Digital Commons Network^™

Regional Groundwater Flow And Advective Contaminant Transport Modeling In A Typical Hydrogeological Environment Of Northern New Jersey, Toritseju Oyen, Duke Ophori

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study develops a numerical model to simulate groundwater flow and contaminant transport in a “typical hydrogeological environment” of northern New Jersey, addressing freshwater decline. Focusing on the Lower Passaic water management area (WMA), we model chloride transport in a fractured-rock aquifer, where fracture networks control hydraulic conductivity and porosity. The urbanized setting—encompassing Montclair State University (MSU) and municipal wells—features heterogeneous groundwater systems and critical water resources, providing an ideal case study for worst-case contaminant transport scenarios. Using MODFLOW and MODPATH, we simulated flow and tracked particles over 20 years. Results show that chloride from MSU reached the Third River …

Indoor Airborne Pathogen Transmission And Control: A Role Of Environmental Factors And Material Properties, Eloise Eyo Parry-Nweye

Dissertations - ALL

The transmission of infectious airborne pathogens has severe implications on human health and economic stability. This is evidenced by the re-emergence of global pandemics with high mortality rates, various respiratory diseases, crop damage, incurred nationwide financial costs, etc. These causative pathogens, encompassing viruses, fungal spores, etc., attach to aerosol and droplet particles, enabling their aerial dispersal and leading to a cascade of detrimental events. Developing interventions to control pathogenic transmission requires an in-depth understanding of the various modes of disease transmission. However, existential gaps within the respective disease transmission modalities remained. For instance, while viruses are predominantly transmitted via aerosols, …

Refinement Or Disruption: Patterns Of Critical Inquiry In Computing Ethics Assignments, Vincent Barfield, Charles Wallace

Michigan Tech Publications

Ethical inquiry in computing has an evolving nature, where repeated critical questioning may lead to a series of reframings of the problem. Since many computing students have experience with agile project-based courses, an iterative approach can provide a familiar entry into ethics. Agile development, however, is typically oriented around satisfaction of customer goals, while ethical inquiry requires constant questioning that may cast those goals into doubt. Does the similarity between critical ethical inquiry and iterative development provide a helpful model or breed a false familiarity? To address this question, we examine student work in a computing ethics course, involving iterative …

Poly(Pyridinium Salt)S Containing 9,9-Bis(4- Aminophenyl)Fluorene Moieties With Various Organic Counterions Exhibiting Both Lyotropic Liquid-Crystalline And Light-Emitting Properties, Pradip K. Bhowmik, David King, Haesook Han, Andras F. Wacha, Matti Knaapila

Chemistry and Biochemistry Faculty Research

Main-chain conjugated and non-conjugated polyelectrolytes are an important class of materials that have many technological applications ranging from fire-retardant materials to carbon-nanotube composites, nonlinear optical materials, electrochromic materials for smart windows, and optical sensors for biomolecules. Here, we describe a series of poly(pyridinium salt)s-fluorene containing 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl)fluorene moieties with various organic counterions that were synthesized using ring-transmutation polymerization and metathesis reactions, which are non-conjugated polyelectrolytes. Their chemical structures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), proton (1H) and fluorine 19 (19F) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers, and elemental analysis. They exhibited polyelectrolytic behavior in dimethyl sulfoxide. Their lyotropic liquid-crystalline phases were …

Grades Are Bugs, Jordan Freitas

Computer Science Faculty Works

This paper argues that grades are bugs in our educational system, undermining desired behaviors and outcomes. Grades were introduced into higher education for purposes directly at odds with the goals of inclusive pedagogy today, as well as the neuroscience of human motivation and learning. Students enter computer science programs from increasingly varied backgrounds and experiences, and face a rapidly evolving landscape of prospective career paths while higher education costs in the United States are ever increasing. Computer science educators have a responsibility to adapt and carefully re-examine typical approaches to all aspects of the learning environments we build and curricula …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Revised Draft Final Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Dated May 27, 2025), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Potent Acridone Antimalarial Against All Three Life Stages Of Plasmodium, Papireddy Kancharla, Rozalia A. Dodean, Yuexin Li, Xiaowei Zhang, Sean Kelly, Jordan Charlton, Angley Binauhan, Laurize Garcia, Diana Caridha, Jane X. Kelly, Multiple Additional Authors

