Digital Commons Network^™

Pupillometry As A Viable Augmentative And Alternative Communication Pathway: A Machine Learning Application, Kouadio Marc-Antoine Niamba

Dissertations and Theses

Every year, clinicians diagnose 5000 new Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) cases in the United States (Mehta et al., 2018). ALS is a degenerative neuromuscular disease that prevents neurons from sending impulses to the muscles, thus resulting in paralysis and death. People with ALS (PALS) not only experience limited mobility but also lose their ability to communicate. Although the disease currently remains incurable, efforts to improve the patients’ communication are increasingly leading toward Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems (Beukelman and Mirenda, 2013). AAC systems are assistive technologies that propose to counteract the defects resulting from ALS through non-verbal communication channels. …

Backgrounds Study And Ai-Powered Waveform Processing For Legend Experiment, Laxman Paudel

Dissertations and Theses

Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay (0$\nu \beta \beta $) is a presumed rare nuclear decay process and is considered the most promising way to prove the Majorana nature of neutrinos, that is, neutrinos are their own antiparticles. The discovery of \zero decay would also enhance our understanding of nuclear physics, astrophysical observations, and physical processes in the early Universe. The Large Enriched Germanium Experiment for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay (LEGEND) is a phased $^{\mathrm{76}}$Ge-based 0$\nu \beta \beta $ decay experimental program, aiming for the discovery potential of a half-life of 0$\nu \beta \beta $ beyond 10$^{\mathrm{28}}$ years. The first phase, LEGEND-200, comprises 200 …

Toward Attention-Based Feature Fusion For Medical Image Analysis, Anup Khanal

Dissertations and Theses

The field of medical image analysis has benefited significantly from developments in deep learning (DL), especially in convolution neural networks (CNNs). Even after these advances, there remains a need for more robust and accurate methods for various tasks such as classification, segmentation, captioning, and object detection, particularly in medical diagnostics. Inspired by the principle of the wisdom of the crowd, feature fusion is a common process used, especially in tasks related to classification. This thesis introduces a novel attention-based feature fusion architecture designed to enhance classification performance by integrating the Convolution Block Attention Mechanism (CBAM) before fusion. This approach selectively …

Building A Reciprocal Partnership: A Case Study Of The Relationship Between The University Of South Dakota And Its Privately-Owned Sorority And Fraternity Housing, Kelli L. Susemihl

Dissertations and Theses

Higher education institutions with Greek systems have different models of sorority and fraternity housing. There are two primary models incorporated into this study; some institutions have Greek housing incorporated into their on-campus residence halls, while other Greek housing is privately-owned by local House Corporation Boards or by the chapter’s national headquarters. The University of South Dakota follows the latter model, with each of their eleven chapters having a privately-owned chapter house. Research shows that with privately-owned Greek housing, there is an increased risk of substance abuse and sexual activity, while there are benefits of increased student involvement and leadership development. …

Fascismo Al Bivio: The Arditi Del Popolo And Civil War At The Advent Of Fascist Power, Thomas R. Discepola

Dissertations and Theses

Focused on the years immediately following World War I in Italy, the dopoguerra, this thesis revisits the entire period from 1919 to 1922 with special attention given to the largest organized, armed antifascist group, the Arditi del popolo (AdP). It argues that it was the AdP, not the Italian Communist Party (PCI), that preoccupied Prime Minister Ivanoe Bonomi and led the Socialists (PSI) to work with Benito Mussolini and other members of the Fasci di combattimento (FdC), their erstwhile nemeses, in creating a pacification agreement in the summer of 1921.

