Digital Commons Network^™

The Legal Environment Associated With Disputes From Conservation Easements On Private Property In The United States Of America, Thera J. Mullen

Theses and Dissertations

Conservation of natural resources on private land helps protect property against increasing civilization needs. Integrating conservation with property rights is necessary to understand conservation easements' implications as legally binding agreements. Conservation easements, used by different agencies, allow the land to remain privately owned while protecting natural conservation qualities. The legal aspects involve both creating the contract and enforcing it. Litigation becomes involved when the parties of the easement start to have disagreements. Little literature is currently present on this topic, so this study analyzed and summarized legal disputes related to conservation easements being implemented on private property. Some potential implications …

Improved Vector Pruning For Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes, Thomas Jonathan Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

Exact dynamic programming algorithms for planning problems that are represented as partially observable Markov decision processes rely on a subroutine that removes, or ``prunes", dominated vectors from sets of vectors that represent piecewise-linear and convex value functions. The classic vector pruning subroutine solves one linear program per vector, where the number of variables is equal to the size of the state space and the number of constraints is equal to the number of vectors shown so far to be undominated. Thus, its scalability is limited not only by the number of linear programs it solves, but especially by their size. …

Investigation Of Coupled Fluid-Structure Interactions In Supersonic Flows, Seshendra Palakurthy

Theses and Dissertations

The skin panels used in high-speed flights are exposed to various types of loads, such as inertial, elastic, and aerodynamic loads. In addition, oblique shock impingement can cause flow separation and unsteady aerodynamic loading, which can reduce vehicle performance and result in acoustic noise and viscous heating. These loads, when combined, can result in a complex dynamic response, such as flutter. Flutter is characterized by sustained unsteadiness or structural vibrations. Although flutter might not be immediately harmful, it can lead to fatigue failure of the structural components. A vast amount of literature already exists on the panel flutter induced by …

Review Of Inverter Functionality Requirements In Ieee 1547 For Voltage Fault Ride-Through, Tyler Coby Jonathan May

Theses and Dissertations

The introduction of Distributed Energy Resources such as energy storage systems, solar, and wind create system dynamics which modern electric grids cannot reliably handle in such large quantities without properly coordinated protections. One such tool is the concept of Fault Ride Through, which allows a system to continue operation during a long-term minor or short-term major disturbance. Standards are in place to control and monitor the operation and recovery of this capability but are meant to be minimum or maximum requirements. Since these standards must be used nationally, or sometimes internationally, they tend to be left very flexible. The rise …

Characterizing The Risk Of Meteorite Ejecta To Future Lunar Surface Operations, Jacob Yates

Theses and Dissertations

In-situ materials provided adequate shielding against the risk of meteorite ejecta for future lunar surface operations. Both regolith simulant and simulant-epoxy mixtures stopped simulated ejecta projectiles with velocities at or near lunar escape velocity. Those depth penetrations for those two in-situ related materials were shallow inside 3 cm and may prove to be influential in future mission planning of lunar surface operations. The lunar surface poses a potential risk from meteoroid ejecta for future lunar surface operations. The safety ramifications of long-term crewed missions for the Artemis program, NASA’s lunar program, are being investigated or reconsidered from the previous Apollo …

Synthesis Of Glycan Antigens For Therapeutic Antibodies And Glycoconjugate Vaccines, Synthesis Of An Inflammatory Pentasaccharide, And Design And Synthesis Of Ceragenins For Use In Medical Devices And Osteomyelitis, Shawn Gubler

Theses and Dissertations

A promising approach in combatting infections from antibiotic resistant bacteria/fungi is using therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that can bind the outer surfaces of microbes. We have developed a synthetic vaccine platform that can rapidly generate mAbs against surface glycans from desired strains, such as lipopolysaccharides and capsular polysaccharides. To create therapeutic antibodies against Ruminococcus gnavus, Burkholderia multivorans, and Staphylococcus aureus, we synthesize glycan antigens from each strain that are necessary for use in our glycoconjugate vaccine platform. Blooms of the Gram-positive bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus have been correlated with inflammatory bowel disease, and recently a polysaccharide produced by this organism was …

