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A Nested Pcr Strategy For Recovering Highly Discriminatory Y-Str Dna Profiles From Trace Male Dna Samples, Anna Kimball Jan 2020

A Nested Pcr Strategy For Recovering Highly Discriminatory Y-Str Dna Profiles From Trace Male Dna Samples, Anna Kimball

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

DNA profiling is an effective method of identifying individuals in forensic casework. In sexual assault cases in particular, male donor DNA can be genotyped using Y chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) analysis even in the presence of significant levels of female DNA. The recently released recommended national standard for sexual assault evidence collection from the victim is within 5 days after the sexual assault, with the probability of obtaining a male DNA profile diminishing significantly thereafter due to degradation and/or loss of sperm. The present study was designed to develop a method of obtaining a highly probative DNA profile with …


Tensor Network States: Optimizations And Applications In Quantum Many-Body Physics And Machine Learning, Justin Reyes Jan 2020

Tensor Network States: Optimizations And Applications In Quantum Many-Body Physics And Machine Learning, Justin Reyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Tensor network states are ubiquitous in the investigation of quantum many-body (QMB) physics. Their advantage over other state representations is evident from their reduction in the computational complexity required to obtain various quantities of interest, namely observables. Additionally, they provide a natural platform for investigating entanglement properties within a system. In this dissertation, we develop various novel algorithms and optimizations to tensor networks for the investigation of QMB systems, including classical and quantum circuits. Specifically, we study optimizations for the two-dimensional Ising model in a transverse field, we create an algorithm for the $k$-SAT problem, and we study the entanglement …


Estimation And Clustering In Network And Indirect Data, Ramchandra Rimal Jan 2020

Estimation And Clustering In Network And Indirect Data, Ramchandra Rimal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The first part of the dissertation studies a density deconvolution problem with small Berkson errors. In this setting, the data is not available directly but rather in the form of convolution and one needs to estimate the convolution of the unknown density with Berkson errors. While it is known that the Berkson errors improve the precision of the reconstruction, it does not necessarily happen when Berkson errors are small. Furthermore, the choice of bandwidth in density estimation has been an open problem so far. In this dissertation, we provide an in-depth study of the choice of the bandwidth which leads …


Social Justice, Inclusive Education, And Teacher Agency, Jennifer Sanguiliano Lonski Jan 2020

Social Justice, Inclusive Education, And Teacher Agency, Jennifer Sanguiliano Lonski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Public school education in the United States has a long history of supporting societal norms within the curriculum and classroom. Through the use of social justice and inclusive education (SJIE), teachers have the unique ability to disrupt the social reproduction of inequity within their content and curriculum. In order to do this, teachers must first understand social justice and inclusive education (knowledge) and feel comfortable and confident implementing it within their classroom (agency). This study focuses on 13 public school teachers who attended a weeklong professional development program which focused on social justice, privilege, trauma-informed education, mindfulness, and inclusive education …


Non-Linear Inverse Liquid-Solid Chromatography As A Methodology To Characterize Drug Concentration Losses To Polymeric Materials Used In Body-On-A-Chip Devices For Drug Discovery, Mark Schnepper Jan 2020

Non-Linear Inverse Liquid-Solid Chromatography As A Methodology To Characterize Drug Concentration Losses To Polymeric Materials Used In Body-On-A-Chip Devices For Drug Discovery, Mark Schnepper

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Body-on-a-chip and human-on-a-chip systems are currently being used to augment and could eventually replace animal models in drug discovery and basic biological research. However, hydrophobic molecules, especially therapeutic compounds, tend to adsorb to the polymer materials used to create these microfluidic platforms, which may distort the dose-response curves that feed into Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models which translate preclinical data into predictions of clinical outcomes. Adsorption of hydrophobic molecules to these polymer materials needs better characterization. Inverse Liquid-Solid Chromatography paired with a numerical optimization based on the Langmuir model of adsorption was used to characterize the adsorption isotherm parameters of selected drugs …


