Digital Commons Network^™

Adaptive Physics-Based Non-Rigid Registration For Immersive Image-Guided Neuronavigation Systems, Fotis Drakopoulos, Christos Tsolakis, Angelos Angelopoulos, Yixun Liu, Chengjun Yao, Kyriaki Rafailia Kavazidi, Nikolaos Foroglou, Andrey Fedorov, Sarah Frisken, Ron Kikinis, Alexandra Golby, Nikos Chrisochoides

Computer Science Faculty Publications

Objective: In image-guided neurosurgery, co-registered preoperative anatomical, functional, and diffusion tensor imaging can be used to facilitate a safe resection of brain tumors in eloquent areas of the brain. However, the brain deforms during surgery, particularly in the presence of tumor resection. Non-Rigid Registration (NRR) of the preoperative image data can be used to create a registered image that captures the deformation in the intraoperative image while maintaining the quality of the preoperative image. Using clinical data, this paper reports the results of a comparison of the accuracy and performance among several non-rigid registration methods for handling brain deformation. A …

Bridging The Informal And Formal Learning Spaces With Whatsapp, Tutaleni I. Asino, Nandita Gurjar, Perien Boer

Faculty Publications

When it comes to digital-based learning, the question of engagement and presence is often focused on online learning involving traditional computing devices such as desktop computers or laptops. However, in areas where mobile devices are the most widely used computing technology, engagement and interaction between teachers and students looks different. In many parts of the world, interactions between individuals takes place through mobile texting applications to bridge formal and informal learning spaces.

One of the most popular mobile tools is WhatsApp, a free cross-platform mobile application that allows users to make calls (voice) and send messages (text). The app averages …

Effects Of Exercise On Tests Measuring Attention And Executive Function In Younger And Older Adults, Angela N. Burda, Jennifer Baldwin, Johanna Cravatta, Jody Heetland, Kayla Jacobs, Hannah Merfeld, Jaden Rausch, Mallory Rinnels, Regan Zollman

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study investigated whether or not performance differed between Young and Older Exercisers and between Young and Older Non-exercisers on the Attention Processing Training-Test (APT-Test), Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS), and Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES). Methods: A total of 119 participants were divided into the following groups: 46 Young Exercisers: (aged 18-40 years), 45 Older Exercisers (aged 60 and older), fourteen Young Non-exercisers, and fourteen Older Non-exercisers. Participants completed the APT-Test, BADS, and FAVRES in a counterbalanced manner. Independent sample t-tests were used to calculate outcomes. Results: Young Exercisers had significantly higher scores …

Bacillus Bacteriophage Q11 May Have A 5' Covalently Attached Protein, Emily Cornelius

Honors Program Theses

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that specifically parasitize on bacteria and are found almost everywhere. Phages Phi 29 and Q11 are both small phages found in soil that attack Bacillus hosts. Previous Phi 29 studies verified a covalently bonded protein at the 5’ end of its double-stranded linear DNA. Q11 may have a similar 5’ terminal protein, which blocks complete sequencing of that DNA region. Because Q11 and phi29 are both small short-tailed phages that infect similar hosts, it could be possible the proteins are structurally similar. In previous work, I have attempted to use restriction endonuclease and exonuclease enzyme digests …

The Effects Of Fluoride On Macrophage Thp-1 Cell Apoptosis, Jessica Heims

Honors Program Theses

Fluoride is an earthly mineral that occurs naturally both in the sedimentary earth as well as in the human body. The main biological function of fluoride in the human body is to enhance bone structure, as well as prevent the decay of teeth. This mineral has been used by dentists and public health officials to artificially introduce an extra layer of protection through the means of fluoride-enriched public water supplies and toothpastes. By using extra levels of fluoride, dentists have been able to help patients prevent future cavities and dental diseases. Although most dentists highly encourage strategic consumption of these …

Phonology And Fluency: How Pronunciation Is (And Is Not) Taught In United States Esl Classrooms, Nik Hucke

Honors Program Theses

This thesis examines how explicit pronunciation instruction affects the ability to learn, understand, and produce English in non-native speakers, and how their teachers approach that instruction. The goal is to create a general overview of pronunciation teaching practices currently in use in K-12 English as a second language (ESL) classrooms in the United States and to gauge the general attitudes and approaches towards pronunciation instruction of ESL teachers. This will help create a picture of the current state of ESL pronunciation instruction in the United States, investigate the best ways to teach pronunciation as a part of a general ESL …

Possessive Structures And Genitive Case: Spanish And English Compared, Elizabeth Kelsey