Sulfhydryl-Containing Compounds And Iron Homeostasis: Mechanisms Of Labile Iron Pool Dysregulation And Consequences For Cellular Health, Steven Lowell Mann Christiansen

Theses and Dissertations

While iron's unique coordination chemistry and redox activity have resulted in its broad incorporation into biological systems, dysfunction in key iron-regulating mechanisms can transform these biochemical advantages into factors that contribute to several pathological conditions. This dissertation explores the complex interactions between iron and sulfhydryl-containing compounds (SCCs), with particular focus on glutathione's (GSH) role in stabilizing iron reactivity juxtaposed with homocysteine's (Hcy) ability to disrupt iron homeostasis and promote disease progression. Through rigorous biochemical analysis and experimentation, we demonstrate that Hcy disrupts iron regulation through several mechanisms: (1) Hcy competitively displaces protective iron-binding molecules in the Labile Iron Pool (LIP), …

The Learner's Experience Using Augmented Reality, Michael Lionel Atkinson

Theses and Dissertations

Augmented reality (AR) is a promising learning tool that has the potential to improve learning experiences in unique ways. While AR has been extensively studied in terms of learning outcomes, relatively little has been researched about the qualitative aspect of the learner experience and how that may inform better instruction. This multi-article, journal-ready dissertation addresses this gap. The first article is a review of the literature on what researchers have learned about AR in learning, systematically identifying six areas that appear salient yet underrepresented in the literature. The second article expands further upon this theme by conducting a qualitative study …

Assessing Client Satisfaction In University Counseling: Factor Structure Of A Survey Developed For A Private, Religious-Affiliated Institution, Wai Man Cheng

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the factor structure of a client satisfaction survey developed by BYU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). The survey included (a) universal, (b) individual, (c) couple, and (d) group subscales. Only the universal and individual subscales were analyzed. The couple and group subscales were excluded due to limited sample sizes. For the universal subscale, the analysis supported a first-order model with three factors: (a) clarity, (b) cultural competence, and (c) progress. For the individual subscale, the analysis supported a second-order model. Three first-order factors including (a) symptom relief, (b) insight and awareness, and (c) guidance and coping skills, …

Enhancing Cybersecurity Strategies Through Automated Cti Extraction, Risk Prioritization, And Privacy-Conscious Information Sharing, Spencer Rian Massengale

Theses and Dissertations

Cybersecurity operations require the ability to collect and analyze large amounts of cyber threat intelligence (CTI) to assess risks and formulate defensive strategies against emerging threats. This task has become increasingly complex due to the rapid evolution of cyber threats and the growing volume of unstructured, natural-language CTI sources. The scale of data and analysis needed to utilize CTI effectively far exceeds humans' manual capacity, especially for organizations with limited resources. This research focuses on leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) and machine learning techniques to enhance CTI extraction, risk assessment, and data sharing. We utilized LLMs to automate the extraction …

Raman Characterization Of Elastomeric Materials, Shane Michael Drake

Theses and Dissertations

Raman spectroscopy is often used for material identification but may be used for characterization. This document focuses on using Raman measurements to characterize polymers, specifically the curing and aging mechanism for hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB). HTPB is a well-known elastomer used in sealants, non-slip surfaces, rocket repellants and plastic explosives. Raman spectroscopy was used to monitor urethane linkages that form from curing HTPB with a cyanate curing agent to suggest a curing mechanism for HTPB. Since this polymer is highly susceptible to oxidation, the methods used to characterize curing were also used for the aging process to see if urethane breakages …

Drainage Area Limitations Of Single Watershed, Peak Flow Estimates From Nrcs Methods, Timothy Alexander Maughan

Theses and Dissertations

Most roadway design sections of state Departments of Transportation predict peak flow for culvert design using Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) TR-20 methodology. Even though the approach is more than 50 years old, there is no clear guideline for how large a single watershed drainage area may be while remaining appropriate for predicting peak discharge with this method. Our objective is to identify the drainage area where TR-20 peak flow predictions significantly deviate from flow frequency predictions. We aim to recommend to the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) a range of basin drainage areas appropriate for predicting peak flow using …

