Digital Commons Network^™

Living Datasets: Towards Data-Centric Ai Explainability And Bias Mitigation, Akib Zaman

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Benchmark datasets are critical to the evolution of AI efforts yet often embed unintended biases that influence the models that drive human-AI interactions. A deeper inspection and awareness of data is needed to understand the biases datasets may contain. In this dissertation, I introduce the Tag-and-Release method, inspired from wildlife research, that treats data as an organism and examines how different environments (i.e., CNNs) select for unique traits or characteristics that ultimately impact data's survival. Using the canonical MNIST handwritten digit dataset as a case study, I describe how the Tag-and-Release method can be used to analyze how dataset imbalance …

Assessing The Human Right To Water And Sanitation In International Law And The Conflict In The Nile Basin

Fordham Environmental Law Review

Ethiopia’s construction and operation of the Grand Ethiopian

Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile has intensified the long-

standing water conflict involving Ethiopia, Egypt, and Sudan, and

highlights the urgent need for a new legal framework for the Nile

Basin’s governance. This article traces the history of the international

human right to water and sanitation and previous attempts to govern

water use in the Nile Basin. We argue that outdated colonial-era

treaties, which Egypt and Sudan insist on using as a baseline for

negotiations, are a significant obstacle to resolving the Nile conflict

and managing the region’s water resources …

Debts And Desertion: Bankruptcy Law And The Orphan Well Crisis

Fordham Environmental Law Review

The issue of orphan wells—unplugged and unproductive oil and

gas wells with no responsible operator—poses a significant

environmental and public health threat in the United States. The scale

of this crisis is alarming: there are over 120,000 documented orphan

wells and potentially millions more undocumented. These wells are

often significant sources of methane emissions and other toxins that

exacerbate climate change and endanger the health of surrounding

communities. This paper examines the orphan well crisis, exploring

how wells become orphaned and the environmental and health

impacts associated with them. Furthermore, it delves into how the

situation is likely to worsen …

Multimodel Approach To A Support Stock Assessment Of Standardized Catch And Effort Data: A Case Study Of Blue Shark (Prionace Glauca) In The Indian Ocean By The Taiwanese Large-Scale Longline Fishery, Chun-Yi Hung, Hoang Huy Huynh, Xing-Han Wu, Wen-Pei Tsai

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

In the context of stock assessment and fishery conservation, determining catch per unit effort (CPUE) accurately and reliably is essential. This study estimated trends in the relative abundance of blue sharks (Prionace glauca) in the Indian Ocean from 2005 to 2022. Blue sharks constitute a resilient bycatch species in pelagic tuna and swordfish longline fisheries. We employed a multimodel approach that included delta-lognormal, zero-inflated negative binomial, and vector autoregressive spatiotemporal (VAST) models to standardize catch rates recorded by observers in the Taiwanese large-scale longline fishery. Our analysis concentrated on the CPUE of blue sharks, including standardizing the number of fish …

Ucf Pegasus Plan - 1st Grade - Maps & Globes, Anna C. Howell, Alejandra Vega-Casillas, Gianna M. Astriab, Georgia De Los Santos, Lindsay Schultz

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

During this unit, students will explore, analyze, and construct maps. The students learn about what a globe is and how they are similar to and different from traditional maps. The daily lessons delve into the elements of maps, including cardinal directions, map symbols, and map keys, in addition to the seven continents and what makes each of these land masses unique. Through developmentally appropriate songs, games, and books, students will be highly engaged throughout this geography unit.

Ucf Pegasus Plan – Kindergarten – American U.S Symbols, Nicki Lynn Elia, Alma Tovar, Valerie Day, Jasmine Molina

Pegasus Plans: Social Studies Unit Plans for Florida Teachers

This unit plan on U.S American Symbols includes interactive lessons, videos and context for Kindergarteners at any comprehension level including English learners.

