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Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2023/2024, Tennessee. Department Of Safety & Homeland Security.

Annual Report

No abstract provided.

Hitch Cart “Landing Gear”, Rebekah White, Jose Raygoza, Randy Hernandez, Brandon Leon

Mechanical Engineering

This report aims to allow our sponsor, to review our design process of the Hitch Cart Landing Gear Prototype. In the design overview section of this report, we discuss the primary design modifications we made to the wheel mechanism of the existing hitch cart prototype, including the addition of the ACME screws and the folding brackets. This allows our sponsor to see the intended improvements made to the past prototype and understand the primary goal of our project. Then, in the implementation section, we cover the entire manufacturing process to allow our sponsor to understand what manufacturing steps must be …

Pseudo Gps For Romi, Emmanuel Baez, Owen Guinane, Gabriel Coria, Conor Schott

Mechanical Engineering

The Pseudo-GPS system for Romi robots addresses the need for precise real-time location tracking in Cal Poly's Mechatronics lab. This project, developed by Emmanuel Baez, Gabriel Coria, Owen Guinane, and Conor Schott, under the guidance of instructor Charlie Refvem, provides a proof-of-concept system to enhance the Romi robots' geolocation capabilities for advanced robotic algorithms.

The proposed system uses a Raspberry Pi 4 equipped with a Pi camera module and ArUco markers to track the position and orientation of Romi robots within a lab environment. Custom 3D-printed stands secure markers on the robots, and a designated origin marker defines the coordinate …

Power At Sea Oscillating Water Column, Nate Hempstead, Max Wong, Ned Eyre Eyre, Luke Wierl

Mechanical Engineering

Current Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are predominantly powered by batteries or other energy sources that require frequent maintenance and human intervention. To increase the deployment times and efficiencies of AUVs, there is a need to develop improved wave energy conversion systems that harness renewable energy from waves and tides for power generation and storage. This approach aims to reduce or eliminate the need for manual maintenance or battery replacements, while also minimizing the environmental impact on marine wildlife and the surrounding ecosystem.

Expandable And Retractable Wheel Design, Ethan Fortenberry, Emily Cottrell, Keegan Martin, Benjamin Mcconnell

Mechanical Engineering

Our sponsor, Jeremy Goren, wants to see his patented expandable wheel design come to life. He requires a functional final product actuated by linear actuators and with a continuous, circular outer shell. The overall design can be broken up into 2 parts: the inner hub and outer shell. The wheel's shell will consist of a 12-piece outer shell that guides the 6 inner shell pieces. The outer shell pieces will be connected via a UBracket. The hub will consist of 3 identical parts that will hold 2 linear actuators each. The pieces will be bolted together to create 1 singular …

Piston Crown Design, Kurt L. Lippmann, Liam T. Janssen, Alex Rangel, Larry J. Davis

Mechanical Engineering

This project investigates the effects of dimpling a piston crown, and its impact on engine combustion dynamics. Through computational methods, the effects of piston crown dimpling on flow characteristics were evaluated. Theoretical results were verified with experimental methods. Experimental methods included characterization of exhaust gas content, engine horsepower and torque, and exhaust opacity.

Swim Fly Drone, Alia Wolken, Sha'anan Levy, Andrew Jwaideh, Eduardo Santos

Mechanical Engineering

This project addresses the need for a versatile drone that is capable of operation in both air and water environments, with potential applications in infrastructure inspection, defense, search and rescue, and ocean exploration. This project focuses on the design and development of a waterproof aerial drone capable of floating on the water surface and submerging underneath to controlled depths with the integration of a custom detachable buoyancy chamber. The buoyancy chamber design utilizes syringes to compress and decompress air inside of the chamber, changing the volume of the chamber, with an actuation system controlled by a closed-loop control system that …

One Is Not Enough: Session, The Social Status Provision, And Consistent And Definitive Constructions, Miles C. Skedsvold

Mercer Law Review

Originalism really is “a theory working itself pure.” But most of the blood, sweat, and tears in the enterprise are spilled over the federal constitution. At least partially as a result of those efforts, though, more and more important legal questions are examined under state law—and in particular, state constitutions. And so it is more important than ever to work through the hard methodological questions that will help produce answers. Presiding Justice Nels S.D. Peterson’s landmark article “Principles of Georgia Constitutional Interpretation” breaks key ground in this area—and this Article aims to take the shovel and keep digging. ...

