Digital Commons Network^™

Adaptive Microphone Array Systems With Neural Network Applications, Jazmine Marisol Covarrubias

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A microphone array integrated with a neural network framework is proposed to enhance and optimize speech signals derived from environments prone to noise and room reflections that cause reverberation. Microphone arrays provide a way to capture spatial acoustic information for extracting voice input from ambient noise. In this study, we utilize and analyze established signal processing methods combined with different neural network architectures to achieve denoised and dereverberated speech signal results that are comparable with their clean, anechoic versions. The first stage of the proposed system involves using datasets containing anechoic speech recordings of speech utterances and convolving them with …

Soot & Shadow, Christa Crawford

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Soot & Shadow is a creative nonfiction-based collection of poetry that focuses on the themes of freedom and loss. The manuscript delves into the lives of immigrant women, specifically those affected by the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and those who came to America as the brides of American servicemen following WWII. Based on eyewitness testimony, the poetry attempts to capture the essence of the events, the devastating tragedy, love, loss, and the freedom these women sought as they discovered Truth through adversity. The poetry itself explores various poetic genres while attempting to push against the confines of the page. …

Assessing Spatiotemporal Exposures To Transportation Pollutants In Near-Road Communities Using Aermod, Mayra Consuelo Chavez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Traffic-related air pollution has a profound impact on human health especially for residents living in near-road communities which are constantly exposed these air pollutants. A near-road community is expected to observe significant spatial and temporal variations in pollutant concentrations, as air pollution resulting from emissions from major highways decreases rapidly from the highway. This research conducted on-site traffic and air quality measurements on four critical transportations related air pollutants, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, O3, as well as emission and air dispersion modeling of transportation emission impacts in a near-road community. Using numerical models provided by the EPA, integrated with field measurements …

Let's Talk About We Otherwise Risk Ignoring: Sexual Health Among Women Who Have Sex With Women, Denise Natalia Delgado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Sexual health research suggests that women who have sex, or have had sex, with women (WSW) are at a higher risk for negative reproductive health outcomes, however, WSW are less likely to use preventive reproductive health care than heterosexual women. This research aims to examine the constructions of knowledge and risk perceptions of sexual health practices and sexual health behaviors among WSW in the US. Sexual health practices and sexual health behaviors measures were based on self-reported sexual health knowledge, sexual health perceptions, and sexual activity. A convenience nationwide sample of 254 WSW participants recruited through online LBGTQIA+ social groups …

Disciplining The Female Body Through Fitness: "Women Participating In Crossfit And Perceptions Of The Body", Noemi Dimuzio

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Women's self-surveillance has been shaped through nutrition, technologies, social media and fitness. Women are constantly struggling with disciplining their bodies to produce a particular body image. The use of technologies has produced images of ideal bodies of beauty, perfection and constant awareness of body parts. The body can be shaped and molded in a variety places, most notably the gym. Fitness allows for the construction of the perfect body. Fitness creates a constant urge to develop and change the body and produces self-surveillance and discipline. There has been a shift from the Western thin ideal image to a new fitness …

Association Between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Resilience And Mental Health Among College Students In The El Paso Texas Border Region, Maribel G. Dominguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), mental health and resilience among adults living in the United States - Mexico Border region. Background: Numerous studies have investigated the negative impact of ACEs on adult mental health, but the concept of resilience as a protective factor for mental health has limited consideration in ACE treatment interventions. The proposed study addresses this gap in knowledge by investigating relations between ACEs, resilience, and mental health in the understudied U.S - Mexico Border population. Method: An online survey was administered to 221 university students to …

Las Cruces Housing Prices, Steven L. Fullerton

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study analyzes the median price for existing single-family housing units in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Explanatory factors used in the analysis are real per capita income, the housing stock, real mortgage rates, real apartment rents, and the real price of homes across the United States with data ranging from 1970-2017. Two estimation strategies are used for parameter estimation of the reduced form price equation. Results obtained include various unforeseen outcomes that include unexpected coefficient signs and relatively large elasticities. The most surprising result is that the long-run real rent coefficient has a negative sign, implying that apartments and houses …

