Digital Commons Network^™

Microscale Direct Measurement Of Localized Photothermal Heating In Tissue-Mimetic Hydrogels, Benyamin Davaji, James E. Richie, Chung-Hoon Lee

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Photothermal hyperthermia is proven to be an effective diagnostic tool for cancer therapy. The efficacy of this method directly relies on understanding the localization of the photothermal effect in the targeted region. Realizing the safe and effective concentration of nano-particles and the irradiation intensity and time requires spatiotemporal temperature monitoring during and after laser irradiation. Due to uniformities of the nanoparticle distribution and the complexities of the microenvironment, a direct temperature measurement in micro-scale is crucial for achieving precise thermal dose control. In this study, a 50 nm thin film nickel resistive temperature sensor was fabricated on a 300 nm …

Age Grading An. Gambiae And An. Arabiensis Using Near Infrared Spectra And Artificial Neural Networks, Masabho Peter Milali, Maggy T. Sikulu-Lord, Samson S. Kiware, Floyd E. Dowell, George F. Corliss, Richard J. Povinelli

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is currently complementing techniques to age-grade mosquitoes. NIRS classifies lab-reared and semi-field raised mosquitoes into < or ≥ 7 days old with an average accuracy of 80%, achieved by training a regression model using partial least squares (PLS) and interpreted as a binary classifier.

Methods and findings

We explore whether using an artificial neural network (ANN) analysis instead of PLS regression improves the current accuracy of NIRS models for age-grading malaria transmitting mosquitoes. We also explore if directly training a binary classifier instead of training a regression model and interpreting it as a binary classifier improves the accuracy. A total of 786 and 870 NIR spectra collected from laboratory reared An. gambiae and An. arabiensis, respectively, were used and pre-processed according …

Training Peer Tutors: An Evaluation Of Best Practices In Speaking Centers, Rachel Sieczkowski

Open Access Master's Theses

As an article published in the 2015 issue of the Communication Center Journal points out, "it would be useful to assess the different ways in which those [NACC Tutor Training Certification] guidelines might be implemented, and what variables should be considered in different contexts" (Turner, p. 5). The same article asks the question "how can we determine and improve the effectiveness of our training of tutors" (Turner, p.5). While not required, the National Association of Communication Centers (NACC) has a process in place to certify tutor training programs, but the application form is unclear in its definitions. This study aims …

The Social Acceptability Of Shellfish Aquaculture In Washington, Katie Rubstello

Open Access Master's Theses

Domestic aquaculture continues to meet public resistance in the U.S. even though the U.S. imports a growing amount of farmed seafood. This study applies the normative evaluation approach to aquaculture in the South Puget Sound, Washington and uses data from an online survey to evaluate how local residents feel about two different types of shellfish aquaculture methods (rafts; bottom culture) in natural and developed settings. This study also evaluates public perceptions of the social and environmental impacts of shellfish aquaculture and examines how a farmed Atlantic salmon escape in Puget Sound in 2017 affected participant views of aquaculture. Findings revealed …

Coastal Zone Access And The Pell Elementary School Sail Newport Program: Experiential Education Outcomes In Newport, Rhode Island, Leah Feldman

Open Access Master's Theses

Newport, Rhode Island is a diverse community. Although there is a population of very wealthy households in Newport, roughly 11% of the population lives below the poverty line. Newport is one of the more demographically diverse communities in Rhode Island, with 49.7% of its populous identifying as white, 27.1% identifying as black, and 18.2% identifying as Hispanic. The state of Rhode Island consists of 81% white, 6.5% African American and 5.8% other races and ethnicities. In this thesis I discuss the effects of a place-based experiential environmental education program, the Pell Elementary School Sail Newport Program, on this diverse demographic …

Exploración De Las Estrategias Discursivas En La Negociación Identitaria En La Radio Étnica 100.3 Fm, Providence, Ri, Ee.Uu., Angela Marie Pitassi