Interdisciplinary Cybersecurity For Resilient Cyberdefense, Rachid Ait Maalem Lahcen Jan 2020

Interdisciplinary Cybersecurity For Resilient Cyberdefense, Rachid Ait Maalem Lahcen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Cybersecurity's role is to protect confidentiality, integrity, and availability of enterprise assets. Confidentiality secures data from theft, integrity mitigates modification of data in a malicious way, and availability assures continuation of systems' access and services. However, achieving these goals is difficult due to the mushrooming of various cyber attackers that come from individuals or state actors with motives ranging from ideological, financial, state-sponsored espionage, revenge, or simple curiosity and boredom. The difficulty also lies in the complexity of the cyber layers that are not well studied. Layers that interconnect and require effective communication and collaboration. This effectiveness is still lacking …


Preparation And Characterization Of Epitaxial Thin Films With Applications In Catalysis And Microelectronics, Asim Khaniya Jan 2020

Preparation And Characterization Of Epitaxial Thin Films With Applications In Catalysis And Microelectronics, Asim Khaniya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Ubiquitous in the modern world, the epitaxial thin film offers a wide range of practical applications in the field of microelectronics, solar industries, optical devices, and catalysis. This thesis deals with studying the growth and characterization of molybdenum nitride (MoN) and various dielectric encapsulated Ru(0001) thin films on single-crystal substrates. The phase-specific and single-crystalline MoN film was grown epitaxially on pre-nitrogen-covered Ru(0001) via physical vapor deposition and characterized by UHV based surface science analytical techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, helium ion scattering spectroscopy, auger electron spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction (LEED). The annealing temperature of 700 K was found …


Experimental, Analytical And Computational Analyses Of Linear And Radial Shape Memory Alloy Helical Actuators, Ryan Puchaty Jan 2020

Experimental, Analytical And Computational Analyses Of Linear And Radial Shape Memory Alloy Helical Actuators, Ryan Puchaty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

As access to Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) has expanded beyond their use as linear wires, the need for characterizing more complex forms that account for the effects of multi-axial stress, strain, and displacement has become increasingly important in actuator design. The novel uses of SMA actuators have also moved the devices into previously unexplored loading conditions, where established theory does not adequately model the real behavior. This work seeks to alleviate some of these issues by addressing problems with the most common multi-axial stress devices: helical springs. New applications are requiring high forces in small spaces, where SMAs' high work …


Numerical Analysis On The Geomechanical Mechanisms And Stability Of Sinkholes In Central Florida, Moataz Soliman Jan 2020

Numerical Analysis On The Geomechanical Mechanisms And Stability Of Sinkholes In Central Florida, Moataz Soliman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Sinkholes are a common geohazard in karst areas that can threaten human life and causes significant damage to infrastructure. Approximately 18% of the United States falls into karst area where overburden soils are underlain by soluble carbonate rocks. In Florida, sinkhole-related insurance claims between 2006 and the third quarter of 2010 amounted to $1.4 billion according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Effective methods and tools for the sinkhole detection and characterization are necessary. Numerical analysis can play an important role in determining the stability of sinkholes and understanding the failure mechanism under varied subsurface geological conditions. In this …


The Impact Of Faculty Socialization On Teaching Practices Of Postsecondary Physics Instructors, Claudine Mclaren Turner Jan 2020

The Impact Of Faculty Socialization On Teaching Practices Of Postsecondary Physics Instructors, Claudine Mclaren Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This research investigates faculty socialization of college physics instructors and its effect on teaching practice. Results of two studies—a statistical analysis about professional characteristics and teaching practice and an ethnography about culture, professional roles, and teaching practice—are integrated to inform our understanding of the impact of socialization on teaching practice. These findings have the potential to improve institutional and organizational faculty development, as well as improve individual teaching practice and, by extension, student persistence and success. Exploratory factor analysis, latent class analysis, and multiple analysis of variance were used to examine cross-sectional survey data collected from 1,176 postsecondary physics instructors …