An Optical Aptamer-Based Carbon Nanosensor For Cortisol Detection, Jessica Kretli Zanetti

Dissertations and Theses

Cortisol is a hormone related to numerous biological functions. This hormone is primarily associated with regulating the body’s stress response, including its effects on metabolism, immune function, and energy balance. Additionally, it plays a critical role in maintaining physiological homeostasis during periods of physical or psychological stress. Consequently, it is critical to monitor levels of this hormone to understand different vital processes it can impact. This work presents the development of an optical aptamer-based carbon nanosensor for the detection of cortisol. The sensor utilizes single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) functionalized with a specific DNA aptamer to achieve high specificity and sensitivity. …

Change Of Metal Oxidation State At High Temperature, Impact Of Temperature And Reactive Gases, Yegor Nikitin

Dissertations and Theses

The fundamental understanding of gas-solid reactions enables a wide range of applications to be developed and improved. Specifically, the use of metal-based materials is critical to ensuring robust, safe, and long-term operations. For example, in power systems where boilers are used to generate steam for heat or electricity generation the use of stainless metal alloys is critical to allow high quality steam to be produced in a very harsh environment. Alternatively, in catalysis, the use of metal doped heterogeneous catalysts are essential in achieving selectivity and conversion performance for chemical synthesis to emissions abatement. Typically, these metal alloys must withstand …

Blockchain Based Framework For Secure And Decentralized Energy Trading - Transforming Local Energy Markets For Sustainable Communities, Saurabh Sachdeva

Dissertations and Theses

The emergence of prosumers provides an opportunity for the setup of a local energy market (LEM) where individual households with distributed energy resources (DERs) can produce, store, and trade energy. Peer-to-peer(P2P) and decentralized energy trading (ET) can be implemented between the participants within or across microgrids. Several solutions based on the existing technologies have been proposed worldwide for the integration of prosumers in the existing energy setup and to enable and support ET, but these solutions present the issues of centralization, data integrity, and confidentiality, user and anonymity, and transparency. The applications of blockchain technology have recently become fascinating for …

Using Mechanical Interventions To Enhance Drug Transport To Bone Tumors, Michelle Gelbs

Dissertations and Theses

Bone metastasis occurs when cancer cells spread from a primary site to a secondary location in bone. Current treatments for metastatic bone tumors typically involve systemic chemotherapy, bisphosphonates, radiotherapy, or surgery; however, due to morphological changes in the tumor microenvironment and elevated interstitial fluid pressure, tissue penetration of therapeutic agents is often more limited in cancerous tumors compared to normal tissue. Weight-bearing mechanical loading applied to bone, as well as other mechanical stimulations such as vibration, have been shown to cause loading-induced bone deformations that increase convective transport via interstitial fluid flow. We hypothesize that mechanical loading can increase the …

Optimizing Transcranial Focused Ultrasound: Calibration, Neuro Navigation, And Bold Fmri Evidence Of Neuromodulation, Amilcar J. Malave

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis presents the development, calibration, and initial implementation of transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) for neuromodulation in a human study. The primary objectives were to design a system capable of delivering precise and safe ultrasound stimulation to targeted brain regions and to conduct preliminary trials to assess its effects on brain activity. A custom calibration device was developed to ensure accurate measurement of acoustic pressure, addressing challenges such as voltage alterations caused by changes in system impedance. Additionally, a neuro-navigation tool was created to facilitate precise targeting of the right subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (right sgACC), enabling accurate placement of …

Nanoparticle Stabilized Interfaces And Their Effect On Foam Stability, Nicole T. Donovan

Dissertations and Theses

No abstract provided.

On The Understanding Of The Coastal-Urban Nexus Of Weather, Air Quality And Energy, Harold Gamarro

Dissertations and Theses

Urban environments exhibit complex interactions between atmospheric processes, building energy consumption, and air quality, particularly during periods of seasonal extremes such as summer ozone peaks and winter heating. Accurate representation of these interactions in urban modeling is crucial for understanding and addressing air pollution and energy management challenges in cities. This research presents a comprehensive study that advances urban atmosphere simulations by integrating building energy dynamics, air quality, and robust multi-source observational evaluation. Leveraging the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, coupled with a multilayer building environment parameterization (BEP) and a building energy model (BEM), with an improved boundary layer …

Liquid-Amine Infused Surfaces For Carbon Capture, Pedro Bertolini

Dissertations and Theses

The release and accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels is considered the primary contributor to climate change. Efficient and high-capacity technologies that can remove CO₂ from (i) point sources (e.g. exhaust streams) and (ii) directly from air (i.e. direct air capture (DAC)) are the key towards reversing the elevated levels of atmospheric CO₂.

