Digital Commons Network^™

Promoting Sustainable Environments Through Urban Green Spaces: Insights From Kenya, Arnold Mwanzu, Joseph Mwangi, Winnie Nguyu, Jacob Nato

Libraries

Kenya has experienced rapid population growth and urbanization in recent years leading to major changes in its natural environment. Urban infrastructure has a significant influence on carbon emissions and environmental degradation. Urban green spaces are some of the interventions that demonstrate how the impact of increased urbanization can be managed. An exploration of the current state of urban green spaces in Kenya is essential to identify equitable and sustainable development strategies. Kenya has a few green spaces and community gardens for relaxation and recreational activities. These spaces’ continued renovation and preservation strongly indicate Kenya’s commitment to maintaining urban green spaces …

Combined Behavioral And Engineering Approach To Preventing Highway Fatalities, Benjamin Blandford, Reginald Souleyrette, Caitlin N. Pope, Tony Fields, Erin Lammers-Staats

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Traditional, single-discipline highway safety approaches can be augmented through multidisciplinary approaches that consider both engineering and behavioral interventions (e.g., education, enforcement, public outreach campaigns). Leveraging a systems-based conceptual framework of roadway safety, multiple forms of statistical and geospatial analysis, and SPF modeling and network screening, this report proposes and demonstrates methods for unpacking the influence of behavioral-related factors on crash occurrences and outcomes. The primary focus is on behaviors targeted in the Strategic Highway Safety Plan — aggressive driving, distracted driving, impaired driving, and driving without proper restraint (i.e., seatbelts). Based on application of these methods, the report highlights areas …

Women In U.S. Law Schools, 1948-2021, Elizabeth D. Katz, Kyle Rozema, Sarath Sanga

UF Law Faculty Publications

We study the progress of women’s representation and achievement in law schools. To do this, we assemble a new dataset on the number of women and men students, faculty, and deans at all ABA-approved U.S. law schools from 1948 to the present. These data enable us to study many unexplored features of women’s progress in law schools for the first time, including the process by which women initially gained access to each law school, the variance in women’s experiences across law schools, the relationship between women’s representation and student achievement, and the extent to which women disproportionally occupy interim and …

An Assessment Of Coastal Impacts To The Natural And Built Assets Of The New York State Office Of Parks, Recreation And Historic Preservation, Kelsey Ruffino

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Climate change is expected to cause an increase in heavy precipitation events, flooding, and sea level rise in New York State, which will have significant impacts on coastal areas. Almost half of New York's state parks and historic sites, which are managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), are located in major coastal areas, including the Atlantic Ocean, Hudson River, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced in these areas, a selection of OPRHP’s infrastructure and natural, cultural, and historic resources will be at risk. To …

Toward A Trustworthy And Responsible Artificial Intelligence, Saleh Afroogh

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Being trustworthy and responsible—particularly in terms of decisions and actions—in artificial agents is as crucial as it is in human agents. However, the dominant theories surrounding pertinent concepts such as trust, trustworthiness, moral responsibility, legal rights, etc., are primarily proposed, developed, and applied to human agents, not artificial ones. The absence of well-developed conceptualization and characterization of relevant concepts concerning critical agents continues to exacerbate the challenges and importance of these concepts in the realm of artificial intelligence. This void necessitates novel perspectives and approaches toward the metrics needed to foster genuinely trustworthy and responsive artificial intelligence systems. In this …

Scenario Planning In A Post-Pandemic World: Karner Blue Butterfly And The Albany Pine Bush, Senia Quevedo

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study outlines four future scenarios for the Karner blue butterfly and the Albany PineBush in a post-pandemic world. Management changes and modifications are becoming more necessary due to the changing climate conditions and habitat loss. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed certain conditions that affect the Karner blue butterfly and its habitats, such as noise and air pollution, increased outdoor recreation, and pausing development along the pine bush borders. A scenario planning model was used to better understand how policy and lockdown restrictions being lifted will affect the Karner blue butterfly population after the Albany Pine Bush surveyed a record-high …

The New Fourth Era Of American Religious Freedom, John Witte Jr., Eric Wang

UC Law Journal

The U.S. Supreme Court has entered decisively into a new fourth era of American religious freedom. In the first era, from 1776 to 1940, the Court largely left governance of religious freedom to the individual states and did little to enforce the First Amendment Religion Clauses. In the second era, from 1940 to 1990, the Court “incorporated” the First Amendment into the Fourteenth Amendment Due Process Clause and applied both a strong Free Exercise Clause and a strong Establishment Clause against federal, state, and local governments alike. In the third era, from the mid-1980s to 2010, the Court softened the …