The Implementation Of An Interdisciplinary Literacy Approach To Examine Effects On Writing Self-Efficacy In A Fourth Grade Classroom, Chelsea Wharin Jan 2020

The Implementation Of An Interdisciplinary Literacy Approach To Examine Effects On Writing Self-Efficacy In A Fourth Grade Classroom, Chelsea Wharin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This qualitative action research examines the effects, if any at all, the implementation of an interdisciplinary literacy unit in a fourth-grade classroom had on students' perceived writing self-efficacy. This study aims to inform the teacher-researcher to make actionable changes to current teaching. Additionally, this study continues the research and discussion surrounding how educators and stakeholders approach instruction. This research required participants to complete a pre-writing self-efficacy survey, participate in an interdisciplinary literacy unit and then complete a post writing self-efficacy survey. The interdisciplinary literacy unit took place during the distance learning environment that was a result of the global pandemic, …


Examining The Role Of Item Scrolling In Mobile Cognitive Assessment, Betsir Zemen Jan 2020

Examining The Role Of Item Scrolling In Mobile Cognitive Assessment, Betsir Zemen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The use of mobile assessment in personnel selection is an increasing trend that offers benefits to job applicants and organizations, including increased convenience of testing and expanded applicant pools (Tippins, 2011). Fewer than 10 published studies have examined the measurement equivalence of pre-employment cognitive ability assessments administered over mobile compared to non-mobile devices. Some of this research has found evidence of measurement equivalence and no score differences across device types while other studies contradict these results (Arthur et al., 2017). The present study is the first to investigate the measurement equivalence of a mobile-delivered, adaptively administered pre-hire cognitive ability assessment. …


Theoretical Studies Of Collisions Involving Three Bodies And Electron-Molecule Collisions Relevant To Astrophysical And Atmospheric Conditions, Chi Hong Yuen Jan 2020

Theoretical Studies Of Collisions Involving Three Bodies And Electron-Molecule Collisions Relevant To Astrophysical And Atmospheric Conditions, Chi Hong Yuen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Accurate rate coefficients of atomic and molecular processes allow us to probe the conditions in space and understand the history of the Universe. Although experimental rate coefficients are the most desirable, availability of accurate rate coefficients of some processes depends on rigorous theoretical studies. In this dissertation, theoretical tools for collisions involving three bodies are discussed and applied to three different reactions. Rate coefficient of the reactive scattering of H2 + D- is computed using the ABC program. The present results are about ten times smaller than the experimental upper limit, suggesting that a further improvement of the sensitivity of …


The Impact Of Athletic Coaches' Ethical Behavior On Postcompetitive Athletes, Charles Bachand Jan 2020

The Impact Of Athletic Coaches' Ethical Behavior On Postcompetitive Athletes, Charles Bachand

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Much of the literature regarding abuse in athletics has focused on the effects these actions have on the athletes both short and long term. In relation to ethics, such research has been primarily focused on how ethics effects all aspects of athletics. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine if factors that cause coaches to victimize athletes are related to a lack of ethical understanding. This qualitative phenomenological research design was used to highlight emerging themes revealed during the study. Thirteen purposely selected individuals, labeled as athlete, athlete/coach, or coach, participated in one-on-one semi structured interviews. The participants' …


Diffusion Of Fission Products In Nuclear Graphite, Kevin Graydon Jan 2020

Diffusion Of Fission Products In Nuclear Graphite, Kevin Graydon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The next generation of nuclear reactors (Generation IV) are specified to use graphite as the choice material for neutron moderation and structural components. For this reason, study of diffusion behavior of the fission product, ruthenium (Ru), in the candidate graphite grades, POCO AXF-5Q & ZXF-5Q, IG-110, NBG-18 and PCEA, is necessary. Diffusion data for Ru in these grades is absent due to the lack of prior studies and this work aims to fill this void and begin the study of this metallic fission product's diffusion behavior. By utilizing physical vapor deposition (PVD), dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), and the …