Honors Program Theses

Although possessive constructions are formed differently in Spanish as compared to English, most notably through the insertion of the preposition de as compared to the Saxon genitive ‘s, both languages require that possessive Ɵ-roles must be assigned and possessive Case must be checked when possessive constructions are formed. This research follows authors such as Picallo (1994), Antrim (2003), and Bernstein (2005) to propose that possessive Ɵ-roles and possessive Case are assigned and checked, respectively, by specific, separate functional projections, which are only generated in instances of a possessive relationship. Using the principles of minimalism, examples of Spanish and …

The Idolization Of Ada Lovelace And Its Necessity, Autumn Lauen

Honors Program Theses

Ada Lovelace is a recognizable name in the field of computer science, but few people know and truly understand why. It is common knowledge that Ada Lovelace is known as the world’s first computer programmer. A simple Google search would also show that her contributions occurred in the mid-1800s. This is where any logical person may become confused and rightfully inquire how a person in the Victorian era has become so closely associated with modern computer science. The answer to that question is exactly as complicated and disputed as expected.

Ada Lovelace’s fame stems from her work with Charles Babbage …

Evaluating College Students' Attitudes And Understanding Of Recycling, Taylor Shipley

Honors Program Theses

Individuals have different habits, beliefs, and knowledge regarding recycling. These can be due to a variety of reasons such as peers, upbringing, accessibility of recycling, or prior knowledge of what can be recycled. A school setting, in particular, can be influential to a student’s motivation to recycle; schools can provide an environment for students to learn about the importance of recycling and other various sustainability initiatives. Like most campuses, students’ recycling behaviors on the University of Northern Iowa’s (UNI) campus are likely to be affected to some degree by the reasons listed above as well as other life experiences.

Recycling …

Griffiths-Like Phase In Manganese Intercalated Tantalum Disulfide And The 3-Dimensional Ising Model, Paul White

Honors Program Theses

Transition metal dichalcogenides have gained increasing interest due to properties that make them highly attractive for fundamental studies of novel physical phenomena and for applications ranging from nanoelectronics and nanophotonics to sensing and actuation at the nanoscale.^[1] The material described in this work is composed of layers of tantalum sulfide between which manganese was deposited. The number of manganese atoms per tantalum atom is called the concentration, x. In the research that was conducted for this thesis, the Griffiths Phase of crystalline bulk Mn_0.23TaS₂ and the 3-dimensional Ising model was investigated.

Optimizing Dna Extraction From Microorganisms Living In Wind Cave, Allison Warming

Honors Program Theses

Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota is home to many creatures, from the giant buffalo to microscopic single-celled organism. This study focused on the single-celled organisms living in Wind Cave. A total of 81 samples were collected and grown on culture media. The goal of this project was to determine which commercially available kit would yield the highest amount of purified DNA from the samples cultured from the cave. Following the protocols provided by the manufacturer, a control sample as well as samples from three plates had their DNA isolated and purified using seven commercially available DNA purification kits. …

Landscape Genetics Of Iowa's Threatened Black Redhorse, Morganne C. Borsh

Honors Program Theses

The objectives of this study are to:

a. Characterize the genetic diversity of populations of Black Redhorse in Iowa

b. Determine the level of connectivity between populations in Iowa

Overall, this project aims to determine the degree of fragmentation of Black Redhorse populations to better direct conservation strategies. This study utilizes genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess the population genetic structure of the Black Redhorse across its range in northeast Iowa.

On Beauty: Ancient Perceptions Of Beauty From Classical Greece To Imperial Rome, Maya Jess

Honors Program Theses

When trying to describe something that is beautiful to someone, a common first step is to find an image of the beauty one is trying to describe. In the Greco-Roman world, these images were found in the artworks, texts, and other forms of expression from the time, and images of human beauty were found in paintings, frescos, and statuary. Unfortunately, due to the Ravages of Time, statuary is the most common surviving medium and therefore our biggest asset in knowing what the Greeks and Romans saw as beautiful. Much like how society today uses models to represent beauty standards and …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Intuitive Eating On The Uni Campus, Natalee Jeanne Lyons

Honors Program Theses

Over the course of this project, we will send out a cross-sectional survey to undergraduate students living on UNI’s campus. Included in the survey are questions regarding nutritional campus climate, student’s food preferences and eating habits, as well as the complete second edition of the Intuitive Eating Scale (Tylka & Kroon Van Diest, 2013).

