Ovulation Prediction Using Random Forest Algorithm On Physiological Data, Kimberly D. Laynes

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Human infertility rates are on the rise -- studies have shown that one in every four women have trouble conceiving and every year those rates are rising [Halleran22]. This trend motivates procedures such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) to produce a pregnancy. Such procedures are not only intricate and expensive but also carry potential unintended consequences for women's physical and mental well-being. A more profound comprehension of the menstrual cycle and its multiple phases, particularly detecting the ovulation period itself, promotes optimized treatment outcomes and reduces associated risks. To facilitate ovulation detection, new sensing technologies built into …

Development Of High Kinetic Inductance Superconducting Nanowire Devices On High Permittivity Strontium Titanate Substrates, Jamie Timmons

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis involves the fabrication and characterization of devices made from two different superconducting materials: yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO), a high-TC complex oxide, and niobium nitride (NbN), a low-TC transition metal nitride. Both types of devices are fabricated on strontium titanate substrates, which provides a good lattice match to YBCO and also an extremely large permittivity at low temperature. We demonstrate that wet etching of YBCO thin films via bromine can be a viable microfrabriation technique for the material. Using approximately 35 nm thick epitaxially grown YBCO on an STO substrate, we were able to fabricate YBCO “microwires” with …

Running The Gauntlet: Barriers For Black Women Academics In Higher Education Research Productivity, Crishana Dionne Benton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Internationally, research productivity bears significance for an institution’s reputation and overall research ranking. Many previous efforts surrounding faculty issues have focused on individual faculty research productivity. This study reimagined the definition of productivity as an academic’s impact on scholarly research, evidenced by their h-index.

At the same time, the need for diversity of faculty populations is becoming more urgent, even in a time when the number of tenure-earning faculty positions is diminishing and those which remain are occupied mainly by white men. To add to the disparities, it is reported that only 4% of full-time faculty are Black women. Black …

Collective Relaxation Processes In Nonchiral Nematics, Neelam Yadav, Yuri Panarin, Wanhe Jiang, Georg H. Mehl, Jagdish Vij

Articles

Nematic–nematic transitions in a highly polar nematic compound are studied, in thick cells in which the molecules are aligned parallel to the substrates but perpendicular to the applied electric field, using dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range 1 Hz to 10 MHz over a wide temperature range. The studied compound displays three nematic phases under cooling from the isotropic phase: ubiquitous nematic N; high polarizability NX; and ferroelectric nematic NF. Two collective processes were observed. The dielectric strength and relaxation frequency of one of the processes P2 showed a dependence on the thickness of the cell. The process P1 is …

Investigation Of The Segment Polarity Network In The Tardigrade Hypsibius Exemplaris, Taylor R. Harrison

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Segmentation has facilitated the evolution of the many forms of the panarthropods. Downstream regulation of segmentation is controlled by the highly conserved segment polarity network which includes the genes engrailed (en), hedgehog (hh), wingless (wg), cubitus interruptus (ci), patched (ptc), and smoothend (smo). While a high level of conservation has been seen in both the arthropods and onychophorans, only en has been described in any representatives of Tardigrada. Previous work had already established the loss of wg, which encodes for a Wnt ligand, in the tardigrade H. exemplaris …

Shaping Teachers’ Behavioral Intentions To Use Dgbl: Understanding The Key Insights Teachers Garner From A Research-Based Dgbl Professional Development Design, Nadine Ebri

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study aims to explore the key insights teachers garner from a research-based Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) professional development (PD) workshop and how their garnered insights shape their behavioral intentions to use DGBL in their future teaching practices. By gaining a deeper understanding of these areas, this study aims to enhance the effectiveness of professional development workshops for DGBL, and in turn, improve DGBL implementation in the classroom setting.

