Digital Commons Network^™

My Guest From Afar, Yuan Yao

Theses

An elderly American old man accepts a young Chinese visiting scholar to live in his house. They argue for trifles, they fight for money, but they build up the friendship as time goes by. One day the scholar finishes his research then the old man suddenly realizes that he has already been embedded in his life.

Performance Analysis Of Fixed-Random Weights In Artificial Neural Networks, Humza Syed

Theses

Deep neural networks train millions of parameters to achieve state-of-the-art performance on a wide foray of applications. However, finding a global minimum with gradient descent approaches leads to lengthy training times coupled with high computational resource requirements. To alleviate these concerns, the idea of fixed-random weights in deep neural networks is explored. More critically the goal is to maintain performance akin to fully trained models.

Metrics such as floating point operations per second and memory size are compared and contrasted for fixed-random and fully trained models. Additional analysis on downsized models that mimic the number of trained parameters of the …

State Policies Of Medical Marijuana Versus Food & Drug Administration Policies Of Pharmaceutical Drugs, Kayla Stephan

Theses

In the past 22 years, 32 states have legalized and regulated marijuana for medical use. However, marijuana is scheduled as a Schedule I drug according to the federal government. This means that states have no specific regulations to follow for regulating marijuana for medical use. Because of this, states may be risking the safety of medical marijuana patients. Research was conducted to analyze the policies set out by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the regulation of a prescription drug. Since the FDA is responsible for the safety and efficacy of prescription drugs, this analysis included what types of …

Design And Implementation Of An Automated Oil Distribution System For A Homogenizer Machine In Gea Mechanical Equipment – Niro Soavi, Luca Gandolfi

Theses

This thesis shows the steps that have been followed and done in order to improve a critical operation of a technological process of the GEA Mechanical Equipment. The critical operation was the filling with different types of oils the homogenizing machine because it was characterized by a lot of inefficiencies and, in particular, by huge risks for job security. These critical issues gave the opportunity and the chance to realize a project in order to give a process optimization and security improvement.

After having faced all the aspects and steps needed for this project, it has been realized a system …

A Comparative Study Of Russian Trolls Using Several Machine Learning Models On Twitter Data, Kannan Neten Dharan Kannan Neten Dharan

Theses

Ever since Russian trolls have been brought into light, their interference in the 2016 US Presidential elections has been monitored and studied thoroughly. These Russian trolls have fake accounts registered on several major social media sites to influence public opinions. Our work involves trying to discover patterns in these tweets and classifying them by using different machine learning approaches such as Support Vector Machines, Word2vec and neural network models, and then creating a benchmark to compare all the different models. Two machine learning models are developed for this purpose. The first one is used to classify any given specific tweet …

A Study Of Machine Learning And Deep Learning Models For Solving Medical Imaging Problems, Fadi G. Farhat

Theses

Application of machine learning and deep learning methods on medical imaging aims to create systems that can help in the diagnosis of disease and the automation of analyzing medical images in order to facilitate treatment planning. Deep learning methods do well in image recognition, but medical images present unique challenges. The lack of large amounts of data, the image size, and the high class-imbalance in most datasets, makes training a machine learning model to recognize a particular pattern that is typically present only in case images a formidable task.

Experiments are conducted to classify breast cancer images as healthy or …

Colonialism To Carnival: Tracking Centuries Of Racialized Imagery Of Brazilian Woman, Livia Dias

Theses

The thesis explores how the image of Brazilian women, which is highly racialized and sexualized, was constructed historically, and try to understand why Brazilian women are seen as they are in the twentieth century. Throughout the chapters, I will analyze historical documents that I argued helped to construct this image inside Brazil and worldwide.

Investigation Of Nest Predation As A Cause Of Turtle Population Declines On The Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma, Alexandra M. Shipman

Theses

Investigators of a turtle population study spanning 19 years reported major declines in capture rates of red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta; 4.05 to 0.44) and Ouachita map turtles (Graptemys ouachitensis; 0.18 to 0.01) populations within Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Vian, Oklahoma. Although capture rates of alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) collected in 2016 were comparable to those found in a 1997-2000 study (0.33 compared to 0.35), there was concern that the cause(s) of observed declines in smaller, shorter-lived turtle species could also impact alligator snapping turtle populations, and may not yet be apparent due to differences in life histories, such …

