Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of Milling Cutting Forces In Synthetic And Biological Cancellous Bone, Matthew Christopher Hartwell

Masters Theses

In many orthopedic and dental interventions, the cutting and removal of bone is necessary. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that the tools used during these procedures are designed and tested with biological bone or a bone surrogate material that machines the same way as biological bone. To avoid the cost, hazard, and inconsistency of biological cadaveric bone or animal models, many biological engineering firms use bone surrogate material made of glass fiber filled epoxy and polyurethane foam. Although these materials may mimic the elongation of cortical and cancellous bone, respectively, the match of machinability of the bone is …

Sinking Ships And International Relations: The Washington Conference And America's Relations With Britain And Japan, Tucker T. Peterson

Masters Theses

Following World War I, the diplomatic relationships between the United States, Great Britain, and Japan were being strained to a breaking point and the risk of armed conflict was increasing. To stave off a naval arms race and war in the Pacific, U.S. President Warren G. Harding called for a conference to discuss disarmament and questions regarding the “Far East.” The Washington Conference was held from November 12, 1921, to February 6, 1922, and delegates from nine different nations attended. Through the lenses of naval and diplomatic history, this study explores the ascendancy of the U.S. Navy, the Washington Conference, …

Theological Themes And Musical Influences Of Worship In Indonesian Immigrant Churches In The United States, Agnes Keren Bale

Masters Theses

Beyond evoking emotional experience, theologically sound songs are crucial for evangelizing, edifying the church, and congregational spiritual growth. This study examines worship in Indonesian immigrant churches in the United States, analyzing recurring theological themes in the most regularly featured songs in the worship repertoire. Additionally, it explores the influence of Western worship music which shapes the blended identity of these churches. Via the data gathered through worship service observations from a few churches and a survey for platform ministers, twenty-two congregational songs were coded and analyzed for their theological themes. Findings included the omnipotence and sovereignty of God, victory/battle, faith, …

The Positive Effects Of Audience Participation In Classic Literature, Joyelle Davis Braggs

Masters Theses

My thesis reviews the history of fan-fiction and how it plays a role in the world of literature, specifically classic literature. It focuses on Jane Eyre and Charlotte Bronte as well as the reasons why that storyline concluded the way it did. Also, I review the reasons why fans have decided to write their own versions of stories to either refresh or renew a character or storyline.

There is a brief history of fan-fiction and a simple summary of Jane Eyre. Included are examples of fan fiction that faced legal challenges both successfully and unsuccessfully. I have also shared my …

Witchcraft, Demons, And Spiritual Death: An Apologetic For The Bible's Prohibition Against Witchcraft, Joshua Dean Wrenn

Masters Theses

This paper attempts to apologetically defend the Bible's intolerance against witchcraft and other related activities that are prohibited in the Old Testament. It does so by showing that Witchcraft and other related activities gets one involved with demonic entities. It shows how demonic entities are deceitful, and how they are actually the ones behind the power of witchcraft. The paper starts by studying the history of ancient witchcraft, which is something that is useful for understanding the witchcraft of today. It then builds a profile of demons. The paper shows what demons physically do and what they attempt to get …

The Pragmatic Effect Of Φιλέω And Αγαπάω In John 21:15-17, Steven J. P'Pool

Masters Theses

The final chapter of John’s gospel is central to the New Testament in that it depicts the risen Jesus appearing to His disciples and sharing a meal with them, restoring Peter to his place as a leader among his brothers, and records John’s eyewitness testimony to the events reported. It is in verses fifteen through seventeen of chapter twenty-one that attention turns to Peter and John, with the latter eaves dropping on the conversation. John records the conversation in these three verses in which Jesus restores Peter from his trio of denials prior to Jesus’ crucifixion with three opportunities for …

Artificial Intelligence And The Urgency Of The Digitally Literate Instructor In Secondary Education, Evan Kyle Calderon

Masters Theses

The formative school years that comprise secondary education, defined as grades 6th through 8th, pave the way for student success in their foreseeable academic careers. More so than ever, the relationship between technology and student experience has significantly impacted students’ overall academic success. With the encroaching wave of artificial intelligence as a societally necessary tool, the days are fast approaching when AI will become commonplace in the classroom, for which educators of the aforementioned grade levels are overwhelmingly unprepared. In addressing the alarming lack of initiative from higher positions in the education hierarchy, an analysis of the reasons for this …

How The Flock Falters: An Analysis Of Apostasy In The Shepherd Of Hermas, Justin R. Bamba

Masters Theses

This study provides a detailed analysis of apostasy as it is expressed in the Shepherd of Hermas. Drawing from the work of B.J. Oropeza, the study offers a threefold analysis that identifies the Christian community in danger, the nature of apostasy as it pertains to this community, and the consequences of such apostasy. Special attention is devoted to Vision 3 and Similitudes 8-9 for their vivid Tower motif, a unique literary device by which the author expresses the hope and limitations of repentance, community identity, and the causes and consequences for separation from this community—all of which contribute to a …

