Digital Commons Network^™

Unraveling The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Staphylococcus Aureus Carriage: A Comparative Research Of Pre- And Post-Pandemic Samples, Catherine G. Johnston

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant changes in the epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus carriage and disease. This study aims to assess these changes by leveraging respiratory samples collected from a longstanding cohort, comparing the genomic characteristics of S. aureus isolates from pre- and post-pandemic periods. We analyzed S. aureus genomes and phenotypically determined macrolide resistance to characterize population structure, antibiotic resistance, and virulence profiles. Changes in S. aureus carriage rates, macrolide resistance, disease occurrence, and population structure between samples collected pre- and post-pandemic were examined. By using respiratory samples, chart reviews, and risk factor questionnaires of 498 children from a …

Effect Of External Electromagnetic Stimulation On Microtubule Polymerization, Florian Alushi

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Intracellular processes are influenced by mass transport at different spatial and temporal scales, facilitated by diffusion and stochastic encounters between cellular components. While traditionally explained by short-range "lock and key" interactions, some processes involve rapidly fluctuating charges generating electromagnetic (EM) fields, allowing long-range biomolecular interactions. This challenges the conventional view that efficient biochemical reactions depend solely on random encounters and short-range interactions, suggesting EM fields play a crucial role in cellular dynamics. Microtubules (MTs) are essential components of the cell cytoskeleton, responsible for intracellular transport, cell migration, cell division, etc. Beyond their mechanical role, MTs have unique electromagnetic properties due …

Mapping The Reaction Networks Of Cis Formed In The Ozone-Assisted Oxidation Of C₆ Acyclic And Endocyclic Alkenes, Zachary Clarke

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Criegee intermediates (CIs) are highly reactive species generated during the ozonolysis of alkenes, exerting a critical influence on atmospheric oxidation, combustion chemistry, and synthetic processes. Their reactivity, encompassing unimolecular and bimolecular pathways, shapes oxidation mechanisms and product distributions in these environments. A key determinant of CI behavior is the structural nature of the parent alkene. Acyclic alkenes typically yield intermediates with minimal steric hindrance, facilitating rapid reactions, whereas endocyclic alkenes produce geometrically constrained CIs with enhanced internal stabilization, redirecting reaction pathways and reducing overall reactivity. Despite their importance, mechanistic understanding remains limited due to experimental challenges in detecting CIs and …

Large Spacecraft Medium Voltage Dc (Mvdc) Power And Propulsion System, Sarah Talebzadeh

Electrical and Computer Engineering

This thesis introduces a medium voltage direct-current (MVDC) system for large spacecrafts with megawatt (MW)-scale power and propulsion systems for interplanetary transport. The proposed MVDC system comprises a nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) powered permanent magnet generator, a solar photovoltaic (PV), a backup battery energy storage system (BESS), an electric thruster, AC/DC loads, and the spacecraft low-voltage DC (LVDC) power system. The NEP is the main power source for the thruster, while the solar PV and BESS support payload and low-voltage systems. The energy sources are connected to the MVDC bus through power electronics converters. Unidirectional boost DC-DC converter and bidirectional …

Enhancing Mechanical Properties And Water Interactions Of Arabinoxylan Films From Corn Bran Through Enzymatic-Chemical Modification, Abdulrahman Alahmed

Cereal Science

Due to the need to replace non-biodegradable plastics, arabinoxylan (AX) films were evaluated for potential use in food packaging. The mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, and biodegradability of AX films were evaluated after extracting AX from corn bran byproducts of dry-milling (DCB), wet-milling (WCB), and dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS) using acid-alkali procedure. Packaging materials were created using the three AX extracts combined with laccase and sorbitol as the basis for each film. The three AX films were then modified by immersing their surfaces in a lipase-acetate solution. Thickness of modified DCB AX and modified DDGS AX films was significantly increased …

Female Genital Cutting In Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Kenya: A Qualitative Interview Study, Melon Jepchumba Tanui

