Digital Commons Network^™

Methodology For Developing Biodegradable Polymer Blends And Composites For Agriculture, Fangzhong Xing

Theses

The use of polyethylene (PE) films to improve soil conditions and to increase crop yield has produced microplastics that are harmful to our ecosystem. The overall objective of this thesis is to develop an effective biodegradable polymer/composite to replace PE, and hence, to reduce microplastic pollution. The focus of this research is to develop a systematic protocol for assessing the suitability of the biodegradable films based on industry standards in agriculture. For this purpose, a range of biodegradable polymer blends are prepared using polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) with varying PLA to PBAT ratios. Solvent casting combined with …

Tribological Performance Of Ceramic On Textured Polyethylene Contact For Artificial Hip Implants, Sandhya Vaidyanathan

Theses

Revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) is an expensive and surgically risky procedure that is necessary in the case of a failed primary total hip arthroplasty (pTHA). The cause of failure in artificial hip joints is often rooted in the tribological performance of the bearing surfaces such as increased wear and reduced lubrication. Surface texturing is a surface modification technique which has been studied for aerospace and automotive applications and has shown promise in the biomedical field of artificial human joints in the last two decades. Several studies have been done to assess the tribological performance of introducing surface micro-textures as …

Complementing Vehicle Trajectories Using Two Camera Viewpoints, Katsuaki Nakano

Theses

Traffic volume surveying is a crucial activity to get traffic statistics for road management and traffic congestion control. In recent years, the target environment of traffic volume surveying has become more complex, such as the fully automated surveillance of many-way intersections. Further compounding this complexity, some local governments may not be able to install a camera at a high enough elevation to capture the entire intersection due to environmental, legal, safety, or cost restrictions. Therefore, bigger objects such as buses and trucks often occlude other vehicles in the captured image. This occlusion degrades the accuracy of counting and is one …

A Programmable Look-Up Table-Based Processing In Memory Architecture For Massively Parallel, Energy-Efficient Processing Of Data-Intensive Applications Within Dram, Purab Ranjan Sutradhar

Theses

As modern computing workloads become increasingly data-intensive, the limitations of traditional digital computing hardware, especially in terms of communication bandwidth between memory and processors, are becoming more apparent. Surprisingly, the performance and energy efficiency of the state-of-the-art are not primarily constrained by the computing power of advanced processing architectures but rather by the low communication bandwidth between the memory and the processor. This challenge necessitates a clever re-architecting of digital computing hardware to make the communication between the processor and the memory more energy-efficient, faster, and capable of supporting significantly higher bandwidth. Memory-centric computing emerges as a novel, alternate computing …

Unravelling Micro-Mysteries: Separating Microscopic Entities Using Electrokinetic Microsystems, Nuzhet Nihaar Nasir Ahamed

Theses

There is an increasing demand for the development of rapid and reliable methods for microparticle and cell separations in applications that range from clinical analysis to food and environmental safety assessments. Microfluidic systems, being portable and offering a response within minutes, are particularly attractive. Electrokinetic (EK) methods are a growing area in microfluidics, due to their robustness, rapid response time, low cost, and label-free analysis of micron-sized particles, including intact microorganisms. EK methods require the application of an electric stimulation, such as direct-current (DC) or alternating-current (AC) potentials, to induce different EK phenomena, such as electrophoresis, electroosmotic flow and/or dielectrophoresis, …

Exploring Microplastic Concentrations And The Sedimentology Of San Diego's Offshore Benthic Environments, Rachel Sarner

Theses

Marine pollution studies are showing infiltration of plastic debris in remote parts of oceans including the deep sea. Microplastics (MPs) are being discovered not only in the ocean’s water column but also benthic sediments reaching thousands of meters in depth. This is the first study to analyze MP concentrations in conjunction with sedimentary characteristics from varying deep-sea environments (coastal, deep ocean, offshore terrace) in the Southern California Continental Borderland (CCB). Our goal for this study was to observe how the concentration and type (morphology, color, size) of microplastics varied with distance from shore, with water depth, and between different submarine …

