Digital Commons Network^™

Adaptive Anomaly Prediction Models, Ashkan Farhangi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Anomalies are rare in nature. This rarity makes it difficult for models to provide accurate and reliable predictions. Deep learning models typically excel at identifying underlying patterns from abundant data through supervised learning mechanisms but struggle with anomalies due to their limited representation. This results in a significant portion of errors arising from these rare and poorly represented events. Here, we present various methods and frameworks to develop the specialized ability of models to better detect and predict anomalies. Additionally, we improve the interpretability of these models by enhancing their anomaly awareness, leading to stronger performance on real-world datasets that …

Heat Transfer And Pseudo-Boiling Of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide In A Parallel-Flow Microchannel And A Micro-Jets Impingement Device, Pranzal Ahmed

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is increasingly being used as a highly efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable refrigerant/heat transfer fluid. Because of its high specific heat and cooling capacity, supercritical CO₂ has the potential to be widely used in a range of applications, such as power generation and thermal management of data centers/electronics. Near the critical condition, the thermo-physical properties undergo drastic changes, which includes a boiling-like phenomenon in the supercritical region (pseudo-boiling), which can affect the heat transfer performance. Thus, knowledge about the heat transfer process in the supercritical phase of CO₂ is necessary. In this experimental …

Using Electroencephalography To Predict Metabolic Cost, Jordan Grubb

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique used to non-invasively record electrical signals from the brain that can be used to understand how the brain functions and controls movements. EEG, however, is susceptible to recording electrical artifact signals that do not originate from brain activity. Common artifacts that come up in EEG data are generated by eye movements, heart contractions, muscle contractions, motion artifacts, electromagnetic interference signals, and powerline noise. These artifacts are often filtered out of EEG data or reduced to clean the signals and preserve the information from the brain. However, some of these signals may provide useful information about …

Corporate Restructuring Spin-Off In A Technical Project-Based Organization, Stephen J. Davis

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

A technical project-based organization (TPBO) is a type of organizational setup that uses project management as the main economic driver. An TPBO tends to be adept at accepting change due to its inherent trait of constant change within the organization as resources move from project-to-project accepting scope changes along the way. Regardless of its ability to accept more change, every organization goes through a lifecycle. At some point, the organization must implement a change in the life cycle to avoid failure. A corporate restructuring spin-off is one way an organization can avoid organizational failure. Although the tool is used in …

Agile Healthcare: The Effects Of Information Technology Ambidexterity And Human Resource Practices On Workforce Agility And Job Performance, Jorge Flavio Sarmiento Falla

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Healthcare organizations grapple with uncertainties and rapid changes, necessitating agility within their workforce. However, empirical studies on healthcare agility are notably scarce, impeding efforts to foster an agile workforce. Through a systematic literature review, human-related dimensions and information technology aspects were found to be relevant to healthcare agility. This study addresses the impact of Information Technology Ambidexterity (ITA) and Human Resource Practices (HRP) on establishing Workforce Agility (WA). Subsequently, the study also addresses the importance of WA for the job performance of healthcare professionals. Lastly, it evaluates the mediation effect of WA on the impact of both ITA and HRP …

Ceramic Matrix Composites For Hydrogen Combustion, Christopher Varela

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As we strive towards a clean energy economy with net-zero carbon emissions, a goal the country plans to reach by 2050, advancements in material technology must be made to allow for clean fuels like hydrogen to be employed in power generation processes. The significantly higher energy content and lack of greenhouse gas emissions characteristic of hydrogen fuel make it an attractive alternative to traditional fossil fuels. However, the increased flame temperature and chemical corrosivity introduced by the water vapor generation of hydrogen combustion pose a risk to the materials used in current gas turbine engines. Furthermore, the small molecule size …

Typography And English As A Second Language (Esl) Reading: Impact Of Variable Font Width, Letter Spacing, And Line Spacing On Reading Performance And Experience, Md Mamunur Rashid

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The mixed-method experimental study explores whether basic alterations in digital text formatting can enhance reading performance and experience of reading for the adult English as a Second Language (ESL) populations. Native English speakers are included as a comparison group. The study specifically examines the effects of varying font width, letter spacing, and line spacing on reading speed, comprehension, and self-reported levels of enjoyment and perceived difficulty.

