Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation Of The Accessibility Of Touchscreens For Individuals Who Are Blind Or Have Low Vision: Where To Go From Here, Elizabeth Codick

Theses

Touchscreen devices are well integrated into daily life and can be found in both personal and public spaces, but the inclusion of accessible features and interfaces continues to lag behind technology’s exponential advancement. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of individuals who are blind or have low vision (BLV) while interacting with non-tactile touchscreens, such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, coffee machines, smart home devices, kiosks, ATM machines, and more. The goal of this research is to create a set of recommended guidelines that can be used in designing and developing either personal devices or shared public technologies with accessible …

Health Service Cost And Use Associated With Advance Directive Documentation Among Patients With Copd, Brandon Duck

Theses

Little available research has focused on the question of whether advanced-careplanning has the potential to impact health-care related spending especially in patients with chronic and incurable conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to investigate the prevalence of Advance Directives (ADs) documented in the electronic health records, compare healthcare spending between individuals with versus those without ADs on file, and examine socio-demographic variables as potential predictors of having documented ADs on file for patients with COPD in a large tertiary academic medical center in 2012 and 2013. This retrospective cohort study …

Buyer Prediction Through Machine Learning, Rashed Ibrahim Karmostaje

Theses

Targeted marketing has grown in popularity in recent years, as well as recognizing when a consumer will desire a commodity may be extremely important to a business. Predicting this demand, however, is a complex procedure. Businesses, promoters/marketers, and sellers are using machine learning approaches to execute buyer prediction. This study focuses on when a customer would buy fast-moving retail merchandise by evaluating a customer’s purchase history at partner vendors. The projections should be used to customize special discounts for customers who are about to make a purchase. In addition, buying behavior is a set of consumption habits that can be …

Hourly Demand Prediction Of Shared Mobility Ridership, Eman Asa'ad

Theses

This research focuses on predicting the hourly number of bikes needed using Citi bike data. Micro mobility is the new trend that serves the transportation sector in any city. With the development of technology and introduction of new modes, comes new challenges. Bike sharing is the most developed and standard micro mobility device with extensive data sources. In this research we introduce the rebalancing bike sharing problem, which is very recent and interesting problem. Bikes are being ridden from a station and returned to another, not necessarily the same one of departure, this procedure can cause some stations to be …

The Missing Concept To Improve The Nursing Process: A Quality Management System, Pilar Parker

Theses

Quality in the healthcare industry has been gaining much importance in the last two decades. Every health professional is carefully trained to provide high quality service. Historically, healthcare providers have done their best in providing honorable service to the public. However, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, the healthcare industry reports hospital stays of $375.9 billion in aggregate costs (2010). As a result, the healthcare crisis has demanded improvement in the quality of the healthcare industry. Because nurses are the largest group of healthcare providers in hospitals, they have become a major target for improving healthcare in …

Using An Agent Based Model And Deep Learning To Simulate And Infer Market Behavior On Networks, Benjamin Weir

Theses

The financial markets have been affected by the recent advancements in social media. Retail traders often use social media as a source of financial information. This thesis provides a mathematical proof of concept for how retail traders on social media can cause a large change in market price and that it is possible to identify the factors that drive the price change before it is seen in the market. An Agent Based Model is used to simulate a self-contained artificial market on a network. Traders gather pricing information from social media posts created by traders on the network and their …

The Power Of Mind Control, Ali Adnan Majed

Theses

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a technology that has been used for so long to read and record neurological activity in the brain. EEG recordings are widely used nowadays for different neurological applications. Emerging technologies that can detect and analyze eye focus using EEG based technology are now are developing quickly. At a relatively affordable cost one can own an EEG kit. With the help of predisposed algorithms or the help of developers, new algorithms for different commands are being worked on. Along with other technologies EEG eye tracking can be beneficial in many domains such as, psychology, marketing, automotive industry, and …

Hate Speech Detection In A Mix Of English And Hindi-English (Code-Mixed) Tweets, Mohamed Sameer

Theses

With the increasing usage of social networking platforms seen over recent years, there has been an extensive rise in hate speech usage between the users. Hence, Government and social media platforms face lots of responsibility and challenges to control, detect and eliminate massively growing hateful content as early as possible to prevent future criminal acts such as cyber violence and real-life hate crimes. Since Twitter is used globally by people from various backgrounds and nationalities, the platform contains tweets posted in different languages, including code-mixed language, namely Hindi-English. Due to the informal format of tweets with variations in spelling and …