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study focuses on women from Elgeyo-Marakwet county in Kenya, several of whom have undergone what has come to be referred to by the Western world as “female genital mutilation” (FGM). This procedure “involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia” or inflicting any other damaging injury on “the female genital organs for non-medical reasons” (WHO 2022: para. 1). The residents of this county are Kalenjin speakers of Keiyo and Marakwet sub-dialects. The ceremonial process, which lasts from days to a month, is called Tumdop Tibiik, meaning the initiation of girls. (For definitions of Kalenjin …

English: Sepsis What You Need To Know, Providence

All Sepsis Education Materials

SEPSIS What You Need to Know (English Language)

English: Understanding Your Sepsis Diagnosis, Providence

All Sepsis Education Materials

Graphic Novel: Understanding Your Sepsis Diagnosis (English)

From Pages To Places: Situating Kelly Et Al.’S The Robot Zoo: A Mechanical Guide To The Way Animals Work In Real-Life Context, Nasih Alam

English

The Robot Zoo: A Mechanical Guide to the Way Animals Work (1994), written by John Kelly, Dr. Philip Whitfield and Obin, consists of textual descriptions and visual images of sixteen robot animals. Among them, my discussion of Giraffe, Platypus and Rhino highlights the fact that they are endangered animals who are facing extinction due to climate change, human encroachment, poaching, illegal trade, and a lack of biodiversity. Although my other subjects of discussion such as House Fly, Grasshopper, Chameleon and Bat do not necessarily face any immediate extinction, this paper shows how scientists are using the heights and zips of …

Vulnerability To Environmental And Climatic Health Provocations Among Women And Men Hospitalized With Chronic Heart Disease: Insights From The Resilience Trial Cohort, Simon Stewart, Sheila Patel, Terase Lancefield, Thalys Rodrigues, Nicholas Doumtsis, Ashleigh Jess, Emily-Rose Vaughan-Fowler, Yih Kai Chan, Jay Ramchand, Paul Yates, Jason Kwong, Christine Mcdonald, Louise Burrell

IHR Papers and Journal Articles

Aims: We aimed to recruit a representative cohort of women and men with multi-morbid chronic heart disease as part of a trial testing an innovative, nurse-co-ordinated, multi-faceted intervention to lower rehospitalization and death by addressing areas of vulnerability to external challenges to their health.
Methods and results: The prospective, randomized open, blinded end-point RESILIENCE Trial recruited 203 hospital inpatients (mean age 75.7 ± 10.2 years) of whom 51% were women and 94% had combined coronary artery disease, heart failure, and/or atrial fibrillation. Levels of concurrent multi-morbidity were high (mean Charlson Index of Comorbidity Score 6.5 ± 2.7), and 8.9% had …

Maintenance Of Dental Bleaching: A Systematic Review, Emma Devoto, Walter Devoto, Sandro Pradella, Carlos Enrique Cuevas-Suárez, J. Eliezer Zamarripa-Calderon, Bogdan Dimitriu, Monika Lukomska-Szymańska, Naji Kharouf, Rim Bourgi, Louis Hardan

International Arab Journal of Dentistry

After bleaching procedure, color pigments can adhere to the rough dental surface and can trigger more discoloration. In this sense, no standard post-bleaching maintenance technique exists. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the maintenance of enamel color after bleaching procedure through a systematic review. The research question was defined as follows: Is the tooth whitening maintenance necessary after a bleaching treatment? Two reviewers conducted the literature search in PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE, and SciELO. Both in vitro and clinical trials reporting the color change of bleached enamel after the use of a tooth whitening agent …

Threshold Concepts In Quantitative Reasoning, Judith Canner, Jennifer E. Clinkenbeard