Traveling-Wave Vibration Control And Comparison Of Individuals With Insomnia And Good Sleepers Using Eeg Spectral Power And Sample Entropy, Joseph T. Lecheminant

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the intersection of whole-body vibration (WBV) and neurophysiological analysis to improve sleep quality and understanding of insomnia. The work is divided into two primary areas: the development of a novel traveling-wave vibration system for sleep enhancement and the analysis of electroencephalography (EEG) metrics in individuals with insomnia versus good sleepers. A vibrating sleep system capable of generating programmable traveling-wave patterns is designed and prototyped. Through iterative development and user trials, the system enables highly controlled mechanical stimulation in the form of traveling-wave vibration. Key advancements include independent amplitude and speed modulation and customizable wave patterns. Simple wave …

Cellular Air Quality Sensors With Lora Backchannel A Robust Sensor Suited For Remote Deployment In Harsh Environments, Joseph R. Miera

Theses and Dissertations

Air quality significantly impacts health and overall quality of life, making its measurement essential. However, most affordable air quality devices are designed only for use within WiFi range and cannot handle extreme temperatures, limiting their usefulness for people in remote or extreme environments, such as regions with harsh winter climates. This limitation is concerning, as winter often brings worse air quality due to temperature inversions that trap pollutants and increase fuel burning for heating. Inversion is a problem as close to home as Utah Valley, and as far away as Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Most low-cost air quality sensors are not built …

Modalities And Meaning: Instructor Adaptation And Student Spiritual Formation Across Higher Education Learning Environments, Stephanie D. Sorensen

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the dynamic instructor and student experiences inherent in the evolving modalities of higher education. The first article synthesizes qualitative research about the challenges and successes faced by instructors transitioning to online learning environments, especially in their interactions with content and learners. Emphasizing the importance of support for instructors and institutions, it sets the stage for understanding the nuanced experience of online teaching. The second article presents an exploratory case study of a religious education professor teaching across four modalities. His experience emphasized adaptive strategies and underscored the pivotal role of instructor preparation. Findings revealed the instructor's proactive …

The Effect Of Variable Learning Contexts On Novel Word Retention In Adults, Emily A. Badoni

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of decontextualized learning on memory recall and retention within virtual reality (VR) environments. Forty-six healthy young adult participants, both male and female, were randomly assigned to either a consistent VR learning condition (n = 23) or a diverse VR learning condition (n = 23). Both groups were exposed to the same set of 30 nonwords and their definitions across three learning phases. The participants in the consistent condition remained in the same VR environment throughout the study, while the participants in the diverse condition experienced three different VR environments. Immediate and delayed post-tests were conducted …

University Department Chair Perceptions Of Open Access Journals And Open Textbooks, Rebecca Nicole Nissen

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the perceptions of university department chairs regarding open access journals and open textbooks. It was conducted as a qualitative single case study analysis using semistructured, in-person, one-on-one interviews. The six participants interviewed are department chairs from a large, private university in the western United States. Five levels of coding were used with thematic codes drawing from the TAM2 model. Findings revealed participant perceptions on (a) personal values, (b) university mission alignment, (c) predatory journals, and (d) promotion and tenure. The results obtained from this study can inform and influence institutional change and can also help inform future …

Physics-Informed Transfer Learning For Process Control, Samuel Arce Munoz

Theses and Dissertations

In the realm of process control, managing complex systems with limited prior knowledge presents significant challenges, particularly in environments where traditional mechanistic models are either unavailable or computationally prohibitive. This work explores the integration of deep transfer learning with system identification and Model Predictive Control (MPC) to develop control strategies that are both data-efficient and computationally streamlined. Initially, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks are employed to create approximate MPC controllers by leveraging transfer learning from a source system to a target system, demonstrating that transfer learning can achieve comparable performance to traditional MPC methods with reduced training data. Building upon …

