Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Cognitive Status And Personality In Persons With And Without Dementia: Age And Gender Influences, Molly Berg

Theses and Dissertations

Within the aging population, dementia, a neurodegenerative disease that greatly impairs cognition and daily functioning, has become more prevalent and a worldwide concern. An important aspect of detection of dementia is assessment of cognition, including use of cognitive screening instruments. Assessing factors that influence cognition and dementia, such as age and gender differences, is an important line of research. Personality has also demonstrated a relationship to dementia risk and performance across several cognitive domains. This study examined the influences of age and gender on the association between cognition and personality in individuals with and without dementia. Data was collected from …

Fichte’S Conception Of Law And Its Foundations, Mahmoud Saraya

Theses and Dissertations

The question concerning the true nature of law has frequently arisen throughout the history of philosophy, and many different answers have been given to it. This thesis examines Johann Gottlieb Fichte’s Foundations of Natural Right (1796–1797), which exemplifies an approach to understanding the nature of law by inquiring into its metaphysical foundations. Fichte provides a conception of law founded upon the possibility of the existence of an external world, individuality, and intersubjectivity. Law, as a moment of human self-consciousness, becomes a necessity, a condition of self-consciousness, and the ultimate foundation of human existence. Fichte’s theory shows the preconditions for establishing …

From Homeland To Hostland: Language Ownership Of Heritage Dialect And Narratives Of Third Culture Kids Of The Gulf, Maryam Aref

Theses and Dissertations

The main purpose of this study is to examine Arab Adult Third Culture Kids’ sense of heritage language ownership and their identity constructions in relation to their transnational Arab Gulf context. The present study has three main aims: to ascertain their sense of ownership towards their heritage dialects, to understand the basis for their claimed or denied ownership, and to investigate the positions they ascribed to themselves and others in relation to their belonging and transnational and linguistic experiences. The study aims to fill the gap where there is a scarcity of sociolinguistic research around Arab Third Culture Kids in …

Automation Of Lcmc Logistics Processes: A Delphi Approach, Kline M. Alt

Theses and Dissertations

As the U.S. Air Force confronts growing complexity in system acquisition, the implementation of digital models in system design and logistics process management allows the incorporation of digital tools and the possibility for automation of portions of logistics processes. This thesis investigates where these technologies can be most effectively integrated within the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center logistics enterprise (AFLCMC). Using a three round Delphi study, AFLCMC logistics subject matter expert (SME) opinions were solicited from program-level senior logisticians, program managers to identify high-need areas, key success factors, and potential barriers to adoption. Quantitative consensus from Likert-scale and ordinal …

Low-Cost Transfers For Cislunar Liaison Navigation, Ka'eo J. Swartzmiller

Theses and Dissertations

CubeSats have an inherent limitation on volume due to their small form factor. Naturally, this extends to the capacity of on-board ΔV, thus limiting the maneuverability of the satellites. This limited maneuverability makes it extremely important to be intentional when planning out mission trajectories. The cislunar region subjects these trajectories to the gravitational forces of both the Earth and the Moon, making it all the more necessary to deliberately plan out maneuvers. The Circular Restricted Three Body Problem (CR3BP) provides a simpler model for estimating the motion of spacecraft within the cislunar region, allowing for the gravitational forces to be …

Modeling, Control, And Learning For Whole-Body Manipulation With Large-Scale Soft Robots, Curtis C. Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the challenge of enabling soft robots to perform contact-rich manipulation tasks by overcoming limitations in hardware, modeling, control, and learning. First, we present hardware advancements with PneuDrive, a pneumatic control system for actuating soft robots. We also introduce Baloo, a hybrid soft-rigid robotic torso which achieves a single-arm payload capacity of 19.3 kg and robust whole-body grasping capabilities. We also develop a full-body tactile sensing system enabling piezoresistive sensor arrays to cover large areas (1 square meter) with over 8000 distributed sensing points. Second, we focus on developing tractable dynamic models based on the Recursive Newton-Euler algorithm …