Behavioral Responses To Chronic And Acute Stressors In Prairie Voles, Yessenia Chavez

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Social isolation has several psychological and physiological consequences including anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, rapid heart rate (HR), and elevated blood pressure. Social isolation also combines with acute environmental stress to influence emotions and behaviors. The present study evaluated behavioral responses to a combination of long-term social stress and acute stress in the prairie vole rodent model, and whether an environmental treatment could protect against anxiety-related consequences of acute and social stress. Prairie voles engage in social behaviors translational to humans, including monogamous relationships, and provide a valuable model for investigating the interactions of social stress and acute environmental stress. In …

2024 Stem Research Showcase Program, Seattle University

STEM Research Showcase Programs

No abstract provided.

Pulse 009

Pulse Magazine Archive

No abstract provided.

Volume Xxxi (2024)

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Journal of Florida Literature

No abstract provided.

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Writing Award Co-Winner Undergraduate Essay: "Surviving But Struggling; The Disillusionment Of Survival Through A Child's Eyes", Samantha Mcconaghy

The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Journal of Florida Literature

No abstract provided.

Lung-Delivered Il-10 Therapy Elicits Beneficial Effects Via Immune Modulation In Organic Dust Exposure-Induced Lung Inflammation, Aaron D. Schwab, Todd A. Wyatt, Amy J. Nelson, Angela Gleason, Rohit Gaurav, Debra J. Romberger, Jill A. Poole

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

Efficacious therapeutic options capable of resolving inflammatory lung disease associated with environmental and occupational exposures are lacking. This study sought to determine the preclinical therapeutic potential of lung-delivered recombinant interleukin (IL)-10 therapy following acute organic dust exposure in mice. Here, C57BL/6J mice were intratracheally instilled with swine confinement organic dust extract (ODE) (12.5%, 25%, 50% concentrations) with IL-10 (1 μg) treatment or vehicle control intratracheally-administered three times: 5 hr post-exposure and then daily for 2 days. The results showed that IL-10 treatment reduced ODE (25%)-induced weight loss by 66% and 46% at Day 1 and Day 2 post-exposure, respectively. IL-10 …

Single-Cell Profiling Reveals A Conserved Role For Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Signaling During Human Craniotomy Infection, Zachary Van Roy, Gunjan Kak, Lee E. Korshoj, Joseph P. Menousek, Cortney E. Heim, Rachel W. Fallet, James Campbell, Carol Reynolds Geary, Bo Liu, Santhi Gorantla, Larisa Y Poluektova, Bin Duan, Walter S. Campbell, William Thorell, Tammy Kielian

Journal Articles: Pathology and Microbiology

Neurosurgeries complicated by infection are associated with prolonged treatment and significant morbidity. Craniotomy is a common neurosurgical procedure; however, the cellular and molecular signatures associated with craniotomy infection in human subjects are unknown. A retrospective study of over 2,500 craniotomies reveals diverse patient demographics, pathogen identity, and surgical landscapes associated with infection. Leukocyte profiling in patient tissues from craniotomy infection characterizes a predominance of granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells that may arise from transmigrated blood neutrophils, based on single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) trajectory analysis. Single-cell transcriptomic analysis identifies metabolic shifts in tissue leukocytes, including a conserved hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signature. The …

Natural Killer Cell Effector Function Is Critical For Host Defense Against Alcohol-Associated Bacterial Pneumonia, Daniel Villageliu, Kelly C. Cunningham, Deandra R. Smith, Daren L. Knoell, Mason Mandolfo, Todd A. Wyatt, Derrick R. Samuelson

Journal Articles: Internal Medicine

Alcohol use is an independent risk factor for the development of bacterial pneumonia due, in part, to impaired mucus-facilitated clearance, macrophage phagocytosis, and recruitment of neutrophils. Alcohol consumption is also known to reduce peripheral natural killer (NK) cell numbers and compromise NK cell cytolytic activity, especially NK cells with a mature phenotype. However, the role of innate lymphocytes, such as NK cells during host defense against alcohol-associated bacterial pneumonia is essentially unknown. We have previously shown that indole supplementation mitigates increases in pulmonary bacterial burden and improves pulmonary NK cell recruitment in alcohol-fed mice, which were dependent on aryl hydrocarbon …