Interaction Design Needs Modified Principles Of “Design Affordance” For Navigation Applications, Shannon Connell

Theses

It is a common scene for many of us getting from point A to point B these days. One we forget did not exist a little over a decade ago. A phone or device is taken out, a destination is typed into a search box, and a route or several are offered. The user then makes a route decision, places the device within sight, or holds it as they travel. The user relies on provided instructions for most of the route taken and tangential subsequential decision-making. These behaviors are not only accepted as the norm, but our reliance deems them …

The Line, Angelica Alegria Agelviz Rodriguez

Theses

The Line is an animated fairy tale for adults, meant to ask the age-old question of “who am I?” through the lens of its main character, Espe, a child born with skin made of mirror.

With this thesis, I wanted to delve deeper into my understanding of the themes of individuality, freedom of thought, fragility of ego and the unreliability of ‘truth’, as seen through the eyes of a child. The idea for this story was simple enough: What would happen if somebody was born made out of mirror? And what if that mirror were to look at itself? Though …

Breastfeeding Discourse On Social Media, Andrea L. Whittemore

Theses

Using feminist theory, this study focuses on discourse around breastfeeding on Twitter. Using a mixed-methods approach, I first examine the use of the hashtag #breastfeeding on Twitter to identify the networks driving the discourse. The discourse analysis was completed to explore how feminist principles and mothers’ agency were represented in tweets related to breastfeeding. The results, based on (N = 2,818) tweets, show that discourses are seen as breastfeeding as “natural” and “primary,” bottle feeding as second best, sexualization versus the natural functions of the breast, breastfeeding as a provocative act, mothering as a public or private nexus, breastfeeding related …

Designing Emotional Content Into The Mouthfeel Of Food, Shahd Zubier

Theses

Processed foods may lack nutritional value; however, they are inexpensive, convenient, and highly palatable or satisfying to consumers. All of these factors impact the relationships we have with food. One of the reasons why processed foods are enjoyable is the variation of sensorial qualities it provides. Our senses facilitate our connection with food, we observe the color and form visually, we examine the texture with our hands and mouth, we hear the crunch of a crispy chip. All of these factors are considered in the realm of food design. Designers can contribute to this area by applying the Design Thinking …

Virtual Reality Interfaces For Product Design: Finding User Interface Solutions For Design Creation Within Virtual Reality, Johanna Lopez Taveras

Theses

The focus of Virtual Reality has gone from research to widespread adoption in entertainment and practical directions, like automotive design and architectural visualization. With that, we have to take into consideration the best way to give in-experience control to the user and the interaction within the interface.

Recent studies explore the ergonomic considerations and zones of content for VR interfaces. But Virtual Reality interaction design has a long way to go and nowadays is done mainly like a projection of 2D screens, with planar interfaces in the 3D space, almost ignoring the immersive potential of the Virtual Reality medium (Alger …

The Way Back Home, Bichen Yang

Theses

After traveling, Ming (38) and Qinyi (35) pack their stuff to catch the flight. A sudden email destroys Ming’s mood: he lost his new job. Then he sees his share price fall. He is upset with his wife and vents his anger to his son, Tommy (6). Qinyi thinks that Ming still has a grudge because she is unable to have another baby. They start to go to the airport in an awkward atmosphere.

On the road, Ming refuses to stop the car, which makes Tommy urinating on the seat. A STRANGER follows their car and keeps flashing him. Ming …

Elucidating The Effects Of Antibiotics On The Release Of Pal From Escherichia Coli, Leslie Gallardo

Theses

Sepsis, a life-threatening clinical condition affecting more than 1.5 million Americans per year, is defined as an over-exuberant immune response to infection. Currently, sepsis is the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals, and the incidence of sepsis caused by Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), has been steadily increasing since the late 1990’s. While the detailed mechanism of sepsis is not fully understood, several bacterial components are thought to contribute to the hyper-inflammatory response in humans, including lipopolysaccharide endotoxin and several other lipoproteins. Past studies suggest that one of those E. coli lipoproteins, peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein (Pal), might …

Important Considerations For Creative Professionals When Designing For Users With Mental Health Issues, Yiting Zhu