Numeracy

The idea of “threshold concepts” has been used to identify discipline-based concepts that are critical to that academic area. Threshold concepts are often difficult for students to assimilate in a meaningful way but, once done, can be powerful for the learner. In general, threshold concepts are 1) transformative to learner thinking; 2) bounded by the discipline; 3) integrative with other concepts; and 4) irreversible once understood (Meyer and Land 2003). This paper presents five threshold concepts in quantitative reasoning (QR) developed by transdisciplinary faculty workgroups that may be applicable for non-mathematics disciplines as well. They are as follows: 1) QR …

Towards Robust And Accurate Text-To-Code Generation, Saleh Almohaimeed

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Databases play a vital role in today's digital landscape, enabling effective data storage, management, and retrieval for businesses and other organizations. However, interacting with databases often requires knowledge of query (e.g., SQL) and analysis, which can be a barrier for many users. In natural language processing, the text-to-code task, which converts natural language text into query and analysis code, bridges this gap by allowing users to access and manipulate data using everyday language. This dissertation investigates different challenges in text-to-code (including text-to-SQL as a subtask), with a focus on four primary contributions to the field. As a solution to the …

Opportunities And Insecurities: Discursive Power And The Neoliberal Transformation Of Work In The Great Resignation, Caroline Austin

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

This study explores the Great Resignation—a mass wave of voluntary job departures during and after the COVID-19 pandemic— through a Foucauldian lens, exploring the intersections of neoliberal labor practices, worker subjectivities, and discursive power. Using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA) 25 interviews with individuals who resigned during this period were analyzed to explore how workers engage with neoliberal discourses in making sense of their work-related attitudes, experiences, and decisions as well as the broader discursive constructions used to interpret the Great Resignation as a societal phenomenon. Participants’ narratives reveal varying degrees of alignment, negotiation, and resistance to neoliberal subjectivity, shaped by …

Defining The Roles Of Blari Orthologs In Mycobacterium Abscessus, Lauren E. Bonefont

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The increasing incidence of Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) infections is a global concern as the treatment failure rate is more than 50%. Mab is an opportunistic pathogen, thriving in harsh conditions in the environment and in hosts. To respond to these conditions, Mab employs many signal transduction mechanisms. This work characterizes two non-redundant systems using a novel mechanism in Mab: BlaRI-type protease-mediated two-component systems. In the Staphylococcus aureus prototype, BlaR binds β-lactams with a C-terminal extracellular sensing domain, activating BlaR through acylation and autoproteolysis. Activated BlaR then cleaves DNA-bound dimerized BlaI, disrupting repression by BlaI and enabling transcription …

Ammonia For Aviation, Brandon Cotto

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Aviation’s share of total global carbon emissions has been on the rise as both the decarbonization of other industries and the number of flights has increased. Ammonia as a jet fuel has been receiving attention as a potential carbon free energy storage pathway, both as a fuel and as a carrier of hydrogen. Utilizing ammonia as a fuel requires energy intensive processes making this pathway a compromise specifically intended for power generation purposes that cannot directly use sustainable energy. It is pertinent to understand the cost of realizing ammonia’s advantages as a fuel in the hard to decarbonize industry of …

Corporate Restructuring Spin-Off In A Technical Project-Based Organization, Stephen J. Davis

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

A technical project-based organization (TPBO) is a type of organizational setup that uses project management as the main economic driver. An TPBO tends to be adept at accepting change due to its inherent trait of constant change within the organization as resources move from project-to-project accepting scope changes along the way. Regardless of its ability to accept more change, every organization goes through a lifecycle. At some point, the organization must implement a change in the life cycle to avoid failure. A corporate restructuring spin-off is one way an organization can avoid organizational failure. Although the tool is used in …

The Experience Of Blind Mothers In Parenting Children With Disabilities ``, Abeer S. Ali

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Blind or visually impaired mothers (BVIMs) raising children with disabilities experience an exceptional set of challenges that have been largely overlooked in disability and parenting research and teacher education. With this study the researcher examined how BVIMs support their children with disabilities in key areas such as behavior management, educational advocacy, caregiving, and accessing resources. Additionally, the researcher sought to understand how these mothers navigate their experiences as they challenge with societal perceptions, institutional barriers, and the daily caregiving demands. The researcher employed a qualitative case study methodology, using in-depth individual interviews and a focus group with six BVIM participants. …