Here, we study a novel technology (solid with infused reactive liquid (SWIRL)) which integrates liquid infused surfaces in flow-through geometries to form systems that have large interfacial surface areas per unit volume. The chemistry of the surfaces …

Implementation Of Acid/Gas Digestion Approach To Maximize Volatile Fatty Acids Production From Municipal Sludge And A Techno-Economic Feasibility Study, Aykut Sayin

Dissertations and Theses

Acid digestion, which is the first step of two-phase acid/gas anaerobic digestion process, was studied to identify the optimum operating conditions that would maximize the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Batch and semi-continuous acid digesters were operated using combined primary sludge and waste-activated sludge as the feedstock from New York City (NYC)’s Wards Island water resource recovery facility (WRRF). Operating conditions tested in batch acid digesters for maximizing VFAs production included temperature (35-70°C), inoculum-to-substrate ratio (0.0-0.5 mgVS/mgVS), thickening (3-13%TS), and contact time (0-10 days), while simultaneously inhibition mechanisms on VFAs production were investigated. Once the optimum operating conditions for …

Modulation Of Motor Learning With High-Intensity Transcranial Electric Stimulation, Gavin Hsu

Dissertations and Theses

Research thus far on noninvasive, transcranial electric stimulation have produced mixed results from in vivo human experiments. This work tests the hypothesis that applying higher stimulation intensities would induce intracranial electric fields that more closely match the higher magnitudes used in animal and in vitro studies and subsequently yield more robust effects. As done commonly in the literature, we targeted the motor cortex (M1), specifically in the context of neuroplastic changes taking place during motor learning in healthy adult humans. This work also seeks a better understanding of the neural correlates underlying motor skill learning.

Through multiple large-sample studies, this …

Orbital And Spin Angular Momentum Light Generation, Interactions, Special Photons, And Applications In Liquids, Solids, Vapors And Biological Tissue Media, Sandra Mamani Reyes

Dissertations and Theses

Photons possess many characteristics such as wavelength, coherence, speed, polarization and wavefront. The aim of this thesis is the study of two salient properties of light exploring light carrying polarization and space degree of freedom of the wavefront. The wavefront of light is complex with different states of polarization. Special light beams are generated and characterized for interaction with liquids, solids, vapors, and bio- materials to understand fundamental processes such as Transmission, Raman scattering, and Optical Kerr Effect in steady state and temporal domains.

It has been more than hundred years since it is known that light can carry other …

The Racial Disparities Of The Gamma-Secretase/Notch Pathway And Inhibition In Triple Negative Breast Cancer, Jobin Joseph

Dissertations and Theses

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) continues to be a formidable challenge in oncology, characterized by its aggressive phenotype and limited treatment options. Alarming racial disparities in TNBC outcomes persist, with underrepresented populations experiencing disproportionately higher rates of mortality and poorer prognoses. This master's thesis aims to delve into the molecular intricacies that contribute to these disparities, with a specific focus on gamma secretase activity, a key regulator of cellular processes.

The research methodology encompasses a multi-faceted approach, amalgamating clinical data analysis with extensive in vitro and in vivo experimentation. The study employs cutting-edge molecular profiling techniques and gene expression analysis …

Ring Resonators Intergrating With Dichoric Materials And In Spin-Valley Controlled Photonic Topological System, Yuma Kawaguchi

Dissertations and Theses

Photonic technology plays an important role in the development of diverse applications, ranging from optical telecommunications to sensing and imaging. The utilization of photonic circuits emerges as a promising platform for the establishment of advanced communication systems characterized by high speed and large capacity. This advancement is crucial to facilitate fast and efficient data transfer while concurrently managing multiple devices. It is imperative that essential components such as lasers, modulators, and isolators exhibit compactness without incurring significant losses.

