Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond Climate In Placencia, Belize: Navigating Environmental Change In The Anthropocene, Rory E. Mckenna

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Examining opportunities for climate resilience requires an evaluation of lived experiences of environmental change which benefits from transdisciplinary perspectives. This research examines those experiences through the lens of anthropogenic change which allows for a critical focus on local conditions of environmental change specific to Placencia Village, Belize, over time. An anthropology of the anthropocene framing shifts the focus from the results of the global phenomenon responsible for climate change to the implications of local human-caused environmental change on natural systems, human-environment relationships and dynamics, and the future trajectories of these relationships. Through the use of interviews, go-alongs, participatory mapping, transdisciplinary …

Pediatric Renal Cell Carcinoma (Prcc) Subpopulation Environmental Differentials In Survival Disadvantage Of Black/African American Children In The United States: Large-Cohort Evidence, Laurens Holmes, Phatismo Masire, Arieanna Eaton, Robert Mason, Mackenzie Holmes, Justin William, Maura Poleon, Michael Enwere

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a rare but severe and aggressive pediatric malignancy. While incidence is uncommon, survival is relatively low with respect to acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), AML, lymphoma, ependymoma, glioblastoma, and Wilms Tumor. The pediatric renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) incidence, cumulative incidence (period prevalence), and mortality vary by health disparities' indicators, namely sex, race, ethnicity, age at tumor diagnosis, and social determinants of health (SDHs) as well as Epigenomic Determinants of Health (EDHs). However, studies are unavailable on some pRCC risk determinants, such as area of residence and socio-economic status (SES). The current study aimed at assessing …

Butte Reduction Works (Brw) Phase Ii Interim Demolition Plan Construction Drawings And Floodplain Encroachment Analysis, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc., Josh Bryson

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Modeling, Control And Validation Of A Three-Phase Single-Stage Photovoltaic System, Eubis Pereira Machado, Adeon Cecílio Pinto, Rodrigo Pereira Ramos, Ricardo Menezes Prates, Jadsonlee Da Silva Sá, Joaquim Isídio De Lima, Flavio Bezerra Costa, Damásio Fernandes, Alex Coutinho Pereira

Michigan Tech Publications

The central inverter topology presents some advantages such as simplicity, low cost and high conversion efficiency, being the first option for interfacing photovoltaic mini-generation, whose shading and panel orientation studies are evaluated in the project planning phase. When it uses only one power converter, its control structures must ensure synchronization with the grid, tracking the maximum power generation point, appropriate power quality indices, and control of the active and reactive power injected into the grid. This work develops and contributes to mathematical models, the principles of formation of control structures, the decoupling process of the control loops, the treatment of …

Collaborative Robotics: Application Of Delphi Method, Jean-Marc Salotti, Ephraim Suhir

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In the domain of collaborative robotics, it is often needed to make complex multiparametric choices or assessments that combine heterogeneous criteria, such as task performance, reliability, safety, and ergonomics. The Delphi method, a process of arriving at group consensus by providing experts with rounds of questionnaires, as well as the group response before each subsequent round, can be applied to solve this type of problems. The following Delphi method efforts are addressed in our analysis with application to finding appropriate criteria and their relative weights for the evaluation of the teleoperation task of a robotic platform: (1) Contribution of experts; …

A B-Polynomial Approach To Approximate Solutions Of Pdes With Multiple Initial Conditions, Muhammad I. Bhatti, Md. Habibur Rahman

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

In this article, we present a novel B-Polynomial Approach for approximating solutions to partial differential equations (PDEs), addressing the multiple initial conditions. Our method stands out by utilizing two-dimensional Bernstein polynomials (B-polynomials) in conjunction with their operational matrices to effectively manage the complexity associated with PDEs. This approach not only enhances the accuracy of solutions but also provides a structured framework for tackling various boundary conditions. The PDE is transformed into a system of algebraic equations, which are then solved to approximate the PDE solution. The process is divided into two main steps: First, the PDE is integrated to incorporate …

"The Political Philosophy That Kant Did Not Write": The Potential For Politics And Political Community In Kant's Third Critique, Rizalino Noble Malabed

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

In his Critique of Judgement, Immanuel Kant claims that judgement provides (1) a transition from the theoretical to the practical and unifies philosophy and (2) the principles for an alternative politics and founds the ideal political community. Vital to understanding Kant’s second claim is the idea of sensus communis, which arises from his contention that the judgement of taste appears as universal because taste not only presupposes common sense but is also community sense. This article shows that in his discussion, which moves from reflective judgement, to the judging subject, and to the sensus communis, Kant argues for a potential …

Data-Driven Science And Engineering: Challenges And Opportunities, Rahman Almomani

AI Summit

We will discuss:

• Future of data science program/career demands.
• What unique and remarkable change we can make at ERAU
• What collaboration and research opportunities the DS program can provide for other departments at ERAU.

