Digital Commons Network^™

Structure-Property-Performance Evaluation Of Refractory Metal Incorporated Gallium Oxide Thin Films For Extreme Environment Applications, Anil Krishna Battu

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

An approach is presented to design refractory-metal (RM) incorporated Ga2O3-based materials with controlled structural, mechanical, and optical properties. A model system based on molybdenum (Mo) doped Ga2O3 (GMO) has been considered to elucidate the combined effect of RM-doping and processing parameters on the properties and oxygen sensor performance of GWO nanomaterials. The molybdenum (Mo) content in Ga2O3 was varied from 0 to 11 at% in the sputter-deposited Ga-Mo-O films. Molybdenum was found to significantly affect the structure and optical properties. While low Mo content (≤4 at%) results in the formation of single-phase (β-Ga2O3), higher Mo content results in amorphization. Chemically …

Understanding The Digital Lives Of Transnational Students: A Case Study, Chowaing Chagra Belekeh

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The proliferation and the fast-paced evolution of digital information communication technologies (ICTs) in contemporary times have arguably raised concern for us to comprehend what we do with these technologies and what these technologies do for us. The experience of engaging these technologies may not necessarily be the same for everyone—especially students who come from around the world to attain post-graduate degrees in the United States. This research focused on understanding the digital lives, choices, and experiences of transnational students who navigate and negotiate geopolitical borders and boundaries (physical)– in their quest for education. Using a case study analysis and collecting …

A Comparative Study Of The Impact Of Depth In Deep Learning Architectures, Kirsten Byers

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Machine Learning continues to evolve as applications become more complex. Neural Networks, or Deep Networks, are integral to machine learning and the entire taxonomy of Artificial Intelligence [Sze17]. Intelligent structures and algorithms continue to advance, keeping pace with the complexi-ty of data. Changes in architecture, algorithms, and parameters are necessary to keep up with com-putational complexity and data available. This study focuses on how changes in depth of the archi-tecture affect performance on three distinct datasets, including one on Heart Disease. An adaptable network is created in original code, trained, and tested on these datasets. Its performance parameters are observed …

Development Of Advanced Statistical Methods For Multivariate Classification, Mario Cardenas Jr

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This work is on the development of an observation reduction technique based on the principal component scores, or loadings, intended for the classification of data.

Graduate School Application Accessibility For International Students, Estefania Castillo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The graduate school application is a time consuming, yet important, process that can often be complicated for students. However, this process is made even more complicated for international students who often face extra steps and other obstacles when applying to graduate programs in the US. Following my own experience of applying to a master's program as an international student, I set out to further explore how international students experienced and navigated this process. This research project explored the graduate school application process through the experiences of international students that were shared in testimonios through platicas, or open and friendly conversations. …

3d Printed Alginate-Based Zinc Oxide Nanoparticle Scaffolds For Wound Healing, Carol Cleetus

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Effective treatment of chronic wounds is essential for the prevention of infection and scar tissue formation, requiring a novel approach to address the limitations of existing options. This study utilizes Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) crosslinked alginate, a common biomaterial widely used in wound dressing, and UV activated Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) for their potential hydroxyl radical mediated antibacterial applications. ZnO NPs were synthesized by combustion method from Zinc Nitrate Hexahydrate and Sucrose. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) characterization were used to verify composition and NP size. Terephthalic Acid, used as a fluorescent probe, confirmed the generation of …

Association Of A Repetitive Manual Task On Inflammatory Biomarker Expression, Heart Rate Variability And Rating Of Perceived Exertion, Daniel Conde

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) as a group of disorders involving muscles, tendons, and nerves. The WMSDs symptoms are considered the most common occupational disease, causing limitations in daily activities. Even though there is an association between repetitive manual tasks involving short work cycles, force demanding tasks, and the development of WMSDs, the specific cause of the physiological changes over a long period of time is a cause of debate. The study of mechanisms underlying the physiological changes is essential for the early detection, diagnosis, and appropriate management of WMSDs.

