Digital Commons Network^™

Delving Into Population Statistics Of Open Clusters With Gaia: A Python Driven Exploration And Characterization Of Open Stellar Clusters In The Milky Way, William J. Wainwright

Theses

Stellar clusters provide a unique look into the populations of stars in our galaxy through different slices of time. The evolution of a population of stars is highly subject to initial conditions, and as such, through careful observation and rigorous analysis, one can infer those initial conditions from the comparison to models. In this work, we present our methods and findings on the process of filtering, fitting, and statistical analysis of 17 nearby open clusters. For each cluster, we have confidently identified cluster members before fitting thousands of permutations of synthetic isochrones and color excess to determine the best fit. …

Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy And Governments Challenges, Laila Abdin

Theses

Governments face the challenge of increasing the number of people who have been infected. Millions of daily examinations are being conducted around the world to detect the disease. The pandemic is growing increasingly challenging as the number of confirmed cases increases. Governments encounter a variety of obstacles in approving the benefits of Covid-19 vaccinations. Indeed, the idea of getting vaccinated is still fuzzy, and does vaccination protect against infectious disease? There are a lot of questions floating around. The lack of clear information about the Covid-19 vaccine will stymie the growing number of people who have been immunized. Therefore, governments …

Why Did You Clone These Identifiers? Using Grounded Theory To Understand Identifier Clones, Luis Angel Gutierrez Galaviz

Theses

Developers spend most of their time comprehending source code, with some studies estimating this activity takes between 58% to 70% of a developer’s time. To improve the readability of source code, and therefore the productivity of developers, it is important to understand what aspects of static code analysis and syntactic code structure hinder the understandability of code. Identifiers are a main source of code comprehension due to their large volume and their role as implicit documentation of a developer’s intent when writing code. Despite the critical role that identifiers play during program comprehension, there are no regulated naming standards for …

Leveraging Identifier Naming Structures In Source Code And Bug Reports To Localize Relevant Bugs, James Dugan

Theses

When bugs are found in source code, bug reports are created which contain relevant information for developers to locate and fix the bug. In large source code repositories, it can be difficult and time consuming for developers to manually analyze bug reports to locate a bug. The discovery of patterns between bug reports and source files has led to the creation of automated tools using various techniques. Automated bug localization techniques can reduce the amount of manual effort required by developers by ranking the most probable location of the bug using textual information from bug reports and source code. Although …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Germanium Telluride Nanowires, Shaikha Saeed Alketbi

Theses

Random access memories (RAMs) made from phase change materials (PCMs) are a promising alternative for flash memory technology currently dominating the memory market owing to its many appealing traits such as non-volatility, fast read/write performance, excellent scalability, and compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) architectures. In fact, the scalability of PCMs is driving this class of materials to be the successor in the memory industry in the near future, and germanium telluride (GeTe) is one of the most viable PCMs in this context. In this study the phase change material GeTe nanowires, is fabricated using the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth method. GeTe …

Reducing A Dog’S Problem Behavior Using Functional Communication Training: A Case Study, Audrey Blunt, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Many dogs are relinquished to animal shelters and subsequently euthanized each year due to problem behaviors, such as excessive barking (ASPCA, n.d.). Unfortunately, punishment-based procedures (e.g., bark collars) have been commonly used to reduce these behaviors, despite negative side-effects such as escape and aggression. Functional communication training (FCT) involves teaching a replacement behavior that is functionally equivalent to the problem behavior and is a documented strategy to reduce problem behaviors in humans (e.g., Carr & Durand, 1985). In the current study, one 11-month old dog who had a history of whining, mouthing, and pawing was taught to mand (request) for …

Microgrid Energy Management Using Ann And Monitoring Platform For Micro-Grid Systems Using The Internet Of Things, Fatima Hassan Jalal

Theses

Energy management and monitoring are significant obstacles to microgrid implementation in smart homes. As a result, further research is required to address the modeling and operational aspects of the system's future findings for various applications. This work describes a novel technique for managing microgrid energy based on a robust control approach and the construction of a real-time monitoring platform. The proposed controller is based on an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), which is already in use in the energy internet paradigm, where Distributed Generators are connected to microgrids (DGs). When paired with the Thingspeak platform for real-time data analysis, the suggested …

Using Information Technology Tools To Help Address Company Supply Chain Communication Challenges: A Case Of Workflow Processes, Akinola Samuel Olorunfemi