The Importance Of Metaphysical Christian Screenplays, Francisca Dominguez Fuentes

Masters Theses

"HEAVEN AND EARTH, I AM" is a metaphysical screenplay that profoundly explores the universal theme of love. It parallels the Days of Noah and the Book of Revelation, warning humanity about the serious consequences of living without God daily. The screenplay emphasizes the urgency of this warning regarding the spiritual dangers arising from an alliance between the secular government and the church. It also examines the Three Angels' Message as described in Revelation, along with the prophetic teachings of the Bible presented by Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel. The work serves as a reminder that the first judgment occurred through water, …

Timeless: A Sanctuary In Libraries, Taylor D. Vaughan

Masters Theses

This Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing thesis focuses on the literary element: character development. It includes a vision and background for the thesis project as a whole. An analysis of characters involved in wartime conflict will focus on William Shakespeare’s tragedies Macbeth and Hamlet and various characters in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. The creative manuscript that concludes the thesis incorporates fantasy and war genres and character development research. The manuscript aims to shed light on traumatic events in our modern world rather than use escapism in fantasy to ignore them.

Young Adult Fiction Through The Years: An Analysis Of What Readers Want, Treanna Greenwood

Masters Theses

In this literary critique, I discuss the advantages of reading young adult fiction, specifically fantasy. I define what young adult fantasy is, and then analyze some of the most famous young adult book series and discuss how popular they are and how they contribute to the genre. I also discuss works that are relevant to the creative piece I am submitting and explain why my piece has a place in the world of young adult fantasy. Finally, I acknowledge what I hope to contribute to the field.

Critical (G)Race Theory: A Biblical Response To The Growing Secular Social Justice Movement, Tyler A. Keaton

Masters Theses

Critical Race Theory is a worldview that has taken the social justice world by storm in recent years and has even begun to present itself within the teachings of much of the Church. Oftentimes, secular social justice looks to scripture due to the commands for justice found therein to justify their goal of racial justice and equity. However, while the causes of secular social justice movements and CRT are noble, the ideologies and methods they employ are unbiblical and immoral in many instances. CRT itself is a worldview that promotes further injustices that are just as immoral, if not more …

Historical And Theological Evidence Of Jesus' Resurrection In Paul's Undisputed Letters, Steven Cung Za Kham

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates the historical authenticity and theological significance of Jesus’ resurrection as presented in the letters of Paul. The resurrection, central to the Christian faith, has sparked considerable scholarly interest as a foundational event offering humanity its greatest hope. Among early witnesses, the Apostle Paul stands out due to his transformative encounter with the risen Christ, which radically altered his life from a persecutor of Christians to an ardent advocate of the resurrection. His letters, written within a few decades of Jesus' death, provide key insights into what Paul and early Christians truly believe about the resurrection. The study …

A Comparative Study Of Leadership Styles Of U.S. Olympic Swimming Head Coaches, Stephanie Barnes

Masters Theses

The role of leadership is paramount in successful sport coaching. The current study explored the realm of coaching in swimming to gain a deeper understanding of the unique and diverse leadership styles of U.S. Olympic Head Swimming Coaches. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological research design using a case study approach with two specific cases. Purposeful sampling was utilized to investigate two former U.S. Olympic Head Swimming Coaches with a combined 80 years of elite professional swim coach experience. Through semi-structured interviews and detailed questions, meaningful insight was gained into coaching practices, athlete interactions, and self-perceived effectiveness. Data analysis utilizing …

Uncovering Faith In The Desert: A Hired Gun’S Redemption, Scott K. Shea

Masters Theses

This paper examines the perception of God during arduous times and throughout an individual's life, with a particular focus on wartime experiences. War is the backdrop for numerous personal narratives, with the themes of redemption and the search for faith central to this discussion. It raises the question, "Is it possible to find God amidst the chaos of war?" Throughout history, many military personnel have shared profound experiences of fate, often turning to God in desperate pleas for survival. It is essential to examine the concept of war in a broader context, considering its connection to biblical teachings and understanding, …

The Problem With Evangelism And A Move Towards Discipleship In Thailand, Micheal J. Hurley

Masters Theses

This paper will propose a new way for short term missions to work in Thailand. The nation of Thailand allowed freedom of religion for almost a century and a half, yet the Christian population struggles to exist. As one of the smallest religious groups, Christian missionaries have struggled to make inroads within this country. Thais do what is best for the community over themselves. They want to receive benefit today for their efforts. With little to no hope found for the next better life sought after in Buddhism, one would think Christianity would provide this hope. However, it is out …

Towards The Non-Spectacle: Responses To Necropolitics In The Artwork Of Teresa Margolles And Maya Watanabe, Leslie Anne Condon