The Future Of Smart Transport Technologies: Examining Dubai's Technological Readiness Levels (Trls) To Adopt New Smart Transport Technologies, Hamad Omran Alshizawi

Theses

This research aims to understand what Dubai is willing to do and to provide in terms of smIntelligent Transportation Systems with emphasis on capacity optimization of traffic and understanding TRLs and absorption capacity for AI in Intelligent Transportation Systems Traffic Prediction and Control Systems. The research is important in the context of the concept of a smart city for Dubai and the argument that perfect for the object of examination – transport – can and should integrate new technologies easily into the existing context. Drawing from a population of smart city literature development, traffic and Smart technology, the present study …

Using Prediction Ml Algorithm For Predicting Early Student Attrition In Higher Education, Noora Ali Mohsen Alattar Alhashmi

Theses

Abstract This study aims to use predictive models in order to figure out students that are in likelihood of attrition as well as determine the factors that may contribute to this attrition. Student attrition is the occurrence in which students leave the institution without finishing their studies or taking the degree. It includes students either willingly or involuntarily terminating their education and failing to graduate. The findings will enable relevant parties to establish successful strategies or approaches and activities to assist in reducing the number of students who leave. With the testing and analysis approaches, it was recognized that SVM …

High Heat Flux Dissipation Techniques Using Enhancement Structures And Subcooled Boiling Chamber For High Performance Computing Applications, Maharshi Y. Shukla

Theses

With a rising need for high-performance computing in data centers, enhanced heat dissipation from microprocessors becomes critical for maintaining their surface temperature in a compact setting. While air cooling has been sufficient until now, liquid cooling proves to be superior in its heat dissipation capabilities. The present work investigates enhancing liquid cooling with boiling and enhanced boiling structures in a novel subcooled boiling chamber. The single-phase forced convection heat transfer is first studied by enhancing the heat transfer performance (CHF and HTC) by more than 50 % with the injection of air bubbles at the heater surface. A self-sustaining method …

A Study Of Gate Valve Supply Chain And Life Cycle Impacts, Saud Bindarwish

Theses

and sustainable water supplies depend on water infrastructure. However, old infrastructure, especially valves that leak and break, can cause significant water loss, economic strain, and environmental damage. This study explores best choice of gate valves to use while replacing defected existing gate valve in the networks by examining gate valve supply chains and their life cycle consequences. Traditional gate valve supply chains are lengthy and complicated. Extracting iron ore and copper destroys habitats and pollutes air and water. Factory processing and production of these materials increases energy use and air/water pollution. Valve shipping, usually overseas, emits lots of greenhouse gases. …

Decentralisation Of Drone Authentication Within Iod Networks., Jarryd Tayler Brits

Theses

The applications of drones have become increasingly more versatile, with their popularity also increasing rapidly in the last decade. These applications span from entertainment within civilian markets to more military-based applications, including private security firms. However, with this rise in use, the security risks involved have also increased drastically, predominantly in a drone’s lack of ability to authenticate surrounding drones efficiently and securely without the aid of a third party. Although there have been copious amounts of research to support drone authentication, they predominantly rely on a single source of truth, such as a ground station server (GCS), which presents …

A Framework For Filtering Irrelevant Notams, Roudha Abdulrahman

Theses

The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system is essential for aviation safety, giving critical information on risks and operating limitations. However, the volume and complexity of NOTAM data complicate interpretation, which could compromise safety and efficiency. This study tries to address these issues by creating a predictive algorithm for analyzing NOTAM data and predicting whether to keep or remove them. The methodology combines effective machine learning algorithms to reveal insights that improve safety and operational efficiency. Using a dataset of NOTAM entries, multiple prediction algorithms are tested to forecast possible problems and enable proactive risk management. The study's findings help to …