Predictive Policing, Amna Ali Al Boom, Shaikha Khalid Bin Thani

Theses

UAE is one of the safest countries to live in, but that does not indicate that the country does not witness crimes, During the COVID-19 pandemic, the country saw an increase in cyber and digital crimes. Apart from cybercrime, there are other types of crimes, such as street crimes and violent crimes. Data analytics aids Dubai Police to predict crimes. Criminal investigation is one of the fields that is very interesting and is taught in colleges and academies. Data analytics opens the door for studying the details of each crime. Data mining tools consist of a variety of techniques that …

Opinion Mining Of Phone Sitting Feature, Atiq Yousuf Ahmad

Theses

This report aims to evaluate opinion mining of customers about phone sitting features in cell phones in different brands across the world by using data mining techniques. Therefore, Data for the report has been collected from data scrapping in Qoura which collects opinion of customers. The collected information from the data base has evaluated by using sentiment analysis. The collected information from Qoura transforms the content and extracts data from API’s. In relation to this, information obtains from the research contributed for providing useful information for these features. The collected information from application scrapping has been analysed through sentiment analysis. …

Exploring Digital Checking: Evolution, Technology, And Future Directions, Mohammed Hasan Saleh Bamasood

Theses

This capstone project sought to explore the evolution of digital/electronic checking, assess how technology and other factors fueled the development of digital electronic checking, evaluate if the sampled research literature indicate that the desirable attributes of a payment instrument have been fully addressed; and analyze issues that deter the digital/electronic checking system to fully integrate the six most desirable attributes for a payment instrument in order to recommend possible directions for future research and design implementation. The project utilized integrative review as its methodology and adopted a theoretical framework based on the input-process-output model to guide the analysis and presentation …

Evaluating Psychiatric Nursing Competencies Applied To Emergency Settings: A Pilot Role Delineation Study, Joanna J. Mello

Theses

Aims: 1) To examine emergency department (ED) nurses' reports of a) frequency b) importance and c) self-efficacy related to the application of recommended psychiatric nursing competencies in three domains (i.e., assessment, tasks, knowledge).

2) To test the extent to which frequency and importance independently predict ED nurses' self-efficacy related to the application of the competencies in their daily work.

Supply Chain Disruption: A Conceptual Framework On Decision Making Using Neuroscience, Sadiya Siddique

Theses

The simplest definition of supply chain is the delivering of goods and/or services to the consumers required by the organization. In the late 1950s it was identified that the supply chain system was becoming more uncertain due to the changes in demands and inventory. Due to globalization and other business factors, supply chain has become more complex now due to which the likelihood and impact of disruption has increased. These disruptions can vary between known-unknowns and controllable to unknown-unknowns and uncontrollable ones. In recent years, the major disruptions happening in the supply chain and its effects on bottom line of …

Preparing New Nurses To Improve The Systems In Which They Work: A Matter Of Degree Or Skillset?, Franco Herrera

Theses

The multitude of players, rules, and economic factors involved in organizing and delivering healthcare in the US today requires a highly skilled workforce, who can go above and beyond excellence at the practitioner level by acting as change agents to continuously improve the systems in which they work. Early acquisition of quality and safety competencies, along with leadership and inter-professional collaboration, systems thinking, and health economics are essential for preparing new nurses for the demands of their future jobs. Using these competency domains as a framework for evaluation, the purpose of this descriptive study was to examine program coordinators' assessments …

The Effect Of Different Feeding Regimes On Recent Nutritional And Growth Measurements In Juvenile California Killifish (Fundulus Parvipinnis), Emily Parks

Theses

Gaining a deeper understanding of in-situ growth approximations for juvenile fishes is one way to understand how food consumption may affect fish growth. If variations in growth rate are strongly mirrored by past food status, then the condition (degree of well-being) of fish can be potentially used as a reference for relative prey availability. Furthermore, confirming that there is a positive relationship between food availability and fish growth rate is a critical first step to deepen our understanding of growth rate variation as well as examining if growth can be a proxy for habitat quality.