The participants comprise 459 proficient adult readers, split between native English, native Spanish, and native Mandarin speakers. Each participant silently reads a series of 150-word English passages at an 8th-grade difficulty level, with manipulations …

Architectural And Training Regime Modifications To Transformer Models For Low Data Applications, Azwad Tamir

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

A significant catalyst of the recent Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning revolution is attributed to large language models (LLMs), which include many prominent AI systems such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Gemini. The majority of high-performance LLM models are based on the transformer architecture and the primary factor behind the recent enhancement in the performance of these models is attributed to the increase of layer quantity and dimensionality, resulting in an exponential rise in the total number of learnable parameters, necessitating substantial data for effective training. This may pose a significant barrier in certain application domains, such as bioinformatics, pharmaceutical research, …

Ammonia For Aviation, Brandon Cotto

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Aviation’s share of total global carbon emissions has been on the rise as both the decarbonization of other industries and the number of flights has increased. Ammonia as a jet fuel has been receiving attention as a potential carbon free energy storage pathway, both as a fuel and as a carrier of hydrogen. Utilizing ammonia as a fuel requires energy intensive processes making this pathway a compromise specifically intended for power generation purposes that cannot directly use sustainable energy. It is pertinent to understand the cost of realizing ammonia’s advantages as a fuel in the hard to decarbonize industry of …

Bridging Data And Theory: A Gray-Box Approach To Traffic Flow Dynamics, Shakib Mustavee

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The dissertation demonstrates the applicability of the data-driven dynamical systems (DDS) approach at both macroscopic and microscopic scales to extract mathematical structures from observed traffic data. Firstly, a novel DDS model is developed to capture the evolution of queue lengths in a signalized arterial corridor, dividing the dynamics into quasiperiodic and chaotic components. The proposed model effectively captures nonlinear dynamics from time series data. The Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS) method is employed to estimate mathematically guaranteed Koopman eigenvalues and functions of the system, providing valuable insights into the periodic and chaotic behaviors of the system. Secondly, to further characterize …

Investigation Of Shock/Jet Interactions In A Shock Tube Facility, Michelle Franzen

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The present work explores using non-intrusive diagnostic techniques to investigate high-temperature, high-pressure environments in a shock tube facility. Shock tube facilities are generally used to achieve flow conditions similar to combustors or other supersonic flow regimes to study and validate chemical kinetics models. Traditional probes are unsuited to these extreme conditions due to their limited durability, poor spatial resolution, and slow response times. This study tested three techniques: Schlieren imaging, Background-Oriented Schlieren (BOS), and emission spectroscopy. Schlieren and BOS provide 2D visualization of the flowfield and density gradients with a temporal resolution of 10 μs. At the same time, emission …

Advanced Analysis Of Mode Veering Variations In Academic Blisks, Nicolas Olore

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis presents an in-depth investigation into the vibrational dynamics of bladed disks (blisks), with a focus on understanding the conditions that lead to mode veerings and shifts in natural frequencies under varying geometric configurations. By utilizing maps of frequencies across nodal diameters, this study explores the effects of altering inner and outer disk radii, blade Aspect Ratios, and height ratios on the modal behavior of blisks. The study analyzes these geometric modifications to determine their influence on both mode interactions and frequency shifts, offering insights into how the number of veerings can be controlled. Mode veerings are of particular …

Robust Machine Learning Based Frameworks For Localization And Mmwave Beam Prediction In Massive Mimo Systems, Katarina Vuckovic