Thus, …

Premises Liability And Third-Party Attacks: A Path Forward, Pamela A. Wilkins

Mercer Law Review

Recently, in Georgia CVS Pharmacy, LLC v. Carmichael, the Supreme Court of Georgia recognized a totality of circumstances approach for determining whether a landowner owes a duty to protect patrons from third-party attacks. So right now, in Georgia, the poor lighting, high-crime surroundings, and absence of functioning panic boxes are relevant considerations for the duty calculus.

Many members of the Georgia General Assembly find this outcome intolerable. Only months after the court’s ruling in Georgia CVS Pharmacy, several state senators, focusing on the supposed “unfriendliness to business” of the current totality of circumstances rule, introduced a bill that …

Evidence, John E. Hall Jr., W. Scott Henwood, Krysta Grymes

Mercer Law Review

Georgia courts’ interpretation and analysis of the evolution of evidentiary law since the adoption of Georgia’s new evidence code has played a major role in lawyers’ understanding of the scope and boundaries they are to operate within. Complexities involving coinciding new case law with the vast body of legal precedent established prior to the new code’s implementation make this task even more important, and ever changing as Georgia enters the second decade of the current evidentiary code. This Article delves into some of the updated case law relating to evidentiary issues and standards in Georgia for the period of June …

Insurance, Maren R. Cave, Jessica Phillips, Rebecca Strickland

Mercer Law Review

During this Survey period, the most important development was the Georgia General Assembly’s enactment of critical changes to the statute related to pre-suit demands in automobile cases. These changes to O.C.G.A. § 9-11-67.1 may very well mark the ultimate end of litigation in Georgia’s appellate courts related to what constitutes a binding settlement in automobile cases involving time limited demands. The Survey period also saw a number of decisions in the “first party” area where Georgia courts strictly upheld the insurance contract provisions related to suit limitations and reformation of those policies, and another decision related to “recoupment” of defense …

Labor And Employment Law, W. Jonathan Martin Ii, Alyssa K. Peters, David S. Cromer

Mercer Law Review

This Article reviews changes to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) and court decisions interpreting Georgia law that impact labor and employment relations for Georgia employers, covering the period from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024.

Barriers In Reporting Sexual Violence On College Campuses, Amber Hartman

Honors Theses

This thesis is designed to examine the underreporting of sexual violence on college campuses by exploring the systemic, cultural, and logistical barriers that hinder victims from disclosing their assault. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the research identifies three overarching influences for non-reporting. Fear, shame, and lack of resources are presented as the basis of the decision that victims make to not report. Meta-analysis of the research concludes that there is a profound impact of internalized victim-blaming narratives, fear of repercussions and institutional deficiencies in providing accessible support. Recommendations for solutions emphasize creating trauma-informed policies, improving communication and accessibility of …

Comparison Of Two Learning Methodologies: Virtual Reality And Osce Simulation, Connor Blackwell, Tabor Mcgee

Doctoral Projects

Anesthesia education has evolved immensely over the past twenty years, and with the new virtual reality (VR) simulations created by SIMVANA, the exponential growth can continue. The anesthesia program at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) currently utilizes an educational platform known as the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for their students’ clinical curriculum. With the development of technology and education models, the purpose of the doctoral project is to determine if VR simulation can produce more effective learning than the OSCE modules. To determine the effectiveness, pharmacologic lessons for intraoperative hypotension were administered through both platforms and then tested …

Improving Consistency Of Quality-Of-Life-Assessments In Schizophrenia Patients Through Structured Education For Healthcare Providers, Dorothy Stewart

Doctoral Projects

Schizophrenia is a chronic and debilitating mental disorder that significantly impacts patients' quality of life (QoL). Effective management of schizophrenia requires not only symptom control but also a comprehensive assessment of QoL to guide treatment plans. The Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale Revision 4 (SQLS-R4) is a specialized tool designed to evaluate the unique challenges faced by patients with schizophrenia. However, inconsistencies in the administration and interpretation of the SQLS-R4 by healthcare providers have led to variability in patient care. This doctoral project aimed to address this gap by implementing a structured educational intervention for healthcare providers that focused on …

Utilization Of Quantitative Monitoring To Promptly Detect And Reduce The Occurrence Of Residual Paralysis In The Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, Kathryn Elizabeth Nokes, Erin Moran Travis

Doctoral Projects

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational workshop using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) on quantitative neuromuscular monitoring. The goal was to improve the knowledge and skills among certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) in identifying residual paralysis. The specific aim was to determine the effectiveness of quantitative monitoring in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU).