Non-reciprocal devices represent a valuable addition to photonic circuits, enabling the creation of unidirectional waveguides that function as optical isolators, preventing signals …

Hydrodynamics Of Drops And Particles Driven By Marangoni And Diffusiophoretic Forces, Subramaniam Chembai Ganesh

Dissertations and Theses

This study investigates the hydrodynamics of particles and drops driven by forces generated by an asymmetrical physical and chemical surrounding environment. In the first part, a novel colloidal motor design driven by surface tension forces is proposed, utilizing an active Janus particle encapsulated in an immiscible liquid drop to form a compound drop/particle. Marangoni forces induced by asymmetric solute adsorption at the liquid-liquid interface of the drop propels the compound system. The propulsion speeds of the motor are analyzed for various relative sizes and configurations of the Janus particle and the encapsulating drop and the effects of varying the transport …

Hyperspectral And Polarimetric Imaging Of The Ocean For The Characterization Of The Surface Effects And Measurement Uncertainties, Mateusz Malinowski

Dissertations and Theses

Ocean and coastal waters are monitored by Ocean Color satellite sensors to determine concentrations of chlorophyll and water properties and identify areas of algal blooms and other events. The light radiance from the ocean is weak in comparison with the sky radiance, which requires very accurate atmospheric correction of the radiance measured at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) on the satellite and heavy validation of the derived water leaving radiance by field measurements from the ships and ocean platforms. For TOA and especially above water radiance the skylight reflected from the ocean surface represents one of the main sources …

Therapist Engagement With Patient Nonverbal Behavior: Exploring These Interactions As A Mechanism Of Change In Virtual And In-Person Short-Term Psychotherapy, Elliana Sheriwn

Dissertations and Theses

The individual (intrapsychic) and dyadic (interpersonal) implications of nonverbal behavior have kindled interest among psychologists for decades. Many researchers and clinicians have studied nonverbal communication in the context of attachment and moment-to-moment interactions between parent and infant (Stern, 1977; Beebe et al., 2000). Theorists have also explored nonverbal behavior in the clinical setting as a dynamic relational dimension co-created by patient and therapist (Freedman and Lavendar, 1995). Although the extant literature highlights how nonverbal communication can inform psychotherapy outcome (e.g., by fostering empathy and building rapport), the topic of therapist engagement with patient nonverbal behavior—specifically, how these interactions serve as …

Re-Envisioning Electric Railway Power Systems In Dense Urban Regions, Rohama Ahmad

Dissertations and Theses

Grid decarbonization and modernization are key requisites to combat global warming. Decarbonization entails the deployment of renewable energy sources, improving the energy efficiency of major consumers, and the electrification of the transportation and building sectors. Various US states and cities have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (e.g., the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) in New York aims to reduce emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and then to 85% below 1990 levels by 2050) via a set of targets in terms of renewable energy, energy storage system (ESS) capacity, and the number of electric …

Actuator Optimization And Control Of Pediatric Knee Exoskeleton For Community-Based Mobility Assistance: More Lightweight, More Affordable, And More Stable, Sainan Zhang

Dissertations and Theses

Lightweight and smart exoskeletons offer the potential to improve mobility in children. State-of-the-art pediatric exoskeletons are typically clinic-based since they are either tethered or portable but cumbersome, and their design is often not optimized across a range of environments and users. Child growth progressively alters key exoskeleton design requirements, yet no prior work investigated actuator optimization to accommodate child growth. Moreover, exoskeletons typically use the torque sensor or spring mechanics as exteroceptive feedback, but these torque sensing methods not only lead to extra cost and mass but also cause a small range of stable controller gains.

To facilitate pediatric exoskeleton …

Molecular Origins Of Phase Stability In Phase-Change Nano-Emulsions For Thermal Energy Storage By Nmr Spectroscopy, Jungeun Park

Dissertations and Theses

Phase change materials (PCMs) are latent heat storage materials that can store or release thermal energy during phase transitions. Organic PCM nano-emulsions are formed by emulsifying oil in water in the presence of surfactants, enhancing thermal conductivity and pumpability. However, PCMs nano-emulsions can become unstable due to repeated thermal cycling and shear in heat transfer systems.