Total Synthesis Of Natural Products From Oxidative Dearomatization, Nameer Ezzat Jan 2020

Total Synthesis Of Natural Products From Oxidative Dearomatization, Nameer Ezzat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The goal of our research is to prepare natural products and related core structures through oxidative dearomatization. The development of a stereoselective iron (III)-mediated intramolecular cascade dearomatization of phenol allowed access to various spirocyclohexadienones and tropons in one step using potassium ferricyanide via single electron transfer (SET). Using this oxidative dearomatization reaction, the thesis focuses on three main parts. The first part is the synthetic efforts toward total synthesis of Harringtonolide. The second part focused on the synthesis of spiro[4.5]decane, a core structure in multiple natural products. The spiro compounds were prepared from ortho hydroxyphenyl nitroalkanes using SET reaction with …


Reconstruction Of Bacterial Strain Genomes From Shotgun Metagenomic Reads, Xin Li Jan 2020

Reconstruction Of Bacterial Strain Genomes From Shotgun Metagenomic Reads, Xin Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

It is necessary to study bacterial strains in environmental samples. The environmental samples are mixed DNA samples collected from the ocean, soil, lake, human body sites, etc. In a natural environment, they provide us new insights into the diversity of our earth. As for bacterial strains on or inside human bodies, to select the proper treatment for diseases caused by bacterial strains, it is critical to identify the corresponding strains and reconstruct their genomes. However, it is a challenge to do so with the DNA from a large number of unknown microbial species mixed together in an environmental sample. The …


Deep Recurrent Networks For Gesture Recognition And Synthesis, Mehran Maghoumi Jan 2020

Deep Recurrent Networks For Gesture Recognition And Synthesis, Mehran Maghoumi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

It is hard to overstate the importance of gesture-based interfaces in many applications nowadays. The adoption of such interfaces stems from the opportunities they create for incorporating natural and fluid user interactions. This highlights the importance of having gesture recognizers that are not only accurate but also easy to adopt. The ever-growing popularity of machine learning has prompted many application developers to integrate automatic methods of recognition into their products. On the one hand, deep learning often tops the list of the most powerful and robust recognizers. These methods have been consistently shown to outperform all other machine learning methods …


Theoretical Analysis Of The Conduction Properties Of Self Assembled Molecular Tunnel Junctions, Cameron Nickle Jan 2020

Theoretical Analysis Of The Conduction Properties Of Self Assembled Molecular Tunnel Junctions, Cameron Nickle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

As the size scale of electrical devices approach the atomic scale. Moore's law is predicted to be over for semiconductor devices. Studies into the replacement of semiconductor technology with organic devices was first predicted by Avriam and Ratner[1] in 1974. Since then significant research into molecular based organic devices has been conducted. The work presented in this dissertation explores the theoretical frameworks used to model transport through molecular junctions. We present studies which seek to garner a better understanding of the charge transport through molecular junctions and how the conduction properties can be optimized. We show that a single atom …


Cell Encapsulation In Microfluidic Channels, Mohammad Nooranidoost Jan 2020

Cell Encapsulation In Microfluidic Channels, Mohammad Nooranidoost

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Droplet Microfluidics can be utilized to control the production of single droplets and double emulsions in biomedical application. This dissertation analyzes the droplet formation in hydrophobic and hydrophilic microchannels, encapsulation of cells in flow-focusing channels, and deformation of cell-laden droplets in constricted microcapillaries. The formation of droplets is studied in hydrophobic and hydrophilic channels in order to investigate the role of contact angle on flow structures and droplet generation patterns. In the hydrophobic case, stable and well-structured droplet and slug generation is achieved. However, the flow structure in the hydrophilic case significantly depends on contact angles of the walls. A …