Open Access Master's Theses

En la actualidad las investigaciones en relación a cómo se estudia la forma en que la identidad se negocia y se construye en el discurso en las comunidades bilingües migrantes ha cambiado por muchas razones, entre ellas, la creciente movilidad de las personas y la presencia de tecnología y medios sociales que tienen una fuerte influencia en las formas de comunicación. Por estos cambios, diferentes métodos sociolingüísticos se han desarrollado y han dado lugar a estudios que exploran la relación entre los nuevos medios, la lengua y la comunicación (Thurlow & Mroczek 2011). Aunque la radio tiene una presencia histórica …

Polyethylene Passive Sampler Method Development For Fluorotelomer Alcohols And Other Neutral Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances, Erik R. Dixon-Anderson

Open Access Master's Theses

Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and other poly- and per-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) are common and ubiquitous by-products of various industrial telomerization processes. This class of volatile and semi-volatile compounds has been shown to degrade into a wide variety of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), persistent organic pollutants. Recent atmospheric studies have shown fluorotelomer alcohols and their degradation products present in high concentrations spreading out from point sources in North America, Europe, and Asia. This study developed a method for measuring fluorotelomer alcohols through the use of polyethylene (PE) passive samplers coupled to their analysis …

The Racialization Of Relationships Between Higher Education Institutions And Cities: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Changing North Denver, Sabrina Carolina Sideris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Universities help shape the physical contours and the social fabric of cities. Historical forms of racial domination repeat themselves, reproducing spatial subordination. In the Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea neighborhoods in North Denver, residents who are mostly low-income immigrant families have in the past faced housing discrimination; air, water, and soil pollution; environmental racism; highway construction and expansion; school dilapidation; and social, political, and economic neglect for over five decades (Doeppers, 1967; Cram, 2013; EPA, 2019). As the City of Denver turns its attention to these three neighborhoods, re-investment could result in improved quality of life. Colorado State University (CSU), two …

How Epistemic Justice Can Inform Gender Equality In A Technological University, Yvonne Galligan, Sarah Clavero

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

This article has two aims: one is to map the landscape of gender (in)equality in science and technology universities and the customary lens through which this deficit is analysed. The second is to explore the concept of epistemic justice, unpacking its features and discussing its relevance in a higher education context. This leads to a consideration of the application of epistemic justice to science and technological universities, where knowledge production and sharing takes place in a highly masculinised environment. In this context, the intersection of epistemic justice and gender equality is a particularly relevant dimension of academic and institutional life. …

A Decade Of Disability Depictions In Newbery Award Books, H. Grow, Sharon Black, K. Egan, Tina Taylor, K. Moss, Rachel L. Wadham, Mary Anne Prater

Faculty Publications

Newbery awards are conferred annually on books recognized as having made the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature; these books reach a wide audience, and their depictions of characters with disabilities can influence children's perceptions and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. Eight Newbery Medal and Honor books chosen from 2010 to 2019 were identified as portraying 11 main or supporting characters with a disability. Six disabilities were represented: emotional disturbance, deafness, specific learning disability, speech/language impairment, orthopedic impairment, and traumatic brain injury. Applying the Rating Scale for Quality Characterizations of Individuals with Disabilities in Children’s Literature, we found most of …

Principles Or Templates? The Antecedents And Performance Effects Of Cross-Border Knowledge, James B. Oldroyd, Shad Morris, Jeff P. Dotson

Faculty Publications

Managers understand the importance of knowledge management systems for project-based work. Efforts are often made to ensure knowledge is codified and disseminated throughout the firm so employees can draw upon them to complete their projects. Unfortunately, however, such efforts often lead to stockpiles of information that remain untapped and underutilized. This study seeks to answer two questions. First, how can managers influence workers to utilize different types of codified knowledge in the first place? Second, do different types of codified knowledge have differential effects on performance? We find that increased individual experience drives the use of knowledge principles while workers …

Climate Change From A Distance: An Analysis Of Construal Level And Psychological Distance From Climate Change, Susie Wang, Mark J. Hurlstone, Zoe Leviston, Iain Walker, Carmen Lawrence

