Digital Commons Network^™

Design And Development Of A Movable Multi-Functional Display, Junjie Zhou

Theses

COVID-19 has altered lives and work. Travel restrictions and social distance requirements compel remote communication. My design will help the youth group communicate remotely in various situations. I identified two primary forms of remote communication for people separated by interviews and questionnaires: direct communication based on video calls and interactive entertainment based on online games and streaming media. I summarized long-distance communication issues and user needs in further research. Video calling is the most popular method for those who need to interact directly. Video calling does have certain drawbacks, though, like the inability to actively choose one's point of view …

Quantifying The Nexus Of Climate, Economy, And Health: A State-Of-The-Art Time Series Approach, Kameron Blair Kinast

Theses

Extreme weather events pose significant threats to human life, the economy, agriculture, and various other socio-economic aspects. This thesis presents a comprehensive analysis of the patterns of climate factors and their impact on the economy and human health using state-of-the-art and emerging statistical machine learning techniques. This research consists of two parts: exploring and comparing the effectiveness of statistical models with respect to climate time series forecasting and analyzing the effects on the economy and human health. The study employs a predominantly computational approach, leveraging R, Python, and Julia to demonstrate the role of statistical computing in understanding climate change …

Characterization Of Microbial Communities On Post-Consumer Polymers In Water Bodies Of The Lake Ontario Watershed: Environment Determines Community Structure On Post-Consumer Plastic, Carmella M. Bangkong

Theses

Plastic debris has been found across the spectrum of freshwater ecosystems, including stormwater retention ponds, tributaries, rivers, and large lakes. The ubiquity of plastic debris in the valuable freshwater ecosystems that we rely on for our water supply and natural resources raises a number of environmental and human health concerns. Little is known about how the composition of plastic-associated microbial biofilms varies across the many types of plastic polymers or how these biofilms vary in microbial composition across freshwater environments. These interactions raise the potential for the selection of unique communities of organisms that shift ecosystem function, or harbor pathogenic …

Colorful Chef: A New Kitchen-Experience For Colorblind People, Anqi Zhu

Theses

Color is an important medium of perception. Color blindness affects approximately 1 in 12 men (8%) and 1 in 200 women.1 It’s estimated that there are 300 million colorblind people in the world, and there are different types of colorblindness, varying from color, degree, age, gender, and more. Apart from medical treatment, the life experience of different color-blind people has always been put in one large category, but it’s important to pay attention to different types of colorblindness causing different life inconveniences for color-blind people. Through all the life experiences, kitchen use is one of the most important routines in …

Glass, Danielle Tonnessen

Theses

This project is a full walking simulator video game and includes a demonstration of a variety of game design and development skills, including pre-development documentation, narration, game design audio, graphics, post-processing, UI elements and animation. Additionally, the project promotes the author’s ability in creative writing, and involves mental health subject matter with a focus on trauma processing, hypnosis, and survivor’s guilt.

Bridge: A Thoughtful Workflow, Isabella Rainey

Theses

The creative workspace is filled with all walks of life – from right to left brains, different personality types, mental health setbacks, and differences in neurodivergencies. While the differences amongst employees can be a huge asset, it can also create a struggle to have productive and inclusive workflows – specifically in relation to project life cycles. These types of differences can create a gap in regards to healthy communication, which can lead to lesser productivity in the long run due to a disconnect with employees battling mental health setbacks. There are many tools out there already that focus on productivity, …

The Importance Of Sustainability Within The Fashion Industry, Ashlee S. Hernandez

Theses

Blogging made its debut in 1993 and from that point on the internet would change forever. This project is a lifestyle blog that will highlight the diversity of the word sustainability, focus on the final product and the sustainable methods or practices to get to that final product and dive into the history of blogging and the history of fashion sustainability. This entire project will showcase specific items of women's clothing (the final product) and the sustainable methods or processes involved in creating those final products. This project specifically defines the similarities and differences between the terms eco-friendly, sustainable, green, …

A Study Of Wicca And Art, Shannon Hillyer

Theses

Art can be interpreted from a religious perspective given knowledge of the artist’s present or past religious affiliations. The photo series presented in this paper was part of a survey that asked participants to consider their own religious backgrounds and to determine the inspiration for the photo series. This project utilized introspection, autoethnographic research, and formalist analysis to determine if viewers could pinpoint the artist’s religious affiliation based on the themes present in the photo series. Most participants identified mythological themes were present in the series but didn’t connect those to Wicca unanimously. Art can be interpreted from a religious …