DGBL, which integrates digital games into education, has gained attention for its potential to engage and motivate students while enhancing learning outcomes. However, limited focus on DGBL professional development …

Enhancing The Online Student Experience Through The Application Of Universal Design For Learning (Udl) To Research Methods Learning And Teaching, Mairéad Seymour

Articles

This paper documents the process and outcomes of redesigning an online research methods module for taught postgraduate students using Universal Design for Learning (UDL). It also explores the effectiveness of UDL-informed design and practice to support the development of social, cognitive and teacher presence as defined under the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. The paper is based on findings from an online survey with students taking a research methods module as part of their Master of Arts (MA) programme. The findings point to a number of UDL-informed structures and practices that supported students' engagement on the module. These include (a) …

Local Electricity Market Operation In Presence Of Residential Energy Storage In Low Voltage Distribution Network: Role Of Retail Market Pricing, Aziz Saif, Shafi K. Khadem Shafi K. Khadem, Michael Conlon, Brian Norton

Articles

Local Electricity Market (LEM) appears as a promising consumer-centric market-based approach that extends the self-consumption method, widely implemented in residential households, to collective self-consumption in the local energy communities, enabled through peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions. To facilitate the integration of LEM in the wholesale electricity market (WEM), it is paramount to comprehend the synergy of retail electricity pricing on the LEM operation hosted in the low-voltage distribution network (LVDN). The paper presents a co-simulation framework consisting of a local electricity market model coupled with a three-phase distribution network simulator to perform a holistic case study for a smart energy community in …

Changing Tides: Online Conspiracy Theory Use By Radical Violent Extremist Groups Over Time, William J. Eames Iii

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Radical violent extremist terrorism is a global issue that has existed for centuries and has been the cause of millions of deaths. Extremist organizations have learned to adapt and survive attempts at legal/military interdictions. One possible major element that allows for the survival of these radicalized organizations is the use of conspiracy theories within their online messages that are used to radicalize and recruit members to their cause. These conspiracy theories tend to elicit two types of messages: a quest for significance or a loss of significance. This study aims to observe how extremist organizations utilize conspiracy theories in their …

Walking The Talk: A Qualitative Exploration Of Gatekeeping Staff Perceptions Surrounding Implementation Of Nutrition Policy In Florida Food Banks, Rachel Lynn Mccandless

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food insecurity is an independent risk factor for adverse health outcomes; providing nutrient-dense food through the emergency food system to individuals who regularly seek assistance can impact population-level health disparities. This research explored the extrinsic and intrinsic barriers and facilitators surrounding formal nutrition policy implementation as seen by the logistical gatekeepers in a sample of Feeding Florida food banks. A secondary aim of this research was to explore the change readiness of these same logistical decision-makers in nutrition policy implementation. Research Questions included the following: What are the critical gatekeeping staff perceptions of the barriers and facilitators to implementing formal …

The Relationship Between Social Capital And Juvenile Recidivism Risk In Bexar County, Texas: Critical Psychology Theory And Latent Class Analysis In Archival Research, Jada Horton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Within the field of psychology, many theories exist about the origins and correlates of criminal/antisocial behavior at the individual or micro level. However, there exists a gap in psychological literature regarding the role of broader environmental factors, including the impact of systems and institutions on individual behavior and experience. This gap includes the role of sociohistorical factors and institutionalized biases regarding race/ethnicity, gender identity/sexual orientation, class, geographical location, and differing ability. The current study attempts to address this gap by conducting a Latent Class Analysis (LCA) using measures of social capital and other intake measures associated with juvenile crime to …

Nipuna: A Novel Optimizer Activation Function For Deep Neural Networks, Golla Madhu, Sandeep Kautish, Khalid Abdulaziz Alnowibet, Hossam Zawbaa, Ali Wagdy Mohamed

Articles

In recent years, various deep neural networks with different learning paradigms have been widely employed in various applications, including medical diagnosis, image analysis, self-driving vehicles and others. The activation functions employed in deep neural networks have a huge impact on the training model and the reliability of the model. The Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) has recently emerged as the most popular and extensively utilized activation function. ReLU has some flaws, such as the fact that it is only active when the units are positive during back-propagation and zero otherwise. This causes neurons to die (dying ReLU) and a shift in …

