Digital Commons Network^™

Michigan Football's Not-So-Secret Agent: How Agency Law Imposes The Ncaa's "Death Penalty" Following The Sign-Stealing Scandal, Ryan A. Buchanan

UNH Sports Law Review

No abstract provided.

Editor's Foreword, Nathaniel J. D. Grabman

UNH Sports Law Review

No abstract provided.

Revisiting Workers' Compensation Protection In The National Football League Collective Bargaining Agreement, Brooke Chronister, Joshua Winneker

UNH Sports Law Review

No abstract provided.

Slr Table Of Contents, Editorial Board

UNH Sports Law Review

No abstract provided.

Slr Masthead, Editorial Board

UNH Sports Law Review

No abstract provided.

Carbon Cycling Driven By Disturbance In A Tropical Freshwater Ecosystem, Alicia Dixon

Master's Theses and Capstones

Streams are hotspots for biogeochemical cycling in freshwater ecosystems and act as transformers for elements moving throughout their watersheds. Small watersheds in particular are the ideal natural laboratory for exploring how freshwater systems react to inputs and outputs of carbon, nitrogen, and other trace elements. Carbon cycling occurs throughout watersheds at different scales and through different pathways. Organic matter enters a stream from surrounding terrestrial environments, and is subsequently consumed by microbes, macroinvertebrates, and other freshwater organisms. The fate of organic matter in a stream is diverse, but some common pathways include emission as carbon dioxide through metabolic processes, movement …

Land Conservation Planning For Flood Resilience In New Hampshire's Coastal Watershed, Michal Zahorik

Doctoral Dissertations

Land conservation plays an important role in managing flood risk. It enhances community resilience and supports multiple ecosystem functions. This qualitative study investigates how local and regional land conservation strategies advance flood resilience in New Hampshire’s coastal watershed. Focusing on the institutional context, this thesis analyzes the effectiveness of local land conservation planning efforts, explores cross-scale interactions between local and regional planning, and identifies barriers and opportunities for flood-focused conservation projects. The data for this research were collected through semi-structured interviews with representatives of municipalities, public and private conservation organizations, regional planning commissions, partnership organizations, and landowners. The secondary data …

Liquefaction Mitigation Of Sands With Plastic Fines Via Microbial Induced Partial Saturation, Maya Norris

Master's Theses and Capstones

Microbial Induced Partial Saturation (MIPS) is a sustainable and cost-effective approach to mitigate liquefaction; however, more research needs to be done to apply MIPS to a variety of different soil types and conditions. The investigation consisted of running a series of undrained strain-controlled cyclic Direct Simple Shear (DSS) tests on fully saturated samples with varying non-plastic fine and plastic fine content. Some tests have been conducted on MIPS-treated samples; however, more tests are needed to verify the results. Previous investigations have been conducted to evaluate the pore water pressure response of sands with added non-plastic fines with and without MIPS …

Reducible Operators, Irreducible Operators, And Generators In Von Neumann Algebras, Sukitha Adappa

Doctoral Dissertations

Let $\mathcal{H}$ be a complex Hilbert space, and let $\mathcal{B(H)}$ be the set of all bounded linear operators on $\mathcal{H}$. An operator $T\in\mathcal{B(H)}$ is said to be reducible if there exists a nontrivial projection that commutes with $T$. Otherwise, it is said to be an irreducible operator in $\mathcal{B(H)}$. Halmos showed that the set of irreducible operators is an operator norm-dense subset in $\mathcal{B(H)}$ and raised the question of whether the set of reducible operators is an operator norm-dense subset in $\mathcal{B(H)}$. In this dissertation, we extend the notion of reducible and irreducible operators in the von Neumann algebra setting …

Neural Retrieval Through Entities And Text Understanding, Pooja Himanshu Oza

Doctoral Dissertations

For various artificial intelligence systems, automatic text understanding algorithms that go beyond mere pattern recognition are helpful. For instance, understanding web pages is beneficial for Information Retrieval (IR) systems to retrieve relevant information. In the most common form, IR systems retrieve relevant information as entities or documents in response to keywords-based queries. Traditional IR models use lexical matching between the query terms and document terms to identify relevant documents. With the emergence of neural networks, Neural IR approaches utilize deep learning techniques to learn high-dimensional representations of documents and queries that go beyond term matching.