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The public perception of climate change as abstract and distant may undermine climate action. According to construal level theory, whether a phenomenon is perceived as psychologically distant or close is associated with whether it is construed as abstract or concrete, respectively. Previous work has established a link between psychological distance and climate action, but the associated role of construal level has yet to be explored in depth. In two representative surveys of Australians (N = 217 and N = 216), and one experiment (N = 319), we tested whether construal level and psychological distance from climate change predicted …

Fake News And Propaganda: Trump’S Democratic America And Hitler’S National Socialist (Nazi) Germany, David E. Allen, Michael Mcaleer

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper features an analysis of President Trump’s two State of the Union addresses, which are analysed by means of various data mining techniques, including sentiment analysis. The intention is to explore the contents and sentiments of the messages contained, the degree to which they differ, and their potential implications for the national mood and state of the economy. We also apply Zipf and Mandelbrot’s power law to assess the degree to which they differ from common language patterns. To provide a contrast and some parallel context, analyses are also undertaken of President Obama’s last State of the Union address …

Hordein Accumulation In Developing Barley Grains, Gregory J. Tanner, Michelle L. Colgrave, Malcolm J. Blundell, Crispin A. Howitt, Antony Bacic

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The temporal pattern of accumulation of hordein storage proteins in developing barley grains was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), western blot and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Hordein accumulation was compared to the pattern seen for two abundant control proteins, serpin Z4 (an early accumulator) and lipid transferase protein (LTP1, a late accumulator). Hordeins were detected from 6 days post-anthesis (DPA) and peaked at 30 DPA. Changes in fresh weight indicate that desiccation begins at 20 DPA and by 37 DPA fresh weight had decreased by 35%. ELISA analysis of hordein content, expressed on a protein basis, increased …

Offline Versus Online Travel Experience Sharing: The National Profile Of China, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Xiang Wei

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose: This study aims to examine the demographic differences of Chinese nationals’ travel experience sharing through different offline and online platforms.

Design/methodology/approach: Cross-tabulation analysis was applied on a national sample of 6081 respondents in China.

Findings: The study found that Chinese women tend to share travel experience more often than Chinese men; old people in China tend to use the face-to-face approach more than online or social media to share their travel experience. About 66.5 per cent of the survey sample used WeChat Moments to share their travel experience, highlighting WeChat as the dominating social media platform in China for …

Identity, Language And Collaboration In Indigenous Music, Clint Bracknell

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

I begin this chapter by arguing against any sort of prescriptive definitions for Indigenous Australian music. I will then illustrate change in public discourse on Indigenous music by examining the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards for Best Indigenous Release (1987-1998) and for Best World Music Album (1999-2016). The chapter then proceeds to highlight two increasingly common features of the work of Indigenous musical artists: reference to one's specific Indigenous cultural identity (e.g. Noongar, Bundjalung, Yorta Yorta) in popular music performance, and writing and performing popular music in Indigenous languages. The chapter concludes by illustrating how frequently Indigenous artists collaborate …

Table Of Contents

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

Social Media Engagement In The 2018 Democratic Primaries, Laura Bullock

Res Publica - Journal of Undergraduate Research

Social media’s role in American politics has exploded in importance over the past decade. The 2018 primary season saw a massive rise in the amount of progressive, female, and younger candidates across the United States, particularly within the Democratic Party. This paper examines the role of social media outreach within the context of three case studies, all of which featured an insurgent, female, progressive candidate defeating their older, establishment, male opponents within their respective Democratic primaries. All three insurgent candidates maintained a higher rate of both social media output, personalization, and interactivity with the user base, which creates more engagement …

Recent Developments In Solar Energy-Harvesting Technologies For Building Integration And Distributed Energy Generation, Mikhail Vasiliev, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Kamal Alameh