U-Net-Stn: A Novel End-To-End Lake Boundary Prediction Model, Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Tingqiao Li, Siyu Lu, Zhengtong Yin, Xuan Liu, Xiaolu Li, Wenfeng Zheng

Faculty Publications

Detecting changes in land cover is a critical task in remote sensing image interpretation, with particular significance placed on accurately determining the boundaries of lakes. Lake boundaries are closely tied to land resources, and any alterations can have substantial implications for the surrounding environment and ecosystem. This paper introduces an innovative end-to-end model that combines U-Net and spatial transformation network (STN) to predict changes in lake boundaries and investigate the evolution of the Lake Urmia boundary. The proposed approach involves pre-processing annual panoramic remote sensing images of Lake Urmia, obtained from 1996 to 2014 through Google Earth Pro Version 7.3 …

Object-Oriented Remote Sensing Approaches For The Detection Of Terrestrial Impact Craters As A Reconnaissance Survey, Habimana Emmanuel, Jaehyung Yu, Lei Wang, Sung Hi Choi, Digne Edmond Rwabuhungu Rwatangabo

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study is to employ a remote sensing reconnaissance survey based on optimal segmentation parameters and an object-oriented random forest approach to the identification of possible terrestrial impact craters from the global 30-m resolution SRTM DEM. A dataset consisting of 94 confirmed and well-preserved terrestrial impact craters, 104 volcanic calderas, and 124 valleys were extracted from real-world surface features. For craters with different sizes, eight optimal scale parameters from 80 to 3000 have been identified using multi-resolution segmentation, where the scale parameters have a positive correlation (R2 = 0.78) with the diameters of craters. The object-oriented random …

Out-Of-Pocket Health Expenditures Associated With Chronic Health Conditions And Disability In China, Jingyi Gao, Hoolda Kim, Sophie Mitra

College of Business and Economics

The objective of this study is to estimate the extra costs of living associated with chronic health conditions and disabilities in China. Leveraging the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study involving 13,530 respondents aged 50 and over, we apply both an ordinary least squares linear regression model and a logistic model to analyze the correlation between medical out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPEs) and chronic health conditions, as well as disabilities measured by Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) limitations. This paper bridges the gap in the literature on OOPEs and their association with disabilities and …

Weathering, Erosion, And Dust Accumulation At Stoneman Lake, Arizona, Usa: Timescales And Drivers Of Geomorphic Activity Across The Southwest, Spencer Staley, Peter J. Fawcett, R. Scott Anderson, Gonzalo Jiménez-Moreno, Vera Markgraf, Erik T. Brown, Matthew E. Kirby

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Lengthy and well-dated terrestrial records of the Quaternary Period with the appropriate proxies show how the critical zone responds to environmental change. In southwestern North America, resolving the many effects of aridity through time provides crucial context for addressing contemporary climate issues. However, arid conditions are generally non-conducive to paleo-record preservation, causing knowledge gaps during relevant climatic episodes. An ~80 m-long sediment core (STL14) from Stoneman Lake contains a continuous archive of conditions from local to regional scale since the early Pleistocene (~1.3 Ma) and is, therefore, a unique and immensely valuable scientific resource. STL is situated in a montane …

Exploring Food-Based Cultural Practices To Address Food Insecurity In Rural Appalachia, Lauren Cassidy Batey, Emily M. Dewitt, Dawn Brewer, Kathryn M. Cardarelli, Heather Norman-Burgdolf

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Background. Health behaviors, like diet, are influenced by a person’s culture and the society where they reside, contributing to the presence of health disparities within a unique region. Such disparities are evident in Central Appalachia where a unique cultural identity exists. Culture-based initiatives focused on improving food security and other nutritional challenges have had success in other diverse groups, yet similar interventions considering geographically tied culture, like Appalachia, are limited. Aim. This study aims to identify specific aspects of Appalachian culture that address food insecurity to inform future initiatives that may improve adult dietary habits and food security status. Methods. …

Water Quality Land Cover Change And Water Quality In Wetlands At The City Of Gresham, Or, Evelyn Barajas, Michael Gonzalez

altREU Projects

The City of Gresham, Oregon has implemented constructed wetlands around the area as an attempt to collect, filter, and purify water from different sources such as rain, agricultural waste, and domestic waste. We focused our research on three different facilities: Columbia Slough Water Quality Facility (CSWQF), Fairview Creek Water Quality Facility, and Brookside Water Quality Facility. For each of these, we conducted tests and looked at the concentration levels for nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients such as NH3-N (ammonium), NO3-N (nitrate), TKN (total Kjeldahl nitrogen), O-PO4 (phosphate), and Total P (total phosphorus), as well as heavy metals like Total Cu (total …

