Digital Commons Network^™

Postsecondary Students With Disabilities: Predictors Of Academic Performance/Gpa, Uzoamaka Barbara Okori

Theses and Dissertations

The determination of people with disabilities to enroll in postsecondary education did not remove the struggles and challenges of adjusting to the college environment despite the provisions of the legislation. Students with disabilities still had problems with degree completion, graduation rates, barriers caused primarily by their unwillingness to disclose their disabilities, and the support networks of these students. This study explores the relationship between the acceptance of disability, self-efficacy, support, and the academic performance/grade point average of postsecondary students with disabilities who receive disability accommodations through their institution’s disability service offices.

Although there has been an increase …

Publication Of Undergraduate Experiments, Development Of Additional X-Ray Crystallography Experiments, And Proof-Of-Concept Cyclopropanation Reactions, Alain Beauparlant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Single crystal X-ray crystallography instructional materials were developed using a variety of compounds including sugar, Epsom salt, pyrite, copper(II) acetate, and rhodium(II) acetate. Rhodium(II) acetate was reacted with a variety of functionalized benzonitriles, and when crystals were obtained, characterized using single crystal X-ray crystallography. Rhodium(II) acetate with adducts of 4-nitrobenzonitrile and 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile were also characterized using proton NMR spectroscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Rhodium(II) acetate with adducts of 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile was used as a catalyst in a proof-ofconcept reaction to determine if it acts as a catalyst in cyclopropanation reactions. Further, the new rhodium(II) acetate dinitrile compounds were investigated to …

Synthesis Of Bacterial Glycerophospholipids For Biomembrane Model Studies: A Means To Advanced Biofuels, Felix Adulley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To reduce reliance on fossil fuels, sustainable biofuels are being pursued, especially advanced biofuels like 1-butanol that have higher energy content and greater compatibility with existing infrastructure than ethanol. A persistent challenge is the yield-limiting toxicity of biofuels and process solvents, such as tetrahydrofuran, to the microbes that ferment biomass into biofuel. The cell membrane is a focal point of toxicity, and understanding how it interacts with fuels and solvents is key to improving yield. Phospholipid bilayers are the core of biomembranes, and model biomembranes of defined composition provide the ideal platform for biophysical studies. To this end, glycerophospholipids characteristic …

Chemical And Biological Catalysis Using A Functionalized Fluorinated Phthalocyanine, Mary Chiọma Okorie

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Phthalocyanines, a class of photosensitizers that generate ¹O₂ using visible light, have been widely used in a variety of applications such as catalysis, solid-state materials, and photodynamic therapy. A 3^rd generation, namely functionalized fluorinated phthalocyanines, F₄₈H₇(COOH)PcMetal, containing a carboxylic acid “tail” allows the Pc to be anchored onto supports such as metal oxides, producing a new family of supported photocatalysts, F₄₈H₇(COOH)PcZn-Oxides.

These new materials photooxidize toxic thioethers mainly to less toxic sulfoxides using visible light and air, a genuine green chemistry pathway. The catalysts are robust and survive reactive …

Practitioners’ Perceptions Of Their Role And Responsibility In The Context Of Frequent Principal Leadership Changes, Kwame Wiredu Asante

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Participants in this study, representing grades 6–12 practitioners in two schools with persistently lower scholar achievement and graduation rates, shared their experiences through open-ended surveys, semi-structured interviews, and reflexive journaling. The study employed an inductive coding process and triangulation of data sources to identify emergent themes.