Theses

Creative professionals who design products, entertainment, application, websites, and even marketing are gradually beginning to realize the importance of evoking emotions and personalized communication to attract users’ attention and improve the satisfying experience. Emotional-based design can profoundly influence overall user experience since emotions affect decision making, attention, memory, and meaning. Designers often apply emotional design by two main approaches. The first is based on the modification of objects’ aesthetic appearances such as color, shape, and texture. The other focuses on engaging interaction mostly based on technology development (Van Gorp, Adams 2012). Both of these factors have significant effects on people …

The Effect Of Video Game Experience In Different Genres On Task-Switching Ability, Caitlin A. Brostek

Theses

Task-switching is an executive function that refers to an individual’s ability to shift attention between different tasks. Previous studies have examined whether video game players perform better on task-switching experiments compared to non-video game players. This study aimed to add to existing research by examining video game experience on a continuous scale. Other factors that may affect the association between video game experience and task-switching ability were also examined, including the specific video game genre(s) played and the age that an individual began actively playing. Sixty participants from the Rochester Institute of Technology completed a questionnaire assessing video game experience …

Effects Of Grazer Exclusion On Carbon Cycling In Created Freshwater Wetlands, Delanie Spangler

Theses

Wetland ecosystems play a significant role in the global carbon cycle, and yet are increasingly threatened by human development, climate change, and shifts in populations of large grazers. The loss of intact wetland systems heightens the need for effective wetland creation and restoration. However, wetland ecosystems are highly complex, complicating efforts to replace the functionality and delivery of ecosystem services associated with natural wetlands. Increasing waterfowl populations pose a threat to the development and persistence of created wetlands, largely through intensive grazing that can shift vegetation community structure or altogether limit desired plant establishment. This study capitalizes on a long-term …

Policing With Eyes In Sky: Analysis Of Drone Programs In Law Enforcement, Keith Ericksen

Theses

In the modern era technology is playing a significant role in how our law enforcement modernize to serve the communities. Drones are known as an emerging technology that is changing the way our law enforcement assess the high-risk missions, crimes, and rescue efforts. A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is remotely controlled by a person that is used to gather aerial intelligence among other things. In the law enforcement field, the drones usually are equipped with sophisticated cameras that has the capabilities to zoom in, capture stills, and record videos from the sky. More expensive drones are …

Exploring Deep Neural Network Models For Classification Of High-Resolution Panoramas, Deepak Sharma

Theses

The objective of this thesis is to explore Deep Learning algorithms for classifying high-resolution images. While most deep learning algorithms focus on relatively low-resolution imagery (under 400×400 pixels), very high-resolution image classification poses unique challenges. These images occur in pathology and remote sensing, but here we focus on the classification of invasive plant species. We aimed to develop a computer vision system that can provide geo-coordinates of the locations of invasive plants by processing Google Map Street View images at using finite computational resources. We explore six methods for classifying these images and compare them. Our results could significantly impact …

Solid Phase Synthesis Of Modular Peptide-Based Targeted Molecular Imaging Agents, Xinyu Xu

Theses

Targeted molecular imaging agents (TMIA) are emerging as useful tools for early diagnosis of cancer and other diseases. These agents couple imaging agents such as near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) dyes or metallic contrast agents such as gadolinium (Gd) used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to targeting agents that bind to biomarker receptors in cancer cells. Our group has developed a modular synthesis of peptide-based TMIAs containing these two agents starting from “puzzle pieces”. Puzzle pieces, or modules, are amino acids with imaging groups bonded to their side chains. These are assembled together to form imaging peptides which are then conjugated …

Galatea: A Representation Of The Nature Of The Goddess, Courtney Flamm

Theses

This paper analyzes the figure Galatea, including the original narratives of Ovid’s Metamorphoses and the visual representations of her character. Examinations of these images and the circumstances that surround Galatea’s character, including her association with Venus, provide an in-depth exploration of Galatea’s relationship to the archetypal Mother Goddess and the role of feminine deities throughout history. As interpreted in the prehistoric past, the ancient Mother Goddess was worshipped as an all-encompassing deity in ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Aztec, and Greek societies. Her duality as the source of life and death provided a superior nature to her surrounding male counterparts that was …

Examining The Fears, Benefits, And Applications Of Teaching Improvisation In General Music, Krystle Boyd

Theses

This project focused on identifying and resolving fears associated with teaching improvisation in the general music classroom. The primary focus was on music educators and providing them with reassurance, reasoning, and plans on how to begin the process of teaching improvisation and follow through so that it is a well-developed initiative that will be built upon and utilized for years to come. This project demonstrated plans for an entire year of 5th grade general music instruction and provided a curriculum map, lesson plans, rubrics, and a manual of explanation for the lessons and activities.