Innovation In Higher Education: Three Sites In Haiti, Lucas Endicott

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Recent decades have brought seismic changes to global higher education. Educational leaders labor to sharpen administration, funding, teaching and learning practices in response to an increasingly globalized and technological world. The possibilities that this changing landscape may provide are perhaps most exciting for those currently economically disadvantaged and historically underserved by higher education. The advent of a knowledge economy and the need to train hundreds and thousands of new students paired with technological developments may help correct inequalities in access and excellence in education. This study asks the question: What, however, is the lived reality on the ground? Are university …

Sequence Stratigraphy, Diagenesis, And Depositional Facies Of An Exposed Megaflap: Pennsylvanian Hermosa Group, Gypsum Valley Salt Wall, Paradox Basin, Colorado, Kyle Thomas Deatrick

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Outcrop exposures mostly of the Pennsylvanian Honaker Trail Formation provide a 2 km strike-oriented view of a megaflap on the southwestern flank of the Gypsum Valley salt wall, Paradox Basin, Colorado that serves as an outcrop analog for megaflaps recently drilled unexpectedly in the Gulf of Mexico and other salt basins worldwide. The near vertical (80-90°) stratal panel comprises a 60 m thick succession of non-evaporite facies of the Pennsylvanian upper Paradox Formation, overlain by a 117 m section of cyclic shallow marine carbonates and siliciclastics of the Honaker Trail Formation. Near vertical upper Paradox and Honaker Trail strata are …

Energy Management And Control Of Smart Power Distribution Systems, Eric Galvan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With the development of distributed energy resources (DERs) and advancements in technology, microgrids (MGs) appear primed to become an even more integral part of the future distribution grid. In this transition to the smart power grid of the future, MGs must be properly managed and controlled to allow efficient integration of DERs. Over the past years, there has been rapid adoption of roof-top solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Although roof-top solar PV and BEVs can provide environmental benefits (e.g., reduction of emissions), they also create various challenges for power system operators. For example, roof-top solar PV generation …

Novel Methods For The Inactivation Of Cruzain For The Prevention And Treatment Of Chagas Disease, Veronica Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chagas Disease, also known as American Trypanosomiasis, is endemic to Latin American and is gradually making its way to other countries. The disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite that causes lesions and inflammation of organs including the heart, esophagus, and colon. Over 30% of people infected will develop heart disease which can be fatal if untreated. While no vaccine is yet available, research is currently being conducted in finding new treatments for the disease. One target is an enzyme that is believed to help the progression of the disease. Cruzain, a cysteine protease expressed as a pro-enzyme, …

Structural And Sedimentological Analysis Of The Bear Canyon Conglomerate, Southeastern California: Implications For The Timing And Style Of Miocene Deformation Within The Eastern California Shear Zone, Garrett Goff

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The region between Indian Pass and Picacho State Recreation Area (PSRA) in southeastern California records complex deformation related to the transition from a Paleogene convergent margin to a Neogene transform setting, although the timing and nature of youngest deformation in this region remains incompletely known. A 1.7 km-thick section of Miocene Bear Canyon conglomerate (BCC) was studied to constrain this young period of deformation. These rocks lie unconformably upon 23 Ma volcanic and epiclastic rocks and a Mesozoic metamorphic basement terrane. Near PSRA the BCC contains locally derived clasts and can be further subdivided into three unconformity-bounded sequences, referred to …

Origin And Characterization Of Intrasalt Non-Halite Lithologies Of The Neoproterozoic Patawarta Diapir, Central Flinders Ranges, South Australia, Rachelle A. Kernen

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Non-halite lithologies in salt diapirs are variously referred to as clasts, chips, rafts, stringers, sutures, and encased minibasins in the literature. Due to the complexities of gathering and processing seismic reflection data within salt bodies, nonhalite intrasalt lithologies, collectively referred to as inclusions here, are often first identified while drilling wells. These wells may penetrate unexpected lithologies of unknown fluid pressure, which can result in economic failure and pose serious drilling hazards and a threat to human life. Therefore, it is imperative to identify and determine the nature of inclusions prior to drilling, and ideally during the well planning process …

Decision Support Tools For Parking Management On University Campuses, Okan Gurbuz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

University campuses generate and attract trips with unique characteristics. Most universities are constantly challenged by the parking congestion issues. To manage campus parking infrastructure, most universities have established parking departments. This department is referred as the University Parking Office (UPO) in this Dissertation. There is no methodology or tool to assist the UPOs in their decision-making process. This Dissertation focuses on student parking and has developed models and methodologies as decision support tools to assist UPOs in managing student parking on campuses.