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The primary focus of this doctoral dissertation is the investigation of robust massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) communication systems. The study centers on two closely related issues: i) single-site user localization, and ii) millimeter Wave (mmWave) beam prediction. The motivation is to develop a system that simultaneously offers users reliable communication and precise localization using a single infrastructure. This dissertation specifically addresses three key challenges in data-driven solution: i) the limited availability of position-labeled training datasets, ii) robustness in time-varying dynamic environments, and iii) the generalization of models to unseen scenarios. The study introduces three localization and two beam …

Non-Contact Lap-Splice Design With Ultra-High-Performance-Concrete For Seismic Buildings, Tiancheng Wang

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Controlling the location and strength of plastic hinges is crucial for maintaining the integrity of seismic-resistant structures during seismic events. Although advanced materials, new structural systems, and supplemental damping devices have been extensively researched, conventional reinforced concrete detailing can also effectively achieve this control. This study explores a controllable slippage mechanism in lap-splice configurations of monolithic ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) members to regulate the location and capacity of plastic hinges in concrete building frames. UHPC's superior tensile, compressive, and bond strengths, compared to normal strength concrete (NSC), enable the use of strategically placed lap splices with short lap lengths. This …

Towards Label Efficiency And Privacy Preservation In Video Understanding, Ishan Rajendrakumar Dave

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Video understanding involves tasks like action recognition, video retrieval, human pose propagation which are essential for applications such as surveillance, surgical videos, sports analysis, and content recommendation. The progress in this domain has been largely driven by advancements in deep learning, facilitated by large-scale labeled datasets. However, video annotation presents significant challenges due to its time-consuming and expensive nature. This limitation underscores the importance of developing methods that can learn effectively from unlabeled or limited-labeled data, which makes self-supervised learning (SSL) and semi-supervised learning particularly relevant for video understanding. Another significant challenge in video understanding is privacy preservation, as methods …

Computational Approaches To Study Post Transcriptional Regulation Events, Naima Ahmed Fahmi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

A simplistic understanding of the central dogma falls short in correlating the number of genes in the genome to the number of proteins in the proteome. Post-transcriptional regulation, including alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation contribute to the complexity of the proteome and is critical in understanding gene expression. In this dissertation, we aim to provide genome-wide detection and visualization of the transcript variants and quantify their significance in gene regulation. First, we propose a robust computational program to identify alternative splicing events from RNA-seq data, called AS-Quant. Our extensive experiments on simulated and real datasets demonstrate that AS-Quant can accurately …

Thermal Analysis Of Additively Manufactured Aluminum F357 And Inconel 718 In High-Enthalpy Hypersonic Flows, Andrew La Sorsa

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Hypersonic vehicles are not only limited by the propulsion systems needed to achieve such speeds but also by the conventional materials currently at hand. At speeds of Mach 5 and above, sections of the vehicle can experience local temperatures exceeding 3000 K, which can severely degrade any material not rated to withstand such extreme environments. This warrants the need for developing novel high-temperature resistant materials to be safely integrated into hypersonic vehicles. Additive manufacturing has been identified as a solution to the process of creating these materials and offers increased design flexibility and quality compared to conventional fabrication methods. A …

Comparison Of Bearing Capacity Estimates To The Barcelona Basic Model Implemented Through Finite Element Modeling In Plaxis2d, Carlee M. Shaw

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The design of foundations is greatly influenced by its bearing capacity and settlement behavior, especially for that of shallow foundations which lie within the unsaturated zone of soil. Similarly, bearing capacity of beach sands can be utilized to determine beach trafficability, as vehicular loads may be assumed within the unsaturated zone. Therefore, similar scenarios should be analyzed as partially saturated conditions, unlike conventional bearing capacity estimations. To analyze such conditions, the concept of soil suction has more recently been of consideration. In this paper, the load-settlement behavior of a sand in partially saturated conditions is explored through finite element modelling …

Effective And Efficient Use Of Diffusion Models For Editing In Computer Vision, Umar Khalid

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This doctoral dissertation explores efficient applications of diffusion models in video and 3D scene editing, addressing the high computational demands traditionally associated with these tasks. The research introduces several innovative methods to make diffusion models more practical in real-world video and 3D scenarios while preserving high output quality.