Design Modifications To Reduce A Brushless Exciter Response Time, Esnick Felissaint

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

As an alternative to converting a brushless exciter to static excitation in order to improve an exciter’s response time, conversion of the existing conventional brushless exciter is possible. A high initial response (HIR) brushless excitation system has the ability to force its output to ceiling voltage in 0.1 second or less, which is a response time similar to a static excitation system. To achieve the required fast response time, various modifications to the existing exciter components are required, including the ac exciter stator, permanent magnet generator (PMG), and voltage regulator. This paper describes those required modifications and associated technical information. …

Application Of A Zinc-Borate Based Nanoparticle To Impede The Spread Of Huanglongbing, Carlos J. Flores

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Huanglongbing is a citrus disease devastating the worldwide citrus industry. It is caused by the pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), and spread through the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). ACP vectors HLB as a host for CLas and spreads the bacteria through the saliva when feeding on citrus leaves. There is no cure for the disease, making preventative measures a top priority for the citrus industry. Previously used methods such as individual protective covers and insecticides have proven effective but costly to slow the spread of the disease. In this thesis, we report on the interactions of a novel zinc-borate spray-on …

Using Electroencephalography To Predict Metabolic Cost, Jordan Grubb

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique used to non-invasively record electrical signals from the brain that can be used to understand how the brain functions and controls movements. EEG, however, is susceptible to recording electrical artifact signals that do not originate from brain activity. Common artifacts that come up in EEG data are generated by eye movements, heart contractions, muscle contractions, motion artifacts, electromagnetic interference signals, and powerline noise. These artifacts are often filtered out of EEG data or reduced to clean the signals and preserve the information from the brain. However, some of these signals may provide useful information about …

Strengthening The Cyber-Physical Resilience Of Active Distribution Systems, Xue Gao

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Inverter-based Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) have experienced a significant rise in popularity due to their distinct advantages, such as improved power quality, advanced functionalities, and rapid response capabilities. These attributes make them particularly well-suited for modern power systems, where the growing demand for efficiency, flexibility, and reliability is crucial. As a result, the integration of inverter-based DERs into distribution networks has been steadily increasing, as they play a critical role in enhancing system performance and meeting the evolving requirements of contemporary power infrastructures.

However, the integration of inverter-based DERs presents several challenges that must be addressed for effective implementation. One …

Evaluating Sexual Dimorphism In Occipital Morphological Shape Through Modern Human Ontogenetic Changes, Jennifer S. Barritt

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Sex estimation is vital to building the biological profile in forensic anthropology. Cranial nonmetric traits are often used in adult sex estimation due to their sexually dimorphic nature. However, only one nonmetric trait is assessed on the occipital despite the bone’s postmortem durability. While these sex estimation methods were developed for use on adult crania, juvenile sex estimation is less accurate due to differences in the age at which individuals reach sexual maturity. The aim of this study was to improve upon existing sex estimation methods by accounting for shape differences that exist within the occipital. This study used computed …

Examining Anxiety And Online Learning Experiences, Charlotte A. Jones-Roberts

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Anxiety is a growing concern across university campuses. University students with anxiety are more likely to experience poor academic performance, disengagement, and attrition in their courses. Anxiety levels among online students can be significant and often more pronounced in online learning environments compared to traditional classroom settings. This dissertation aimed to examine the correlation between anxiety and online courses. Grounded in the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework and its subscales, Teaching Presence, Social Presence, and Cognitive Presence, the aim was to understand how these elements correlate with state and trait anxiety in online courses. This mixed-methods study took quantitative data …

A Quantitative Approach To The Analysis Of Human Hair For Forensic Examinations, David S. Hernandez Funes