Adapting For Accessibility: How Secondary Humanities Teachers Modify Open Educational Resources Using The Universal Design For Learning Framework, Christine Nick

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how secondary humanities teachers modify Open Educational Resources (OERs) to align with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework. Originally developed to democratize access to educational content, OERs have become widely used across K–12 settings in the U.S., particularly following initiatives such as the Common Core standards and the U.S. Department of Education’s #GoOpen Project. Despite the growing adoption of OERs, limited research has addressed how teachers adapt these materials to meet the diverse needs of their students, especially through the lens of accessibility and inclusivity. Using the UDL framework, this descriptive …

The Effect Of Applied Mental Health Courses On College Student Anxiety And Perfectionism, Nathan Thomas Rhees

Theses and Dissertations

University students face a variety of mental health challenges, including increasingly high rates of anxiety. As demand for college counseling services among student populations rises, universities have an increasing need for effective and resource-efficient methods of intervention that support student mental health on their campuses. One area in need of research is that of using university classes themselves as a form of preventive intervention. If effective, this kind of preventive measure might be a particularly attractive method of reducing incidence of mental illness on campus and decreasing demand on university therapy resources. This study involves students at a private university …

Securing Legacy Multivalue Pick Systems Modernized By Restful Web Service Apis, Jacob S. Lee

Theses and Dissertations

With more applications accessible on the Web, organizations with mission-critical legacy systems have had to find a way to stay relevant and competitive by modernizing with RESTful APIs. REST architecture, serving as a guideline rather than a strict protocol, offers significant advantages in terms of scalability, flexibility, and independence; however, its widespread adoption has also led to notable security vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Additionally, there is not one all-encompassing security testing methodology to follow when testing RESTful APIs. For this reason, a new security testing methodology was developed for legacy MultiValue Pick systems that implement the REST API component, MVConnect. The …

Precision Reclamation For Improving Mine-Land Reclamation Using Plant-Soil Chemical Analysis And Geospatial Technology, Haley Moon

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to assess plant-soil relationships and evaluate the use of multispectral drone imagery in predicting revegetation potential and soil properties at mine-land waste rock dumps. Field sampling of soils and vegetation was conducted, followed by Bayesian statistical significance tests and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to determine key soil variables influencing plant communities. Results indicated that pH and electrical conductivity (ECe) were significant factors in the LDA and identified several plant communities that were associated with similar soil types. In parallel, regression analyses were employed to correlate multispectral drone imagery with soil characteristics and plant cover. …

The Assessment Of Liquefaction Surface Ejecta Predictions On A New Large Dataset From The 2012 Emilia Romagna, Italy Earthquakes, Holten T. Flinders

Theses and Dissertations

The presence of a non-liquefied crust overlying a liquefied layer has been found to have a significant effect on sand ejecta and surficial liquefaction damage, as observed by Ishihara (1985). Following the 2010-2011 Canterbury seismic sequence in New Zealand, almost no foundation deformation occurred in areas with liquefaction susceptible soils overlain by at least a 3 m-thick crust [3]. In contrast, the 2012 Emilia-Romagna earthquake in Italy provided surface evidence of liquefaction despite 6- to 10 m-thick crusts. Several researchers have proposed liquefaction prediction models [e.g. LPI [6], Ishihara Curves [8], LSN [9], LPIISH [10] and the methods proposed by …

The Long Shadow Of Infection: The Long-Term Implications Of Herpes Simplex Virus And M. Tuberculosis Infection, Lydia Howell

Theses and Dissertations

Infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and type 1 diabetes (T1D), have traditionally been seen as distinct, with separate etiologies and courses of disease. Recent research has shown that infection and autoimmune disease are more closely woven together than previously thought; certain pathogens like Epstein-Barr virus and M. tuberculosis have been shown to cause long-term disruption to the immune system, for example (Bordignon et al 2011, #1) (Zhang et al 2023, #2) (Bjornevik et al 2023, #3). Conversely, a distinct pattern has emerged in developed countries where as rates of infection fall, rates of autoimmune disease …