A Study Of Large-Scale Structure Evolution Through Sunyaev-Zel’Dovich Corrections In Massive Clusters, Victoria Butler

Theses

The evolution of large-scale structure is traced by galaxy clusters, which are groups of galaxies gravitationally bound by a shared envelope of dark matter on scales of 1-10 Mpc. They are filled with an intra-cluster medium (ICM) consisting of a diffuse hot plasma with characteristic temperature $10^7K. While ICM models match reasonably well with observations, smaller-scale astrophysical processes in clusters can complicate interpretations of derived thermodynamic properties. These can include cluster-cluster mergers, feedback from active black holes, and accretion, among several others. The complex relationship between these processes and the properties of the ICM must be understood to use clusters …

Machine Learning Based Framework For Smart Contract Vulnerability Detection In Ethereum Blockchain, Qusai Omar Mustafa Hasan

Theses

Abstract

Blockchain technology is a disruptive technology that revolutionized digital payments and transactions of digital assets. Blockchain transactions operate using smart contracts which are automated software code that facilitates transactions between parties without the need for intermediary systems. Smart contracts have become an increasingly popular means of conducting transactions and executing code in a decentralized manner. As it can be written in various languages which have their flaws in terms of logic and vulnerabilities, also the immutability and autonomy of smart contracts also make them vulnerable to various security threats. Security for smart contracts is essential as exploiting bad logic …

Optimizing Voronoi Tessellation Façade’S Capability For Pollution Removal And Interior Daylighting In An Urban Environment, Simon Bai

Theses

Air pollutants are a major health concern in urban zones worldwide, and these unnoticeable air particulates and gases are detrimental to the individuals’ respiratory and cardiovascular wellbeing. Since buildings are the most abundant structure within these built environments, this study focuses on how to utilize the façade of these structures in an attempt to solve the escalating air pollution problem. In this case, titanium dioxide (TiO2) is introduced to give building façades the capability to deal with air pollution in addition to being inexpensive and chemically stable. A TiO2 surface makes use of photocatalysis under ultraviolet (UV) light to decompose …

Reconsidering Gender And Social Constructs In Prehistoric Cave Art: The Role Of Women In Creating Art, Amanda Mooney

Theses

This thesis reviews the importance of Prehistoric Cave Art and the partial basis of its creation, including some ways in which gender and society of the time influenced and led to the creation of said art, with a considerable focus on the devaluation that women have faced as artists in prehistory. The timeframe under consideration follows the Upper Paleolithic period, which covers 50,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago. Reviewing images from certain cave art in this time period of 50,000 years ago to 10,000 years ago, and recent scholarship allows for a specific look into the assumptions of who …

Building An Immersive Simulation Of The 1785 Parisian Salon In Vr: A Guide To Recreating Historical Interiors And Digital Twins, Charles E. O'Brien

Theses

This project aims to identify a workflow for creating digital twins without access to specialized 3D imaging equipment, such as photogrammetry. The process of creating a digital twin without specialized equipment is focused more on research than data analysis. Readily available resources, such as literature, paintings, drawings, and any other historical accounts, need to be considered. The case study for this workflow was reconstructing the Parisian Salon from 1785. The Salons were a haven for men and women to have intellectual discourse. The essence of scholarly thought that was produced through these Salon exhibits makes them perfect historical event candidates …

Comparing Knowledge About Differential Diagnosis Of Childhood Apraxia Speech And Phonological Development Between Communication Disorders And Sciences Graduate Students, Bayley Eubanks

Theses

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OFBayley Eubanks, for the Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences presented on March 30, 2023, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. TITLE: COMPARING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF CHILDHOOD APRAXIA SPEECH AND PHONOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN COMMUNICATION DISORDERS AND SCIENCES GRADUATE STUDENTSMAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Valerie Boyer The purpose of the study was to gather information from current graduate students by a brief in-service on the differential diagnosis of CAS and PD in speech-language pathology pre-professionals. The distinctions between CAS and other speech sound disorders, such as PD, must be made clear to pre-professional SLPs …

The Effects Of Calisthenic Exercises On The Strength And Aerobic Abilities Of Sedentary Adult Women, Kathleen Langley

Theses

The thesis, The Effects of Calisthenic Exercises on the Strength and Aerobic Abilities of Sedentary Adult Women, investigates the impact of structured calisthenic training on sedentary women aged 18–40. The study was conducted over four weeks and measured participants' strength, aerobic abilities, balance, and perceived wellness before and after the intervention. Calisthenics, a form of strength training using bodyweight exercises, became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its accessibility and minimal equipment requirements.