Cultivating Climate And Culture: New Jersey Principals' Use Of Sel In Pk-12 Schools, Michelle Papa

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, intrinsic case study is to explore how PK-12 principals in New Jersey perceive their approaches to leadership through their own social and emotional learning (SEL). With growing demands placed on school leaders, the study examines how principals integrate the five SEL competencies (self-awareness, self- management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making) into their leadership practices to positively impact school climate and culture. Through semi- structured interviews and document analysis, ten principals revealed that SEL is not only essential for student and staff well-being but also central to their own leadership development. Findings indicate that …

Cost-Effectiveness Model For Reservoir Sediment Management Economics, Connor Ronald Hale

Theses and Dissertations

Reservoir sediment deposition poses a challenge to sustainable water supplies around the world. Sediment management has proven to be an expensive endeavor. Two models have been developed to guide economic analysis for reservoir sediment management, namely the Reservoir Sediment Economics Model (RSEM) and the Reservoir Conservation Model 2 (RESCON 2). While these are helpful tools for benefit-cost prefeasibility studies, they rely heavily on sometimes elusive estimations of the benefits of water supply. In this study, a new method for economic analysis is proposed that foregoes benefit-cost analysis in favor of a cost-effectiveness approach. The Sediment Management Cost-Effectiveness Model ranks sediment …

Acoustic Characterization And Modeling Of Heated Supersonic Tactical Jet Aircraft And Launched Rockets, Logan Troy Mathews

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding and accurately modeling the acoustic sources and propagation of high-intensity tactical jet aircraft and rocket noise is essential for vehicle design, environmental impact assessment, and mitigation strategies. Despite progress in the understanding of these sources, significant challenges persist in both predictive modeling and noise mitigation. This dissertation advances both the characterization of full-scale supersonic tactical jet aircraft noise sources and the development of modern empirical prediction models for rocket launch noise. Across multiple measurement campaigns and modeling efforts, the work integrates advanced array signal processing, high-fidelity field measurements, and improved empirical methods to expand the physical understanding of source …

Evaluating Adjustment And Proficiency Disparities In Virtual Reality, Mohammad Jahed Murad Sunny

Theses and Dissertations

The rapid integration of VR in various application domains necessitates a deeper understanding of how levels of user experience impact user performance and task efficiency. This study investigates the relationship between experience with VR, expertise in 3d computer gaming, and physiological skills across multiple performance metrics, such as task-completion time, task load, accuracy, manipulation speed, and related spatial requirements. In a comprehensive analysis of multiple levels of VR experience and 3d computer-game expertise, we identified key trends that indicate increased experience in both domains significantly enhances task efficiency while at the same time reduces perceived workload and improves task accuracy. …

Exposure To Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Reveals A Death Resistance Mechanism In Dictyostelium Discoideum, Zoya Nadeem Faruqui

Theses and Dissertations

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are very versatile due to their multifunctional properties including unique physicochemical and antimicrobial characteristics. They are widely utilized across various fields such as biomedical, industrial fields, environmental remediation, and agriculture. Therefore, their cytotoxic effects on biological systems necessitate a deeper understanding of the cellular responses to nanoparticle exposure. This project primarily investigates the impact of ZnO NPs on the model organism Dictyostelium discoideum AX4 (social amoeba) which has not been examined before unlike a vast variety of organisms in the literature. The cytotoxic effects of ZnO NPs on Dictyostelium discoideum AX4 cells are compared with …

Re-Engaging Driver Attention Using Chatgpt: A Multimodal Study On Stress Impact And Driving Performance, Alaa Zaki Elfiqi

Theses and Dissertations

Driving is considered a complex task that requires continuous focus and attention from the driver. Driving performance can also be impacted by changes in the driver’s stress level. However, limited research explores methods to address this challenge. With the current advances in Large Language Models (LLMs) and their ability to engage in human-like interaction, this study investigates the potential of using ChatGPT, designed to speak Egyptian Arabic, in re-engaging driver attention under different driving scenarios for low-stress and high-stress conditions within a virtual reality (VR) environment driving simulator. Drivers were asked to follow a leading car into two scenarios with …