Background: Residual paralysis following the administration of neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBDs) is a significant postoperative complication. Neuromuscular blocking drugs (NMBD) facilitate airway management and manipulation of surgical fields. Quantitative monitoring can be crucial in early detection and …

A Near-Wall Methodology For Large-Eddy Simulation Based On Dynamic Hybrid Rans-Les, Michael Tullis, D. Keith Walters

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Attempts to mitigate the computational cost of fully resolved large-eddy simulation (LES) in the near-wall region include both the hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes/LES (HRL) and wall-modeled LES (WMLES) approaches. This paper presents an LES wall treatment method that combines key attributes of the two, in which the boundary layer mesh is sized in the streamwise and spanwise directions comparable to WMLES, and the wall-normal mesh is comparable to a RANS simulation without wall functions. A mixing length model is used to prescribe an eddy viscosity in the near-wall region, with the mixing length scale limited based on local mesh size. The …

Investigation Of Social Networks Upon Academic Performance And Mental Health, Rachel Izenson

Master's Theses

It has been shown that computing students have a statistically significantly lower overall sense of belongingness compared to other science students. A sense of community is important for many reasons. For example, there are studies that show that a student's sense of belonging correlates with improved academic performance. Our research aims to analyze the sense of belonging among computing students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo through a network science lens. We surveyed for their sense of belonging, as well as their social network, to understand how friendships impact one's sense of belonging. When student responses were split by gender, …

Clusteredlog: Optimizing Log Structures For Efficient Data Recovery And Integrity Management In Database Systems, Mariha Siddika Ahmad, Brajendra Panda

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

In modern database systems, efficient log management is crucial for ensuring data integrity and facilitating swift recovery from potential data corruption or system failures. Traditional log structures, which store operations sequentially as they occur, often lead to significant delays in accessing and recovering specific data objects due to their scattered nature across the log. ClusteredLog addresses the limitations of traditional logging methods by implementing a novel logical organization of log entries. Instead of simply storing operations sequentially, it groups related operations for each data item into clusters. As a result, ClusteredLog enables faster identification and recovery of damaged data items …

Sedimentary Characteristics Of Flood Deposits In Coastal And Fluvial Environments: Examples From Washover Fans (North Carolina, Usa) And Floodplain Deposits (Mississippi, Usa), Shara Gremillion

Dissertations

Extreme flooding from severe and prolonged meteorological events and / or overbanking rivers are some of the most deadly and expensive disasters globally, impacting millions of lives, the environment, and property. People living in vulnerable areas, such as near coasts and rivers, are the first to be impacted with effects of these flood hazards. Scientific studies and their results can aid communities and officials in planning and preparing for those flood impacts. In this three-part study, flood impacts from coastal storms in North Carolina, and flooding along the Mississippi River (MSR) in the state of Mississippi, USA are assessed from …

The Grapes Of Roth, Bruce E. Boyden

Washington Law Review

Shortly after Roth Greeting Cards was decided in 1970, its offhand reference to the “total concept and feel” of the cards at issue became the dominant standard in copyright law for determining whether two works were substantially similar. That is a remarkable achievement for a phrase that, in the words of the influential Nimmer treatise, “threatens to subvert the very essence of copyright.” It nevertheless had enormous appeal for federal judges, and the reason extends well beyond copyright law. “Total concept and feel” appeared at a critical juncture for the federal judiciary, as an older model of decision-making, based on …

Toxic Narratives, Toxic Communities, And Enforcement Of Environmental (In)Justice, Alyse Bertenthal

Washington Law Review

The United States has committed to enforce environmental justice in ways it never has before. A spate of new policies aims to increase resources for environmental agencies’ enforcement sections, improve training for environmental enforcement staff, and ensure community engagement in environmental enforcement decision-making. Yet there exists mounting evidence that enforcement of environmental laws happens less frequently and less vigorously in low-income and minoritized communities.