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

We present a review of the current state of the field for a rapidly evolving group of technologies related to solar energy harvesting in built environments. In particular, we focus on recent achievements in enabling the widespread distributed generation of electric energy assisted by energy capture in semi-transparent or even optically clear glazing systems and building wall areas. Whilst concentrating on recent cutting-edge results achieved in the integration of traditional photovoltaic device types into novel concentrator-type windows and glazings, we compare the main performance characteristics reported with these using more conventional (opaque or semi-transparent) solar cell technologies. A critical overview …

The Moderation Of Gender And Generation In The Effects Of Perceived Destination Image On Tourist Attitude And Visit Intention: A Study Of Potential Chinese Visitors To Australia, Songshan (Sam) Huang, Robert Van Der Veen

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

The overall purpose of this study is to examine the moderating roles of gender and generation in the effects of perceived destination image on tourist attitude and visit intention among Chinese potential tourists to Australia. Australia is one of the preferred destinations to Chinese tourists, and the China market emerges to be increasingly important to destination marketing organizations in Australia. Echoing the call for more gender studies in the tourism literature and also based on the generation theory, this study employed a cross-sectional questionnaire survey design and used structural equation modelling in its analysis. Survey data were collected through convenience …

Tackling Social Media Data Analysis: Comparing And Contrasting Qsr Nvivo And Leximancer, Violetta Wilk, Geoffrey N. Soutar, Paul Harrigan

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to offer insights into the ways two computer-aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS) applications (QSR NVivo and Leximancer) can be used to analyze big, text-based, online data taken from consumer-to-consumer (C2C) social media communication.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used QSR NVivo and Leximancer, to explore 200 discussion threads containing 1,796 posts from forums on an online open community and an online brand community that involved online brand advocacy (OBA). The functionality, in particular, the strengths and weaknesses of both programs are discussed. Examples of the types of analyses each program can undertake and the visual output available …

Geographical Variations In Prostate Cancer Outcomes: A Systematic Review Of International Evidence, Paramita Dasgupta, Peter D. Baade, Joanne F. Aitken, Nicholas Ralph, Suzanne K. Chambers, Jeff Dunn

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Previous reviews of geographical disparities in the prostate cancer continuum from diagnosis to mortality have identified a consistent pattern of poorer outcomes with increasing residential disadvantage and for rural residents. However, there are no contemporary, systematic reviews summarizing the latest available evidence. Our objective was to systematically review the published international evidence for geographical variations in prostate cancer indicators by residential rurality and disadvantage.

Methods: Systematic searches of peer-reviewed articles in English published from 1/1/1998 to 30/06/2018 using PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Informit databases. Inclusion criteria were: population was adult prostate cancer patients; outcome measure was PSA testing, prostate …

Using Local Rural Knowledge To Enhance Stem Learning For Gifted And Talented Students In Australia, Julia Morris, Eileen Slater, Michael T. Fitzgerald, Geoffrey W. Lummis, Eddie Van Etten

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

In order to supply a future Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce, Australia needs to engage its most capable and gifted secondary students in quality STEM learning, either within school or through extra-curricular opportunities, so that they will continue into STEM-based tertiary degrees. High-achieving students in rural communities may face additional barriers to STEM learning that can limit their ability to pursue advanced STEM studies and occupations. This small-scale research project sought to explore a group of gifted lower secondary students’ engagement and experiences in a STEM programme designed around a local rural knowledge model as reported by Avery …

Facial Identification For Digital Forensic, Hiba Al-Kawaz

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Theses

Forensic facial recognition has become an essential requirement in criminal investigations as a result of the emergence of electronic devices, such as mobile phones and computers, and the huge volume of existing content. Forensic facial recognition goes beyond facial recognition in that it deals with facial images under unconstrained and non-ideal conditions, such as low image resolution, varying facial orientation, poor illumination, a wide range of facial expressions, and the presence of accessories. In addition, digital forensic challenges do not only concern identifying an individual but also include understanding the context, acknowledging the relationships between individuals, tracking, and numbers of …