The Impact Of Interactive Read-Alouds On Students’ Literacy Development, Kaitlyn Hill

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined how multicultural interactive read-alouds support first-graders’ literacy skills and cultural awareness. Multicultural literature was used to conduct interactive read-alouds to first-grade students. A look across all data sources suggested three main themes that occur throughout the research study. These themes included student engagement and questioning, making connections by experiencing culture through an authentic lens, and developing cultural awareness and empathy for those who are different. It was evident that incorporating multicultural literature into classroom instruction had a positive impact on students’ literacy development and cultural awareness. The data suggested that these multicultural texts supported the students’ development …

Registered Nurses' Autism Knowledge And Preparedness To Care For Autistic Patients, Bronte Elisa Weissman

Theses and Dissertations

Autistic individuals frequently report negative experiences during healthcare interactions and numerous provider-level barriers to accessing quality care, including stereotyping, perceived lack of autism knowledge, challenges with communication, and insufficient accommodations. Reports of healthcare providers’ experiences caring for autistic patients in the U.S. have largely come from physicians, who endorse inadequate training, resources, and practical guidelines. Although patients spend far more time with nurses than other healthcare providers, registered nurses (RNs)’ perspectives on caring for autistic patients in the U.S. are largely unknown and autism-focused trainings for nurses are minimal. In the current study, a survey was nationally disseminated to a …

In Silico Investigations Of Class Ii Trans Activator (Ciita): Its Plausible Implications In Neuroinflammation And Neurological Disorders, Kishore N

Theses and Dissertations

Inflammation plays a significant role in maintaining homeostasis. Neuroinflammation is a chronic inflammatory response in the central nervous system (CNS), leading to brain or spinal cord dysfunction. To promote mental health, it is crucial to understand the regulation of neuroinflammation. Class II transactivator (CIITA) is a master-regulator of the major histocompatibility complex II (MHCII).

Modulation of CIITA has been suggested as a promising intervention for inflammatory conditions, including neurological disorders. However, there is limited knowledge about the role of CIITA and its interactors in inflammation. This study aimed to understand the role of CIITA in neuroinflammation and neurological disorders using …

Encountering And Mitigating Selfish Mining In Bitcoin Mining Pools, Jeyasheela Rakkini M J

Theses and Dissertations

Blockchain, an innovative decentralized distributed, disrupting programming paradigm embodies key principles such as decentralization, data provenance, immutability, and transparency. At its core blockchain begins with the genesis block and progresses with each subsequent block containing the hash of the previous block, Merkle root, timestamp, a coin base transaction address, and a nonce. Miners compete to discover a target hash value (hash value of the previous block and nonce) for the current block, that is less than or equal to the difficulty value set by the system, a process known as mining.

This work encounters selfish mining attacks in bitcoin mining …

Comparative Analysis Of Copyright In Electronic Games And Its Impact On Personality Rights, Abhinaya R

Theses and Dissertations

In India and globally, the electronic gaming business is a rapidly growing and evolving sector both in terms of revenue as well as technological creativity. Over the last 20 years, the video game business has seen significant change. It has transcended borders and is no longer limited to a single or a few players played within a room. Modern video games, unlike their predecessors, include many distinctive visuals and other components are and closely compared to motion pictures.

Electronic games and their complexities present unique challenges to copyright law. In this research, the researcher explores and examines issues in the …

Management Concepts In Shishupalavadha, Sathyanarayanan V

Theses and Dissertations

Management of organizations, people, and entities has been a subject matter of great interest today. Schools of business and management were established in the West about 125 years ago, and countries in other parts of the world, including India, simply followed these practices. Consequently, there is a widespread feeling today that management concepts originated in the West. All Indian business schools teach management concepts propounded by Western scholars in the last 100 years or so.