Theses

The evolution of cloud computing is one of the major and recent developments in the computing world. Cutting-edge web technology applications have improved the manner in which business is conducted, allowing organizations to deliver business projects effectively. Microsoft SharePoint is an enterprise content management system that provides a collaborative platform for end users to design, monitor and execute business processes. It provides core functionality such as the ability to quickly undertake reporting, provision collaboration sites, and a sophisticated document repository featuring collaboration necessities. This study reviews the limitations of the current part setup workflow using email at Company XYZ, and …

Evaluating The Potential Impact Of Ototoxicant Exposure On Worker Health, Cody Beaver

Theses

Occupational exposure to ototoxicants, substances that can cause hearing loss or exacerbate the impact of noise exposure, is a workplace hazard that is not well understood. Existing research generally agrees that some solvents and heavy metals may be ototoxic, but few studies have attempted to establish the impact of exposure to ototoxicants in the workplace. This study examined trends in workplace exposure to ototoxicants among workers in the United States by comparing exposure data collected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration against worker hearing loss data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2012 through 2019. The study …

Improving The Flexibility Of Clara's Automated Matching And Repair Processes, Maheen Riaz Contractor

Theses

More computer science researchers focus on automated program repair, with the world steadfastly moving towards automation. CLARA is an example of an automated program repair tool that provides feedback to novice programmers solving introductory programming assignments in Java, C++, and Python. CLARA involves test-based repair, requiring as input a correct program, an incorrect program, and its corresponding test case. Our work only focuses on Python. CLARA has two main limitations. The first involves lacking support for commonly used language constructs such as standard input, standard output, and import statements. We address this issue by extending CLARA's abstract syntax tree processor …

Efficient Sampling And Counting Of Graph Structures Related To Chordal Graphs, Wenbo Sun

Theses

Counting problems aim to count the number of solutions for a given input, for example, counting the number of variable assignments that satisfy a Boolean formula. Sampling problems aim to produce a random object from a desired distribution, for example, producing a variable assignment drawn uniformly at random from all assignments that satisfy a Boolean formula. The problems of counting and sampling of graph structures on different types of graphs have been studied for decades for their great importance in areas like complexity theory and statistical physics. For many graph structures such as independent sets and acyclic orientations, it is …

Android Malware Detection Using Machine Learning Techniques, Mohamed Salem Alhebsi

Theses

Android is the world's most popular and widely used operating system for mobile smartphones today. One of the reasons for this popularity is the free third-party applications that are downloaded and installed and provide various types of benefits to the user. Unfortunately, this flexibility of installing any application created by third parties has also led to an endless stream of constantly evolving malware applications that are intended to cause harm to the user in many ways. In this project, different approaches for tackling the problem of Android malware detection are presented and demonstrated. The data analytics of a real-time detection …

Eye-Tracking Using Deep Learning, Sam Trenter

Theses

Eye-tracking can be valuable for researchers in many domains. Most eye-tracking technologies require an extra piece of costly hardware. Several other available eye-tracking solutions are usually not very accurate and require a costly subscription. Our project was oriented at creating a free and open-source alternative that does not require additional equipment. We developed a deep learning-based solution as a prototype for this project. Specifically, we developed a deep learning model to predict a user’s gaze position on the screen. We created our training data set using a commercially available eye-tracker to train the model. Each training sample consists of a …

Combating Global Warming: Modeling Enhanced Rock Weathering Of Wollastonite Using Density Functional Theory, Brian Luan

Theses

Negative emissions technologies target the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as a way of combating global warming. Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) is a vital negative emissions technology that applied globally could remove gigatons of carbon dioxide per year from the atmosphere. In ERW, silicate minerals exposed to the atmosphere trap CO2 via mineral carbonation as thermodynamically stable carbonates. To obtain an atomic scale understanding of the weathering process and to design more reactive silicates for enhanced rock weathering, carbon dioxide adsorption on low Miller index wollastonite (CaSiO3) surfaces was modeled using density functional theory. Atomic scale structure of …

Data-Driven Optimization For Bicycle Station Location In A Small To Medium-Sized City: The Case Study Of Cuenca, Ecuador, Fernando Cueva

Theses

Bike sharing systems (BSSs) are an important transportation alternative, and station distribution is a key component of these that is driven by user demand and resource constraints. Designing an effective BSS with appropriate station distribution requires a method that consists of steps structured in a flexible, parameterizable, repeatable, and organized way, based on and aligned with proven or accepted standards---particularly in resource-limited environments. This includes data-driven analysis of information relevant to BSS station design from various sources and in different formats. Models and algorithms are used to organize and examine the data, reduce redundant data, standardize factors, and find patterns …