Cracking The Social Media Code Of Post-Millennials, Bailey Elizabeth Kinney

Theses

This project will investigate the way that generation z/post millennials interact and respond to digital marketing and social media. The final deliverable is a 30-minute webinar offering a wide assessment of this up and coming generation. The video will include a comparison between how advertising is currently conducted for millennials and how it will need to change their successors. The webinar will also include research, examples of successful marketing to this generation, and practical application tips.

Selection Of Best Sites For Aquifer Storage And Recovery In The Eastern District Of Abu Dhabi Emirate, United Arab Emirates, Karim Ali Mahfouz Abdou Khalil

Theses

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi relied on groundwater as the main source of fresh water for several decades in the past. This resulted in the deterioration of the non-renewable groundwater aquifers; and thus, desalination plants have become the major source of freshwater supply in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Diminishing natural groundwater is a serious threat to freshwater security in arid regions. Because UAE has the world’s highest per capita water consumption rate, more than 70 desalination plants have been built in the last two decades. A major concern, therefore, is the vulnerability of these desalination plants to pollution and …

Nmr Studies Of Translational And Rotational Diffusion Of A Phase Separating Eye Lens Protein: Bovine Γb-Crystallin, Aaron Thomas Fadden

Theses

Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Cataracts can occur when proteins (known as “crystallins”) in the cytoplasm of the eye lens phase separate or associate, creating local fluctuations in the refractive index of the lens. Bovine γB-crystallin is analogous (in sequence, structure, and function) to the human γD-crystallin and can be isotopically labeled during growth with 13C and 15N when expressed in Escherichia coli. In this work, the two most important Brownian motions, rotational and translational diffusion, were measured under various temperatures and concentrations in an effort to better understand the intermolecular interactions and …

Experimental Analysis Of Spatial Sound For Storytelling In Virtual Reality, Saylee Bhide

Theses

Spatial sound is useful in enhancing immersion and presence of the user in a virtual world. This audio design allows the game designer to place audio cues that appropriately match with the visual cues in a virtual game environment. These localized audio cues placed in a story based game environment also help to evoke an emotional response from the user and construct the narrative of the game by capturing the user’s attention towards the guiding action events in the game. Our thesis explores the usefulness of spatial sound for improving the performance and experience of a user in a virtual …

Biorefinery Pathways For Institutional Food Waste, Shwe Sin Win

Theses

Every day, enormous quantities of nutritious food are wasted in landfills across the globe. Agriculture and food production use intensive amounts of water, chemicals, and land, rendering food waste as a major environmental and economic concern. New York State is currently considering legislation that would ban landfill disposal of food waste produced by large institutional generators, such as universities, hospitals, sports venues, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Institutions have concentrated populations which generate predictable volumes of food waste and waste cooking oil. At the same time, these populations need heat, electricity, vehicle fuel, and soap. Developing a biorefinery system offers great …

Drug Quality Assurance To Combat Counterfeit Streptomycin Using Facile, Low Cost Colorimetry, Makayla R. Foster

Theses

An easy to use, low cost colorimetric method to identify the quality and quantity of the tuberculosis (TB) medication, streptomycin was developed. TB is typically treated using a multi-drug regimen comprised of antibiotics such as streptomycin. According to WHO and USAID up to 50% of pharmaceuticals are counterfeit worldwide. The problem intensifies the closer one gets to the point of care. A facile counterfeit detection method, that is specific to only the authentic medication, is essential. Since the 1940s, streptomycin was colorimetrically identified using a 16-hour base hydrolysis process followed by an iron complexation reaction. A tris(maltonato)iron (III) complex was …

Exploring Neuromodulatory Systems For Dynamic Learning, Anurag Daram

Theses

In a continual learning system, the network has to dynamically learn new tasks from few samples throughout its lifetime. It is observed that neuromodulation acts as a key factor in continual and dynamic learning in the central nervous system. In this work, the neuromodulatory plasticity is embedded with dynamic learning architectures. The network has an inbuilt modulatory unit that regulates learning depending on the context and the internal state of the system, thus rendering the networks with the ability to self modify their weights. In one of the proposed architectures, ModNet, a modulatory layer is introduced in a random projection …