Going by the first principles, whenever multiple people, resources, entities, and institutions are involved, there is a requirement for Management. This implies that management as …

Ai Based Early Detection Of Hormonal Imbalance And Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrome In Young Women, Reka S

Theses and Dissertations

A hormonal disorder, Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) usually affects women during the reproductive age. It is characterised by imbalances in hormones, particularly a rise in the female body's androgen level (male hormone) and enlarged ovaries with small cysts. PCOS can cause ovarian cysts, weight gain, acne, excessive hair growth, insulin resistance, and irregular menstrual cycles along with other health problems. While the exact origin of PCOS is uncertain and its symptoms are unclear, diagnosing PCOS in real-world conditions is a difficult task. Therefore, prompt and precise PCOS diagnosis is essential for efficient treatment and for averting long-term issues.

Clinicians typically …

Biogenic Calcite Precipitation For Coastal Sand Stabilization: A Synergistic Approach Using Marine Bacteria And Natural Fibers, Aparna Gs

Theses and Dissertations

Coastal erosion, driven by natural forces such as waves, tides, winds, and currents and further intensified by anthropogenic activities like urbanization, climate change, and coastal infrastructure development, poses a significant threat to shoreline stability. Conventional erosion control methods, including jetties, embankments, and artificial reefs, often face limitations in sustainability and effectiveness. In this context, microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has emerged as a promising ecofriendly solution for ground stabilization.

The present study investigates the potential of an indigenous ureolytic marine bacterium, Bacillus sp. N₉, isolated from the coastal sediments of Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, for coastal sand stabilization. The strain was …

Bioprospecting Of Wheat Straw Pyrolysis Aqueous Phase To Combat Multi-Drug Resistant Pathogens, Srividhya K

Theses and Dissertations

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) significantly contribute to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), primarily through the contamination of high-touch surfaces. Current disinfectants have drawbacks like high environmental persistence, ecotoxicity, and resistance development, prompting the need for environmentally friendly alternatives.

One potential approach is pyrolysis, during which the biomass components are broken down into solid, liquid, and pyro-gas. The aqueous phase of the liquid fraction is usually discarded as waste, but it contains a variety of organic compounds that have the potential for antibacterial and antifungal activity. The present study assessed the anti-infective and anti-biofilm properties of wheat straw pyrolysis …

Metal-Organic Frameworks And Nanostructured Materials For Environmental Applications, Arunkumar G

Theses and Dissertations

The global population and economic development are experiencing rapid growth. Concurrently, environmental challenges such as global warming, soil, water, and air pollution are also rising. Each year, approximately 700,000 tonnes of products are generated from 100,000 tonnes of commercial dyes. Following their use, these dyes are often released into water bodies.

This contamination of water and land results in the formation of mutagenic and carcinogenic substances harmful to living organisms. Therefore, it is imperative to treat industrial wastewater to enable its recycling for various applications. Parallelly, the vehicles are becoming indispensable to human life modern world's urbanization and advancement.

The …

Investigation Of Dependency Parsing Techniques For Digital Document Analysis Through Deep Learning Approach, Rekah D Ms

Theses and Dissertations

Digital document dependency parsing is a significant task in natural language processing. Dependency parsing supports verification of the grammatical correctness of a sentence besides enabling extraction of relevant documents. Inappropriate extraction of features may result in falsely parsing a document, leading to decreased accuracy. Machine learning methods have been employed to perform feature extraction. However, selecting pertinent features was never achieved which minimizes the time consumption and overhead.

Hence, novel machine learning and deep learning techniques have been designed in our work for accurate and computationally efficient digital document analytics through dependency parsing. Four different contributions have been proposed for …

Bridging Scales In Epidemic Modeling From Individuals To Networks And Ecosystems, Saiprasasd Vr

Theses and Dissertations

Epidemics have shaped the trajectory of human history, repeatedly exposing vulnerabilities in healthcare systems and influencing socio-economic dynamics on a global scale. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, underscored the pressing need for flexible and responsive modeling framework capable of adapting to dynamic and evolving epidemic scenarios. Motivated by these challenges, this thesis explores the development of innovative epidemic models that integrate classical mathematical modeling techniques, network-based frameworks, and modern data-driven approaches. Each chapter addresses a distinct dimension of epidemic spread, from vaccination dynamics and community coupling to ecological complexity and adaptive human behavior, culminating in a model-free paradigm suitable for …

