Digital Commons Network^™

Graphene-Based Multilayer Polymer Nanocomposite Systems For Force Protection Applications, Mohammad Mansourian Tabaei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work focuses on designing and optimizing a multilayer polymer system (MLPS) for force protection applications, consisting of a front layer, sublayer, and back layer. The front layer was developed using high-concentration graphene nanoplatelet (GNP)-enabled polymers, specifically (poly vinyl alcohol) PVA and (polyurea) PU, as alternatives to brittle ceramic layers. The sublayer was tailored using ABS-GNP composites as a replacement for the traditional Kevlar middle layer. In the development of the front layer, PVA-based nanocomposites were optimized with a specific dispersing agent to enhance mechanical and thermal properties. These nanocomposites demonstrated significant improvements in stiffness, storage modulus, and energy dissipation, …

"'This May Not Be War, But Rather Statesmanship': Sherman's March Through Griswoldville, Milledgeville, And Greater Savannah", Matthew Ryan Lempke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation argues that four communities in Confederate Georgia visited by Union soldiers during Sherman’s March to the Sea reorients our understanding about the state’s continued ability to resist the United States military, the level and variations of destruction, the rationales and motivations behind targeted actions, the multiplicity of experiences among diverse participants, willing and unwilling alike, and of the campaign’s broader effectiveness. The first two communities, Griswoldville and Milledgeville, were indispensable locations that set in motion a coalescence of military and political setbacks from which Confederate Georgia did not recover. As the march progressed and entered coastal communities, the …

Measurements Of Charge Parity Asymmetry In Λc+ → P+H+H−, Dinura Udayana Hetiiarachchi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents direct Charge-Parity asymmetry measurements in singly Cabibbo suppressed...

Ftir Microspectroscopy For The Investigation Of Microplastic Pollution, Automotive Paint Layers, And Prehistoric Rock Paint With An Emphasis On Analytical Method Development, Kendall Wontor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research detailed in this dissertation centers on the development of new analytical methods using chemical imaging microspectroscopy, primarily μ[micro]-FTIR, for applications in environmental, forensic, and archeological chemistry. The state-of-the-art instrument (LUMOS II) used in this research combines optical microscopy with IR spectroscopy, allowing sample visualization during FTIR imaging and micro-analysis.

Chapter 1 serves as an introduction and provides background detail on the instrumentation and technique. Chapter 2 describes the use of fluorescent microscopy to quantify microplastics (MPs) in oysters from the Mississippi Sound. High concentrations of putative MPs were found, with sites inside bays near population centers displaying higher …

Surficial Geologic Mapping Of The Tocowa 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Tallahatchie, And Panola Counties In Northwestern Mississippi: Geologic Framework Of Alluvial Fans With Implications For Aquifer Recharge, Anisha Dahal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVA) within the Mississippi Embayment (ME) is a crucial freshwater resource in the southern United States, supporting agricultural, municipal, and industrial demands. However, excessive groundwater extraction has led to significant declines in water levels across the region over recent decades. Mississippi River alluvial fans, which emanate from valley walls and overlay the MRVA, are composed of coarse-grained sediments and could be significant groundwater recharge areas for the MRVA. This study focuses on the geology of the Tocowa 7.5-minute quadrangle in northwestern Mississippi, encompassing parts of Panola and Tallahatchie counties, with a goal of understanding …

Time And Space Evolution Of Late Permian To Early Triassic Deposits In The Northern Delaware Basin, Southeast New Mexico, U.S.A.: Sediment Sources, Dispersal Pathways, And Timing Of Salt Deformation, Omonde Sitou Akakpo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The northern Delaware Basin in southeast New Mexico recorded the deposition of thick evaporite beds followed by siliciclastic materials between the late Permian and Early Triassic. Mineralogy and whole-rock geochemistry of the bioturbated zone and the first mudstone/halite (M1/H1) informal units in the Los Medaños Member (Rustler Formation) suggest felsic volcanic arc origins for the bioturbated zone and felsic upper continental crust passive margin origins for the M1/H1. The previously studied marine transgression that deposited the bioturbated zone likely transported detritus from southern North America and Central American volcanic arcs into the northern Delaware Basin, whereas the regression allowed migration …

Exploring African American Female Students' Choice Of Stem Major At Rust College, Shatara Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In comparison to the rest of the United States population, African American women are undeniably inadequately represented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As one of the oldest historically black colleges in Mississippi, Rust College has the social responsibility to increase the presence and contributions of minorities in STEM. Since the enrollment of African American females is greater than that of African American males at Rust College, the college has the fortuity to assist in increasing the diversity in STEM for both race and gender. This DIP utilizes Intersectionality Theory as the conceptual foundation to explore …