Online Gastronomy Image: Content Analysis Of Tripadvisor Reviews Of Restaurants In Istanbul, Rana Sat

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

Nowadays, where technology forms a large part of our lives, with the increase of comment sites, consumers benefit from these comment pages at the stage of purchasing decision. In this way, they get information about the destination region by reading more reviews or sharing their experiences in the social environment. Evaluations on social networking sites affect individuals’ decision-making and purchasing behaviors, as well as positively or negatively in the mentioned restaurants. Based on this situation, user comments on restaurants in Istanbul on TripAdvisor.com were analyzed in this study. For this purpose, 17921 user comments made in various languages between 01.10.2022 …

Leisure Activity And Place Requirement For A Better Life In Slow City Ahlat, Selin Kama, Nurullah C. Agbay

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

In this study, the types of activities and places that contribute to the improvement of the living conditions analysed within the example of the residents living in a slow city. The population of the study consists of the local people living in Ahlat (Bitlis, Turkiye), which was declared as a slow city in 2019. The data of the research were collected between 30 May and 15 June 2022. Three questions were asked to the participants about the kinds of activities the residents were engaged in, the activities they dreamed of doing and the kind of recreational places they needed to. …

Social Tourism In National Policy Documents In Turkey, Nail Hoscan, Erkan Turkseven

University of South Florida (USF) M3 Publishing

This research aims to investigate the significance and function of social tourism within Turkey's national policy documents. Since the conceptual emergence of social tourism in the 1950s, there have been several cyclical developments, such as the rapid spread of mass tourism worldwide, changes in the approach of the social state, neoliberal economic transformations, and the emergence of sustainability perspectives. For countries that have established Social Tourism as a part of public policy, its benefits are strongly asserted, and social tourism is included in the scope of public planning. These developments have been influential in the preparation and implementation of Turkey's …

The Effect Of Electronic Portfolio Use On Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Academic Achievement Levels And Self-Efficacy Beliefs Regarding The Teaching Process, Mahmut Ayaz, Bilge Gök, Salih Gülen

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

The Impacts Of Transfer Learning For Ungulate Recognition At Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, Michael Gurule

Geography ETDs

As camera traps have grown in popularity, their utilization has expanded to numerous fields, including wildlife research, conservation, and ecological studies. The information gathered using this equipment gives researchers a precise and comprehensive understanding about the activities of animals in their natural environments. For this type of data to be useful, camera trap images must be labeled so that the species in the images can be classified and counted. This has typically been done by teams of researchers and volunteers, and it can be said that the process is at best time-consuming. With recent developments in deep learning, the process …

Understanding The Factors Affecting Nebraskan Farmers’ And Landowners' Decision To Adopt Precision Agricultural Technologies And Programs, Corrin C. Winter

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Advisors: Andrew Little, Christopher Chizinski

To gain insights into the challenges faced by Nebraska farmers and landowners when adopting precision agriculture technologies, I analyzed data collected from a 2022 survey involving 7,503 participants, consisting of producers and farmland owners from across the state of Nebraska. The primary objective was to provide valuable insights for agencies seeking to improve their precision agriculture and conservation outreach efforts for the benefit of conservation and Nebraskan farmers and landowners. This study aimed to understand key factors influencing adoption behaviors by evaluating the constraints to precision agriculture adoption, assessing the impact of producer and landowner …

Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Teaching Old Drugs New Tricks At Less Cost, Shatha Farhan, Shernan G. Holtan

Hematology/Oncology Articles

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Currently, more patients can receive SCT. This is attributed to the use of reduced intensity regimens and the use of different GVHD prophylaxis that breaks the barrier of human leukocyte antigen, allowing an increase in the donor pool. Once an area with relatively few clinical trial options, there has been an increase in interest in GVHD prophylaxis and treatment, which has led to many US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals. Although there is considerable excitement over novel therapies, many patients may not …

Innovation Districts: Contributing Factors For Cities’ Prosperity, Equity Implications, And Planning Policy Solutions In Response To Placelessness, Ladan Mozaffarian

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

Innovation is one of the most critical determinants of future success for cities. Urban policymakers and planners have developed a great interest in “innovation districts” as an impactful factor in enhancing cities' economic competitiveness and productivity. This planning policy has become very attractive to urban planners, urban economy specialists, and policymakers to the point that every city in the United States is trying to develop its version of an innovation district. Simultaneously, urban scholars have developed great attention to the most critical factors shaping innovation districts and affecting their prosperity. The literature identifies factors such as spatial clustering, mixed land …