Cyclone Intensity Prediction In The Bay Of Bengal Using Deep Learning Methods, Senthil Kumar J

Theses and Dissertations

The Bay of Bengal region's coastlines have been badly devastated by tropical cyclones, as the region experiences an average of five to six cyclones per year, with about two to three of these intensifying into tropical storms or severe cyclones. Thus it necessitates to study the accurate and efficient forecasting of their intensity to improve preparedness and response to natural disasters. The present study compares and examines three distinct approaches to cyclone intensity prediction using historical datasets from 1998 to 2020: hybrid optimisation, deep learning-based, and empirical approaches.The predicted accuracy, computational effectiveness, and feasibility for real-time scenarios of each model …

Design Of An Integrated Lightweight Cryptographic Algorithm For Device Level Security And Fraternal Cryptographic Algorithm For Communication Security In Medical Cyber Physical Systems, Vimala Devi P

Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare involves detecting symptoms, diagnosing conditions and giving treatment to patients. It is one of the fundamental human rights, and it might be difficult to provide healthcare to those with chronic illnesses, elderly people with disabilities and those under distant observation. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide.

According to the prediction, CVD-related causes such as heart attacks and strokes, could result in 23.3 million deaths by 2030. In addition, the number of people with diabetes will reach 246 million; thereby, the prevalence of CVD patients and diabetics will …

Design And Development Of Machine Learning And Deep Learning Based Algorithms For Cyberattacks Detection, Abiramasundari S

Theses and Dissertations

E-mail is the fastest mode of communication. It is amongst the most commonly used modes of communication and can be used for both legal and illegal purposes. Many elements that could be useful in detecting email fraud are constantly being investigated. Phishing assaults in which thieves use Internet to trick consumers into visiting fake websites are very common and are causing significant harm to victims. Several methods of filtering phishing emails have been devised but a solution to the problem still evades. One of the attacks addressed in this research is email phishing. Machine learning is a popular and efficient …

Investigations Of Secure Memory For Vlsi Based Crypto System, Vijay Sai R Mr

Theses and Dissertations

Semiconductor technology is growing very rapidly in their architectural developments, involving the usage of processor and memory. Presence of memory, in general is a vital commodity in various devices which are almost embedded into human activity, from robust work stations to handy mobile phones. Security of data stored in memory is very important, and hence, observation must be made that these valuable data should not be thwarted by malicious means. Security in cache memory is a major issue in memory related applications such as smart cards and bio-metric implementations.

Cache, is a small and limited memory located between central processing …

Seating Charts, Connections, And Fostering Community, Mckenna B. Chow

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how fostering stronger connections in the high school ceramics classroom can create a more inclusive and collaborative community. I regularly changed seating charts to encourage new relationships and strengthen classroom culture as part of this effort. Historically, seating charts have enforced uniformity and promoted specific behaviors. My research challenges these traditional purposes and proposes that seating arrangements can instead serve a more meaningful and enduring goal: promoting connection and ensuring that all students feel seen. I found that while seating charts can contribute to this goal, achieving genuine connection and inclusivity also requires several additional factors to …

Executive Functioning And Mental Health In Emerging Adults: Type 1 Diabetes Status As A Moderator, Hannah Margot Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Emerging adults (ages 18-26) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) are especially vulnerable to diabetes management challenges when taking on increased disease responsibility during this critical period of development. They may experience higher cognitive and psychological demands compared to peers. The study examined whether having T1DM moderated the association between executive functioning (EF) and mental health symptoms (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress, and disordered eating) in emerging adults. Exploratory analyses investigated the associations between EF, disease management, and mental health symptoms. Participants were 35 emerging adults with T1DM and 35 healthy controls. Participants completed questionnaire measures of mental health and performance-based …