On the other hand, with …

Flexibility And Accountability: Lessons On Accessibility From Pandemic Learning, Ashley Barry

Doctoral Dissertations

While the COVID-19 pandemic, starting in 2020, disrupted the writing education of many students, students with disabilities were particularly impacted. During this same period, college writing instructors worked to adapt and make their pedagogies more accessible in new educational contexts. This IRB-approved qualitative study utilizes principles of Universal Design for Learning to cultivate a methodology that is flexible enough to meet a wide variety of participant needs. The datasets consist of a pilot survey and focus groups of college instructors along with classroom artifacts and a series of interviews with short journal entries from four undergraduate students with disabilities. In …

Environmental Change And Population Dynamics Of Small Mammals In Northern Alaska, Jess K. Steketee

Doctoral Dissertations

Rodent populations at northern latitudes undergo cyclic dynamics characterized by high amplitude interannual fluctuations every 3-5 years. Population cycles have puzzled mammalogists for over a century and disentangling their drivers remains a central goal. Understanding which factors drive rodent populations and how these dynamics might change with warming is essential for predicting the impacts of climate change on arctic ecosystems as herbivore pressure shapes plant community composition, soil nutrient availability and carbon concentrations. My research focused on potential drivers of brown lemming (Lemmus trimucronatus) and tundra vole (Microtus oeconomus) population fluctuations in Arctic Alaska. I combined field techniques with laboratory …

Molecular Re(I) Catalysts On Semiconductor Surfaces For Solar Co2 Reduction, Esraa Ahmad

Doctoral Dissertations

Utilization of CO2 by photocatalytic reduction to generate energy-rich fuels is a rapidly growing area of interest. Diimine-tricarbonyl Re(I) complexes are well-known CO2-reduction catalysts with excellent selectivity toward CO production. In this thesis, various strategies for coupling molecular Re(I) catalysts with semiconductor surfaces are investigated.In Chapter II, four molecular Re(I) catalysts are evaluated in photocatalysis. The effect of immobilizing these catalysts on TiO2 is studied. These Re(I) catalysts showed excellent activities in photocatalytic CO2 reduction in the presence of Ru(II) photosensitizer giving turnover numbers (TONs) ranging from 368 to 738 in 2 hours. In Chapter III, a Re(I) complex with …

Algebraically Doubly Stochastic Matrices Over Principal Ideal Domains, Eric Davis

Doctoral Dissertations

A doubly stochastic matrix over the real numbers is a matrix $A=[a_{ij}]$ such that $0\leq a_{ij}\leq1$ for all $i,j$ and all rows and columns sum to 1. The classical Birkhoff-von Neumann theorem states that every doubly stochastic matrix over $\R$ can be expressed as an affine combination of permutation matrices, matrices with a single 1 in each row and column and 0's elsewhere. Over a general commutative ring with identity $R$ we drop the condition that $0\leq a_{ij}\leq1$ and consider matrices with only the row and column sum condition; we refer to such matrices as \textit{algebraically doubly stochastic} and denote …

Three Essays On Disability Policy And Employment Of People With Disabilities, Xueting Sun

Doctoral Dissertations

The employment of people with disabilities is substantially and persistently lower than the employment of people without disabilities (Burkhauser et al., 2002; Houtenville & Bach, 2024; Livermore & Honeycutt, 2015). In 2022, using American Community Survey data, the employment-to-population ratio of people with disabilities ages 18-64 was 44.5 percent, compared to 78.9 percent for their counterparts without disabilities (Houtenville & Bach, 2024). This dissertation consists of three essays on disability policy and employment of people with disabilities. The first essay (Chapter 2) explores the effect of the Medicaid expansion, authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, on employment …

Development Of A Layered Unsupervised Classifier Of Plasma Regions And A Bootstrap-Ensemble Neural Network Bow Shock Mode, James Andrew Edmond

Doctoral Dissertations

The use of supervised methods in space science have demonstrated powerful capability in classification tasks, but purely unsupervised methods have been less utilized for the classification of spacecraft observations. We use a combination of unsupervised methods, being principal component analysis, self-organizing maps, and hierarchical agglomerative clustering, to classify THEMIS and MMS observations as having occurred in the magnetosphere, magnetosheath, or the solar wind. The resulting classification are validated visually by analyzing the distribution of classifications and studying individual time series as well as by comparison to the labeled dataset of a previous model, against which ours has an accuracy of …

Evaluation Of Rockfall Trajectories Using Smart Rocks And Measurement While Drilling, Bruma Morganna Mendonca De Souza

Doctoral Dissertations

This doctoral research investigates rockfall movement under laboratory and field-controlled conditions as well as in situ natural field environments in an effort to better understand the movement described by falling blocks. Although previously published research identified several factors that affect rockfall movement (block characteristics, ground characteristics, and impact kinematics), the lack of a standardized methodology to evaluate rockfall behavior upon impact on different ground materials increases the difficulty of establishing realistic parameters in modeling approaches and ultimately in selecting representative model input parameters. In order to measure rockfall movement under different test conditions, concrete fabricated test blocks ranging in mass …