Masters Theses

How do we engage with artwork that addresses complicated histories

of colonialism and political violence, specifically intangible and

incomprehensible violence? Mexican artist Teresa Margolles’ 2005 work, Lote

Bravo, is named after and composed of the soil from a mass grave site

discovered in 1995 in the southeastern corner of Ciudad Juárez, a city known

internationally for the femicide that has continued to haunt its streets and

peripheries since the 1990s. Peruvian filmmaker Maya Watanabe’s 2019 film

Liminal cinematically documents the official exhumation of two mass graves

in the Ayacucho and Huánuco regions of the Andes highlands, where

thousands of …

Synthesis Of Durable Sio2 Nanoparticle Coatings For Self- Cleaning Solar Panel Surfaces, Pratima Parajuli

Masters Theses

The demand for innovations that improve the efficiency of solar panels has grown due to an increasing reliance on solar energy as a sustainable energy source. Great effort has been made to increase the conversion efficiency of solar energy to electrical energy. The accumulation of dirt, dust, and other environmental particulates on their surfaces is a challenge faced by solar panel technology. These contaminants can significantly reduce the overall performance of the solar panel. Recently, interest in developing self-cleaning surfaces has risen to maintain the performance of solar panels.To create self-cleaning surfaces, silicon dioxide (SiO₂) nanoparticles are emerging …

A Structural Evaluation And Design Optimization Of A Tow Bar For Disabled Snowmobiles, David M. Pevic

Masters Theses

Snowmobile tow bars are devices used to rigidly connect two snowmobiles, such that a disabled snowmobile can be recovered from a remote location with a working snowmobile. These devices, however, are not widely used or readily available. An existing tow bar design was evaluated and redesigned to improve its structural capacity and performance. This evaluation provided a baseline to quantify improvement and included Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (DFMEA), and Design for Assembly analysis (DFA). A review of existing snowmobile tow bar patents was also performed. An updated design was then fabricated and similarly evaluated. …

Evaluating Distractions Of Undergraduate Students During Guided And Unguided Study Sessions, Roni Peleg

Masters Theses

In this study, we explore an intervention strategy aimed at decreasing distractions while studying. The participant was a third-year undergraduate psychology student with a concentration in neuroscience who did not have a personal structured study system. The researcher measured the percent of intervals in which a distraction occurred using interval recording during baseline and intervention phases. During the intervention phase, the participant was introduced to the productivity method referred to as the Pomodoro Ⓡ Technique. Using a reversal design, data were analyzed based on levels of distraction during baseline and intervention phases. The goal of this study was to evaluate …

Implementing Skill Based Treatment Within A Classroom Setting For Students With Autism: A Systematic Replication In An Alternative School Based Setting, Hayley Getz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of implementing the Interview-Informed Synthesized Contingency Analysis (IISCA) and Skill Based Treatment (SBT) in an alternative classroom setting with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There is much existing research that supports both in a clinical setting, however the school setting is lacking in research. The goal of this study was to teach three students with ASD who engage in challenging behaviors an appropriate way to communicate their needs, how to tolerate the removal of a preferred toy or activity, and to follow educational instructions instead of …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Secondhand E-Cigarette Aerosols On Ros-Mediated Alterations Of Epigenetic Events: Implications For Copd Pathogenesis And Assessment Of The Efficacy Of Cold Atmospheric Plasma In Degrading Organophosphate Pesticides On Kevlar Materials, Ta-Chun Lin

Masters Theses

"We explored 1) the toxicological impacts of e-cigarette aerosols and 2) the decontamination efficacy of Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) technology over organophosphates. In examining the effects of firsthand and secondhand e-cigarette aerosol exposure on A549 and BEAS-2B lung cells, we observed significant cytotoxicity, increased ROS levels, and epigenetic modifications, including heightened DNA methylation and downregulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs). These molecular alterations may contribute to chronic respiratory conditions, such as COPD, underscoring the health risks of e-cigarette exposure.

We investigated CAP’s effectiveness in degrading organophosphate pesticide (OP) residues on fabric surfaces, revealing that CAP treatment effectively decomposes OPs such as …

Transfection Of Ionizable Lipid Nanoparticles On Raw 264.7 And Mda-Mb-231, Lavanya Bhargava

Masters Theses

"This thesis investigates the preparation, characterization, and transfection efficiency of various ionizable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) formulated for the delivery of mRNA encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in RAW 264.7 macrophages and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. The ionizable cationic lipid studied are ALC-035, C12-200, C14-4, PPZ-A10, DLin-MC3-DMA. The study addresses the need for effective gene delivery systems to provide a safe and versatile platform that protects and transports nucleic acids into target cells. LNPs were synthesized using microfluidic mixing methods, incorporating lipid components such as the cationic lipids, DSPE, DOPE, cholesterol and PEG lipids to achieve controlled particle sizes, …