You Can See Me But You Can't Find Me, Eric Bohrer

Theses

I finesse the atmospheric value of objects— the gestural systems brought forward in their material and forms. As Baudrillard describes, the tools we use and the furnishings we live among are increasingly defined by their formal adherence to systems of control. Individual function is suppressed for the sake of a homogeneous interrelationship between multiple objects. Through the use of a gestural system that prioritizes effort instead, objects are defined by instinct as opposed to cultural connotation. Material is liberated from the increasingly abstracted contemporary discourse surrounding its use and the object as a whole is allowed to retake an anthropomorphic …

Immersive Virtual Reality Error Management Training For Cnc Machining Setup Procedures, Matthew Ryan

Theses

In order to address the expanding manufacturing talent gap for skilled machinists and limitations with existing machining training programs, this study introduces an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) computer numerical control (CNC) machining training environment CNC machine setup processes with a novel error management-based training curriculum. Current machinist training programs typically require active mentorship from skilled individuals over several years and consume a large amount of materials and tools. In addition, mistakes and errors made during the setup process can create safety risks, waste material, and break equipment, which have not been considered by the existing VR CNC milling training environments. …

Preservation Of Autonomy In Pediatric Decision-Making, Crystal Brown

Theses

Pediatric patients must rely on proxy decision-makers, usually a parent or guardian, to make their health care choices for them. There are 3 main frameworks in place for such decision-making. The default is usually that the decision-maker will make the decision that they feel is in the best interest of the child. Limitations on the decision-maker are an aspect often discussed with abuse and neglect at the forefront as thresholds for when limitations and intervention are deemed necessary. Concern for the child’s future autonomy is not made a consideration. Instead, the values and beliefs of the decision-maker are used to …

What Is Assertiveness?, Mirjana Trifunovic

Theses

My main aim is to define assertiveness, to distinguish assertiveness from aggressiveness, and to raise the question of whether we should be assertive. Most articles on assertiveness are from the field of psychology. In psychology, assertiveness is defined as a healthy way of expressing oneself. But what does assertiveness mean? How should we define assertiveness and is assertiveness desirable, or is it closely connected to aggressiveness? Should we say that assertiveness is a part of our character, an innate quality, or an acquired skill? In this thesis, I will define assertiveness and show how to distinguish assertiveness from aggressiveness. Most …

Invisible Pain, Hairuo Ding

Theses

My thesis work was the exploration and thinking of the outbursts that can occur out of hiding emotions in people's minds, and the prejudice against mental illness. It was based on a question in my mind: Is psychological injury a real injury? If so, why do people always advocate gratitude for suffering? Why is it that when someone is experiencing frustration and pain, it's just seen as an obstacle to become a better person? What about the scars that these extreme emotions create, the ones that are hidden deep within people's hearts, under the polite and cheerful appearance that they …

Invasive Species Identification And Monitoring Using Computer Vision, Street View Imagery, And Community Science, Liam Megraw

Theses

Invasive plants present significant challenges for ecosystem integrity, biodiversity preservation, and agricultural production. Continuous surveillance efforts are necessary to detect and effectively respond to emerging infestations. However, monitoring methods currently available each have their own limits, whether due to cost, time, or sampling bias. Computer vision applied to roadside imagery is a previously undeveloped methodological synergy that can support existing monitoring efforts. Further, because roadsides are a vector of spread, they are an ideal pathway to monitor. In this study, we present research and management applications of a dataset generated by a computer vision model for Phragmites (Common reed) and …

A Depth-Based Computer Vision Approach To Unmanned Aircraft System Landing With Optimal Positioning, Nicholas Quattrociocchi

Theses

High traffic congestion in cities can lead to difficulties in delivering appropriate aid to people in need of emergency services. Developing an autonomous aerial medical evacuation system with the required size to facilitate the need can allow for the mitigation of the constraint. The aerial system must be capable of vertical takeoff and landing to reach highly conjected areas and areas where traditional aircraft cannot access. In general, the most challenging limitation within any proposed solution is the landing sequence. There have been several techniques developed over the years to land aircraft autonomously; however, very little attention has been scoped …

Deep Into The Eyes: Applying Machine Learning To Improve Eye-Tracking, Aayush Kumar Chaudhary