Bias And Sensitivity Of Nonlinear Models For Seismic Response Of Ordinary Standard Bridges, Andres Rodriguez Caballero Jan 2020

Bias And Sensitivity Of Nonlinear Models For Seismic Response Of Ordinary Standard Bridges, Andres Rodriguez Caballero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The implementation of nonlinear structural analysis under large deformation demands has enabled more realistic response prediction in comparison with the classical linear approaches. However, the sensitivity to modeling assumptions, element and material formulations, implementations, and parameter selection may lead to unreliable results. While previous works have led to a better understanding of how to best model nonlinear static responses of bridge components and systems, the introduction of dynamic loads and the corresponding material hysteresis presents an additional source of variability in the nonlinear responses. The current research involves the analysis of two ordinary standard bridges in California under seismic load …


Analyzing User Behavior In Collaborative Environments, Samaneh Saadat Jan 2020

Analyzing User Behavior In Collaborative Environments, Samaneh Saadat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Discrete sequences are the building blocks for many real-world problems in domains including genomics, e-commerce, and social sciences. While there are machine learning methods to classify and cluster sequences, they fail to explain what makes groups of sequences distinguishable. Although in some cases having a black box model is sufficient, there is a need for increased explainability in research areas focused on human behaviors. For example, psychologists are less interested in having a model that predicts human behavior with high accuracy and more concerned with identifying differences between actions that lead to divergent human behavior. This dissertation presents techniques for …


Utilizing Institutional Data For Curriculum Enhancement To Improve Student Success In Undergraduate Computing Programs, Prateek Basavaraj Jan 2020

Utilizing Institutional Data For Curriculum Enhancement To Improve Student Success In Undergraduate Computing Programs, Prateek Basavaraj

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Student success is one of the widely discussed topics in post-secondary institutions and is measured in terms of the graduation and retention rates of programs. The goal of an educational institution is to achieve maximum student success and, hence, high graduation and retention rates. There are multiple studies on factors affecting student success. One of the factors that contributes to student success is the "program curriculum." Unfortunately, the traditional program curricula at many higher education institutions were developed with a belief or assumption that all students possess equal expertise, skills, and follow a similar learning path. The traditional curricular development …


It's A Small World After All: Exploring Mobile Dating Application Use And Sexual Partner Networks Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Bmsm), Donovan Williams Jan 2020

It's A Small World After All: Exploring Mobile Dating Application Use And Sexual Partner Networks Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (Bmsm), Donovan Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Research supports risky sexual behaviors are especially pervasive traits in high risk groups such as gay and bisexual men; and despite representing a mere 12% of the total LGBTQ population, Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) are at highest risk for transmitting and contracting HIV and other non-HIV sexually transmitted diseases. Even knowing this, the disparity of research coverage of BMSM compared to White MSM is staggering. Recent research has indicated MSM are at even greater risk than before since the advent of mobile dating apps. Online partnering via mobile apps has been linked to overlapping sexual partner …


Rapid Orbital Motion Emulator (Rome): Kinematics Modeling And Control, Ahmed Elsadek Ahmed Seleit Jan 2020

Rapid Orbital Motion Emulator (Rome): Kinematics Modeling And Control, Ahmed Elsadek Ahmed Seleit

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

Space missions design requires already tested and trusted control algorithms for spacecraft motion. Rapidly testing control algorithms at a low cost is essential. A novel robotic system that emulates orbital motion in a laboratory environment is presented. The system is composed of a six degree of freedom robotic manipulator fixed on top of an omnidirectional ground vehicle accompanied with onboard computer and sensors. The integrated mobile manipulator is used as a testbed to emulate and realize orbital motion and control algorithms. The kinematic relations of the ground vehicle, robotic manipulator and the coupled kinematics are derived. The system is used …