To Or Through The Skin: A Rational Design Of Transdermal Drug Delivery, Isaac Giovanni Deaguero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The skin is the largest organ in the body and plays many crucial roles through diverse functions ranging from protection, temperature regulation, energy storage via fat deposits, and is used to communicate with our surroundings. Various methods have been attempted to deliver drugs to target areas of the skin in effective dosages by a variety of means with limited success. Recently, advances in transdermal drug delivery have offered avenues previously unattainable through conventional means. Some of these new delivery methods have been reviewed, explored and offer promising results with the potential to carve a new avenue in the way therapeutic …

Development And Characterization Of Perovskite Solar Cells For Tandem Device Configuration, Angel Moiseis De La Rosa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Photovoltaic devices based on perovskite materials are constantly progressing towards more applicability in large-area panels. In order for perovskite-based photovoltaics to reach reliable and stable commercialization, common issues with the use of perovskite still need to be resolved, including the need to identify fabrication processes that can yield optimal material parameters for better photovoltaic performance. Defining an optimal fabrication process requires that researchers and manufacturers alike come to an agreement regarding perovskite characteristics that result from device operation and material processing. This work focuses on characterizing physical, electrical, and electronic properties of a FAxCs1-xPb(IyBr1-y)3 perovskite, and how some of these …

Sensory Integration And Its Role In Behavioral Plasticity In Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Clarissa Diaz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Although commonly characterized by communicative and social impairments, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents a number of developmental deficits related to movement planning and action. The extent of these deficits to the entire neuromuscular system, as well as the individual input/output loops are still not well understood. Given the dynamic interplay between our plans, actions and outcomes lay the foundation for later mature motor behavior, it is critical to understand the unique motor learning processes these nervous systems face while a higher level of training plasticity may be present. A recent study examined the kinematics (acceleration, velocity, smoothness, etc.) of upper …

Structural Analysis Of Deformed Caprock Associated With A Salt Shoulder At Gypsum Valley Salt Wall, Paradox Basin, Colorado, Hanah Draper

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study documents the style and distribution of deformation present in Triassic-age gypsic and carbonate caprock associated with the Gypsum Valley Salt Wall Salt Shoulder in the Paradox Basin, Colorado in order to determine the mechanism and timing of deformation. Mapping of gypsic and carbonate capstone facies shows that the caprock layering that was generated during formation has been deformed by large-and-small-scale folding and faulting, brecciation, and boudinage. Deformation within the caprock resulted in widely variable orientations along the length of the salt shoulder, that also varies locally in intensity of deformation and with proximity to the passively rising diapir …

Behavioral Ecology Of A Desert Ambush Predator: Assessing Movement Patterns, Habitat And Microhabitat Use, And The Innate Feeding Response Of Eastern Black-Tailed Rattlesnakes (Crotalus Ornatus) In The Northern Chihuahuan Desert, James Emerson

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Research on the ecology and evolution of rattlesnakes has been sporadic over the past 80 years, but has seen recent expansion into the diverse fields of physiology, physiological ecology, life history, behavioral ecology, ethology, reproductive biology, chemical ecology, venom biochemistry and medicine, conservation, and many other subdisciplines. The development of small, implantable VHF radiotransmitters in the 1980s revolutionized research in the field of behavioral ecology for rattlesnakes, which are uniquely suited for radiotelemetry studies because they possess several morphological, physiological, and behavioral characteristics that are unique among terrestrial vertebrates. The widespread application of radiotelemetry by the mid-1980s advanced the model …

Principals' Perceptions Of Their Preparedness To Lead Inclusive Schools For Students With Disabilities: An Action Research Study Of A Principal Preparation Program On The U.S.-Mexico Border, Ignacio Estorga Iii

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In the "age of accountability," every student counts. This includes students with disabilities. Principals play a vital role in ensuring that students with disabilities receive a high-quality education. How are university-based preparation programs preparing aspiring administrators to meet the challenges of ensuring a fair and equal education for every student, including students with disabilities? Nearly 25 years ago, a study of principal preparation programs concluded that most principals were ill prepared when they began their leadership tenure. In 2009, a study found that, although there had been an increase in the number of hours that principal preparation programs required for …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Material Systems For 3d Printed Smart Structures, Hilda Fontes

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The silica hollow spheres have demonstrated excellent results in multiple applications such as light-weight composites, and optical applications as a glass coating. This material also exhibits excellent thermal, shock impact, and hydrophilic properties extremely useful for industrial applications. However, a controllable size of the particle is desired to further increase the number of applications of the silica hollow spheres.

This Thesis aims a method to fabricate silica hollow spheres in a single step with a controlled diameter size. A study was developed to demonstrate the particle size change when adjusting the molecular weight of the medium by using different alcohol …

We Are All Green: Stereotypes For Female Soldiers And Veterans, Katherine French

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As the number of females in the U.S. military continues to rise, the need for research concerning this cohort becomes increasingly important. In consideration of gender role theory, society may assume that soldiers and veterans are male, due to stereotypes. Thus, it was hypothesized that participants would be more likely to implicitly associate military (i.e. prior military or combat veteran) as male compared the neutral condition (i.e. prior Peace Corp volunteer). The current study (N = 174) used gender pronouns as implicit measures of gender assumptions. Participants were assigned to read six gender neutral scenarios; three focal scenarios (i.e. combat …