Anthropogenic Impacts Lead To Plant Biodiversity Losses In A Unique And Fragile Coastal Dune Ecosystem, Natalie Clagett

Theses

At the southern end of the California Floristic Province lie the El Socorro Dunes. These Dunes have the highest biodiversity of any dune system in Mexico, hosting at least 11 perennial endemic and rare plant species. The El Socorro Dunes’ perennial vegetation was surveyed between 2008 to 2010, but since then these dunes have faced pressure from regional land transformations, such as off-roading and mining, invasive species spread, and climate change. This study examines the plant community changes within the El Socorro Dunes and potential links to stressors. Our results show significant losses of native plants, and significant increases in …

Improving Automatic Refactoring Candidate Identification, Ryan Devoe

Theses

Extract method refactoring is pivotal for enhancing code readability, maintainability, and modularity by segmenting complex code into clearer, isolated methods. Identifying opportunities for such refactorings necessitates a deep understanding of the codebase’s evolution and its intricate relationships. Current methodologies utilize developer commit messages, advanced graph analysis, and diverse machine learning approaches to automate this identification process. This research delves into the application of deep learning-based Large Language Models (LLMs) to tackle the complexities inherent in extract method refactoring. We introduce innovative approaches, including the use of LLMs to cluster code blocks based on complex patterns and dependencies, and the analysis …

Exploring The Positive Impact Of Emotionally Designed Furniture On Alleviating Negative Symptoms In Individuals With Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-Ptsd): A Case Study Of Chinese Families Influenced By Traditional Confucian Culture., Guangxin Zhang

Theses

This study aims to explore whether emotionally designed furniture has a positive impact on alleviating negative symptoms in individuals with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). Through a combination of literature review and empirical research, the characteristics of C-PTSD individuals and their common negative symptoms, including anxiety, depression, fatigue, etc., were first reviewed and analyzed. Then, the hypothesis of the positive impact of emotionally designed furniture on individuals with C-PTSD was proposed. The study further explores how emotionally designed furniture enhances environmental comfort and fosters emotional connections in personal spaces to provide psychological support and alleviate symptoms in individuals with C-PTSD. …

Autowaze: Automated, Real-Time, And Accurate Traffic Analytics, Vijay Bajracharya

Theses

A key factor leading to the inefficiency of transportation systems is the lack of real-time, fine-grained traffic analytics. An average motorist in the United States spends a significant amount of time looking for parking spots during their daily commute. Existing systems for traffic analytics are either not scal- able to large metropolitan areas or require a human-in-the-loop. This project focuses on automating the detection of fine-grained traffic analytics. Lever- aging on-board stereo cameras, Autowaze utilizes a crowd-sourced strategy to take time-windowed snapshots of the road containing 3D map points of the environment. These snapshots are used to extract changes in …

Emotional First Aid Kit Design, Wenxi Qi

Theses

In contemporary society, the shift towards holistic well-being has highlighted the critical importance of emotional health in maintaining overall quality of life. Research indicates that emotional health issues now pose a greater threat to individual well-being and productivity than physical ailments. Despite this, there exists a significant gap in awareness and emphasis between physical and emotional health across various sectors, contributing significantly to the prevalence of mental health issues. This research paper introduces the "Emotional First Aid Kit," a novel design concept aimed at addressing emotional distress in everyday scenarios similar to conventional first aid kits managing physical injuries. The …

Improving Design And Physical Boundary In Temporary Post-Disaster Relief Shelters: Analysis Of Existing Literature, Min-Hye Jang

Theses

Natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, cyclones, storms, earthquakes, wildfires, and landslides displace people. As responses at the community resilience level, the temporary post-relief shelter is critical for the community's rapid recovery. Converting existing public facilities is the fastest way to respond to a crisis. However, the Hurricane Katrina Superdome Shelter alerted society to the prevalence of sexual assault in transitory catastrophe contexts. Not only has sexual abuse occurred, but prior shelters did not equip every user with physical barriers to suit their needs. This study examined academic journals, articles, and books to identify issues with natural disaster shelters created …