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

New antimalarial therapeutics ideally should target all three major life cycle stages. Here we present an acridone antimalarial chemotype that is potent against blood, liver, and mosquito stages of malaria parasites, with the potential for single-dose cure of bloodstream infections, radical cure of liver infections, and blocking of transmission to mosquitoes. Attributes of lead candidate T111 include potent in vitro activity against cultured parasites, ex vivo activity against clinical isolates, oral single dose cure in an asexual blood stage rodent model, inhibition of sexual blood stage parasites, activity against relapsing parasites in non-human primate liver cells, prevention of parasite development …

Combining Submicron Spectroscopy Techniques (Afm-Ir And O-Ptir) To Detect And Quantify Nanoplastics In Snow From A Utah Ski Resort, Sara L. Belontz, Janice Brahney, Caroline E. Caplan, Eoghan Dillon, Ting Yan, Gerardo Dominguez

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy are cutting-edge techniques used for precise nanoscale chemical analysis, capable of detecting and characterizing particles smaller than 1 μm. In this study, we applied both techniques to analyze snow subsamples collected from Beaver Mountain, Utah. Quantification by AFM-IR identified a concentration of 1.50 × 10^–1 μg/mL of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), a copolyester known for its biodegradability and biocompatibility and that was the only polymer detected. Notably, 96% of particles had thicknesses below 1 μm, with the smallest particle recorded at 14 nm in height, demonstrating the advantage …

Directivity And Sound Radiation Of Percussion Instruments And Harmonic Analysis Of The Alto Saxophone, Hanna Michelle Pavill

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how musical instruments radiate sound, with a focus on directional behavior under realistic performance conditions. High-resolution measurements using a rotating microphone array were used to study percussion and woodwind instruments, providing new insight into how design, excitation, and frequency content shape acoustic output. The first set of experiments analyzed the directivity of the bass drum, triangle, and open snare. Each instrument exhibited unique radiation patterns reflecting its structure and playing method. The bass drum showed dipole-like behavior at low frequencies, transitioning to omnidirectional spreading at mid frequencies, and increasingly irregular patterns at higher frequencies. The triangle, due …

Deliberately Queer Journal Editors' Note For Volume One, Sean Te Maulding, Mel Monier

Deliberately Queer Journal

No abstract provided.

Current Status And Future Trends Of Seismic Prediction And Assessment Technology For Coalbed Methane Reservoirs, Wu Haibo, Zhang Pingsong, Xu Shi’Ang, Huang Yaping, Dong Shouhua, Cheng Yan, Li Donghui, Zhang Sheng, Zhang Min

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The seismic prediction and assessment technology for coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs has undergone rapid development for over three decades, playing an indispensable role in CBM exploration. Methods This study reviews the development history and current status of core technologies within the seismic prediction and assessment technical system for CBM reservoirs, including seismic-petrophysical tests, modeling and inversion, seismic wavefield simulation, seismic amplitude versus offset (AVO) inversion and seismic attribute inversion, and integrated seismic prediction of the sweet spot areas of CBM reservoir resources and engineering. Furthermore, this study delves into the impacts and limitations of the characteristics of CBM reservoirs, …

Mechanisms Underlying Differential Helium Enrichment In Shale Gas Of Varying Structural Styles In The Southeastern Sichuan Basin, Xin Zhiyuan, Chen Jianfa, Wang Jie, Ma Yong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Shale gas reservoirs hold considerable helium reserves despite relatively low helium abundance, establishing them as a critical replacement for helium production growth. The southeastern Sichuan Basin exhibits diverse structural styles with varying preservation conditions, leading to an unclear understanding of the distribution characteristics and enrichment patterns of helium in shale gas. Determining the mechanisms behind the differential helium enrichment in shale gas is significant for the effective utilization of helium in shale gas.Methods Focusing on the typical shale gas reservoirs of different structural styles in the southeastern Sichuan Basin, this study explored the mechanisms underlying differential helium accumulation …

Analyzing The Permeability Enhancement Effect Of Hydraulic Slotting For Low-Permeability Coal Seams Based On A Stress-Diffusion-Seepage Coupling Model, Zhang Hongtu, Zhou Tian, Wang Dengke, Li Botao, Luo Yong, Pan Rongsheng, Tang Jiahao, Lu Weiyong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Methods This study aims to improve the permeability enhancement effect of coal seams for gas drainage. Targeting the soft, low-permeability coal seams with complex gas occurrence conditions in the Baiping mining area and considering the impacts of effective stress, gas migration, actual gas effects, and tortuosity, this study constructed a stress-diffusion-seepage coupling model based on the pore-fracture dual medium assumption. Using the coupling model, this study simulated the variation patterns of gas content in coal seams during gas drainage under varying gas contents and borehole spacings. Through field tests under different permeability enhancement measures and unloaded coal amounts …