Theses

Eye-tracking has been an active research area with applications in personal and behav- ioral studies, medical diagnosis, virtual reality, and mixed reality applications. Improving the robustness, generalizability, accuracy, and precision of eye-trackers while maintaining privacy is crucial. Unfortunately, many existing low-cost portable commercial eye trackers suffer from signal artifacts and a low signal-to-noise ratio. These trackers are highly depen- dent on low-level features such as pupil edges or diffused bright spots in order to precisely localize the pupil and corneal reflection. As a result, they are not reliable for studying eye movements that require high precision, such as microsaccades, smooth …

Machine Learning Based Characterization Of Preictal Eeg, Andrew C. Allard

Theses

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) that incorporate Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) have shown a great deal of success in recognizing preictal activity in electroencephalogram (EEG) analysis. It is postulated that the convolutional portion of the neural network (NN) is using some particular feature or set of features to determine this preictal state. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of these features, Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) and augmented Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (augmented Grad-CAM) are applied to the convolutional portion of patient specific neural networks trained to recognize preictal activity. While no particular set of features were consistently highlighted …

Modeling Users Feedback Using Bayesian Methods For Data-Driven Requirements Engineering, Moayad M. Alshangiti

Theses

Data-driven requirements engineering represents a vision for a shift from the static traditional methods of doing requirements engineering to dynamic data-driven user-centered methods. App developers now receive abundant user feedback from user comments in app stores and social media, i.e., explicit feedback, to feedback from usage data and system logs, i.e, implicit feedback. In this dissertation, we describe two novel Bayesian approaches that utilize the available user's to support requirements decisions and activities in the context of applications delivered through software marketplaces (web and mobile). In the first part, we propose to exploit implicit user feedback in the form of …

Nursing Documentation Environment In The Hospital Setting, Alice E. Cavin

Theses

Nurses often document in open nurses' stations exposed to frequent interruptions. Much has been written on the need to limit distractions while collecting and administering medications but little has been published on the effects interruptions have on nursing documentation. The purpose of this study was to examine the environment in which nurses chart and to gather their perceptions of the documentation environment. Marilyn Ray's Theory of Bureaucratic Caring was the guiding framework for this study. A review of the literature revealed the effects open work spaces, noise, and interruptions can have on work performance. This study, a focus group discussion, …

The Role And Responsibility Of The Nurse In Caring For The Dying Patient, Julia M. Robinson

Theses

The problem undertaken in this study was to learn the specific nursing functions a selected sample of registered nurses performed in an effort to meet the needs of the dying patient and how adequate they felt in performing these functions.

Seeing Slavery, Lulu Hamissou

Theses

This paper examines the resilience of Laura Clark, Carrie Davis, and Delia Garlic, three formerly enslaved women from Alabama whose memories and experiences during enslavement were part of a large slave narrative project called Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936 to 1938. The design exhibition, Seeing Slavery, visually communicates and portrays the accounts and portraits of the three women. Printed and embroidered fabrics visually communicate the narrative stories of these women, while their portraits are made from screen printed acrylic glass.

Following an introduction, a literature review details the history of the three slave …

Comparative Modeling And Evolutionary Comparison Of Serine Protease, A Timber Rattlesnake Venom Protein, Qawer Ayaz

Theses

The aim of this study is to create a homology model of VG35 serine protease and evaluate the evolutionary comparison of secondary structure on basis of protein model using YASARA. This method was furthermore used to predict the potential epitopes which can help in the investigation of future studies.

The VG35 was used to run a BLAST search which gave most resembled serine protease of different species which was then translated and modeled in YASARA. The modeled protein data was then used to determine the secondary structure. This was then used for evolutionary comparison of all proteins to VG35. Then …

Birmingham's Infrastructure Pioneers: The Elyton Land Company And Its Waterworks, 1871-1899, John West Battle Cheney

Theses

This paper examines the founding and development of the city of Birmingham, Alabama, focusing on the establishment and growth of its earliest, most vital infrastructure: railroads and waterworks. Early chapters explain how and why the city came to be carved from the wilderness, while later chapters describe how railroads and waterworks facilities made it possible for a set of frontier farms and villages- isolated, with no nearby river- to rapidly grow into a booming industrial metropolis. Analyzing the actions of Birmingham’s founder- the Elyton Land Company- and those of its subsidiaries- the Birmingham Water Works Company and the Highland Avenue …