The California killifish (Fundulus …

Finding The Meaning In Ceramic Patterns From A Chaco Canyon Burial, Michael Lucero

Theses

The focus of this research considers the culture of the Ancestral Puebloans from the American Southwest region. This project reflects and examines the cultural arts and practices in relation to funerary aspects of the ancient Puebloan society that flourished in Chaco Canyon, located in present-day New Mexico. While investigations of historians and archaeologists have concentrated on findings within the Great House of Pueblo Bonito in Chaco Canyon, research focused on the structures and objects within rooms. The base of this research examines a collective set of vessels from burial room 33, excavated from the original exhibition of George H. Pepper, …

Sustainable Antibacterial And Antiviral Polyesters Based On Succinic Acid, Mercaptosuccinic Acid, And Eugenol, Rebekah Finster

Theses

Synthetic polymers have become indispensable in modern life. However, the prevalent use of synthetic polymers has created major sustainability issues including petroleum resource depletion and overfilling of landfills. At the same time, antibiotic resistance and the spread of new viruses have driven a need for antimicrobial and antiviral materials. A sustainable way to make materials antibacterial or antiviral is to use essential oils. Eugenol is a commonly used essential oil for these purposes, but it has been found to cause tissue irritation on contact. When eugenol is covalently connected to the material, these effects of oil leaching can be avoided. …

Sirplus - A Task Management System For Individuals With Executive Dysfunction, Thomas Roberti

Theses

A significant portion of the population struggles with executive functioning and task management. This project explores the pain points for organizing, initiating, and finishing tasks and proposes a design to address these problems. The objective of this project is to relieve the stress and anxiety people with executive dysfunction often experience with tasks. The design process for this project considered different product and interface strategies to help users with their tasks through positive motivation and rewards. Initial user testing showed that information overload and forgetfulness were barriers to setting and managing tasks. Furthermore, the act of crossing an item off …

Gazing Upon The Moon, Fang-Yu Sarah Chang

Theses

Relationships are universal, they exist across cultures, geographic boundaries, and other barriers. This idea intrigues me as I have lived and currently study abroad. The emotion, the sense of unease; I was surrounded by these feelings. Everything changed when I took the first step and looked into others' stories, and realized I was not alone. Overall, my inspiration for my thesis stems from a poem regarding the moon and the idea of “‘we are always together”.

Spiral Of Silence And The Use Of Social Media By Sexual Violence Survivors, Tanvi Thakur

Theses

Sexual violence has been a global health concern for over decades, but activism on social media such as #MeToo has increased public discourse and awareness about this issue. In its early advent, the #MeToo movement raised ample awareness, stimulated free discourse, and placed this issue as an important concern to address. While countries have implemented austere laws to prevent such hate crimes against women, societal norms and codes have deemed this type of violence as stigma or taboo resulting in the underreporting of the majority of sexual violence-related crimes. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey conducted in 2015 …

Assessing The Influences On Rural Women's Reproductive Life Plans: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study, Lori M. Jagoda

Theses

Rural women's unique personal, social, cultural, and economic characteristics influence their health care decision-making processes. To assess the influences on rural women and their Reproductive Life Plans, a cross-sectional descriptive study, based on the Health Promotion Model (HPM), was used.

Racial Disparity In Health Insurance Acquisition In The State Of California, Florence Jill Polina

Theses

Racial disparity continues to be a struggle in America. The main purpose of this project was to determine whether there is a relationship between race and the acquisition of health insurance in adult residents of California who are younger than 65 years old. Through secondary data gathering, analysis of an existing racial disparity in health care insurance acquisition was accomplished. The results of the project indicate that a relationship exists between race and health insurance acquisition, thereby promoting an opportunity to determine hindering factors and discuss recommendations that can help to alleviate them.

Resource Use And Water Implications Of Material Consumption In Consumer Electronics, Hema Madaka

Theses

Rapid technological innovation has introduced a broad spectrum of materials in the consumer electronics sector. Consumption of these materials increases the demand for water and potentially discharge contaminants into the water resources across their life cycle, exacerbating freshwater scarcity and pollution. These water impacts have not yet been fully studied, as most literature on consumer electronics focuses on supply chain energy, carbon footprint, or end of life management. Evaluating water impacts requires data on material content, life cycle water consumption and emissions at spatial level, and availability of impact assessment models that connects life cycle data to water impacts. Data …

Between, Abigail Benkovich

Theses

I’m finally finding safety through learning to set boundaries in my life, which has carried into my artwork as physical barriers, whether worn or observed. Through the protection of volume, space, netting, and sharp objects, I can reclaim control over my immediate surroundings and my body. My sculptures were constructed to protect the body. As I dove deeper into why that brings me comfort, I realized it’s a reaction to the current culture that objectifies women’s bodies. This is specifically significant to me as I grew up subjugated to purity culture within the Evangelistic Christian church, which often leaves young …