The dissertation first presents parametric efficiency techniques for video understanding, followed by SAVE, a novel approach that leverages Text-to-Image (T2I) diffusion models for video editing, minimizing resource requirements. Building on this, the study introduces LatentEditor, a method that performs fine-grained, localized 3D scene editing in a latent space, thus enhancing Neural Radiance …

Evaluating Sexual Dimorphism In Occipital Morphological Shape Through Modern Human Ontogenetic Changes, Jennifer S. Barritt

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Sex estimation is vital to building the biological profile in forensic anthropology. Cranial nonmetric traits are often used in adult sex estimation due to their sexually dimorphic nature. However, only one nonmetric trait is assessed on the occipital despite the bone’s postmortem durability. While these sex estimation methods were developed for use on adult crania, juvenile sex estimation is less accurate due to differences in the age at which individuals reach sexual maturity. The aim of this study was to improve upon existing sex estimation methods by accounting for shape differences that exist within the occipital. This study used computed …

The False Identity Of A Filmmaker, Cheyanne Miller

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The False Identity of a Filmmaker is a multimedia installation and essay film on imposter syndrome within artists. Starting as an exploration into the topic, The False Identity of a Filmmaker became a personal self-discovery in my creative practice, resulting in an essay film that explores my relationship with imposter syndrome in relation to films that are often recognized as canonical. The multimedia installation places the essay film among a textural design of 16mm film strips to recognize filmmaking as a source of my imposter syndrome.

Women, artists, and those with careers in academia experience imposter syndrome quite often but …

Applications Of Plasmonic Biosensors In Chiral And Achiral Sensing, Aritra Biswas

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Monitoring biological systems is crucial in healthcare, driving the need for reliable and noninvasive solutions. The proliferation of unverified drugs in the market necessitates reliable methods for their detection and identification, especially amidst advancements in pharmaceuticals. Plasmonic biosensors emerge as a great platform for ultra-sensitive detection, identification, and manipulation of biomolecular systems. This dissertation report addresses the critical need for precise detection and monitoring of biomolecules and drugs, presenting innovative solutions through the design of a plasmonic biosensor to tackle challenges in sensitivity, selectivity, and label-free detection and identification. We introduce a robust and tunable, cavity-integrated plasmonic nanopatterned sensor that …

High-Power Picosecond Source At 2.05-Μm For Pumping Mid-Infrared Optical Parametric Chirped Pulse Amplifiers, Chase E. Geiger

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Broadband few-cycle high-power sources based on optical parametric amplifiers (OPA) in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) region are of great interest in a variety of applications such as spectroscopy, remote chemical sensing, medical procedures, and attosecond science. Among all the mid-IR nonlinear crystals for parametric amplification, zinc germanium phosphide (ZGP) has received significant attention due to its high nonlinear coefficient, high thermal conductivity, and high damage threshold, making it suitable for generating high average powers in the 3 – 12 µm range. A ZGP OPA requires a pump source above 2 µm due to a sharp increase in absorption immediately below 2 …

Blackened Faces: Unearthing The Political Shift Behind Illinois' Response To Racialized Labor Violence During The Virden Affair And Coal Wars Of 1898-1899, Jonathan C. Yegge

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This thesis investigates the relationship between politics, law, race, mobility, and violence in 1890s Illinois to highlight the socio-political causes of a temporary pro-labor shift in Republican policy. It centers on Illinois Governor John R. Tanner’s atypical response to racialized labor violence during the Virden Affair and the broader Coal Wars of 1898-1899. This research builds on socio-economic and cultural studies of the labor movement and Black strikebreaking. It introduces state politics and law, two essential lenses of analysis which the historiography has largely neglected in favor of economics and bottom-up history. In lieu of the typical pro-labor accounts of …

Silencing Stemness Genes In Glioblastoma Cancer Stem Cells Improve Anticancer Drug Efficacy, Jonhoi C. Smith