Pawssenger--Enhance The Experience Of Flying With Pets, Xinxin Li

Theses

As demand for long-distance air travel with pets surges, airlines must adapt by enhancing accommodations for safe, comfortable, and sustainable pet transport over extended periods. This paper presents a proposed, innovative, comprehensive approach to redesigning airplane cabin and cargo spaces to create a more pet-friendly, eco-conscious experience for travelers on long-haul flights with animal companions. A key innovation needed for pets accompanying owners in the cabin on lengthy journeys is seamlessly integrating lightweight, modular pet carriers into passenger seating units. These redesigned carriers prioritize ventilation, comfort, and easy access to food/water during extended travel. They eliminate cumbersome separate pet carriers …

Optimizing Customs Efficiency: Detection For Illicit Shipments In Cargo, Ohood Alharbi

Theses

Aim- The study aimed for creating a machine learning algorithm which succeeded customs control procedures through estimating shipments being either illicit or non-illicit. The study aimed at boosting the level of accuracy in determining the critical shipments, which would in turn, increase customs productivity, minimize false positive and false negative, as well as augment security and ensure the smoothness of trade flow, amid a palpable surge in importation rates. Methods- The study implemented the CRISP-DM methodology (Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining), which has a well-structured approach of achieving standard data mining solutions. At the beginning, the efforts have been …

Cut, Beth Lane

Theses

Abstract “cut” is a documentary film which explores themes of systemic sexism in the film industry. It was produced between September 2023-April 2024 including pre-production to post-production. This paper describes and analyzes the filmmaking process for Beth Lane, Director. In this paper I will also attempt to put to words the intangibles of that process, including the social dynamics of filmmaking, and larger cultural happenings at the time of production.

Visualizing Poems, Qiran Cui

Theses

With its profound expressions of emotion and insights, Chinese poetry has long been revered as a cultural heritage. However, its intricacies often challenge non-Chinese speakers seeking to appreciate its depth. This thesis proposes an exploratory approach to interpreting Chinese poetry, using geometric shapes and motions to discover potential emotional and thematic interpretations. The geometric shapes and their associated motions—circles for continuity, squares for stability, triangles for conflict, and rounded rectangles for historical depth—reflect their psychological and cultural significance in conveying specific emotions within the poems. From Chinese poetry's subjects, structure, content, and emotional resonance, the exploration delves into how visual …

Glacier Lake Inventory And Lake Outburst Flood Hazard Assessment In Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal, Prabish Khadka Chhetri

Theses

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of glacial lakes and land surface temperature (LST) dynamics within the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) from 2010 to 2023. The KCA holds significant ecological importance, serving as a critical habitat for diverse flora and fauna, while also playing a vital role in regional hydrological systems. Additionally, its stunning landscapes attract tourists and mountaineers from around the world, further emphasizing the need for understanding environmental changes within the area. Utilizing medium to high-resolution satellite imagery from PlanetScope for glacial mapping and Landsat for LST analysis, the research aimed to achieve two primary objectives: creating an …

Reduction Of The Length Of Stay At The Emergency Department Of The Audie L. Murphy Hospital, Arwa Al Shikrian

Theses

We implemented the DMAIC framework (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) and Lean Six Sigma methods to reduce the length of stay (LOS) in the Emergency Department (ED) at Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital, a crucial issue affecting operational efficiency and patient care quality. This project was conducted in conjunction with an internship at the Hospital; our efforts were an integral part of a Green Belt project being conducted by Mr. Roarke Verkaik-Bushby, Hospital Administration Service, to

whom this author reported.