Extracting Mechanical Properties Of Compacted Geomaterials Using Intelligent Compaction Technology, Aria Fathi

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The primary tool currently used for quality management of earthwork and unbound aggregates is the nuclear density gauge (NDG) to ensure appropriate density and moisture content. Measurement of moisture content and dry density, even though quite practical and straightforward, does not directly tie the construction quality with the mechanistic-empirical design processes where stress and modulus are employed. With the recent popularity of the mechanistic pavement design procedures, research efforts have been undertaken to understand and develop procedures for implementing modulus-based quality control (QC) procedures of compacted geomaterials. These procedures involve the use of in-situ nondestructive testing (NDT) devices that estimate …

Identification Of A Novel Single Amino Acid Substitution (V666g) Of Jak1 From A Patient With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Impairs Jak3 Mediated Il-2 Signaling, Alice Hernandez Grant

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Janus kinase (JAK) family, notably JAK1, JAK2 and JAK3 are recognized as oncogenic drivers in high risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). The bulk of activating JAK mutations are thought to occur within functional hot-spots across Janus Homology (JH) domains. The most frequently mutated regions is the JH2 pseudo-kinase, which provides a negative regulatory role to the adjacent catalytically active JH1 kinase domain. Despite the prevalence of JAK activating mutations and a need for new therapeutic inhibitors, there is a lack of understanding in the allosteric regulation of JAK kinases. Here we sought to identify mutations involved in driving ALL …

Comparative Experimental And Theoretical Study Of Dopamine And Serotonin Interaction, Jose A. Guerrero

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

To accurately identify and measure the concentrations of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) in mixtures of these neurotransmitters without labeling, a comprehensive, comparative computational and Raman experimental analysis is provided. While the distinction between these two analytes may be accomplished for concentrations in the millimolar range of these mixtures, their accurate quantification remains unattainable. As shown for the first time in this study, potential creation of a new composite resulting from their interactions with each other could be a reason for this lack of quantification.

Although this new hydrogen-bonded complex greatly complicates future analyte differentiation and quantification at concentrations typical …

Trials Of Belonging: Indigenous Peoples' Struggle With Law And Power In Twentieth-Century North America, Kevin Thomas Guay

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Spanning multiple fields of scholarly inquiry, the bulk of this study concerns itself with competing notions of sovereignty, citizenship, boundary-making, and belonging in twentieth and twenty-first century Indigenous North America. Situated at the productive confluence of Borderlands history, Native American and Indigenous Studies, Critical Legal Studies, and Immigration history, this Dissertation analyzes the numerous treaties, codes, edicts, bylaws and other expressions of settler colonial jurisprudence that penetrated the everyday lives of Indigenous peoples across North America. These statutes-designed to limit Native power, dissolve Indigenous cultural identity, and strip tribal peoples of their landholdings and personhood-constituted an ongoing settler colonial project …

Geophysical Investigations Of The San Andreas Fault System And Evaluations In Geoscience Education, Sandra Hardy

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Chapter 1: Investigating Earthquake Cycle Vertical Deformation Recorded by GPS And Regional Tide Gauge Stations in California

Geodetic and tide gauge measurements of vertical deformation record localized zones of uplift and subsidence that may document critical components of both long and short-period earthquake cycle deformation. In this study, we compare vertical tide gauge data from the Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level (PSMSL) and vertical GPS data from the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) for 10 approximately co-located station pairs along coastal California from Point Reyes, CA to Ensenada, Mexico. To compare these two data sets, we first truncate both …

Remediation And Prevention Of Harmful Algae Blooms (Habs) In Ascarate Lake At El Paso, Texas, Elizabeth Herrera Ortega

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Ascarate park in El Paso, Texas is an example of an urban ecosystem in the middle of a growing city. It is the largest public-use recreational park in El Paso county and it includes a 48-acre Ascarate lake. The purpose of this study was to prevent harmful algae growth in Ascarate lake using phytoremediation by analyzing different water quality parameters. We installed artificial islands on west cove of the lake with African iris plants to determine the feasibility of remediation to prevent algae blooms in Ascarate lake. Water samples were collected at different points close and away from the islands …

How International Students From African Countries Use Digital Text, Nadia Boahemaa Kyeremeh

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This Thesis critically examines how international students from African countries use digital text across disciplines in a four-year university in the United States. The goal of this study is to explore ways in which international students' challenges with digital text can be alleviated. Critical Consciousness Theory and Critical race theories are used as a theoretical framework which fosters a better understanding of international students' previous experience with digital text and the challenges faced when using digital text. Data collected through interviews indicate that international students' struggles with digital text are much more complex than the average student because they have …