A Method Integrating A Non-Stationary Random Field For Constrained Inversion Of Csamt Data, Dai Qianwei, Guo Luyao, Wu Yun, Xiong Zhexian, Duan Dan, Bao Zhonglin, Wu Hongfei, Hao Fengyun

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The inversion of controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotelluric (CSAMT) data remains challenging due to two key issues: computational efficiency and resolution. To tackle these two issues, especially the over-smoothing effect caused by traditional regularization methods in estimating complex geological structures, this study proposed an improved regularization inversion method to reflect the spatial distribution characteristics of subsurface physical property parameters more accurately. Methods The proposed method was developed using the method for establishing the stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE) based on the Matérn covariance function. By introducing vector fields and the shape parameters of a range ellipse, this method fully considered both …

Synthesis Of Carboxymethyl Cellulose From Nypa Fruticans For Coating Metformin On Zn-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanohybrid As A Bionanocomposite Drug Delivery System, Delviani Delviani, Viola Giary Rizkillah Maharani, Putri Nur Shadrina, Tri Warni, Regina Wan Azizah, Indra Lasmana Tarigan, Madyawati Latief

Makara Journal of Science

Diabetes is a common and rapidly spreading disease that affects 6.6% of the world’s population. Metformin hydrochloride (HCl) is an effective oral pharmacological treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients because of its capability to reduce glucose levels and the risk of hypoglycaemia. However, gastrointestinal sensitivities to this drug can cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and stomach ache. An alternative is controlled release technology by coating metformin with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and zinc-metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) through the encapsulation method. Therefore, this study aimed to coat metformin formulations using CMC in a Zn-MOF to control release into the body and minimise …

Determination Of Mitoxantrone In Environmental Waters: A Spectrophotometric Method With Preconcentration By Salt Saturated Pipette-Tip Micro Solid Phase Extraction Using Molecularly Imprinted Polymer, Sayyed Hossein Hashemi, Massoud Kaykhaii, Ahmad Jamali Keikha, Mina Esmailiun

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

In this research, a fast and simple spectrophotometric method is presented for mitoxantrone determination in various aqueous samples. It utilizes preconcentration by salt saturated pipette-tip micro solid phase extraction with a selective molecularly imprinted polymer adsorbent packed in a micropipette tip. Prior to sample loading, they were saturated with a mixture of NaCl, Mg (NO3)2.6H2O and KNO3 salts, enhancing extraction efficiency by 27.5% compared to salt-free conditions. Key microextraction parameters (amount of molecularly imprinted polymer, sample pH, eluent type/volume, and adsorption/desorption cycles) were optimized using response surface methodology and one-variable-at-a-time methods. The method achieves a low detection limit (0.2 μg …

Enhanced And Proficient Chitosan Membranes Embedded With Polyaniline-Tio2 Core-Shell Nanocomposites For Fuel-Cell Hydrogen Storage, Mallikarjunagouda Patil, Sridhar N. Mathad, Arun Y. Patil, Abdulaziz Abdulah Al-Kheraif, Sachin Naik, Sajith Vellapally

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

This study investigates the preparation and properties of aniline polymerized in situ onto a nanosized TiO2 surface to form core-shell nanoparticles at ambient temperatures. The in situ polymerization of aniline to polyaniline (PANI), in conjunction with the utilization of an anionic surfactant, was employed in this investigation. The prepared PANI-TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles were integrated with chitosan at a gravimetric ratio and cast as core-shell nanocomposite membranes. The nanocomposites were subjected to structural analysis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction patterns. The surface morphologies of the PANI and its nanocomposites were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Direct current conductivity …

Pt-Enhanced Wo3 Nanoparticles For Efficient Hydrogen Production: Synthesis And Electrochemical Evaluation, Merve Akbayrak

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

In this study, Pt/WO3 nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple room-temperature impregnation-reduction method and characterized by advanced techniques including ICP, TEM-EDX, FE-SEM-EDX, and XRD. The ICP-OES analysis confirmed a 1.0 wt. %Pt loading on the WO3 support. TEM and FE-SEM analyses revealed that the Pt nanoparticles were well dispersed with an average size of approximately 3.7 nm. The XRD patterns showed characteristic WO3 peaks without any detectable Pt diffraction peaks, indicating the high dispersion of Pt. Electrochemical evaluations demonstrated that the Pt/WO3 catalyst exhibited outstanding hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance, with –27.8 mV vs. RHE onset potential and –37.4 mV …