Designing Ris-Assisted Uav 3d Trajectory Using Deep Reinforcement Learning, Linsong Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly employed as temporary base stations or access points to facilitate data transfer between ground terminals (GTs). However, in urban environments, UAV-GT communication links often face challenges due to obstructions from buildings and other obstacles, resulting in reduced data transfer efficiency. Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) provide a promising solution by reflecting signals to enhance communication quality between UAVs and GTs. This thesis addresses the critical challenge of responsive UAV trajectory optimization in RIS-assisted communication networks. A novel approach is proposed, integrating federated learning with reinforcement learning techniques, specifically Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) and Deep Deterministic …

Radiation And Scattering Of Electromagnetic Waves With The Use Of Metasurface Cloaks In Printed Antenna Technology, Shefali Pawar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is a well-known fact that antennas form the very core of the modern wireless communication systems. As such, an escalating demand for increase in the wireless system capacity compels and necessitates accommodation of densely packed antennas in a very compact space. However, a practical design of such dense antenna systems may not only be cumbersome but could also lead to the deterioration of the overall system performance, considering the fact that such a system may suffer from destructive interference, owing to the cross-coupling between the antenna elements jammed together. In this regard, we endeavor to curb the detrimental effects …

Apartments, Michael Pontacoloni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The following poems engage with themes of placemaking in the twenty-first century. A critical introduction centers the accompanying poems within a developing tradition of poetry in the twenty-first century that challenge common conceptions of home, romantic relationships, and transience. Other topics approached in the poems include adolescence, the environment, sport, and friendship.

Motivation And Attitudes Toward Learning English As A Foreign Language: A Case Study Of Urban And Rural University Freshmen In Saudi Arabia, Munif Almasarir

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Saudi educational system faces several challenges that contribute to low proficiency in English among Saudi students. Previous studies have focused on the EFL curriculum and pedagogical challenges, but there is a lack of research specifically examining other main psychosocial factors that contribute to the attainment of English proficiency. Motivational and attitudinal factors have been proven to have an impact on the proficiency level among EFL students. My study investigates the perceived influence of geographical location on students' attitudes and motivation toward English as a global language in Saudi Arabia. By utilizing an ethnographic approach focusing on both rural and …

Grace Satellite Spatial Resolution Downscaling Using Machine Learning: Methods And Applications, Abdel Rahman M. Awawdeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of global water dynamics, providing unprecedented insights into terrestrial water storage (TWS). Despite its revolutionary contributions, the coarse spatial resolution of GRACE data (~300 km² grids) limits its utility for local-scale water resource management, particularly in regions requiring detailed hydrological analysis such as the Mississippi Delta. This dissertation addresses this limitation by developing and validating machine learning models to enhance the spatial resolution of GRACE data, thereby facilitating more precise and effective local water management strategies.

This research first establishes a comprehensive background in …

The Effects Of Technology-Enhanced Learning On Radiologic Sciences Student Engagement, Zack Gray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the multifaceted connection between technology-enhanced learning (TEL) and student engagement, with a specific emphasis on student perceptions, attitudes, and distractions associated with technology usage in the classroom. Recognizing the increasing prevalence of technology in educational settings, this study seeks to understand how students perceive technology in the learning environment and how these perceptions influence their attitudes toward its use. The research framework is anchored in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), providing a theoretical lens to assess the cognitive factors influencing student behavior.The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining surveys and observations to gather comprehensive insights into …

Southern Animals: Multispecies Encounters In Midcentury Southern Fiction, Kacee M. Mckinney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation expands our understanding of how nonhuman animal figures, symbols, and encounters within southern literature have had ideologically profound impacts on our conceptions of humanity, southernness, and relationality. This dissertation examines prose fiction, including short stories, novellas, and novels, from four influential southern writers—Richard Wright, Carson McCullers, Tennessee Williams, and Flannery O’Connor—who were all actively engaged with representing, critiquing, and expanding American conceptions of the south, the nation, and the ‘human’ at midcentury. With an understanding of southern literature as a rich site for not only regional representation but also broader disruptions of national injustices and ideologies of domination …

Team Origins: Leveraging Network Utilization And Leadership To Explain Team Assembly, Pol Solanelles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drawing from social networks and leadership perspectives, I advance our understanding of team assembly – which I define as the goal-motivated, multi-step, and iterative process by which two or more potential team members interact to organize into nascent teams via formal and/or informal influence. Across three essays, I aim to redirect the conversation from who will become part of a team to how individuals assemble teams, placing leaders assembling teams and potential team members at the forefront of this research.