Key findings highlight the challenges practitioners face due to frequent principal leadership changes. Participants described a sense of confusion, loss of self-esteem, and a lack of trust in constantly shifting initiatives. They expressed a strong desire for continuity and consistency in leadership and programs, as abrupt changes often disrupt the academic year and delay …

The Impact Of Instructional Coaching And Mentoring On First-Year Teachers’ Job Fulfillment And Performance In Urban Schools: Implications For Educational Administrators, Malikah Marshall

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Elementary school teachers in testing grades have had different responsibilities over the years. Urban schools are constantly expected to provide students with a more intense curriculum and rigorous instruction. The duties and responsibilities of a first-year teacher directly affect how novice teachers judge their performance and effectiveness. Teachers are held accountable for student achievement at increasingly higher rates. This study investigates the effect of teacher mentoring and instructional coaching on first-year elementary math teachers’ job satisfaction and student performance. It can create effective teacher mentoring by including instructional coaching to retain new teachers, help self-reported job satisfaction, and increase student …

The Gptjudge: Justice In A Generative Ai World, Maura R. Grossman, Paul W. Grimm, Daniel G. Brown, Molly (Yiming) Xu

Duke Law & Technology Review

Generative AI (“GenAI”) systems such as ChatGPT recently have developed to the point where they can produce computer-generated text and images that are difficult to differentiate from human-generated text and images. Similarly, evidentiary materials such as documents, videos, and audio recordings that are AI-generated are becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate from those that are not AI-generated. These technological advancements present significant challenges to parties, their counsel, and the courts in determining whether evidence is authentic or fake. Moreover, the explosive proliferation and use of GenAI applications raises concerns about whether litigation costs will dramatically increase as parties are forced to …

Individual Differences In Numerical And Verbal Abstraction And The Ability To Draw Inferences From Text, Anna Christine Johnson

Dissertations

Abstraction may be defined as the process of isolating commonalities from a series of examples. Numerical estimates (e.g., Brown & Siegler, 2001), prototypes (e.g., Posner & Keele, 1968), and scripts (e.g., Schank & Abelson, 1977) are forms of abstract representations. Abstraction may differ across individuals, with some relying more on memorizing individual examples than on forming abstract representations, or vice versa. McDaniel et al. (2014) elucidated this abstractor vs. memorizer distinction and developed a function learning task to categorize individuals. Subsequent research has explored this distinction as it applies to transfer, the application of previously learned knowledge to new situations …

Perceptions Of Special Education Teachers On The Use Of Assistive Technology For Students With Learning Disabilities In Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Case Study, Abdullah Mohammed Alshehri

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain an in-depth understanding of special education teachers’ perceptions and experiences using assistive technology (AT) to support students with learning disabilities (i.e., dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia) in public general education schools within the Abha educational district in Saudi Arabia. Interviews, among other data collection methods, were utilized in this extensive investigation to answer two research questions regarding the perceptions of Saudi special education teachers of students with learning disabilities of the usefulness of AT, and the challenges and barriers these teachers perceive as influencing their use of AT. The participants were seven …

Design And Characterization Of A Novel Eef2k Degrader With Potent Therapeutic Efficacy Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, Changxin Zhong, Rongfeng Zhu, Ting Jiang, Sheng Tian, Xiaobao Zhao, Xiaoya Wan, Shilong Jiang, Zonglin Chen, Rong Gong, Linhao He, Jin-Ming Yang, Na Ye, Yan Cheng

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Dysregulated eEF2K expression is implicated in the pathogenesis of many human cancers, including triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), making it a plausible therapeutic target. However, specific eEF2K inhibitors with potent anti-cancer activity have not been available so far. Targeted protein degradation has emerged as a new strategy for drug discovery. In this study, a novel small molecule chemical is designed and synthesized, named as compound C1, which shows potent activity in degrading eEF2K. C1 selectively binds to F8, L10, R144, C146, E229, and Y236 of the eEF2K protein and promotes its proteasomal degradation by increasing the interaction between eEF2K and the …

Building Stronger Student-Teacher Relationships With Students Of Color, Diana Berlanga

Masters Projects

This project examines the racial disparity that exists among students of color and positive teacher-student relationships. Research shows that teacher bias influences teachers' perception of students of color. Teacher social identities play a role in how teachers build student-teacher relationships, which affects some students of color experience in school. For instance, students of color are less likely to experience academic recommendations and more likely to receive harsh discipline. However, research shows that teachers can improve their teacher bias by self-discovering their teacher’s social identity in the classroom. In addition, teachers could improve their interactions with students of color by exploring …