This survey will then be analyzed utilizing SPSS software to draw conclusions regarding this target population (IBM Corp, 2016). Upon completion of this data analysis, our research 2 team hopes to address the following questions: What factors influence the eating behaviors of college students living on …

Identification Of Fungi And Their Secondary Metabolites From Wind Cave, Kyle Biscoglia

Honors Program Theses

Eighteen fungal samples were isolated from samples of water collected in Wind Cave, South Dakota. Ten of the samples underwent chemical extraction, a growth inhibition test, and were analyzed using proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. Structural analysis and identification of one secondary metabolite that demonstrated antimicrobial growth inhibition was performed. All eighteen of the fungal samples were able to be identified to the genus level using the ITS region of their DNA, however confident identification of the species level was more difficult to attain just looking at one portion of the sequence.

My Year With Digital Supremacists, Nick Baur

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Self-Confidence And Perceptions Of Athletic Training Students Following Simulated Experiences: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study, Hannah L. Stedge, Valerie Herzog

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Athletic training clinical education provides students with a variety of real-life patient encounters under the supervision of a credentialed athletic trainer. However, clinical education experiences may not allow for all students to practice more invasive or less common skills such as rectal thermometry. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) determine the effect of a series of low to high-fidelity simulated rectal thermometry experiences on athletic training students’ self-confidence scores; and 2) through a phenomenological qualitative approach, explore athletic training students’ perceptions following the simulated rectal thermometry experiences. Method: This study used a quasi-experimental, mixed methods, one-group …

Feeding Difficulties In Children: A Guide For Allied Health Professionals An Evaluation Report, Carmel M. Blayden, Kate Holland, Sonia Hughes, Jennifer Nicol

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: An evaluation of Feeding Difficulties in Children: A Guide for Allied Health Professionals (2016) was undertaken to determine how the publication has been utilised amongst allied health professionals across NSW. This evaluation aimed to identify the usefulness of the Guide in supporting the assessment and management of children with feeding difficulties. Results will inform future education and support strategies. Method: The evaluation targeted allied health professionals employed by NSW Health. An online questionnaire formed the primary method of data collection. Four semi-structured focus groups also occurred to provide complementary qualitative information. Results: Clinicians from a range of professions and …

The Relationship Between Insurance And Health Outcomes Of Diabetes Mellitus Patients In Maryland: A Retrospective Archival Study, Soo-Hoon Lee, Samuel L. Brown, Andrew A. Bennett

Management Faculty Publications

Background

Past studies examining the health outcomes of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients found that social determinants of health disparities were associated with variabilities in health outcomes. However, improving access to healthcare, such as health insurance, should mitigate negative health outcomes. The aim of the study was to explore the association between four types of health insurance, namely, Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS), Medicare Managed Care (MC), Private FFS, and Private MC plans, and the health outcomes of DM patients, controlling for patients’ social determinants of health.

Methods

This is a retrospective cross-sectional archival record study to explore the relationships between types of …

Takin' Care Of Small Business: The Rise Of Stakeholder Influence, William P. Jimenez, Xiaohong (Violet) Xu, Emily D. Campion, Andrew A. Bennett

Management Faculty Publications

In this Exchange, we consider three crucial boundary conditions that Barnett, Henriques, and Husted (2020) overlooked in their model of diminished stakeholder influence. Although we agree that social media platforms have weakened stakeholder influence in certain conditions, such is not the case for all firms, all stakeholders, or all situations. Drawing from socio-cognitive and self-determination theories, we contend that (a) independent, owner-managed small firms present a context wherein information overload is rendered less of an issue because the information about the firm is more salient to locals; (b) stakeholders can be motivated to influence firms via social media platforms, which …

Teaching With Intent: Applying Culturally Responsive Teaching To Library Instruction, Priscilla Seaman, Chapel Cowden, Sarah Copeland, Lu Gao

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

Despite increasingly diverse classrooms, librarians may teach to the middle without considering the divergent experiences of the actual students in the class. Additionally, the centrality of whiteness in academia and librarianship may contribute to a lack of inclusivity in the library instruction classroom. Culturally responsive teaching (CRT) provides a framework for realizing inclusivity for culturally diverse students. This article presents theoretically grounded, practical applications of CRT for the library instruction classroom within three suggested areas for improvement: preparation, communication, and facilitation.