In Essay 1, my interdisciplinary integrative conceptual review revealed four opportunities to clarify how people assemble teams. First, I use …

Indirect And Direct Pathways Of Migratory Shorebird Effects On Nitrogen Cycling Within Temporarily Flooded Agricultural Fields, Victoria Blocker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The global human population continues to grow exponentially, and agriculture will need to become more productive to meet growing food demands. Humans also need clean water and other services that ecosystems provide. This requires future agriculture production to reduce environmental and wildlife impacts through improved efficiencies and best management practices. Migratory shorebirds rely on wetlands throughout North and South America as stopover habitat for rest and refueling during migration. Temporarily flooded farmlands in the Mississippi Delta have proven to be beneficial locations for shorebirds during migrations along the central flyway. This conservation practice also enhances wetland properties that promote excess …

Evaluation Of Aashto Seismic Design For Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns, Andrew Leroy Grismer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bridge failure can be catastrophic resulting in casualties and limiting the accessibility and emergency response efforts. Ensuring a high level of ductility for bridge columns through sufficient design methods and detailing is the most important aspect of the modern seismic codes. Reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns are widely used in multi-span bridges located in seismic regions of the nation due to their controlled ductility and durability. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate the AASHTO seismic design requirements for RC bridge columns and to comment on whether current bridge code is sufficient and safe. An extensive literature review …

Influence Of Reduced Salt In Fully Cooked Ham And Sausage Cured With Natural Celery Powder On The Growth Of Listeria Monocytogenes At 4⁰C, Anne Sherod

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluated the influence of reducing salt on outgrowth of L. monocytogenes on ready to eat (RTE) deli-style sliced ham cured with natural celery powder, fully cooked sausage links cured with traditional sodium nitrite and sausage links cured with natural celery powder, vacuum packaged and stored at 4⁰C on the outgrowth of L. monocytogenes. Experiment 1 evaluated L. monocytogenes outgrowth on ham over 153 days on the following treatments, current retail ham (HC) 2.0% salt; reduced salt 1 (HRS1) 1.5% salt; reduced salt 2 (HSR2) 1.35% salt; and reduced salt 2 without antimicrobials (HRS2WA) 1.35% salt without potassium lactate …

Optimizing Large Language Models And Multimodal Approaches For Biomedical Publication And Satellite Imagery, Youngsun Jang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation comprises two main sections: the first focuses on natural language processing (NLP) for extracting key information from scientific literature using large language models (LLMs), and the second addresses remote sensing for detecting natural disasters, such as floods, from satellite imagery using a multimodal approach. The first section investigates methods to enhance Transformer-based models in classifying and extracting information from biomedical scientific publications. Key contributions include the development of a custom dataset for classification and Question and Answering (Q&A) tasks, fine-tuning Transformer models like the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) and addressing multi-span answer issues with the TAg-based …

Whole Genome Crispr-Cas9 Screens Identify Genes Contributing To Viral Entry And Phagocytosis, Md Saddam Hossain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary technique for genome editing where Cas9 nucleases can be targeted to specific genomic sites by single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) containing roughly 20-nucleotide sequences that are complementary to the target region. Double strand breaks created by Cas9 are repaired through non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) in most cells, resulting in insertions and deletions leading to frame shift mutations in coding regions. Thus, the CRISPR-Cas9 system can be exploited for systematic evaluation of gene function relationships by whole genome screening. We also developed a CRISPR whole‐genome screen and counter‐screen strategy based on a pseudoviral platform that allowed identification of genes specific …

Development Of Bed Shear Stress In Open Channel Flow In Smooth-To-Rough And Rough-To-Smooth Transitions, Linet Chietunda Paul

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study of flows over sudden change in bed roughness in open channels is important in understanding the flow dynamics of a developing boundary layer. Parameters such as shear velocity, mean flow velocity, turbulence intensity and the Reynolds stress distribution are critical in channel design optimization and predicting sediment transport. In this thesis, a detailed examination of the distribution of these parameters is undertaken in a rough-to-smooth and smooth-to-rough transition. Laboratory experiments were conducted on rough-to-smooth transition (Case A) and smooth-to-rough transition (Case B) in an open channel flume. Measurements of the fluid velocity fields at the centerline of the …

Application Of Hot-Melt Extrusion Technology For The Preparation Of Carbamazepine Extended-Release Tablets, Chamundeswara Srinivasa Akash Kalla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is an anti-convulsant and specific analgesic for trigeminal neuralgia that reduces polysynaptic responses and blocks post titanic potentiation. Moreover, CBZ is effective in partial and generalized convulsions and mixed types. It is not effective in petit mal seizures. Carbamazepine extended-release tablets are used to treat episodes of mania (or) mixed episodes i.e., symptoms of mania and depression that happen at the same time, in patients with bipolar disorder. The present study was designed to develop CBZ extended-release tablets with acrylic acid-based polymer (Eudragit® RL PO) using a melt granulation and to match the USP dissolution test specification. Thermal …