The Manliness To Defend Themselves: Race And Civilian/Indigenous Warfare In New Mexico, 1598-1898, Ian Anson Lee

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

"The Manliness to Defend Themselves: Race and Civilian/Indigenous Warfare in New Mexico, 1598-1898," explores three-hundred years of warfare between the civilian population and Native peoples in New Mexico. For centuries the regimes of New Spain and Mexico had utilized New Mexican civilians to battle independent Indians. A culture of warfare had subsequently emerged among the civilian population. As the United States proclaimed sovereignty over New Mexico, military officials attempted to put an end to the practice of warfare by civilians, yet would be hard-pressed to do so. The ideas of Anglo American officials concerning race and citizenship conflicted with the …

Understanding The Connections: An Analysis Of Climate Change And Human Security, Erica Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Increasing evidence shows that the impacts of anthropogenic climate change have magnified and will have dramatic implications for both the natural and social systems (Adger et al., 2014). While research on the security implications of climate change has been found to have a major bearing on policy making, experts have not reached a consensus about how climate change and human security are related, leaving the climate-security nexus and corresponding policies underdeveloped.

The purpose of this study is to delineate and scrutinize the relationship between climate change and human security so that a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon is achieved. …

Beyond The Crimson Door, Erik J. Medina

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

An alcoholic father is forced to raise his daughter after the death of his wife. He has been trying to get better with the help of his doctor, but things only seem to get worse when the nightmares he's been having slowly start to merge with his reality. Not knowing what is real and fake, his world is turned upside down when the nightmares begin to threaten his daughter.

Mi Feria Es Su Feria: How Mexican Americans Created The 1968 San Antonio Hemisfair, Gene Thomas Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In 1968, HemisFair became the first world's fair to be held in San Antonio, the United States Southwest, and to be recognized by the Bureau of International Expositions. Countries from around the globe were brought together by a shared commitment to democratic unity, Pan-American friendship, and to celebrate San Antonio's 250th anniversary. San Antonio Fair Inc., the group in charge of the fairâ??s construction and production, worked closely with community leaders, the Texas state government, and the U.S. federal government to create the exposition. The fair's theme would be called Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas. Confluence for the fair …

Boxing Training Effects On Cardiovascular Risk, Quality Of Life, Endothelial Function, And Blood Flow Patterns In Individuals With Elevated Blood Pressure Or Stage 1 Hypertension, Francisco Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Early stages of high blood pressure, such as elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension, have shown to increase cardiovascular mortality. Exercise is recommended for the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure; however, most clinical evidence is based on traditional types of exercise that have relatively high dropout rates. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of boxing training, a nontraditional exercise modality, on clinical and vascular outcomes and its relation to blood flow patterns in individuals with elevated blood pressure or stage 1 hypertension. To achieve these goals, two experiments were designed. The first …

Examining The Role Of Perceptual Biases In Health Care Utilization Among Adults, Sandra L. Oviedo Ramirez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A large body of literature has identified significant racial and ethnic disparities in health care and health outcomes. In an effort to gain an understanding of how to achieve health equity, it is crucial that we broaden our search for factors beyond access factors that may explain these observed disparities. The present study examined how cultural differences related to attention (context vs. focal) and attribution (internal vs. external) influence individuals' propensity to identify symptoms as potential markers of poor health, and ultimately, report less utilization of professional health care services. Using a community sample of 252 (n = 134 Latinos …

Deep Learning For Overhead Imagery: Algorithms And Applications, Anthony Manuel Ortiz Cepeda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Remote sensing using overhead imagery has critical impact to the way we understand our environment and offers crucial information for scene understanding, climate change research, disaster response, urban planning, forest management, and many other applications. At present, deep learning is increasingly used in remote sensing, but mostly borrowing algorithms developed for natural images in the computer vision community. Specific challenges arise while applying deep learning to remote sensing. These challenges include issues related to the high dimensionality and limited labeled data, security and robustness to adversarial attacks, and model generalization. In this Thesis we focus on tackling these key challenges. …

"Celebrated, Not Tolerated": How Transgender And Nonbinary Individuals Navigate The Social World, Hannah Penklis

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Seventeen individuals (4 trans men, 2 trans women, and 11 nonbinary people) were interviewed in this exploratory study on how transgender and nonbinary people feel about their bodies, and the role that social support plays in their experiences and feelings about their bodies. Semi-structured interviews revealed themes, including how transgender and nonbinary people interact with social support, their motivations for gender affirming medical interventions, and non-medical ways in which they alter their physical appearance. Participants reported a variety of experiences within their body across the spectrum of human experience: in some cases, individuals changed their weights dramatically; others felt strong …