Book Review: Charleston And Savannah: The Rise, Fall, And Reinvention Of Two Rival Cities, Adam Townes

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

The Dynamic Nature Of Wrack: An Investigation Into Wrack Movement And Impacts On Coastal Marshes Using Suas, Grayson R. Morgan, Daniel R. Morgan, Cuizhen Wang, Michael E. Hodgson, Steven R. Schill

Faculty Publications

This study investigates the use of small unoccupied aerial systems (sUAS) as a new remote sensing tool to identify and track the spatial distribution of wrack on coastal tidal marsh systems. We used sUAS to map the wrack movement in a Spartina alterniflora-dominated salt marsh monthly for one year including before and after Hurricane Isaias that brought strong winds, rain, and storm surge to the area of interest in August 2020. Flight parameters for each data collection mission were held constant including collection only during low tide. Wrack was visually identified and digitized in a GIS using every mission orthomosaic …

Book Review: Michael Farmer. An Atlas Of The Tibetan Plateau. Volume 50 In Brill’S Tibetan Studies Library Series, Constance Wilkinson

Comparative Civilizations Review

An Atlas of the Tibetan Plateau is a masterful melding of science and art created by British architect and cartographer Michael Farmer. Based on extensive contemporary data painstakingly woven from satellite imagery, the intrepid and apparently indefatigable Mr. Farmer has, over decades, produced a unique and indispensable reference work

Full Issue

Comparative Civilizations Review

No abstract provided.

University Of Central Florida Undergraduate Catalog, 2023 - 2024, University Of Central Florida

UCF Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Workshop Summary Report: Making Waves In Equitable Coastal Resilience: A National Workshop On Social Equity And Coastal Resilience, November 1, 2, And 10, 2022 (Virtual), Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Cassandra R. Davis, Thomas R. Allen, Joshua Behr, Nicole S. Hutton, Marina Saitgalina, Jennifer L. Whytlaw, Khairul Anuar

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Workshop Overview

‘Making Waves in Equitable Coastal Resilience: A National Workshop on Social Equity and Coastal Resilience’ was a three-day virtual workshop held in November 2022. The workshop was organized by a project team of faculty and researchers at Old Dominion University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the Coastal Resilience Center, a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence. The workshop was intended to bring together researchers and practitioners from government, nonprofit agencies, community organizations, and advocacy groups to discuss issues relevant to coastal resilience and social equity and identify research and practice next …

Who Sings And Who Falls Silent? A Spatial And Social Analysis Of Virgilian Graffiti In Pompeii, Rachel Murray

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes Pompeian domestic spaces in which graffiti that quote the works of Virgil have been found. This is particularly compelling because of the Aeneid’s status as a ‘national epic,’ simultaneously ‘high’ culture and seemingly part of the ‘common’ imagination. In the past scholars have argued that the presence of Virgilian graffiti was not indicative of widespread interaction with Virgil, and that a select few individuals were responsible for these quotations. Drawing from ideas proposed by modern graffiti studies and spatial theorists and employing the methodology developed by the Virtual Pompeii Project, this study uses network analysis measures to …

Human Microbiome Variation Associated With Race And Ethnicity Emerges As Early As 3 Months Of Age, Elizabeth K. Mallott, Alexandra R. Sitarik, Leslie D. Leve, Camille Cioffi, Carlos A. Camargo, Kohei Hasegawa, Seth R. Bordenstein

Public Health Sciences Articles

Human microbiome variation is linked to the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of many diseases and associates with race and ethnicity in the United States. However, the age at which microbiome variability emerges between these groups remains a central gap in knowledge. Here, we identify that gut microbiome variation associated with race and ethnicity arises after 3 months of age and persists through childhood. One-third of the bacterial taxa that vary across caregiver-identified racial categories in children are taxa reported to also vary between adults. Machine learning modeling of childhood microbiomes from 8 cohort studies (2,756 samples from 729 children) distinguishes …

Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning To Estimate Canopy Structure In Peatland Conifers Under A Climate Manipulation, Angela D. Seibert

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Northern peatlands are major terrestrial carbon sinks, storing 415 ± 150 Gt of carbon. The composition of peatland vegetation affects this carbon storage capacity, and thus quantifying the vegetation helps to constrain uncertainty in peatland carbon storage estimates. Ground layer vegetation, such as Sphagnum sp. moss contributes greatly to carbon storage capacity. In forested peatlands, the tree canopy structure directly influences peatland solar insolation, soil temperature, and water table levels. Each of these factors impacts the ground layer vegetation. Currently, there is uncertainty about how the peatland tree canopy structure is influenced by elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO_{2 …}