Sustainable Energy Transition In Grid Connected And Off-Grid Communities, Roozbeh Ghasemi

Doctoral Dissertations

Decentralized energy systems, such as solar PV and wind, are often seen as key to improving the sustainability and resilience of energy systems in both urban and remote communities. This research aims to enhance the sustainability of adopting these systems in both grid-connected and off-grid contexts. In urban communities, a choice experiment model was developed for Boston, MA, and Atlanta, GA, and the results were analyzed using latent class analysis to understand household preferences for two decentralized renewable energy systems. For islanded communities, a process-based dynamic model was developed to simulate the operation of the decentralized energy system on Appledore …

Innovative Approaches To Dna-Based Materials: Development Of Bottlebrush Polymers, Supramolecular Hydrogels, And Psoralen-Enhanced 3d Printing Of Dna Bioinks, Nicholas Pierini

Doctoral Dissertations

This thesis explores innovative approaches to enhancing the functionality and applications of DNA-based materials through the development of DNA bottlebrush polymers (BBPs), DNA-intercalating supramolecular hydrogels (DISHs), and psoralen-based 3D printing techniques. The first chapter presents the synthesis and characterization of linear and cyclic DNA BBPs using a grafting-to approach. Plasmid DNA (pDNA) is used as the polymeric backbone, grafted with polyethylene glycol (PEG) side chains of varying molecular weights (750 Da, 2000 Da, and 5000 Da) to improve stability and functionality. Achieving high graft densities, up to 24% for mPEG750-CEA, and purifying the PEG-DNA conjugates were significant challenges addressed through …

Oscillatory Boundary Layer And Sediment Dynamics Over And Within Mobile Rippled Beds, Savannah Devoe

Doctoral Dissertations

In nearshore environments, small-scale bedforms, or ripples, are important contributors to net morphologic change by means of bedload and suspended load sediment transport. In this dissertation, new characterizations of boundary layer and sediment dynamics are made using high-resolution observations of mobile, rippled beds subjected to oscillatory flow for the purpose of evaluating existing parameterizations of bedload transport. The spatiotemporal distribution of shear stress at and within a mobile, rippled bed is obtained via the derivation and application of a new Momentum Integral Method (“MIM”) expression for bed shear stress to data from a two-phase Large Eddy Simulation and Discrete Particle …

Unlocking The Permafrost Nutrient Bomb: Determining Plant And Microbial Transformations In Response To Manipulative Arctic Experiments, Natalie Kashi

Doctoral Dissertations

High latitude ecosystems are characterized by permafrost (perennially frozen ground), short growing seasons, and slow decomposition, and these characteristics of arctic ecosystems make them particularly sensitive to climate change. Alterations to arctic ecosystem functions are responding to recent climate disturbances such as increased active soil depths caused by thawing permafrost, transformation of dry ombrotrophic ecosystems to wetland communities, increased occurrence of wildfires in areas where wildfires are historically scarce, increased vegetation productivity, and shifts in plant phenology. Despite major ecosystem transformations and extreme climatic events in the Arctic during the previous decades, uncertainties persist largely because of nuances with climate …

Stronger Practical Game-Playing Ai For Duelyst Ii, Bryan Mckenney

Master's Theses and Capstones

Duelyst II is an online collectible card game (CCG) that features a 9 × 5 grid board,making it a cross between the popular CCG Hearthstone and chess. It is a partially- observable stochastic game (POSG) with a large branching factor and the ability to take several actions in a time-limited turn, making it a challenging domain for game-playing AI. On top of that, successor generation is very slow, limiting the effectiveness of traditional planning approaches such as Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS).

In this thesis, I build on my previous work on Duelyst II AI, creating a stronger game-playing agent …

The Effect Of Woodfiber Additives On Pythium Root Rot And Substrate Microbiome, Isabella Alexandra Borrero

Master's Theses and Capstones

The exponential growth of the greenhouse industry in recent years has led to an increasing demand for economic, “green”, soilless substrates and soilless substrate amendments. To meet this demand, many growers have begun incorporating wood fibers (WFs) into their production systems because they are both economic and renewable. WF’s rise in popularity has motivated an uptick in research focused on understanding how WF amendments affect substrate physical and chemical properties, and how these changes influence plant health, soil-borne disease trends, and microbiome dynamics. Wood fibers have been reported to suppress damping-off of radish caused by Rhizoctonia solani, however, the scope …

Mercury Distribution And Microbially Mediated Mercury Methylation Potential Above And Below The Head-Of-Tide Mill Pond Dam, Durham, Nh, Sophia Carson