We need to understand why that is happening. Many commentators, opining from a distance, point to insufficient resources for environmental enforcement and legal and political constraints on environmental agencies. While not discounting these reasons, this Article …

Charge Transport In Two Dimensional Systems With Arbitrary Rashba And Dresselhaus Interactions, Abhishek Khanal

All Dissertations

In this thesis we discuss two different transport phenomena that occur in a two-dimensional electron system endowed with linear Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit interactions of arbitrary values. First, in a semiclassical formalism we calculate the non-linear charge currents that appear in response to the simultaneous application of in-plane electric and magnetic fields. Working in a rotated system of coordinates that introduces $\alpha \pm \beta$ as effective couplings on perpendicular directions, we formulate a transport theory that relies on a second order distribution function derived in a local energy approximation and on chiral dependent relaxation times to show that the currents …

Fiscal Deficit And Human Development: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria, Elijah O. Akanni Dr

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This study investigates the effects of fiscal deficits on human development in Nigeria from 1990 to 2021, employing standard econometric and machine learning approaches. Specifically, the paper applies autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models to examine linear relationships, and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) to capture linear and nonlinear interactions among key variables influencing human development. Results from the ARDL analysis reveal that fiscal deficit does not significantly impact human development in Nigeria both in the short- and long run. However, MARS results indicate that fiscal deficits only enhance human development when kept below 1.34% of GDP but become detrimental beyond …

Modeling Volatility In The Nigeria Stock Exchange: The Role Of Structural Breaks, Ekejiuba C. Ucheoma

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This study models volatility in the daily Nigeria Stock Exchange 30 index from January 30, 2012 to August 31, 2020, comparing the Modified Iterated Cumulative Sums of Squares (MICSS) and the traditional cumulative sum of squares (CUSUMSQ) approaches. Findings reveal that integrating structural breaks reduces volatility persistence, and the MICSS outperformed the CUSUM and CUSUMSQ algorithms. Also, incorporating structural breaks reduces the impact of good and bad news on volatility. The study emphasizes the importance of adopting a robust methodology, such as the MICSS, in detecting structural breaks when estimating conditional variances, as incorporating structural breaks in the estimation is …

Analysis Of The Impact Of Economic Integration Of Regional Trade In African Countries, Dr. Hussaini Abdullahi

CBN Journal of Applied Statistics (JAS)

This study assesses the impact of economic integration on regional trade in African countries from 1980 to 2023. Employing a panel Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) technique, we analyzed trade patterns and integration policies using data from World Development Indicator (WDI), the findings reveal a negative association between economic integration and regional trade, suggesting that integration efforts may not be achieving the desired increase in regional trade. Economic integration may cause trade diversion, leading countries to import from less efficient regional producers, thus reducing overall trade volume. Non-tariff barriers and structural similarities among economies can limit the benefits of integration. …

A Talking Cart, Abdullah Bin Naeem

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the development of a robust AI-powered detection and tracking engine aimed at revolutionizing the retail checkout experience. The foundation of this work is a comprehensive exploration of state-of-the-art Computer Vision methodologies, particularly focusing on object detection, segmentation, and tracking. The study employs a modular pipeline that integrates advanced visual recognition algorithms with a robust data processing framework.

Key to this work is the construction of a synthetic dataset using Unity3D, enabling the generation of high-quality annotated data that mirrors real-world retail scenarios. This approach addresses the challenge of insufficient labeled datasets by simulating diverse and cluttered shopping …

Sufficemi Or Life Noncyclic, Luca Van Der Heide

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of Non-Linear Filtering Techniques For Object Tracking, Shaswat Koirala

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Harnessing Federated Learning For Stock Analysis And Portfolio Optimisation, Nishanth Sagar Panthangi

Theses

Financial technology is rapidly transforming, with machine learning becoming crucial in stock analysis and portfolio optimization. Traditional stock analysis faces data privacy challenges when pooling data. Federated Learning addresses this by training models collaboratively without sharing raw data. This thesis explores Federated Learning in stock analysis, focusing on optimizing portfolio strategies using client-specific data.The proposed Federated Learning framework allows entities to develop independent models while maintaining data privacy. By combining diverse trading strategies, a global model is built, enhancing adaptability and predictive accuracy. The global model achieved a 25.08% CAGR and a Sharpe ratio of 4.46, outperforming individual models, which …