Personality Type Posters, Sabrina Awdi

Theses

Humans are highly visual creatures and have been responding to visual cues from the beginning of time for survival and information. Visual design is an important tool to use for to convey ideas through imagery instead of words or typed out information. Using design to help the person visually decipher and interpret information can serve as a solution in many aspects of life. I am using personality types to show introversion, extroversion, ambiversion, and empathy visually through the use of digital art (illustration) and graphic design. The goal is to evoke an emotional response from the viewer to be able …

I, Object, Shanee Gordon

Theses

I, Object is a 3D animated film which dives into the difference between intrinsic value and perceived value, both by an individual and by society, through an anthropomorphized world where household objects must do what they can to survive the onslaught of a depressed, do-it-yourself, divorcee. Following the mockumentary format, these objects are interviewed about the situation they find themselves in. The different personalities and dynamics between the characters brings a comedic element to an otherwise serious encounter. Opening with how the situation has progressed until the moment the filming crew arrived, the film jumps between characters but sticks to …

In Layman's Terms, Jennifer Schoonmaker

Theses

To Do see about grinding up a clock two watches holding identity in between deer rocket launch stop sign with a double crescent moon reflecting back pitbull light switch black floppy moon slice hypnagogic writing as a function of continuously opening the present moment orbital position as a function of time conjoined potato chip the most approachable work makes people the most angry flatten nature into the realm of human experience ocean office lights fold time and think about painting Things you can never be but things you already are: 1. The feelings another person is having 2. The delicate …

Behind The Plea: Factors That Shape Plea Bargaining Outcomes, Jonathon Chierchio

Theses

Four working papers on the topic of plea bargaining:

Plea Bargaining and Prosecutorial Discretion

Legal and Extralegal Factors in Plea Bargaining

Types of Defense and Their Impact on Plea Bargaining

Pleading Guilty to Lesser Charges: Which Factors Matter?

Body-Worn Cameras (Bwc): The Sword And Shield For Defense Attorneys, Joseph Santoro

Theses

The use of body-worn camera (BWC) technology in the criminal justice system has brought with it new ways of handling cases and effecting interactions between police officers and citizens. BWC use in the criminal justice system begins when the cameras are turned on and depending on circumstances, the captured footage may become valuable evidence to then be entered into court for trials. Amongst the studies of BWC, two criminological theories have stood out the most. Deterrence theory and self-awareness, both provide explanation towards what kind of power and influence BWC has over officers, citizens, and court actors. The first is …

Light Management In Iii-V Thin-Film Photovoltaics And Micro-Leds, Julia Rae D'Rozario

Theses

Light management is essential to improve the performance of optoelectronic devices as they depend on the interaction between photons and device design. This research demonstrates novel approaches to enhance the light absorption in thin-film III-V photovoltaics (PV) and light emission from micrometer-scale light-emitting diodes (μLED). The high power conversion efficiency (PCE) realized in III-V PV makes them attractive power generation sources, especially for off-the-grid space-related missions. Thin-film PV (< 1 μm) offer great tolerance towards the inevitable radiation damage in the space environment as carrier collection is maintained compared to their optically thick counterparts (3-5 μm). To combat transmission loss of photons traveling through the thinned device, this work develops textured back surface reflectors (BSR) to increase the optical path length (OPL) of unabsorbed photons to generate electron-hole pairs. The textures are created via etching techniques and epitaxial regrowth and are characterized by surface imaging and reflectance (R) measurements. The textured BSR with high diffuse R increase the OPL, and the best-known design demonstrates over a four-fold increase in the OPL, which is two times greater than the planar BSR. This research delivers new analyses useful to the PV community, including the lifetime enhancement factor and free-carrier absorption modeling, which aim to improve the PCE in thin-film PV. Modern display technology is constantly integrated into daily use to convey information and connect people worldwide. The next generation of wearable devices requires small-featured displays to achieve high resolution. The μLED delivers value to near-eye displays through low power consumption, long lifetime, high contrast, and increased resolution. As these devices reduce in size, surface states limit the light output power (LOP) at the roughened sidewalls, and the perimeter-to-area ratio must be considered. This research focuses on developing a fabrication process that improves LOP through sidewall treatments. The dry etch process is optimized to reduce surface roughness, and sidewall treatments via wet-chemical etching, in situ etching, and regrowth aim to improve the sidewall quality. Scanning electron microscopy on the LED sidewalls supports the optimized fabrication process. Luminescence characterization reveals that combinations of etching and regrowth suppress non-radiative recombination events. These techniques render pathways to enhance LOP in LEDs smaller than 25 μm x 25 μm.