Analysis And Assessment Of Land Use / Land Cover Impact On Human And Natural Ecosystems In The Salton Sea Watershed, 2013 - 2021, Diego Ramirez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study represents an interdisciplinary analysis of the changing landscape of the Salton Sea Watershed from 2013 to 2021, focusing on land use land cover (LULC) category changes, climatic variations, and socioeconomic factors. The findings of this research show a shift in land cover categories, portrayed by the changes of natural landscapes and vegetative areas into rapidly increasing urbanized expansion and increased impervious surfaces. These changes pose concerns about increased temperature in the region, a decrease in overall water availability and groundwater infiltration, and an increase in pollution. The study explores 10 sub-watersheds within the Salton Sea Watershed basin, focusing …

Convolution And Autoencoders Applied To Nonlinear Differential Equations, Noah Borquaye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autoencoders, a type of artificial neural network, have gained recognition by researchers in various fields, especially machine learning due to their vast applications in data representations from inputs. Recently researchers have explored the possibility to extend the application of autoencoders to solve nonlinear differential equations. Algorithms and methods employed in an autoencoder framework include sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics (SINDy), dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), Koopman operator theory and singular value decomposition (SVD). These approaches use matrix multiplication to represent linear transformation. However, machine learning algorithms often use convolution to represent linear transformations. In our work, we modify these approaches to …

Analysis Of Mitochondrial Dna Sequence Data Demonstrates That Monophyly Of Myotis Occultus Is Complicated By Greater Sampling Of Myotis Lucifugus, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Daniel R. Taylor, Antoinette J. Piaggio

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Abstract

The validity of Myotis occultus as a species unique from Myotis lucifugus has been a source of debate. Most recently, many authorities treat M. occultus as a distinct species, at least in part because a previous study showed that M. occultus and M. l. carissima (the subspecies that occurs in closest geographic proximity to M. occultus) form separate monophyletic clades based on sequences of two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome-b [cytb] and cytochrome oxidase subunit II [COII]). We re-evaluated the phylogenetic relationship between M. occultus and M. lucifugus based on mitochondrial sequences …

Data-Driven Optimization Approaches For Dynamic Urban Logistics Operational Problems, Jingfeng Yang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Given the rapid pace of urbanization, there is a pressing need to optimize urban logistics delivery operations for enhanced capacity and efficiency. Over recent decades, a multitude of optimization approaches have been put forth to address urban logistics challenges, encompassing routing and scheduling within both static and dynamic contexts. In light of the rising computational capabilities and the widespread adoption of machine learning in recent times, there is a growing body of research aimed at elucidating the seamless integration of data and machine learning within conventional urban logistics optimization models. Additionally, the ubiquitous utilization of smartphones and internet innovations presents …

The Determinants Of Creator Performance On Creative Content Platforms: Evidence From Xiaohongshu And Bilibili, Caijun Xu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Content creation platforms, including Douyin, Kuaishou, Xiaohongshu, and Bilibili, have emerged as significant drivers of employment and economic growth within the digital economy. These platforms invigorate online engagement and offline consumption, serving as vital conduits that merge China’s digital and real economies. Currently, China boasts over 10 million active content creators on its leading platforms, although their earnings are markedly uneven. While some top-tier creators garner substantial profits, the majority in the mid to lower tiers grapple with profit generation and encounter challenges in enhancing their creative performance. Against this background, this study delves into the antecedents of creative performance. …

The Effects Of Salt Marsh Restoration On The Hydrology Of Salt Marsh Channels, Isis Kontas

University Honors Theses

Salt marshes produce many ecosystem services, from water purification to protection from hurricanes. Despite their benefits, salt marshes have been impacted negatively by human activities. There are many salt marsh restoration projects that intend to bring back all ecological functions and services. Quantifiable measurements are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of such restoration efforts. Earlier work by Reagan Thomas demonstrated what happens to the hydrology of salt marsh channels when they are adjacent to restored salt marshes. This study builds on Thomas’ work and uses the sinuosity of channels as a quantitative, representative metric of salt marsh hydrology restoration effectiveness. …