Participants engaged in a program consisting of dynamic warm-ups, high-intensity interval training circuits, and cooldowns three times a week. Results showed significant improvements in upper …

Online Fourier Analysis Of Time-Varying Signals In A Real-Time Embedded Environment, Ty Freeman

Theses

A software-based, constant-flow implementation of the radix-2 Cooley-Tukey fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm is presented in this paper. The program is built within a real-time embedded environment running FreeRTOS. The system is used for the online frequency anal- ysis of time-varying, one-dimensional signals of an arbitrary length. The system’s design is validated through testing to produce results accurately on signals within specific boundaries. The proposed system has a maximum transform size of 256 samples due to the memory limitations on the development board. The hardware in use is an STM32L476 Nucleo development board which simulates the lightweight, low power, and …

A Bit-Exact Hierarchical Systemc Model Of Ppim For Verification And Performance Modeling, Dhana Lavanya Balasubramanian

Theses

The semiconductor industry has seen tremendous advancement lately and is expected to continue to grow since multiple industries like automobile, health care, meteorology, etc are developing dedicated chips with advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI). These improvements also come with increased complexities. Engineers now require advanced ways to model the designs in addition to existing Hardware Description Languages (HDLs) such as Very High-Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and Verilog. One such way to model the designs is by using SystemC, which is a library of C++ classes and macros that can be used similar to an HDL for modeling …

Netzero Insight: The Role Of Data Analytics And Machine Learning In Combating Climate Change, Tariq Najar, Chrissie Aldo

Theses

Countries must act urgently to achieve the SDGs and make significant progress for the planet and people by 2030. But there are some key challenges that the world must address. Climate change is one of the most significant challenges of our time, and its impacts can undermine the ability of all countries to achieve sustainable development. However, countries committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre- industrial levels in the Paris Agreement. Member nations pledge to take urgent action on climate change to save the planet from global warming.

Using data analysis techniques and methodologies, such as CRISP-DM, and …

Housing Conditions And Needs In Urban District 5, Delan Almazrooei

Theses

Dubai remains one of the key tourist attraction areas in the world. However, the city has witnessed significant population growth over the past decade, which has resulted in problems associated with urbanization, such as pollution. The formulation of the DUBAI 2020 Urban Master Plan was meant to create a supple yet workable and viable formula to balance urban development and sustainability of the environment. The plan was based on population growth, utilization of infrastructure facilities, and advancement of effectual and environmentally sustainable energy sources. The master plan will affect critical areas, including Dubai Silicon Oasis Centre (DSO). With the key …

Effects Of Matching Images Of Natural And Built Environments On Delay Discounting: A Systematic Replication Of Berry Et Al. (2014), Elizabeth Fillmore

Theses

Decision making is heavily influenced by the environment around us. Berry et al. (2014, 2015, 2019) showed that viewing images of natural environments during the delay discounting task resulted in lower impulsive choice, as compared to viewing images of built environments or geometric figures. Berry et al. proposed that attentional factors could explain this effect, however, recent attempts to reproduce Berry et al.’s findings in a different laboratory have been unsuccessful (Johnson 2017, 2018, 2019). The present study tested if manipulating the participants’ observing responses towards different types of images (natural, built, and no images) modulates the effect reported by …

Using Metal-Organic Frameworks (Mofs) In Producing Self-Curing Concrete, Lama Fathi Allan

Theses

Curing of concrete is the presence of adequate moisture content in concrete throughout its early stages to produce the desired properties, as it is significant in improving the concrete microstructure and pore structure and hence in developing its performance and durability. However, good curing is not always practical in several cases, such as in hot weather regions and areas of water inadequacy. For that reason, the need to develop self-curing concrete attracted several researchers. The use of self-curing agents minimizes the water evaporation from concrete and consequently increases its water retention capacity compared to conventional concrete. This thesis is concerned …

Study Of Advanced Friction Material For The Automotive Industry, Manisha Upreti

Theses

Manufacturing/casting defects and the corroding nature of grey cast iron require the attention of researchers to search for a better alternative to grey cast iron rotors. The increasing demand and market of electric, hybrid vehicles draw the attention of scientists and car manufacturers to conduct more research to find suitable and sustainable braking material that can overcome the issues related to grey cast iron rotors brakes. A modern alternative for grey cast iron rotors may be 3D-printed stainless steel rotors. The promising future of 3D printing technology has propelled the manufacturing industry into a new era of customized fabrication. Thus, …