The Effect Of Environmental Factors On Movement Patterns And Habitat Use Of Young-Of-The-Year Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks (Sphyrna Lewini) In The Tolomato River Nursery, Matthew Bernanke

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Various shark populations on the southeastern coast of the United States experienced declines in the late 20^th century, including the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). Improved management strategies, implemented in the late 1990s, have helped these populations to recover, but they are still under threat from fishing pressure and habitat loss. In continuing to strive towards population recovery and conservation, it is important to identify Essential Fish Habitat, or habitats that are necessary for the spawning, feeding, breeding, or growth of marine organisms. One such habitat is that of the shark nursery habitat. Nursery habitats are those …

Investigation On The Influence Of Augmented Reality Adoption And Cybersecurity In The Architecture, Engineering And Construction Industry, Kavyaa Boopathy

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Augmented Reality (AR) applications and the digitization of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry processes, such as the online building permit process (BPP), have introduced new developments that simplifies tasks, and enhanced data accessibility for stakeholders. This created a digital landscape where sensitive information and critical processes are intertwined, making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Existing studies and frameworks on a) AR adoption doesn’t provide essential information (e.g., material availability and costs from different suppliers) and AR features to cater to the diverse needs of different stakeholders. b) threat modeling requires a domain and context specific need investigation, process exploration, critical …

Predicting Florida's Extreme Wind Events: A Deep Learning Approach, Irene Josephat Byemerwa

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Extreme wind events, such as hurricanes and tropical storms, have devastating impacts on infrastructure, economy, and public safety in Florida. Traditional predictive methods, linear regression, logistic regression, and autoregressive integrated moving-average (ARIMA) models have limitations in accounting for non-stationarity and nonlinearity in meteorological data, leading to less accurate predictions. The primary objective of this study is to leverage the capabilities of deep learning algorithms, specifically, Feedforward Neural Networks (FFNNs), to develop a predictive model that outperforms traditional predictive methods in forecasting extreme wind events in Florida. The deep learning model was trained, validated, and tested using historical wind speed data …

Interpreting Energy Utilisation With Shapley Additive Explanations By Defining A Synthetic Data Generator For Plausible Charging Sessions Of Electric Vehicles, Prasant Kumar Mohanty, Gayadhar Panda, Malabika Basu, Diptendu Sinha Roy

Articles

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an effective solution for reducing reliance on non-renewable energy sources. However, the lack of charging infrastructure and concerns over their range are some of the biggest hurdles to adopting EVs. Charging infrastructure for EVs is, however, on the rise. Proper planning of charging stations vis-`a-vis road networks and related points of interest such as transportation hubs, schools, shopping centres, etc., alongside such roads become vital to laying out a plan for such infrastructure, particularly for developing countries like India where EV adoption is relatively in a nascent stage. Synthetic datasets can help overcome these hurdles and …

Fostering Spatial Ability Development In And For Authentic Stem Learning, Caiwei Zhu, Chloe Oi-Ying Leung, Eleni Lagoudaki, Mariana Velho, Natalia Segura-Caballero, Dietsje Jolles, Gavin Duffy, Gunter Maresch, Marianna Pagkratidou, Remke Klapwijk

Articles

Empirical interdisciplinary research has explored the role of spatial ability in STEM learning and achievement. While most of this research indicates that fostering spatial thinking in educational contexts has the potential to positively impact students’ enrollment and performance in STEM subjects, there is less agreement on the best approach to do so. This article provides an overview of various types of effective spatial interventions and practices in formal or informal educational contexts, including targeted training of STEM-relevant spatial skills, spatialized curricula embedded in schools, integrated STEM practices addressing students’ use of spatial skills, and spatial activities in informal STEM education. …

Lightnet: A Novel Lightweight Convolutional Network For Brain Tumor Segmentation In Healthcare, Dongyuan Wu, Junyi Tao, Zhen Qin, Rao Asad Mumtaz, Jin Qin, Linfang Yu, Jane Courtney