Understanding The Transitional Needs Of Servicemembers To Veterans: A Focus On Mental, Social, And Behavioral Health, Marieann C. Raguso

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to fill the gaps on the transitional American veterans’ lived experience using their own voice. The reconstruction of an American Veteran’s identity after transitioning back into civilian life is a process with many challenges. Transitional practices often fail to help veterans to acculturate back into the civilian world. This includes the formulation of identities and associations. There is a lack of consistency in military transitional practices leading to identity loss and the formulation of mental and behavioral disorders. The aim of this study is to examine the lived experiences of veterans who have transitioned back …

Enhancement Of Ambient Air Quality Index Forecasting Using Optimized Ensemble Model, Vanitha M

Theses and Dissertations

Forecasting ambient air quality is essential for environmental sustainability and public health, especially in heavily populated regions such as China, India, and the United States where air pollution remains a serious concern. Traditional forecasting models often struggle to accurately represent air quality data because of its complex patterns and nonlinear interactions. To address these challenges and improve forecast performance, this research proposes a comprehensive strategy that integrates parallel heterogeneous ensemble modeling with Bayesian optimization.

The study begins with a seasonal machine learning–based imputation technique (SeasonalMLImpute) designed to handle missing data in meteorological and air quality parameters. This method is evaluated …

Sd-Weat: Towards Robustly Measuring Bias In Input Embeddings For Artificial Intelligence Language Models, Magnus Gray

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries and markets, from healthcare to entertainment, revolutionizing decision-making processes. However, as AI grow more influential, they also risk amplifying existing biases, potentially leading to harmful consequences. Recent advancements in large language models (LLMs), such as GPT-4 and Llama, have heightened concerns about bias in natural language processing (NLP) tasks, driving the need for robust methods to detect and mitigate bias. Current approaches, such as the Word Embedding Association Test (WEAT) and its sentence-level extension the Sentence Encoder Association Test (SEAT) often fall short in capturing the nuances of biases in the input embeddings …

Lo Que No Borró El Desierto (2020) De Diana López Zuleta Y Cómo Maté A Mi Padre (2020) De Sara Jaramillo Klinkert: Crónica Y Memoir, Las Voces De Las Hijas En El Duelo, Bertha Galvan

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the works of two Colombian authors, Diana López Zuleta and Sara Jaramillo Klinkert, who, as indirect victims of their father's murder, address impunity and its psychological effects through two genres: the chronicle and memoir. López Zuleta describes the process of mourning through the search for justice, while Jaramillo Klinkert explores mourning and the symbolic process of "killing the father" in a context of impunity. Both authors use their work to address the violence in Colombia, the memory, and the search for the truth, emphasizing the importance of literature as an aesthetic expression and a therapeutic and ethical …

Case Study On A Shift To Open Educational Resources In An Academic Department, Karina May Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Open educational resources (OER) have the potential to significantly impact the landscape of higher education. However, many users of OER find it difficult to adopt programmatically due to the barriers of awareness, quality assurance, institutional culture, and sustainability. This case study of the successful OER adoption in an education department serves as a look into the conditions and practices that allowed for the promotion, continued use, and production of open educational resources. The results indicate that the climate, technology, and opportunity costs surrounding tenure and promotion were key factors in the faculty's experience with acting on their inclinations toward openness.

Role Of Multimedia And Conative Words In Online Socio-Political Mobilization, Mainuddin Shaik

Theses and Dissertations

In the digital age, social media platforms have become vital for political mobilization, enabling rapid information dissemination, real-time engagement, and virtual community formation. This dissertation presents a novel multi-method framework to analyze mobilization dynamics on multimedia-centric platforms, focusing on Instagram, X (formally Twitter), and TikTok. The study examines Brazilian political protests (November 2022–February 2023) and disinformation and anti-disinformation campaigns during Taiwan's 2024 presidential elections. The research applies a multi-method framework to analyze mobilization characteristics in Brazilian and Taiwanese social movements, grounded in the Diffusion of Innovations (DOI) theory. This approach assesses how multimedia formats—images, sidecars, and videos—influence cognitive mobilization at …