To better understand the molecular origins of phase instability in PCMs nano-emulsions, liquid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements were applied to a model PCM nano-emulsion. Quantitative ¹H single-pulse NMR measurements established the liquid fraction of oil within nano-emulsions as a function of temperature, …

Enforcement Through Voluntary Participation: The Impact Of Non-Binding Informal Groups On The International Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime, Claudia M. V. Hampton

Dissertations and Theses

The present thesis analyzes the policy impact of the informal group known as the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a non treaty-bound grouping of states organized to define mutually agreed upon nuclear export controls with the aim of advancing the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, in line with the values of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). As informal groups or voluntary forms of interstate cooperation are often criticized for their lack of enforcement mechanisms, two case studies in this thesis review the implementation of amendments and changes in national laws for states participating in the NSG (The United …

Parasympathethic Nervous Activity And Social Exclusion In Borderline Personality Disorder, Rebecca E. Barnes

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

The experience of being excluded is universally unpleasant. However, for individuals that suffer from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), the experience of social exclusion, or ostracism can be unbearable (Bortolla, et al., 2019). While there is a significant amount of research on physiological reactivity in BPD, no studies adequately connect the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) responses of people with BPD to social exclusion which is critical to understand as the inability of the PNS of individuals with BPD to adapt to stressors may be a contributing factor to the elevated rate of suicide and suicide attempts in this clinical population …

Depression In African American Males And The Mental Health Stigma, Deanna Carrington

Dissertations and Theses

Depression is a common mental health disorder in the United States. In particular, African Americans have a greater risk of depression because they are predisposed to depressive symptoms as opposed to their White counterparts (Miller and Taylor, 2011). Moreover, African Americans are 20% more likely to experience psychological distress that leads to depression compared to other racial groups. While African American cultural norms focus on resilience and independence, discussion around mental health is discouraged, which leads to underreporting and delayed treatment. For males in the African American community, they can be hesitant to seek help, let alone discuss their experiences …

Social Determinants Of Psychosis: An Examination Of Loneliness, Stress, Discrimination, And Neighborhood Cohesion In Psychotic Disorders, Alexandria Selloni

Dissertations and Theses

This study examined social determinants in individuals diagnosed with psychotic disorders in a large, diverse, sample from the NIH-sponsored All of Us Research Program. Participants completed self-report measures of loneliness, perceived stress, everyday discrimination, and neighborhood social cohesion. Analyses showed that individuals with a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder experience significantly more feelings of loneliness, stress, everyday discrimination, and poorer neighborhood social cohesion compared to individuals without any diagnosis of a mental disorder as well as compared to individuals who may have other mental disorders other than psychosis. We further examined racial difference among individuals with psychotic disorders and found …

Exploring Spatial Operations Of Distractor Suppression In The Sense Of Touch, Nicole A. Serino

Dissertations and Theses

The ability to select sensory information in our environment is key to facilitating goal-directed actions. Sensory selection mechanisms are prevalent in all sensory modalities, and can be implemented by enhancing information at the relevant location and/or suppressing neural information outside the focus of attention (a mechanism known as distractor suppression). Although we have a decent understanding of how the brain enhances information within the focus of attention, less is known about the mechanisms that mediate suppression of distractors, especially in sensory modalities outside vision. In this study, we conducted a series of behavioral experiments to investigate the spatial flexibility of …

The Menstrual Cycle In Psychotherapy: Interventions, Therapist Engagement, And Blind Spots, Rozita Alaluf

Dissertations and Theses

There is a dearth of literature on psychotherapy and menstruation, except for the treatment and diagnosis of issues associated with premenstrual distress. This study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating the frequency and context of discussions about the menstrual cycle, the factors influencing therapists’ engagement with this topic, and the therapeutic approaches utilized to address the menstrual cycle within psychotherapy.

In phase 1, 118 psychotherapists from various theoretical backgrounds completed a survey on menstruation in clinical practice. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. In phase 2, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7 psychotherapists, primarily identifying their theoretical orientation …