Emulsion Characterization Study For Improved Bilgewater Treatment And Management, Daniela Diaz Hernandez Jan 2020

Emulsion Characterization Study For Improved Bilgewater Treatment And Management, Daniela Diaz Hernandez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The need for proper management of bilgewater to meet discharge regulations (e.g., 15 ppm oil) has revealed the necessity to expand the current understanding of bilgewater emulsions. This study proposed to evaluate emulsion stability under various environmental conditions and to identify governing parameters for emulsion formation. The stabilizing properties of eight-commercial cleaners and two-neat surfactants were evaluated. In situ characterization techniques were used for monitoring emulsion stability. Additionally, a needle-type pH microsensor and fluorescence spectroscopy were used for analyzing mass transfer at the oil-water interface. Water quality of extracted bilgewater showed to highly vary between vessels (e.g., conductivity: 1.74 -- …


Narrowing English Leaner (El) Achievement Gaps: A Multilevel Analysis Of An El-Infused Teacher Preparation Model, Nirmal Ghimire Jan 2020

Narrowing English Leaner (El) Achievement Gaps: A Multilevel Analysis Of An El-Infused Teacher Preparation Model, Nirmal Ghimire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

This non-experimental correlational study assessed the effectiveness of a model of teacher preparation that infuses a focus on teaching English learners, the One-Plus model, by examining pre-service teachers' (PST) effectiveness in narrowing English learner achievement gaps during their final student teaching experience. The study spanned five semesters of internship data, exploring how each semester's PST effectiveness changed over time. This study utilized teacher work sample data that interns collected and submitted to the institutional effectiveness division of the college, with an n of 20,809 K-12 students who attended the 768 One-Plus PSTs' classes during their semester-long internship. The results showed …


Algorithms For Inferring Multiple Microbial Networks, Sahar Tavakoli Jan 2020

Algorithms For Inferring Multiple Microbial Networks, Sahar Tavakoli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The interactions among the constituent members of a microbial community play a major role in determining the overall behavior of the community and the abundance levels of its members. These interactions can be modeled using a network whose nodes represent microbial taxa and edges represent pairwise interactions. A microbial network is a weighted graph that is constructed from a sample-taxa count matrix and can be used to model co-occurrences and/or interactions of the constituent members of a microbial community. The nodes in this graph represent microbial taxa and the edges represent pairwise associations amongst these taxa. A microbial network is …


Natural Language Processing For Modeling Domains In Higher Education, Rebecca Leis Jan 2020

Natural Language Processing For Modeling Domains In Higher Education, Rebecca Leis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

The present dissertation investigates elements of domain formalization, resource allocation, and student success in higher education to conceptually design a university-wide system to assist in strategic planning efforts. The proposed system is a program-level tool with a modular design to allow scalability and generalizability across the entire university. Higher education strategic planning decisions are under investigation by stakeholders and transparency is needed. University resources allocation models are often outdated lack to adequately support program-level decisions. Further, with the dynamic nature of technology, domain knowledge components are evolving rapidly. This complicates the situation as updating curriculum takes additional time and resources. …


Iterative Optical Diffraction Tomography For Reconstruction Of Multiply-Scattering Objects, Shengli Fan Jan 2020

Iterative Optical Diffraction Tomography For Reconstruction Of Multiply-Scattering Objects, Shengli Fan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-2023

As a label-free, non-destructive, high-resolution, and quantitative imaging technique, optical diffraction tomography (ODT) has been widely used to image biological samples and microstructures, such as cells, tissues, and optical fibers. The refractive-index (RI) distribution of an object is reconstructed from multi-view measurements of diffracted fields emerging from the object. Typical ODT setups include the object rotating configuration (ORC) and the illumination scanning configuration (ISC). One major limitation of ODT is that it is only applicable to weakly-scattering objects. In this dissertation, novel methods have been developed to overcome the reconstruction difficulty caused by multiple scattering, so as to extend ODT …