An Ecological Assessment Of An Endangered Lichen From Central California: Sulcaria Isidiifera, The Splitting Yarn Lichen, Elijah C. Balderas

Master's Theses

Lichens are an underrepresented group of organisms when it comes to both research and conservation efforts. At the same time, lichens face increasing threats from anthropogenic sources including wildfires, climate change and urbanization. With this thesis, I seek to ascertain and publish ecological data on a critically endangered lichen to inform future conservation designations and efforts to preserve and protect the species in perpetuity.

In Chapter 1, I provide an ecological overview of the known range of Sulcaria isidiifera and assess the status of Sulcaria isidiifera via a population count. Sulcaria isidiifera occurs in maritime chaparral habitat in the Los …

Complex Dimensions Of 100 Different Sierpinski Carpet Modifications, Gregory Parker Leathrum

Master's Theses

We used Dr. M. L. Lapidus's Fractal Zeta Functions to analyze the complex fractal dimensions of 100 different modifications of the Sierpinski Carpet fractal construction. We will showcase the theorems that made calculations easier, as well as Desmos tools that helped in classifying the different fractals and computing their complex dimensions. We will also showcase all 100 of the Sierpinski Carpet modifications and their complex dimensions.

The Tidal Prism, Viable Eelgrass Habitat, And The Effects Of Sea Level Rise In Morro Bay, Kaden A. Caliendo

Master's Theses

The tidal prism, or the volume of water exchanged from the sea to an estuary from mean low to mean high tide, influences system hydrodynamics and ecological functioning. Since 1884, the tidal prism in Morro Bay, California has been estimated to be decreasing over time due to sedimentation from upstream practices. What is the current tidal prism in Morro Bay and how will that change with sea level rise? How will eelgrass respond to rising sea levels?

For this study, inexpensive tidal gauges were deployed at four locations in Morro Bay from March to August 2023 to measure spatially varying …

General Population Projection Model With Census Population Data, Takenori Tsuruga

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The US Census Bureau offers a wide range of data, and within this array, the American Community Survey 5-Year Estimate (ACS5) serves as a valuable resource for understanding the US population. This project embarks on an exploration of Machine Learning and the Software Development process with the goal of generating effective population projections from ACS5 data. The project aims to provide methods to make predictions for every city and town in the US, encompassing their total population and population divided into 5-year age groups. It's worth noting that while the generation of these projections is grounded in the generalized statistical …

Post-Wildfire Effects On A Headwater Stream In The San Bernardino National Forest, Kelley Giron

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Southern California has experienced prolonged drought conditions that have supported frequent wildfires that adversely impact ecosystems, natural resources, and human development. A primary consequence of these events is the impact on water quality and quantity. Of equal concern is evaluating how diverse land use configurations within a watershed can alter the physio-chemical properties of headwater reaches where drought and wildfire conditions are prevalent. To better understand the extent to which wildfires impact water quality and quantity across a headwater watershed, this study investigates wildfire impacts from the 2021 South Fire to Lytle Creek, a headwater stream of the Santa Ana …

An Exposition Of The Curvature Of Warped Product Manifolds, Angelina Bisson

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The field of differential geometry is brimming with compelling objects, among which are warped products. These objects hold a prominent place in differential geometry and have been widely studied, as is evident in the literature. Warped products are topologically the same as the Cartesian product of two manifolds, but with distances in one of the factors in skewed. Our goal is to introduce warped product manifolds and to compute their curvature at any point. We follow recent literature and present a previously known result that classifies all flat warped products to find that there are flat examples of warped products …

Early-Warning Prediction For Machine Failures In Automated Industries Using Advanced Machine Learning Techniques, Satnam Singh