Master's Theses and Capstones

Mercury (Hg), and its subsequent transformation to the highly toxic compound methylmercury (MeHg) by microorganisms possessing the recently discovered hgcAB gene complex is of great concern on a global scale. In the Oyster River (OR) system in Durham, New Hampshire, where the historic head-of-tide Mill Pond Dam (MPD) is set to be removed in the near future, this issue is especially pertinent, as Hg is commonly found at alarmingly high concentrations in waterways and dams and will be released downstream upon the extraction of the impoundment. Aquatic sediment samples were collected across a time series throughout the OR system and …

Judicial Integrity Under Scrutiny: Analyzing Misconduct Allegations During Times Of Turmoil, Nicholas Gigliotti

Master's Theses and Capstones

Judicial ethics, grounded in principles of impartiality and integrity, face threats when public perceptions are compromised by instances of misconduct and the actions of those who fail to adhere to these core standards. Since 1980, the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act has provided a mechanism for reporting and addressing allegations of misconduct that do not reach the level of impeachment. This process offers complainants a means to hold judges accountable for their actions and often serves as a forum for addressing grievances that might otherwise go unheard. While the federal judiciary is typically insulated from external pressures due to lifetime …

How Mineral Fertilizer Affects Soil Nitrogen Pools And Microbial Activity, Lee Hildebrand

Master's Theses and Capstones

Nitrogen fertilizer is an essential aspect of modern agriculture; however, a substantial amount of applied nitrogen does not reach the crops it is intended for and leaches out of the soil. Soil organic matter and microbial activity are key regulators of the soil nitrogen cycle and the fate of nitrogen fertilizer. Understanding how fertilizer type impacts soil organic matter, nitrogen pools, and microbial activity will greatly improve our understanding regarding sustainable fertilizer application. To investigate this, I conducted an experiment using incubation with several fertilizer treatments and two soil types. I measured various soil nitrogen pools, soil respiration rates, and …

Spatial And Temporal Drivers Of Paternity In Saltmarsh Sparrow, Talia Marie Kuras

Master's Theses and Capstones

The Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) is a non-territorial, multiply mating passerine with an uncommon polygynandrous mating system in which females are reproductively available with primarily synchronous timing during 3 breeding cycles within the breeding season. In similarly multiply mating species with synchronously available females, home range size and time within breeding season have been identified as drivers of male reproductive success; however, these are atypical characteristics of success in avian mating systems. We investigated the relationship between male Saltmarsh Sparrow home range size, location, age, time within breeding season, and male reproductive success. We performed nest monitoring, mist netting, and …

Understanding Key Habitat Features For The Vulnerable Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza Caudacuta) To Inform Tidal Marsh Restoration Priorities, Grace Elizabeth Mcculloch

Master's Theses and Capstones

As climate change accelerates the rate of sea-level rise, salt marshes and the critical habitat they provide are increasingly threatened. The Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) is particularly vulnerable to such changes. Habitat loss and increased nest failure due to flooding put the species at a high risk of extinction within the next several decades. Restoration plans across New England aim to build salt marsh resiliency. To effectively prioritize Saltmarsh Sparrow conservation in these plans, it is essential to identify the features that predict Saltmarsh Sparrow breeding season habitat, so these features can be maintained and enhanced during a restoration project.In …

Diversification Of New England’S Macroalgae Industry: Introduction Of Nori, Riplee Mercer

Master's Theses and Capstones

The aquaculture of macroalgae is multi-billion-dollar industry globally, but is primarily dominated by Asian production. The US macroalgae industry is relatively small but has grown over the last decade, heavily dominated by kelp aquaculture. The goal of this project is to facilitate the diversification of the US industry by developing nursery and grow-out techniques for the production of Wildemania amplissima, a native species of nori. Following the life history of Wildemania amplissima, a series of experiments were conducted to 1) compare culture initiation methods from wild-collected blades, 2) determine optimum culture conditions for vegetative growth of the conchocelis sporophyte stage, …

Trusted Yet Vulnerable: A Quantitative Analysis Of Trusted Execution Environments (Tee) Security., Lakshmi Sravani Nissankararao

Master's Theses and Capstones

Trusted Execution Environments (TEEs) are essential for secure computing across mobile devices, cloud platforms, and IoT, yet they remain vulnerable to exploits. This thesis presents a novel approach to enhancing TEE security through automated vulnerability classification and advanced fuzzing techniques. The research first introduces an innovative methodology for classifying vulnerabilities into Trusted Applications (TA), TrustZone Operating Systems (TZOS), and general categories using machine learning algorithms such as Random Forest, J48, Naive Bayes, Multilayer Perceptron, and Support Vector Machines. Evaluating these on a dataset of 750 vulnerabilities from the NIST database demonstrates accurate characterization and improved efficiency over manual methods. The …