We employed quantitative research design, meticulously observing, measuring, and analyzing ED processes. We tracked patient flow, identified bottlenecks, and …

Impact Of Data Reliability On Resilience-Based Decision Making In A Water Distribution System, Amrit Babu Ghimire

Theses

This thesis explores the increasing necessity for resilience in Water Distribution Systems (WDS) facing challenges like leakage, missing data, and cyber-physical attacks. Resilience-based strategies enhance WDS sustainability by minimizing losses and ensuring quick recovery. Integrating smart systems, utilizing real-time data, boosts infrastructure resilience by improving efficiency and responsiveness. Data precision is essential for practical system analysis, development of resilience strategy, and making real-time decisions. The study also investigates into the potential of decentralization, combined with smart systems, to enhance WDS resilience, considering diverse water resources and hybrid systems. It seeks to answer critical questions about resilience in various failure scenarios …

Prosperity And Quality Of Life: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Economically Liberated Nations, Alia Omar Bin Touq Almarri

Theses

This project aims to employ data exploration, data analysis, visualization tools, and modelling to conduct a comprehensive research study concerning the desirability and impact of residing in economically liberalized nations, strongly focusing on their influence on human development. By leveraging advanced exploratory data analysis techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and modelling techniques such as multiple linear regression and random forest, this study aims to offer a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of how economic freedom correlates with and impacts various facets of human development, offering valuable policy suggestions for nations pursuing economic freedom as a development strategy. To ensure …

Assessing The Impact Of Differential Privacy On Data Security In Machine Learning Applications, Adewunmi O. Adeyeye

Theses

Differential privacy is a method that adds noise to data to protect individual privacy without significantly affecting the overall analysis results. This study focuses on the trade-offs between maintaining privacy, accuracy, and the practical utility of ML models. The research methods involve a thorough review of existing literature, development of a methodology to assess differential privacy's impact, and conducting comparative analyses on ML models with and without differential privacy. Findings suggest that while implementing differential privacy ensures the confidentiality of individual data, it can reduce the accuracy and utility of ML models. The severity of this reduction depends on factors …

A Comprehensive Study Of Gain Characterization In Mosfets, Elaine Greenfield

Theses

The functionality of MOSFETs makes them a crucial component in modern electrical engineering. These devices play a fundamental role in a wide range of applications. Understanding the behavior and characteristics of MOSFETs is essential for their effective utilization in circuit design. One crucial parameter that significantly impacts MOSFET performance is voltage gain. It represents the ratio of output voltage to input voltage and varies depending on the circuit configuration employed. When selecting a MOSFET for a specific circuit, understanding the parameters and characteristics that influence voltage gain becomes crucial. This research project aims to delve into the realm of MOSFETs, …

Predictive Analytics: Assessing Air Pollution’S Influence On Real Estate Prices In Dubai, Hani Khalaf

Theses

This study examines the link between air pollution and property prices in Dubai. It aims to find the relationship between environmental and economic factors in Dubai’s rapidly expanding real estate market and concerns about city livability. The research is centered on investigating how differences in air quality between various neighborhoods in Dubai affect property pricing. To achieve this goal, the thesis adopted the Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM) typical for this type of analysis. The Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM) provides insights on the price of a product from its components. The study utilized records of housing transactions and air quality measurements …

Revisiting The Phenomenology Of Merleau-Ponty In The Context Of Contemporary Cognitive Science, Gareth E. Smith

Theses

Maurice Merleau-Ponty was a mid-twentieth century French philosopher whose work was influenced by the German phenomenologists Edmund Husserl and Martin Heidegger. Merleau-Ponty went on to influence existentialism, philosophy of perception, the study of consciousness and subjectivity, and, eventually, contemporary cognitive science. His work uses phenomenological methods to examine embodied perception. He grapples with inherited philosophical questions about mind-body dualism and methods of inquiry. Like most twentieth century French philosophers, Merleau-Ponty engages with philosophical problems that were set by René Descartes in the 17th century. In fact, his main thesis—that the mental and the material are continuous through one's experience as …