The Impact And Severity Of Non-Covid-19 Illnesses During Covid-19 Pandemic, Hanadi Alhammadi

Theses

The Covid-19 pandemic is a global crisis that occurred around the world and resulted in a large number of infections and deaths. As of September 2020, it was estimated that the Covid-19 pandemic had killed 976,000 people worldwide, healthcare facilities were burdened with containing this pandemic and made great efforts to treat and protect people, but in turn the focus on containing the pandemic led to many side effects, one of these effects is death from causes other than Covid-19. During the pandemic, people were afraid to visit hospitals to avoid contracting the COVID-19 virus, and hospitals were under great …

An Examination Of The Association Between Microaggression And Select Disordered Eating Behaviors Within The Transgender And Non-Binary Community, Dee Murray

Theses

Background: Microaggressions experienced by transgender and non-binary (TNB) individuals differ from those experienced by non-TNB individuals. Limited research has explored the association between TNB-focused microaggression and disordered eating behaviors. Methods: An online survey consisting of validated instruments was administered to respondents (N=194) over a 96-day period. The instruments included the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (ecSI 2.0TM), Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-18), Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), and the Transgender Discrimination Scale (TDS-21). Associations between characteristics were assessed with the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Microaggression was positively associated with negative eating behaviors such as cognitive restraint (r= 0.41; p

Combating Systemic Racism With Truth Commissions, Katherine E. Miles

Theses

The main form of justice practiced in the United States when it comes to criminal proceedings and individual wrongdoings is a form of justice called Retributive Justice. Retributive justice is committed to following these three principles, 1: that those who commit certain kinds of wrongful acts, morally deserve to suffer an equivalent punishment; 2: that it is intrinsically morally good—good without reference to any other goods if some legitimate punisher gives them the punishment they deserve; and 3: that it is morally impermissible to punish the innocent intentionally or to inflict disproportionately large punishments on offenders. From the three principles …

Moodify, Jiaqi Liu

Theses

Abstract Degree: Master of Fine Arts Program: Visual Communication Design Authors Name: Jiaqi Liu Advisors Name: Mike Strobert; Adam Smith Thesis Title: Moodify This paper proposes a research and solution to address the major psychological risk factor of pathological rumination, which can lead to depression, anxiety, and other chronic conditions. Rumination and worry are identified as key components of mental illnesses and may be underpinned by the same cognitive process. This paper proposes a combined approach of Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) treatments to reduce worry and/or rumination. The proposed solution aims to assist users in …

Physiological Signals And The Effects On Prediction Of Future Blood Glucose Values In A Deep Learning Model, Andrew Rearson

Theses

Diabetes is a chronic disease that currently has no cure. However, in the last decade, life- changing technology for people with diabetes has advanced primarily due to new sensors that continuously measure glucose. Individuals with diabetes manually use this data for diabetes management, but the artificial intelligence community has seen the increase in data as an opportunity to work towards automating diabetes control. The project developed deep-learning neural networks incorporating blood glucose measurements measured by a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and physical activity data from a wearable health sensor (WHS) to predict future glucose values and compare how different configuration …

Hopelessness And Spiritual Well-Being In Persons With Hiv Infection, Kevin M. Gulliver

Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between hopelessness and spiritual well-being in a population of persons diagnosed to be Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive. Demographic variables were examined to determine their potential relationship to hopelessness and spiritual well-being. The Neuman Systems Model was used as the conceptual framework for the research.

Student Grade Prediction Using Machine Learning Methods, Hameed Al-Obaidi

Theses

This capstone project addresses the challenge of students' lack of awareness regarding their academic performance and potential grade declines throughout the semester. The project aims to develop a predictive model that offers students timely warnings about their predicted grades, enabling them to take proactive measures to improve their academic performance. Utilizing the CRISP-DM (Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining) methodology, the project analyzes a comprehensive dataset comprising student demographics, curriculum history, and grades in various subjects. The model undergoes rigorous evaluation and validation to ensure its effectiveness in predicting students' academic outcomes accurately. The findings reveal that the linear regression …

Facility Management System, Abdulla Talib Al Malik

Theses

Businesses nowadays are suffering due to high costs associated with energy consumption, maintenance, and overall lack of monitoring of assets. The downside of this is the negative impact high energy consumption has on the environment in terms of carbon emissions. To address this concern, this paper proposes a Facility Management System that details how a business can link all their assets to one central location for effective monitoring. This will allow any business to ensure that their maintenance costs are managed appropriately, all asset operations are in line with demand and not operating outside of when it Is required, and …