Articles

Diagnosis, treatment planning, surveillance, and the monitoring of clinical trials for brain diseases all benefit greatly from neuroimaging-based tumor segmentation. Recently, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have demonstrated promising results in enhancing the efficiency of image-based brain tumor segmentation. Most current work on CNNs, however, is devoted to creating increasingly complicated convolution modules to improve performance, which in turn raises the computing cost of the model. This work proposes a simple and effective feed-forward CNN, LightNet (Light Network). Based on multi-path and multi-level, it replaces traditional convolutional methods with light operations, which reduces network parameters and redundant feature maps. In the …

Optical Properties Of Periodically And Aperiodically Nanostructured P-N Junctions, Z. Taliashvili, E Łusakowska E Łusakowska, S. Chusnutdinow, A. Tavkhelidze, L. Jangidze, S. Sikharulidze, Nima Ghadiri, Z. Chubinidze, R. Melkadze

Articles

Recently, semiconductor nanograting layers have been introduced and their optical properties have been studied. Spectroscopic ellipsometry has shown that nanograting significantly modifies the dielectric function of c-Si layers. Photoluminescence spectroscopy reveals the emergence of an emission band with a remarkable peak structure. It has been observed that nanograting also alters the electronic and magnetic properties. In this study, we investigate the quantum efficiency and spectral response of Si p-n junctions fabricated using subwavelength grating layers and aperiodically nanostructured layers.

Analysis Of Degradation Of Sb2se3 Thin Film Solar Cells Deploying A Time-Dependent Approach Linked With 1d-Amps Simulation, Ming-Lang Tseng, Malek Gassoumi, Nima Ghadiri

Articles

In this paper, we have developed a time-dependent model to study defect growth in the absorber layer of Sb2Se3 thin film solar cells. This model has been integrated with the AMPS-1D simulation platform to investigate the impact of increasing defect density at different positions within the Sb2Se3 layer on the electrical parameters of the solar cell. We adopted the Gloeckler standard model for thin films in AMPS to represent Sb2Se3 materials. The study focuses on tracking the degradation of device performance parameters as donor-like mid-gap states accumulate in the Sb2Se3 layer over time. We monitored the variation of key electrical …

An Evaluation Study On The Analysis Of People's Domestic Routines Based On Spatial, Temporal And Sequential Aspects, Aitor Arribas Velasco, John Mcgrory, Damon Berry

Articles

The concept of collecting data on people's domestic routines is not novel. However, the methods and processes used to decipher these raw data and transform them into useful and appropriate information (i.e., sequence, duration, and timing derived from monitoring domestic routines) have presented challenges and are the focus of numerous research groups. But how are the results of the decoded transposition received, interpreted and used by the various professionals (e.g., occupational therapists and architects) who consume the information? This paper describes the inclusive evaluation process undertaken, which involved a selected group of stakeholders including health carers, engineers and end-users (not …

Microbial Communities In The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve: An Assessment Of The Responses Of Spartina Alterniflora Epiphytes To Nitrogen Enrichment, And A Characterization Of Benthic Cyanobacterial Diversity, Anne C. Hurley

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Elevated nitrogen and phosphorus inputs from anthropogenic sources, which can lead to significant increases in algal biomass and changes in algal community composition, poses a serious threat to estuarine ecosystems worldwide. While numerous studies have addressed the impacts of nutrient enrichment on epiphytic algae in seagrass habitats, few have investigated potential nutrient-driven changes to epiphytes on emergent salt marsh plants, such as Spartina alterniflora. Epiphytic microalgae on S. alterniflora play an important role in food availability in salt marsh ecosystems, and epiphytic nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria also provide an important source of nitrogen for salt marsh consumers. The first study included …

Pattern And Polarization Diversity Multisector Annular Antenna For Iot Applications, Abel Zandamela, Nicola Marchetti, Max Ammann, Adam Narbudowicz, Wroclaw University Of Science And Technology