Digitally Engaged Consumers: A Multi-Level Perspective Of Higher Education Actors And Their Technology Readiness, Treasa Karney, Roisin Vize, Taeshik Gong

Conference papers

Advances in digital technology and innovation have fundamentally changed the way Higher Education (HE) communities, interact, consume and co-create value (Freberg and Merle 2016; Neier and Zayer 2015). However, differences have persisted between the potential of technology enabled learning and the less consistent realities of technology use within university learning and teaching (Henderson et al. 2015). Therefore, a key aim of this research is to examine how technology readiness of students influences their interaction, engagements, and value co-creation with staff. Through applying the lens of value co-creation, i.e. where value is co-created among actors through their active role of engagement, …

Background And Design Of A Qualitative Study On Globally Responsible Decision-Making In Civil Engineering, Shannon Chance, Ines Direito, Rob Lawlor, Katie Cresswell-Maynard, Jon Pritchard, Nick Tyler, John Mitchell

Conference papers

Organizations that regulate civil engineering have been pressing for integration of 'global responsibility' into higher education curricula since around 2006, with a goal of achieving environmental sustainability and social justice. In an effort led by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE, 2007, 2009), a global vision for civil engineering was identified. Within the UK, the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has been leading the way alongside non-governmental organizations (Bourn & Neal, 2008). Via the in-progress study reported here, a UK-based research team is now studying the effects of ACSE and ICE initiatives. The team seeks to benchmark how global …

Nuclear Frames In The Irish Media: Implications For Conversations On Nuclear Power Generation In The Age Of Climate Change, Catherine Devitt, Finbarr Brereton, Simon Mooney, David Conway, Eoin O'Neill

Articles

Keeping within the temperature limits set by the Paris Agreement on climate action will be a significant challenge. Nuclear power generation may contribute to achieving these targets, however, there are significant environmental, economic and health risks attached. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper explores how nuclear power generation is framed in the Irish print media, and discusses the implications of these frames for how nuclear power is perceived within the context of climate change mitigation in Ireland. Two Irish broadsheet papers, the Irish Times and the Irish Independent were selected for data collection, focusing on Chernobyl and Fukushima incidents. …

Report On The Future Role Of Engineers In Society And The Skills And Competences Engineering Will Require, Brad Tabas, Una Beagon, Klara Kövesi

Reports

This literature review outlines the current state of the art knowledge in relation to the influence of diversity, attractiveness of the engineering profession and the skills and competencies required of engineers to achieve the SDGs. We aim to answer the overall research question: How do engineering educators develop new learning and teaching approaches (methods) that will attract a diverse group of students (and mature learners) whilst achieving the SDGs in 2030? The main objective of the A-STEP 2030 project is to create an attractive and fascinating learning environment to encourage young people with diverse backgrounds to engage in engineering studies …

Bidirectional Interference Between Simulated Driving And Speaking, Christopher Dromey, Kelsey Simmons

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study relied on acoustic measures of connected speech and several indices of driving performance to quantify interference between speaking and simulated driving. Method: Three groups of 20 younger (ages 20–30 years), middle-age (ages 40–50 years), and older (ages 60–71 years) adults produced monologues and completed a simulated driving task, which involved maintaining a constant speed and lane position on a freeway. Both tasks were completed separately and concurrently. Results: There were significant divided attention effects, with a reduced speaking time ratio, and increases in vocal intensity, speed variability, and steering wheel adjustments. There was a significant between-subjects age …

Using Real-Time Visual Biofeedback For Second Language Instruction, Shawn L. Nissen, Rebecca Nissen

Faculty Publications

This demonstration will illustrate how using real-time visual biofeedback, through a relatively new type of electropalatographic (EPG) sensor, might facilitate improved pronunciation for learners of a second language (L2). The manner in which the EPG sensor is created and its use to track lingua-palatal articulation patterns will be described to individuals. This presentation will also include an explanation of how a student can visualize the contact patterns of their speech using the associated instructional software. A brief tutorial on the features of the instructional software will also be explained during the “show and tell” presentation.