Stimulation Of Piezo1 Induces Astrocyte Dysfunction And Matrix Stiffening Under Glaucomatous Conditions, Katarina Sako

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Blended Learning Approach To Enhance Teaching And Learning Of Integrated Science In A Junior Secondary School In Kenya: An Action Research, Adero Norah

Master of Education

Blended learning is an instructional approach that combines online and face-to-face instruction to create an optimal learning environment. It is beneficial for integrated science teaching and learning to address challenges of limited resources and diverse learning styles. The main research question was how I could work with teachers of integrated science to enhance their use of the blended learning approach in the teaching and learning of integrated science. Participatory action research was employed to ensure active involvement of participants and ownership of outcomes. The research participants included one teacher and grade seven students. The reconnaissance phase established that the teacher …

Exploring The Contribution Of Multimedia Resource Integration On Learner Engagement In Teaching And Learning Of Integrated Science In A Primary School In Arua City -Uganda, Sebbi Sadadi Okumu

Master of Education

The integration of multimedia resources in primary school classrooms has become essential in the twenty-first century, given the huge potential of information and communication technology (ICT). This qualitative case study aimed to explore the contribution of multimedia resource integration on learner engagement in the teaching and learning of integrated science in a primary school in Arua City, Uganda.

The primary research question addressed the contribution of multimedia integration to learner engagement in integrated science instruction. Additionally, subsidiary inquiries explored into the types of multimedia resources employed, learner responses to their utilization, teachers' perceptions, and the relationship between teachers' perceptions and …

Sharma: The Erasure Of Both Group-Based Disadvantage And Individual Impact, Jonnette Watson Hamilton, Jennifer Koshan

The Supreme Court Law Review: Osgoode’s Annual Constitutional Cases Conference

Sections 7 and 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms both play a critical role in protecting members of disadvantaged groups from the harms of state action. In R. v. Sharma, released in November 2022, a 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed arguments under both sections in a claim that raised the impact on Indigenous offenders of a 2012 law that restricted the availability of conditional sentences. Our focus in this paper is on the doctrinal implications of the majority and dissenting opinions in Sharma for future section 15 and section 7 claims. We discuss …

Book Review - Oreva Olakpe, South-South Migrations And The Law From Below: Case Studies On China And Nigeria, Uchechukwu Ngwaba

The Transnational Human Rights Review

I begin my review of Oreva Olakpe’s book, South-South Migrations and the Law from Below: Case Studies on China and Nigeria, by observing that occasionally, a story comes along that needs to be written. One such story is Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Achebe was a conduit by which the powerful account in Things Fall Apart was written. The story was one that had to be written at some point because it filled a gap in the bookshelf. During an interview, Achebe stated that he felt something needed to be done. At the time, European authors wrote most of the …

Spectacular Shells, Allison Hobson, Jasmine Bjorn, Keilissa Bailey, Ethan Gau

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2024

For our Marine Conservation and Restoration course, we designed an interactive lesson on marine life for first graders, focusing on animals that use shells. Our project features a presentation introducing shell-bearing animals such as mollusks, hermit crabs, and sea turtles. Students then engage in a game of Simon Says to identify shell adaptations. Following this, we led three hands-on activities: creating a pet oyster, making a sea turtle backpack with paper scutes, and coloring shells to add to a classroom poster. These activities encourage creativity and emphasize the role of shells in marine ecosystems. This immersive approach aims to foster …

House Bill 87: The Taking Of Bears Act, Sydney M. Stillman, Hala Hafez, Emelina Brown, Sara Stricklin, Adriana Chaparro-Gonzalez

High Impact Practices Student Showcase Spring 2024

The purpose of this project is to bring awareness to a bill that was recently proposed to the Florida Senate. This bill is House Bill 87 titled "The Taking of Bears Act". If passed, it would allow for the legal taking of bears on private property, if an individual feels that the bear is threatening them or their pets safety. This project aims to bring a greater level of understanding to the public about the advantages and disadvantages of House Bill 87 and actions that can be made in response to the bill at hand. The greatest risk of passing …

The Snake, Alaina Triantafilledes

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

No abstract provided.