A Single Batch Synthesis Of Pure Phase Mo2c From Ammonium Molybdate: Pathway And Properties, Melek Cumbul Altay

Turkish Journal of Chemistry

This study presents an original, effective, and environmentally friendly method for synthesizing pure molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) from ammonium molybdate tetrahydrate (AMT) without generating carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. The process involves the sequential transformation of AMT to Mo2C, which follows the reaction pathway of (NH4)6Mo7O24→MoO3→MoO2→Mo→Mo2C. This transformation is achieved by strategically altering the gas atmosphere, switching from Ar to H2 at 800 K and then from H2 to CH4 at 1000 K. Thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques were used to characterize AMT and the products. Mass measurements were used to follow the conversion of …

Population Genomic Investigation Of The Oregon Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps Wrighti) Reveals Suburban Populations Are Remnants, Not Recent Introductions, Clare Yang, Laura Guderyahn, Charlotte Corkran, Steven Wagner, Lauren M. Chan

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the face of urbanization and anthropogenic change, some native species persist while others are lost. Understanding native populations, particularly in marginal habitat, can lend insights into the effects of habitat change. The Oregon Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps wrighti) is endemic to the late-successional forests of the Cascade Range in Oregon and has declined due to land use change. In 2007, several populations of the Oregon Slender Salamander were found within highly human-modified localities in the Portland Metropolitan Region. We investigate whether these, and other newly discovered suburban populations, represent remnant populations that persisted in the face of habitat …

Advancing Political Science With Machine Learning: A Gaussian Process Approach, Yehu Chen

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The proliferation of data in recent decades including including survey, image and text data, has significantly transformed the landscape of political science research. Machine learning methods have played an instrumental role in analyzing these datasets, yet their application poses challenges in areas where political concepts are not directly measurable or the primary focus of inference is causality. In addition, the essence of machine learning algorithms being trained for prediction performance in a black-boxed manner, makes their outputs hardly interpretable and even unappreciated. This dissertation addresses these issues by proposing a novel methodological framework that employs Gaussian Process (GP) models, a …

Physical And Chemical Characterization Of Recycled Glass Sand For Environmental Restoration, Shehbaz Ahmad, Julie P. Vanegas, Nicholas Borne, Natalia Butler, Toby Mendels, Leah A. Michaeloff, Diego Molina, Mary Salvaggio, Samantha Tamayo, Franziska Trautmann

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Introduction

We rely on coastal resources for food, water, and energy. However, over 75% of U.S. coastlines are eroding. Concurrently, the U.S. recycles less glass than other developed countries, landfilling hundreds of millions of tons every year. Recycled glass sand has many potential benefits over natural sand for combatting land loss; for example, it can be produced with controlled particle size to better resist erosion, making it an excellent—and underutilized—material for environmental restoration.

Objectives

This research compares the physical and chemical properties of recycled glass sand to natural sands (beach and dredge) from the U.S. Gulf Coast to assess environmental …

Classification Of Human Trust In Ai Using Brain Activity Data, Danushka Bandara, Ruhuan Liao, Fatima Chowdhury, Leslie Abbott

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

Trust plays a crucial role in human-computer interaction, particularly in scenarios involving artificial intelligence (AI) systems. This study explores the feasibility of using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data to classify trust levels in human-AI interaction scenarios. A total of 18 participants completed an image classification task with an AI team member while their hemodynamic responses were recorded using fNIRS. Preprocessing of fNIRS data involved motion artifact removal, filtering, and normalization. Exploratory analysis identified significant associations between hemodynamic responses in the prefrontal cortex and trust levels. An across-subject binary trust classification model was developed using machine learning techniques, achieving an F1 …

Low Surface Brightness Features Of Edge-On Galaxies In Deep Sky Surveys, Kyle R. Adams

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we present a comprehensive visual analysis of low surface brightness (LSB) structures in edge-on galaxies using two statistically complete samples: 838 galaxies from the SDSS Stripe 82 region (ES82) and 5,745 galaxies from the Edge-on Galaxies in SDSS (EGIS) catalog, both containing galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts out to 𝑧 ∼ 0.2. Using deep imaging data from the SDSS, SDSS Stripe 82, DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, and the HSC-SSP, we construct RGB and coadded images for comparison and to improve feature detection. Average limiting photometric depth for each survey in the 𝑟 band for the surveys analyzed in …