This Dissertation answers six Research Questions related to parking management on university campuses: (1) How many students are …

Using Spanish In English-Language Spaces: Identifying Bilingual Composition Students' Translanguaging Practices, Maria Isela Maier

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation is a qualitative study that uses ethnographic research methods to examine the translanguaging practices of bilingual students in first-year composition at a university along the U.S.-Mexico border. Specifically, I observe how and why bilingual students employ translanguaging practices, as they are encouraged or invited by their instructors, in contexts where English Standard Language policies exist. The results of this qualitative project demonstrate bilingual students' use of translation as part of their translanguaging practices, as well as a tool that uncovers students' writing processes which also demonstrates their language negotiation. Furthermore, the students' translanguaging practices reveal the rhetorical use …

The Female Nature: Representations Of Motherhood And Nature In Dystopian Films, Veronica Andrea Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study will explore female representation and conceptualization of nature in dystopian narratives by examining dystopian films. The study is guided by film theory and ecofeminism to investigate themes of domination of both nature and women. The main goal is to examine the structure, themes, dialogue, and visuals in the films to explore the underlying essence of dystopian narratives and examine roles of reproduction and motherhood of female characters. The study contributes to previous studies on female and nature representation in media.

Development Of An Ionic Green Monopropellant 1 Newton Thruster For Small Satellite Application, Jaclyn Mona Mejia

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In effort to advance green monopropellant propulsion using AF-M315E, a 1N thruster was developed to demonstrate the propellant capabilities for low thrust requirement missions. The current study presents the development of a 1 Newton thruster. The thruster was designed based on available literature for initial parameters. In house developed catalyst was packed into the 1 Newton thruster, and mounted onto a thrust stand for testing. Two configurations of catalyst were used for this testing campaign. As a result, temperature peaks from AF-M315E decomposition gases reached up to 1400°C with an iridium loading factor of 25% by mass with both catalyst …

Platelet Biology And Thrombosis: Juul E-Cigarette Exposure And 5ht2a Receptor Drug Discovery, Jean Emmanuel Montes Ramirez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

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Skirting The Law: Women In Vice During U.S. Prohibition In South Texas, 1900-1933, Carolina Monsivais

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Dissertation explores both women's participation in the vice industry north of the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas and the ways in which women were policed. The Dissertation analyzes the interactions that occurred between law enforcement agents and the women they arrested, primarily ethnic Mexican women. This analysis illuminates law enforcement tactics that were honed during this era through the interactions that agents had with women who worked in vice industries. I also argue that women in this industry demonstrated knowledge, agency, and resistance. In addition, it created avenues of work for women, particularly in South Texas. However, studies examining …

The Drones' Impact On Precision Agriculture, Ibrahim Naji

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A study to assess the overall impact of drones in the agricultural sector. The specific goal of this research was to provide a drone system to ward off pestering birds from crops to allow for better growth and an increased yield. Along with providing a user-friendly coded drone system for farmers that is cost effective, this project has inspired other areas of use for the drone.

An Investigation Of The Loci Of Bilingual Switch Costs During Reading Comprehension, Joseph Anthony Negron

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the present study, we examined whether the comprehension of language switches can be accounted for exclusively by activation dynamics within the lexicon, or whether there is evidence that cognitive general control processes outside of the lexicon are also engaged. In Experiment 1 we compared the fixation durations made on words embedded in either language pure or language switched sentences. The critical words were either cognates or non-cognate controls and served as the switch point in the language switched versions of the sentences. An overall switch cost was observed, which did not interact with cognate status or direction of the …

Petrophysical, Geostatistical And Geo-Spatial Analysis Of Round Top Mountain Rhyolite (Hudspeth County, West Texas, Usa), Lorraine Marie Negron

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This project consists of three separate projects that all investigate Round Top Mountain, a rhyolite laccolith located in Sierra Blanca, west Texas in Hudspeth County (U.S.A). The three projects will explore and analyze the petrophysical, geostatistical and geo-spatial aspects of this unique deposit.