Researcher Access To Social Media Data: Lessons From Clinical Trial Data Sharing, Christopher J. Morten, Gabriel Nicholas, Salomé Viljoen

Faculty Articles

For years, social media companies have sparred with lawmakers over how much independent access to platform data they should provide researchers. Sharing data with researchers allows the public to better understand the risks and harms associated with social media, including areas such as misinformation, child safety, and political polarization. Yet researcher access is controversial. Privacy advocates and companies raise the potential privacy threats of researchers using such data irresponsibly. In addition, social media companies raise concerns over trade secrecy: the data these companies hold and the algorithms powered by that data are secretive sources of competitive advantage. This Article shows …

Considerations For Enhancing Participation And Data Accuracy In Geospatial Research In Rural Areas: Experiences With Pgis In Northern Malawi, Daniel Kpienbaareh, Isaac Luginaah, Rachel Bezner Kerr

Faculty Publications - Geography, Geology, and the Environment

Rural environments are experiencing rapid changes that must be explored to understand, enhance, and facilitate positive changes and adapt to detrimental changes. However, the information researchers can obtain about the environment to identify effective management strategies for rural resources is hindered by several factors. Participatory geospatial research presents an approach that integrates local voices to map the facts and values of rural people and represent environmental changes. Here, we draw on more than six years of participatory geospatial research in rural northern Malawi to identify and present various considerations that participatory geospatial researchers and planners should be mindful of when …

The G-Bdt (Good-Bad Drawings Test): Using Human Figure Drawings With Individuals Who Are Incarcerated, Institutionalized, And/Or In Special Education, George A. Giacobbe, John D. Dooley

Books and Book Chapters

The G-BDT (Good-Bad Drawings Test) is a variation of the psychological projective test known as the Draw-a-Person test (DAP). The DAP requests a drawer to make two drawings: one of a person, and when it is completed and removed, another drawing of a person who is the opposite sex of the person in the first drawing.

There are currently many variations of the DAP including requesting drawings of a person, a house and a tree, drawing a family, a mother and child, or even animals, such as drawing a dog.

The G-BDT requests the drawer draw a person who is …

Local Government Regulation Of Ccs, Keith B. Hall

Wyoming Law Review

Carbon capture and storage is being used in an increasing number of locations in the United States as a tool to address climate change, and many more projects are in the planning stages. Although government, industry, and some prominent environmental organizations support the use of CCS, some environmental organizations and many citizens who live in the vicinity of proposed CCS projects oppose CCS. This has prompted several local governments to enact ordinances that attempt to prohibit or regulate CCS. These ordinances take many forms—moratoria, zoning restrictions and setbacks, effective bans, outright bans, construction and operational restrictions, and various other types …

A Pediatric Patient With Severe Malaria Successfully Treated With Artesunate, Aoife Schanche, Annabel Ward, Ricardo Zegarra-Linares

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

2024 Extension Highlights

Lancaster County, Nebraska Extension: Reports

The work and programs highlighted in this report are a sample of how local residents count on Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County to:

• Strengthen Nebraska Agriculture & Food Systems

• Inspire Nebraskans & Their Communities

• Enhance The Health & Wellbeing Of All Nebraskans

Carly Kuhlman Honors Portfolio, Carly Kuhlman

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Carly Kuhlman's Honors Portfolio captured in December 2024.

Vulnerability To G - Quadruplexes In Brca2 - Null Medulloblastoma: A Protective Role For The Pif1 Helicase, Danielle L. Keahi

Student Theses and Dissertations

The reasons why cancer arises in children are not fully understood. Children with biallelic mutations in the essential DNA repair factor BRCA2 are highly predisposed to develop the most common pediatric brain cancer medulloblastoma (MB) before three years of age. Medulloblastoma is often the first malignancy in these children who have a high likelihood of developing several other cancers in their lifetime. MBs have a complex mutational landscape characterized by chromothripsis in p53-deficient tumors and a high level of somatic mutation in many other cases.We utilized a mouse model of spontaneous medulloblastoma development driven by BRCA2 loss in the central …