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Hair is frequent trace evidence found in crime scenes due to its high transfer potential due to natural shed. They can provide investigative information in various cases, including homicide, sexual assault, missing persons, and human trafficking. Physical examination of hair involves the analysis of microscopic features, such as color and pigmentation, commonly using bright field microscopy. Microscopical techniques are non-destructive, with minimum to no sample preparation that can be followed by chemical and biological analysis. Although individualization is not possible via microscopical methods, it can be used to include or exclude potential donors. However, previous microscopical techniques lack quantitative and …

Adaptive Anomaly Prediction Models, Ashkan Farhangi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Anomalies are rare in nature. This rarity makes it difficult for models to provide accurate and reliable predictions. Deep learning models typically excel at identifying underlying patterns from abundant data through supervised learning mechanisms but struggle with anomalies due to their limited representation. This results in a significant portion of errors arising from these rare and poorly represented events. Here, we present various methods and frameworks to develop the specialized ability of models to better detect and predict anomalies. Additionally, we improve the interpretability of these models by enhancing their anomaly awareness, leading to stronger performance on real-world datasets that …

Transformer-Based Methods For Starcraft Macromanagement And Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning, Muhammad Junaid Khan

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Transformers have emerged as the driving force behind innovative advancements in artificial intel- ligence (AI), particularly in the domain of generative AI. Originally designed for natural language processing, transformers have since demonstrated remarkable versatility across various domains, including computer vision and reinforcement learning. This dissertation investigates the application of transformer-based models to decision-making in the real-time strategy game, StarCraft II. StarCraft II (SC2) serves as an ideal platform for developing and testing AI agents due to its complexity and strategic depth. SC2 requires players not only to fight skirmishes (micromanagement) but also to build an army and construct fortifications (macromanagement). …

Design Parameters For A Piezoelectric-Based, High-Authority, High-Bandwidth Flow Injection Valve, Sydney A. Giannuzzi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Aeromechanical Identification Methodology (AIM) is an approach to measure damping in turbomachinery to identify and map flutter boundaries across various operating conditions. Previous approaches required entering, or nearly entering, flutter to produce a binary “flutter” / “no-flutter” boundary. AIM is significantly safer; however, it is limited by actuation authority and bandwidth. A non-contact, high-frequency, high-amplitude piezoelectric-based valve provides a promising solution to bridge these gaps. This valve operates by ejecting high-frequency oscillatory flow from a piezoelectric-based converging nozzle as a non-contact method of imparting a harmonic force. This valve has broad applications for high-frequency flow modulation beyond the motivating structural …

Towards Label Efficiency And Privacy Preservation In Video Understanding, Ishan Rajendrakumar Dave

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Video understanding involves tasks like action recognition, video retrieval, human pose propagation which are essential for applications such as surveillance, surgical videos, sports analysis, and content recommendation. The progress in this domain has been largely driven by advancements in deep learning, facilitated by large-scale labeled datasets. However, video annotation presents significant challenges due to its time-consuming and expensive nature. This limitation underscores the importance of developing methods that can learn effectively from unlabeled or limited-labeled data, which makes self-supervised learning (SSL) and semi-supervised learning particularly relevant for video understanding. Another significant challenge in video understanding is privacy preservation, as methods …

The Effect Of Perceived Discrimination On Alcohol Use Behaviors: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study Among Hispanic/Latinx Drinkers, Ardhys N. De Leon

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Hispanic/Latinx drinkers are more likely to experience adverse alcohol-related consequences and have less access to treatment services. Research indicates that discrimination has a unique effect on drinking behaviors. The Minority Stress Model depicts how discrimination places individuals at a heightened risk for adverse health outcomes. Emotion regulation and alcohol craving are also known to impact alcohol use. This study investigated the impact of perceived discrimination on emotional disturbance, alcohol craving, and alcohol use using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). The following were proposed: H1: Emotional disturbance will predict alcohol craving in the moment (Level 1). H2: The association between perceived discrimination …