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This Culminating Experience Project explores the use of machine learning algorithms to detect machine failure. The research questions are: Q1) How does the quality of input data, including issues such as outliers, and noise, impact the accuracy and reliability of machine failure prediction models in industrial settings? Q2) How does the integration of SMOTE with feature engineering techniques influence the overall performance of machine learning models in detecting and preventing machine failures? Q3) What is the performance of different machine learning algorithms in predicting machine failures, and which algorithm is the most effective? The research findings are: Q1) Effective outlier …

Hypothyroid Disease Analysis By Using Machine Learning, Sanjana Seelam

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Thyroid illness frequently manifests as hypothyroidism. It is evident that people with hypothyroidism are primarily female. Because the majority of people are unaware of the illness, it is quickly becoming more serious. It is crucial to catch it early on so that medical professionals can treat it more effectively and prevent it from getting worse. Machine learning illness prediction is a challenging task. Disease prediction is aided greatly by machine learning. Once more, unique feature selection strategies have made the process of disease assumption and prediction easier. To properly monitor and cure this illness, accurate detection is essential. In order …

Classification Of Large Scale Fish Dataset By Deep Neural Networks, Priyanka Adapa

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The development of robust and efficient fish classification systems has become essential to preventing the rapid depletion of aquatic resources and building conservation strategies. A deep learning approach is proposed here for the automated classification of fish species from underwater images. The proposed methodology leverages state-of-the-art deep neural networks by applying the compact convolutional transformer (CCT) architecture, which is famous for faster training and lower computational cost. In CCT, data augmentation techniques are employed to enhance the variability of the training data, reducing overfitting and improving generalization. The preliminary outcomes of our proposed method demonstrate a promising accuracy level of …

Review Classification Using Natural Language Processing And Deep Learning, Brian Nazareth

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Sentiment Analysis is an ongoing research in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP). In this project, I will evaluate my testing against an Amazon Reviews Dataset, which contains more than 100 thousand reviews from customers. This project classifies the reviews using three methods – using a sentiment score by comparing the words of the reviews based on every positive and negative word that appears in the text with the Opinion Lexicon dataset, by considering the text’s variating sentiment polarity scores with a Python library called TextBlob, and with the help of neural network training. I have created a neural …

Disease Of Lung Infection Detection Using Cnn Model -Bayesian Optimization, Poojitha Gutha

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Auscultation plays a role, in diagnosing and identifying diseases during examinations. However, it requires training and expertise, for application. This study aims to tackle this challenge by introducing a model that categorizes respiratory sounds into eight groups: URTI, Healthy, Asthma, COPD, LRTI, Bronchiectasis, Pneumonia, and Bronchiolitis. To achieve this categorization the study utilizes a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model that has been optimized using techniques. The dataset used in the study consists of 920 audio samples obtained from 126 patients with durations ranging from 10 to 90 seconds. Impressively, the model demonstrates a noteworthy 83% validation accuracy and an impressive …

Lung Lesion Segmentation Using Deep Learning Approaches, Sree Snigdha Tummala

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The amount of data generated in the medical imaging field, especially in a modern context, is growing significantly. As the amount of data grows, it's prudent to make use of automated techniques that can leverage datasets to solve problems that are error-prone or have inconsistent solutions.

Deep learning approaches have gained traction in medical imaging tasks due to their superior performance with larger datasets and ability to discern the intricate features of 3D volumes, a task inefficient if done manually. Specifically for the task of lung nodule segmentation, several different methods have been tried before such as region growing etc. …

Statistical Analysis Of Health Habits For Incoming College Students, Wendy Isamara Lizarraga Noriega

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Health habits among college students are commonly overseen, especially for students transitioning from high school right into college. These students are becoming independent young adults, and learning how to adapt to a different scenery when it comes to their learning environment. As these young adults transition into college, this is the perfect time for the students to become more vulnerable and comfortable with their independence, and their weight begins to fluctuate. Many variables come into consideration when increasing weight as an incoming first-year student. Students are more likely to live alone, get a job, and rely on fast food and …