Improving The Operator-Swarm Dynamic Under Mental Fatigue Constraints In Search And Rescue Operations, Jordan Morrow

Masters Theses

"Human-robot applications that allow for work to be done remotely are largely dependent on the lassitude of the operators. The exhaustion of these operators is a result of work completion and duration. Previous research attempts to evaluate the impact on reaction by quantiying human weariness. This paper examines how human weariness affects the human-robot dynamic in UAV-assisted search and rescue missions. An explanation of the connection between mental exhaustion and operator responsiveness over prolonged durations is provided by the search and rescue operations using UAV swarms (SAROUS) model. Through the use of artificial intelligence, SAROUS is modernized. This allows the …

Computation Of Natural Relative Trajectories In The Elliptic Restricted Three-Body Problem, Dane Huck

Masters Theses

"Humankind’s presence in deep space is certain to increase throughout future decades. Future missions will continue to exploit the complex dynamics making use of liberation point orbits. Along with this trend is the rise of small satellites ("small sats") and fractionated spacecraft in general. Compared to traditional monolithic spacecraft, small sats can often have higher maneuverability, be a fraction of the cost, and be more expendable in nature. The growing interest in these two areas drives the need for improvements in the area of relative motion in deep space. One obvious use of small sats in deep space is for …

Advanced 3d Lidar-Based Systems For Urban Traffic And Pedestrian Monitoring: Integrating Elevated Lidar, Data Collection, And Deep Learning For Precise Detection And Activity Classification, Nawfal Guefrachi

Masters Theses

"Accurate and real-time monitoring of urban traffic and pedestrian activities is crucial for intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and smart cities. Traditional camera-based methods struggle with issues like lighting and privacy. This research leverages advanced three-dimension light detection and ranging (3D LiDAR) technology and computational frameworks to address these challenges, providing transformative solutions for urban traffic management and pedestrian safety. By strategically deploying elevated LiDAR sensors, detailed 3D point cloud data is captured, enabling precise monitoring of urban environments. Enhancements to LiDAR-based frameworks, such as fine-tuning the Point Voxel Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network (PV-RCNN), improve the detection of vehicles and pedestrians …

Bond Behavior Of Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Cement (Mkpc) Coating For Steel Reinforcement, Eric Williams

Masters Theses

"This research investigates the bond behavior of magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) coated mild steel deformed bars in conventional concrete and concrete repair materials. For typical steel reinforcement in concrete, a thin “passive layer” develops around the reinforcement, which protects the reinforcement from corrosion. The concrete carbonates over time, reducing the protection of the passive layer and allowing chlorides, which corrode the reinforcement, to penetrate at an increasing rate. In some cases, to combat this corrosion, a protective layer is added to the reinforcement prior to installation. Common protective layers include epoxy coatings or zinc galvanization. MKPC is a novel …

Effects Of Climate Change On Fungal Diversity And Function In Streams, Syeda Tasfia Imam

Masters Theses

"This study investigated the impact of climate change, particularly drought, on leaf decomposition and associated fungal and macroinvertebrate communities in freshwater ecosystems. With climate change, streams may experience altered hydrology, leading to shifts in community composition and biogeochemical processes. Fungi decompose organic matter, facilitate nutrient cycling, and support food webs. However, drought can disrupt these processes by reducing water availability, causing declines in fungal diversity and activity. I examined leaf breakdown and associated biota in 13 stream sites across varying hydrologic conditions, from perennial to ephemeral flow patterns. Flow duration varied during the 8-week study. Leaf breakdown was significantly related …

Lidar From The Skies: A Uav-Based Approach For Efficient Object Detection And Tracking, Baya Cherif

Masters Theses

"Recently, there has been a growing interest in deploying the Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to gain traction in the autonomous vehicle industry, its applications are expanding into areas like smart cities, agriculture, and renewable energy. This work proposes an advanced approach to enhance aerial traffic monitoring using Li- DAR. We aim to provide accurate, real-time object detection and tracking from an aerial perspective by integrating Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with LiDAR, culminating in a smart UAV-integrated LiDAR (A-LiD) sensor for traffic surveillance. We introduce an adapted version of one of the newest methods of the cutting-edge 3D object …

Automated Generation Of Malware Metadata Signatures, Joel Schott

Masters Theses

In advanced, targeted malware attacks, the custom software tools used to package and send malicious files and messages can lead to distinctive metadata values that facilitate creation of a malware metadata signature. Manual creation of these signatures requires expert domain knowledge and is time-consuming and error-prone. Our goal is to automate this process. We created several methods of automatically generating malware metadata signatures for ZIP files and emails. We evaluated these methods by comparing signatures generated with these methods to existing expert-created signatures. We found automated methods for ZIP files and emails that are capable of generating metadata signatures that …