Project 1:

This petrophysical study examines the porosity and micro-permeability of the Round Top rhyolite at a scale, roughly 5 to 10 mm or pebble sized, similar to anticipated heap leach crush sizes. Large voids and fluid paths, such as faults and joints in the massive rock (meter to km scale, boulder to outcrop size), are not …

Hfo Detector Based On Eeg Mean Energy Change Detection, Raul Ontiveros

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The main goal of this work is to support automated seizure prediction by identifying preictal states using multiple detectors of high-frequency oscillations (HFOs). Assessment of HFOs from a seizure onset zone may be facilitated using automatic HFO detectors. However, studies have shown that HFOs can be generated by physiological or pathological brain processes. Distinguishing between pathological and physiological HFOs is challenging due to a lack of discriminant information in signals' morphology and other characteristics. Other complicating factors include a lack of consistency in definitions of HFO frequency ranges, the need for expert verification of HFO detection, and lack of robustness …

Non Linear Optics For Materials Fabrication And Medical Instrumentation, Aurelio Paez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Two-photon absorption is a nonlinear optical process where two photons are absorbed by a molecule simultaneously. The probability of this quantum phenomenon is proportional to the quadratic excitation of light intensity. It has many applications in biomedical and materials research, such as two-photon fluorescence microcopy. The first project is to apply two-photon absorption induced bond cleavage in photoreactive materials for engineering 3D tissue scaffolds. The major challenge for growing thick 3D tissues is the lack of vasculature, where nutrients and oxygen can be delivered to the growing cells. Our collaborators have synthesized a novel polypeptide that is composed of 34-mer …

Scratching The Surface Of The Isotope Landscape Of An Ore Deposit Molybdenum-Sulfur Isotope Relationships In A Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Deposit (Santa Rita / Chino Mine, Nm), Joshua Roger Peterson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

More than 95% of the world's molybdenum (Mo) is mined from porphyry deposits (Sinclair, 2007). Molybdenum is an important component for the metal industry, as a key ingredient in stainless steel alloys and high-speed heat resistant tools. Despite the importance of porphyry deposits for the supply of this industrially important metal, major questions about Mo mineral precipitation remain unresolved and the process of ore body emplacement and formation remains poorly investigated (Cooke et al., 2014a).

Recent observations have revealed a wide range of Mo isotope compositions in porphyry deposits, both globally and locally (Greber et al., 2014a; Shafiei et al., …

System Dynamic Model Of 1-Dimensional Unsaturated Water And Solute Transport For Predicting Salinity Stress In Crops, Thomas Poulose

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

There is a complex non-linear system dynamic between the water and salt transport in the unsaturated vadose zone where the salt transport and accumulation affect the water fluxes and vice versa. In addition, factors such as precipitation, transpiration, water infiltration and solute transport in the unsaturated zone of subsurface soil further complicate the processes involved. We have developed a system dynamics model for simulating the one-dimensional unsaturated water and solute transport along with root water uptake in the vadose zone. The model uses finite difference method for solving Richard's equation with a sink term for water transport and root water …

Las Incontestables Formas De Las Sombras, Belen Puente Pereda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

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How Far Have We Come? A Comparison Of Jamaican Representations In Cool Runnings And Luke Cage, Israel Cariche Ramsay

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Representation of minority groups in popular media has been the cause of many debates in recent years. There has been outcry against the lack of diverse representations, and the kind of representation of minority groups. When powerful media organizations are representing minority groups, imperialism and post colonialism become part of the conversation. To look at the representation of minorities, I examined the representation of Jamaicans in two popular texts. The first is Cool Runnings, a 1993 film, and the second is season two of Luke Cage, a Netflix series released in 2018. In both of these instances, Jamaicans and Jamaican …

Tailoring Physical Properties Of Shape Memory Polymers For Fdm-Type Additive Manufacturing, Paulina Aileen Quinonez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) have found applicability in biomedical settings as well as other uses that can take advantage of objects that can change shape upon exposure to stimulus. Integrating polymers with shape memory characteristics into additive manufacturing technologies such as fused deposition modeling (FDMâ?¢) can increase the number of applications this manufacturing platform can be utilized. Currently, polyurethane and polylactic acid (PLA) are two FDMâ?¢-compatible materials that possess shape memory properties. On their own these materials do not have tunable shape memory properties, namely shape recovery and shape fixation. The work presented here entails the development and characterization of …

Magnetic Nanoparticles For Hyperthermia For Cancer Treatment, Bianca Paola Meneses Brassea

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Fe3O4 and NixCu4-x magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized using supercritical conditions of liquids and wet chemistry, respectively. Characterization methods (VSM, SEM, TEM, and magnetic hyperthermia) yielded results that prove feasibility for magnetic hyperthermia for cancer treatment.