Library Security: Perceptions Of Preparedness, Abby Adams, Karen E. Kiorpes

University Libraries Faculty Scholarship

This article details the results of two parallel surveys sent to the heads of campus security and the libraries at 54 schools within the SUNY system. We undertook this study to determine the extent of collaboration between these groups and to learn where library and security staff perceptions of safety and preparedness differ. The findings indicated that most campuses have emergency response plans in place for the possibility of a high-impact violent event or a human-caused emergency. However, libraries are less likely to have dedicated emergency plans and report an inconsistent mix of physical security measures and staff safety trainings. …

Health Law: Vaccine Mandates: A Primer, Dorit Reiss

The Judges' Book

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Graham Fitkin’S Saxophone Music And Implications For The Modern Saxophonist, Sean Hayes

Theses : Honours

There is a significant body of academic writing on long-entrenched traditional chamber repertoire for the saxophone, both in the form of creative outputs (saxophone repertoire and études) and traditional academic writing (practical methods, journal articles, and dissertations). In contrast, the aggregate research output existing on “contemporary-classical” music for the saxophone is comparatively small. This research endeavours to contribute to the lesser-studied field, by providing an exposition on saxophone usage in the works of Graham Fitkin (1963-), an internationally recognised composer known for his music which demonstrates a variety of more recent styles, including post-minimalism, jazz and heavy influence from popular …

Design, Sound And Compositional Aesthetic: The Grand Piano In Late Eighteenth-Century London And Vienna, Izaac Masters

Theses : Honours

During the late eighteenth century, the piano was the dominant musical instrument for musical composition, performance and instrument making. There were many innovations in the design, sound and touch of the piano, fuelling the emergence of a large body of idiomatic repertoire. Two distinct traditions of piano design emerged at the same time during the late eighteenth century, one in England and the other in Austria. The focal points of these traditions were, respectively, London and Vienna where resident composers in each of these locations wrote for the instruments made in these cities. Traditions of grand piano design in London …

Exploring And Reapplying Wayne Krantz’S Method Of Constructing The Album Greenwich Mean, Christian A. Meares

Theses : Honours

Praised for his non-traditional approach to improvised music, his idiosyncratic chordal voicings and strong sense of time, Wayne Krantz has become a touchstone in modern jazz and a unique voice on the guitar. In 1999, Krantz self-released Greenwich Mean, an album comprising of small vignettes spliced together from a year’s worth of recorded live improvisation from his weekly residency gig at the esteemed 55 Bar in New York’s Greenwich Village. This album marks a fundamental shift in Krantz’s approach to composition from through-composed works to smaller, novel arrangements with a strong emphasis on group improvisation.

Using a practice-led research …

Perspectives On The Relationship Between Theatre And Education: A West Australian Case Study, Ceri Anne Nordling

Theses : Honours

Many professional theatre companies incorporate education departments within their organisational structure to develop education offerings for schools. Education within the context of professional theatre companies offers multiple capacity building benefits. Consequently, education departments clearly have a role in strategically shaping contemporary Australian theatre companies. (Edwards & Upton, 2014). Likewise, the well documented positive impacts of arts learning is recognised by the sector. This has prompted widespread drama-education advocacy from education and theatre industries respectively, as well as through the combined efforts of education and industry partnerships. However, this project argues that for partnerships to sustain relevancy and cross-sector support, researchers …

The Improvisational Art Of Shenzo Gregorio: Exploring His Transition From Classical Violinist To Cross-Genre Improviser, Judith A. Iddison

Theses : Honours

This dissertation examines the musical craft and artistry of innovative Australian violinist/violist Shenzo Gregorio (Shenton Gregory) and his transition from classical violinist to cross-genre improvisor. My research explores mental and practice strategies employed by Gregorio in making this transition, and how he has developed his authentic improvising style. This style draws on an eclectic range of musical genres and incorporates a variety of idiosyncratic extended techniques. Semi-structured interviews and demonstrations were conducted to gain insight into unique aspects of Gregorio’s improvisatory practice. In addition, transcription analyses of five of his recorded performances highlight his improvisational diversity and musical idiolect. Furthermore, …

God Will Provide: Tithes, Offerings, And Our Spiritual Life, Felix Cortez

All Books

No abstract provided.

Deep Unsupervised Anomaly Detection, Tangqing Li, Zheng Wang, Siying Liu, Wen-Yan Lin

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper proposes a novel method to detect anomalies in large datasets under a fully unsupervised setting. The key idea behind our algorithm is to learn the representation underlying normal data. To this end, we leverage the latest clustering technique suitable for handling high dimensional data. This hypothesis provides a reliable starting point for normal data selection. We train an autoencoder from the normal data subset, and iterate between hypothesizing normal candidate subset based on clustering and representation learning. The reconstruction error from the learned autoencoder serves as a scoring function to assess the normality of the data. Experimental results …