Anna M. Pyle, Ranjit S. Bindra, Seth B. Herzon

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

Aberrant DNA repair is a hallmark of cancer, and many tumors display reduced DNA repair capacities that sensitize them to genotoxins. Here, we demonstrate that the differential DNA repair capacities of healthy and transformed tissue may be exploited to obtain highly selective chemotherapies. We show that the novel N3-(2-fluoroethyl)imidazotetrazine “KL-50” is a selective toxin toward tumors that lack the DNA repair protein O⁶-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), which reverses the formation of O⁶-alkylguanine lesions. We establish that KL-50 generates DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) by a multistep process comprising DNA alkylation to generate an O⁶-(2-fluoroethyl)guanine (O⁶FEtG) …