More Than A Feeling: Materializing Sympathy In Nineteenth-Century American Literature, Kathleen Downes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“More than a Feeling: Materializing Sympathy in Nineteenth-Century American Literature” breaks from a long tradition of criticism that only considers the nineteenth-century belief that sympathy was a benevolent, voluntary, imaginative act of feeling that maintains moral rectitude through the identification of suffering with others. In this context, sympathy is primarily defined as identificatory sympathy. “More than a Feeling” expands the definition of sympathy in the nineteenth century as also something that could be atmospherically communicated, transmitting good or bad feeling, and thus affecting and infecting those around them. This other form of sympathy, which for this project I term “effluvial …

On Inference-Time Adversaries In Object Detection Models, Soumil Datta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing use of AI in various applications, its ability to impact different communities is a crucial aspect to the advancement of humanity and technology. However, with its often unexplained properties, AI models could wreck havoc if loopholes are found. Adversarial attack algorithms have been shown to cause deep neural networks to fail on image classification and object detection tasks while being visually imperceptible to humans. Adversarial attacks cause out of distribution predictions and can cause the model to fail in unexpected ways.

Formulation Development And Characterization Of Isoniazid-Pyridoxine Combination Gummies Using An Extrusion-Based 3d Printer, Aditi Rajendra Holkunde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to formulate and evaluate Isoniazid-Pyridoxine-loaded gummies for use in a population ranging from pediatric to geriatric and to study the applicability of BIO X 3D printer in printing gummy formulations. Semisolid extrusion (SSE) 3D printing is an emerging technology in personalized medicine. To address clinical multi-dose requirements, SSE has been explored to manufacture new preparations. In this study, Isoniazid (INH) and Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (PDX) were used to make gummy formulations for use in the treatment of Tuberculosis. A suitable semisolid mixture for SSE was prepared and incorporated into the BIO X 3D printer for extrusion-based 3D printing …

Running In The Rain: Stories, Vinh Hoang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A short story collection.

Evaluation Of Process Parameters For Continuous Manufacturing Of Quetiapine Fumarate Immediate Release Tablets Using Twin Screw Wet Granulation, Tejaswini Naguboyina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Granulation is one of the important unit operations in the manufacturing of solid dosage forms like tablets and capsules that regulate the quality of end products. It is a process of particle enlargement by agglomeration technique, which improves flow properties, compressibility, reduction of dust formation, drug content uniformity, dissolution rates, and overall product stability. Traditionally, it has been a batch process due to a better understanding. However, there has been a shift towards continuous manufacturing using a Twin-screw granulator, which is more robust, scalable, and versatile for various applications. This work presents the use of Twin screw wet granulation (TSWG) …

Mirroring The Target Environment: Text And Task Authenticity In Esl Business Textbooks, Kurt Wildon Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the utilization of authentic reading materials in ESL textbooks and the role that textbook-based tasks serve in enabling ESL classrooms to mirror the target environment. Three original studies are conducted, and two models are designed and applied in order to address the research questions, which aim to establish a standard metric for assessing semi-authenticity of materials and to determine to what degree ESL textbooks prepare students for utilizing subsequent academic textbooks in similar topical areas. Textbooks developed for ESL business and academic business courses are analyzed to determine task category prevalence, reading texts in the ESL genre …

Modeling The Relationship Between Protein Sequence And Structure Using Triangular Spatial Relationship-Based Keys, Arianna Nicole Swensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Protein structure comparison and our understanding of protein sequence and structure relationships are intertwined. In this work, I use the TSR-based key generation algorithm to develop a model for relating sequence and structure. I develop embeddings for the sequence-based keys and the structure-based keys as the basis for a translation model between the two sets of keys, evaluating the efficacy of local and global embedding generation techniques in the context of the TSR-based comparison method.

Energy Efficient Communications For Signal Detection Using Wireless Sensor Networks, Shailee Yagnik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We consider a wireless sensor network where several sensors receive observations to detect the presence or absence of a deterministic signal in Gaussian noise. In this context, we consider two problems. In the first problem, subject to power constraint across all sensors, we focus on optimizing individual sensor transmit power to enhance the probability of correct decision performance. In the second problem, we concentrate on achieving energy savings by an implementation of sequential transmission involving ordered transmission process from the sensors to a fusion center (FC). Both problems have a focus on energy savings, with ordered transmission requiring timing and …