Multiscale Modeling Of Drug-Induced Liver Injury From Organ To Lobule, Alon Malka-Markovitz, Stelian Camara Dit Pinto, Mohammed Cherkaoui, Steven M Levine, Sharmila Anandasabapathy, Gagan K Sood, Sadhna Dhingra, Gao Yujia, John M Vierling, Nicolas R Gallo

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Drug-induced liver injury poses significant challenges in drug development and in clinical care. This study builds on prior work developing a Human Liver Virtual Twin by creating a Multiscale Computational Fluid Dynamics framework that integrates patient-specific anatomical data to predict acetaminophen-induced liver injury as a demonstration of its capability. The model bridges vascular, lobular, and cellular scales to simulate dynamic blood flow, drug transport, and injury mechanisms that accurately reflect clinically observed spatial heterogeneity. Results demonstrate accurate blood flow dynamics, predictions of hepatocellular damage, and a scalable framework for studying spatial heterogeneity applicable to other hepatic pathologies. This work establishes …

Enhancing News Article Generation With Ai Tools, Adam Ercanbrack, Christopher Johnson, Max Pagan, Nibhrat Lohia

SMU Data Science Review

Abstract. This paper aims to present a comparative analysis of a custom-built AI Journalist Assistant and ChatGPT 4.0 for news article generation. The goal is to evaluate the performance of each model based on accuracy, speed, ethical safeguards, and relevance, particularly in the context of journalism. While ChatGPT is widely used for general-purpose content creation, its reliance on older data and potential for plagiarism presents challenges in the fast-paced, high-stakes world of news reporting. To address these issues, we will design and implement an AI Assistant using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) techniques, focusing on real-time data access, bias reduction, and plagiarism …

The Prevalence And Impact Of Discourse In Social Media Networks: The 2024 Presidential Election, Kyle Kuberski, Xavier R. Mojica, Gwonchan J. Yoon, Brad Klein, Bivin P. Sadler

SMU Data Science Review

Abstract. Social Media platforms serve as central hubs for global discourse, where political dialogue is widely shared and echoed. This exchange shapes civic participation and influences electoral outcomes, often with both intended and unintended consequences. In its inception, social media platforms served as message boards for the masses, yet manipulation and exploiting of systems via bot usage has made platforms susceptible to outside forces. Thus, false narratives and an artificial sense of consensus are endemically augmented. As for the 2016 and 2020 U.S. presidential elections, it is important to investigate the prevalence of evolved bot activity in both political and …

The Enigmatic Samuel Aughey: Nebraska’S Pastor Naturalist, Hugh H. Genoways, Margaret R. Bolick, Mary Anne Andrei

Zea E-Books Collection

Samuel Aughey at age 39 became the first Professor of Natural Science at the new University of Nebraska in Lincoln, serving from 1871 to 1883. He was an ordained pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, with an addendum degree from Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College) in 1856 and an A.M. degree two years later. His early pastoral work was in Pennsylvania, but in 1864 he became a home missionary to a church in Dakota City, Nebraska. Aughey’s career at the university was marked with successes and honors, but also criticism and questions about his basic knowledge of the sciences. While …

Why Real Impact Stories Of Forest-Dependent Communities Are Essential In Carbon Marketing, Andrew Mwape

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

As the global carbon market matures, the pressure on companies and project developers to prove the integrity and social value of their carbon offset initiatives has never been greater. At the heart of this growing scrutiny lies a key opportunity: to move beyond metrics and tell authentic, human-centered stories that reflect the real impact of carbon projects; especially those rooted in forest landscapes.

Applying Ceragenins In Translational Medicine: Activating Mesenchymal Stem Cells And Preventing Healthcare-Associated Infections, Aaron L. Zaugg

Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare-associated infections are a major global concern. Increased infections among vulnerable populations lead to millions of deaths, annually, complicated by the emergence of multi-drug resistant pathogens. These infections are often facilitated by medical devices serving as abiotic surfaces that facilitate the formation of biofilms. Notably, colonization of prostheses and other bone-associated medical devices can lead to corrective procedures, revisions and death. To address these issues, inspiration can be drawn from natural sources of bone health and defenses against infection. Cathelicidins are endogenous peptides involved in both bone maintenance and infection control. Ceragenins are small molecule mimics of cathelicidins with broad …