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive and incurable primary brain tumor characterized by therapy-resistant cancer stem cells (CSCs). Due to the limited effectiveness of conventional chemotherapies and radiation treatments against cancer stem cells (CSCs), there is a critical need for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches. Our previous research revealed the significant expression of embryonic stemness genes, NANOG and OCT4, in CSCs, suggesting their role in enhancing cancer-specific stemness and drug resistance. By suppressing the expression of these genes, we observed increased susceptibility of CSCs to the anticancer drug, Temozolomide (TMZ). Furthermore, suppression of NANOG expression led to an accumulation of …

Synthesis And Bioevaluation Of Piperazine-Based Compounds As Anti-Cancer Agents In Pancreatic Cancer, Holly E. Moots

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Pancreatic cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death and new therapies are needed. In this investigation two piperazine-based compound classes were discovered with anticancer activity against human pancreatic cancer cells. The use of piperazine moieties in medicinal chemistry has garnered increased interest because FDA-approved anticancer piperazine derivatives (i.e. Imatinib) have demonstrated significant impact in cancer treatment.

The first half of this study describes the discovery of a class of piperazine-based compounds that function as far upstream binding protein 1 (FUBP1) inhibitors. FUBP1 is a single-stranded DNA/RNA binding protein that functions as a master regulator of various genes, including …

Mindful Approaches, Transforming Hearts: Cultivating Elementary Students' Positive Mathematics Identity Development Through An Equity-Based Morning Mathematics Club, Kayla N. Blankenship

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

This dissertation examines how third through fifth-grade students' mathematics identities developed through a strengths-based mathematics club focused on equitable teaching practices. In this study, theories of Communities of Practice (Wenger, 1998) and Figured Worlds (Holland et al., 1998) were combined with recommendations from Catalyzing Change (NCTM, 2020) and equity-based practices (Aguirre et al., 2013) to promote students’ positive mathematics identity development. Students with positive mathematics identities have increased mathematics engagement and achievement, and are more likely to seek careers in STEM. Mathematics identities are developed through and influenced by various sociocultural, personal, and educational factors. Incorporating evidence from student surveys, …

A Chat Analysis Of The Use Of Educational Video Games To Teach Physical Science To Middle School Girls, Stephen G. Petit

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

As students transition into middle school science courses, their interest and engagement in the subject declines. This decline is most significant among girls, particularly for topics in physical science. While several factors have been identified that contribute to the decline, one area that is emerging as a new way to help improve girls' view of science is the use of educational video games to improve engagement and interest in science content, particularly as video games have been steadily rising in popularity with girls. This study used Cultural Historical Activity Theory to understand how middle school girls engage with an educational …

Nonprofit Compliance: Perceptions Of Small Nonprofit Leaders To Be Compliant, Andrea C. Ortega

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Small nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are at higher risk of having their IRS tax-exempt status revoked due to a lack of funding, governance, and structure. Organizations that fail to file an annual information return or notice for three consecutive years automatically lose their tax-exempt status by revocation. In May 2020, the IRS revoked the status of more than 30,000 NPOs for failing to file tax returns. This research contributes to the very limited number of qualitative studies on nonprofit leaders' knowledge of federal compliance, which is unknown and may contribute to small nonprofits losing their IRS-exempt status. This qualitative study examines …

Predicting Post-School Outcomes Of Transition Aged Students With High Incidence Disabilities, Jacob Brewer

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This dissertation explores predictive modeling to forecast post-school outcomes for transition-aged students with high-incidence disabilities, such as Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) and Other Health Impairments (OHI). Transitioning from secondary to post-secondary environments is critical for students with disabilities, significantly impacting their independence, self-confidence, and employability (Morningstar et al., 2017; Carter et al., 2021). Through a mixed-methods approach, this study integrates Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) indicators to determine which factors most effectively predict post-secondary enrollment and graduation. Key variables such as parental involvement, socio-economic status (SES), and self-determination skills are analyzed using logistic regression and machine learning techniques, including …