Articles

This work proposes a small pattern and polarization diversity multisector annular antenna with electrical size and profile of ka=1.2 and 0.018λ, respectively. The antenna is planar and comprises annular sectors that are fed using different ports to enable digital beamforming techniques, with efficiency and gain of up to 78%and 4.62 dBi, respectively. The cavity model analysis is used to describe the design concept and the antenna diversity. The proposed method can produce different polarization states (e.g., linearly and circularly polarized patterns) and pattern diversity characteristics covering the elevation plane. Owing to its small electrical size, low-profile and diversity properties, the …

Early Screening For Depression In Adults With Diabetes In The Outpatient Setting, Chito A. Ezeobinwa, Dawn Stewart-Brown, Angela M. Toledo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Diabetes can be an overly complicated chronic illness that not only affects a person's physical health but may additionally affect their mental well-being. Screening for depressive symptoms in individuals with diabetes in an endocrine office may be helpful in the early detection and treatment of depression in people diagnosed with type I and type II diabetes.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to evaluate if administering the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) form to those who have type I or type II diabetes in an endocrinologist's office setting can help detect symptoms of depression …

Demo Question 1, Amir Toor

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Bringing The Past To Life: Co-Creating Tourism Experiences In Historic House Tourist Attractions, Jacqui Doyle, Felicity Kelliher

Articles

This ethnographic study concentrates on the co-creation of experiential value between the tourist and tour guide in a single historic tourism site; Huntingdon Castle, Ireland. Built upon the principles of service dominant logic, the research explores how storytelling acts as an engagement platform and value enhancing strategic resource. In doing so, it impels the value co-creation journey and shapes the tourist’s experience. Observation is coupled with qualitative interviews to capture the dual perspective of both guides and tourists. Findings exhibit the co-creation process through the performance of stories; how and when people derive pleasure (value); the influencing aspects of the …

On The Origin And Evolution Of The Dual Oscillator Model Underlying The Photoperiodic Clockwork In The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Jennifer A. Evans, William J. Schwartz

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Decades have now passed since Colin Pittendrigh first proposed a model of a circadian clock composed of two coupled oscillators, individually responsive to the rising and setting sun, as a flexible solution to the challenge of behavioral and physiological adaptation to the changing seasons. The elegance and predictive power of this postulation has stimulated laboratories around the world in searches to identify and localize such hypothesized evening and morning oscillators, or sets of oscillators, in insects, rodents, and humans, with experimental designs and approaches keeping pace over the years with technological advances in biology and neuroscience. Here, we recount the …

Developmental Patterning Of Peptide Transcription In The Central Circadian Clock In Both Sexes, Vania Carmona-Alcocer, Lindsey S. Brown, Aisha Anchan, Kayla E. Rohr, Jennifer A. Evans

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Neuropeptide signaling modulates the function of central clock neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) during development and adulthood. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) are expressed early in SCN development, but the precise timing of transcriptional onset has been difficult to establish due to age-related changes in the rhythmic expression of each peptide.

Methods: To provide insight into spatial patterning of peptide transcription during SCN development, we used a transgenic approach to define the onset of Avp and Vip transcription. Avp-Cre or Vip-Cre males were crossed to Ai9^+/+ females, producing offspring in which the fluorescent protein …

Experimental Investigation Of Heat Transfer To A Dual Jet Flow With Varying Velocity Ratio, Paula J. Murphy, Sajad Alimohammadi, Seamus M. O'Shaughnessy

Conference Papers

Dual jet flow is a topical area of research due to their wide range of current and potential uses in industry. Despite this, there is still a lack of published studies which focus on the characterization of dual jet flow, particularly regarding their heat transfer capabilities. The objective of this investigation is to therefore build upon the available dual jet data and conduct an experimental study which focusses on the effect of the jet velocity ratio on heat transfer to a dual jet flow for a constant offset ratio of 3, where air is used as the working fluid. The …

Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (Nasis) 2023 Methodology Report, Bureau Of Sociological Research

Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey (NASIS)

No abstract provided.