Showcasing Speech And Language Ai (Salai) In Aviation And Aerospace Applications, Jianhua Liu, Andrew H. Schneider

AI Summit

1. Getting started with AI in mid-career

• It’s never too late!

2. Current work

• Automatic speech recognition (ASR)
• Domain-specific (natural) language processing (NLP)
• For aviation and aerospace applications

3. Project plans & Feedback

Impact Of Video Lesson Analysis On Preservice Elementary Teachers' Teaching And Learning, Dr. Eun Kyung Ko

i.e.: inquiry in education

This study examines the impact of video-based learning on preservice elementary teachers, focusing on the use of ATLAS and Teaching Channel video resources. The research addresses the increasing reliance on video analysis for teacher preparation. Two groups of preservice teachers participated, including those already working in educational settings and career changers new to the field. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, analyzing exit surveys, focus group interviews, and video reflections. Findings reveal that while ATLAS videos provided valuable commentary and classroom observation opportunities, concerns were raised about video quality and realism. Comparisons to Teaching Channel videos highlighted the need for …

Engaging In Reform-Oriented Collaborative Inquiry To Advance Competency-Based Learning In Teacher Education, Alan S. Tinkler, Jessica Demink-Carthew, Carmen P. Smith, Barri E. Tinkler

i.e.: inquiry in education

Competency-based learning (CBL) systems are becoming more common in K-12 schools across the country. There are a range of studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of CBL for students, but there is less research on the manner in which CBL is being adopted in teacher education. This self-study, using a Reform-Oriented Collaborative Inquiry protocol, offers insights into the affordances and challenges for faculty who were embedding the state’s CBL principles into their classrooms. This study illuminates the work of teacher educators seeking to develop a coherent system that models effective CBL practice for preservice teachers. The findings unpack particularities with respect …

“We Are As We Are, And Ye Are As We Find You” (Or, Finrod Elfsplains The Gift Of Ilúvatar): The ‘Athrabeth Finrod Ah Andreth’ As Core Text In Tolkien’S Legendarium, Sara Brown

Journal of Tolkien Research

The "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" is a highly problematic text that directly challenges, if not overturns, the eschatology of Tolkien’s legendarium. In combination with the "Tale of Adanel," we are confronted with the possibility that, in the beginning, the Atani were also deathless and that mortality was a punishment, calling into question the nature of the ‘gift of Ilúvatar’.

The (Re-)Emergence Of State Racism On The Eve Of Regional Integration In Southeast Asia: A Survey Of Five Countries, Hansley A. Juliano, Enrico B. La VińA, Matthew David D. OrdońEz

Budhi: A Journal of Ideas and Culture

Up to the eve of the unveiling of ASEAN Regional Integration in 2015, cases of ethnic and racial discrimination have been reported within ASEAN member countries, with the persecution of the Rohingya of Myanmar being just one of many. This study is a preliminary look at how negative race and ethnic relations between ASEAN nationals have not abated, coloring their view of regional integration. It looks at how race relations between ASEAN member countries have developed alongside the creation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint in 2007 up to the present. Based on a review of the structure of …

Secure Blind Medical Image Watermarking Using Hybrid Feature Extraction Techniques, Sawsan D. Mahmood, Yassine Aribi, Fadoua Drira, Adel M. Alimi

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

Watermarking offers great potential for medical images by embedding identifiable information that ensures secure and authenticated sharing of patient data while maintaining both integrity and diagnostic quality. In this paper, we present an innovative framework for blind medical image watermarking that harnesses advanced feature extraction techniques, including K-Means clustering, BRISK (Binary Robust Invariant Scalable Key-points), GFTT (Good Features to Track), and chaotic systems algorithms.

We conducted extensive experiments on the Ocular Disease Intelligent Recognition (ODIR) dataset, focusing specifically on Retinal Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) images. The results highlight the framework's ability to preserve image quality and diagnostic utility, with minimal …

Identifying Redundant Audio Content Over Cloud Environment Using Deduplication Techniques, Venkatesh K

Theses and Dissertations

Cloud computing has become an integral part of modern internet-based services, with users relying heavily on cloud environments as primary storage solutions. However, the exponential growth in data volume presents a challenge (i.e) the proliferation of duplicated content within cloud repositories. Deduplication techniques provide a promising approach to mitigate this issue. This research focuses on detecting redundant audio content within a cloud environment, specifically targeting the sharing of extensive audio files, such as those in Waveform Audio File Format (WAV). The study proposes the Refined Super Subset Identification Algorithm (RSSIA) to efficiently identify redundant content and segments within existing audio …

Aircraft Control, Collision Avoidance, And Remote Autonomy In Scenarios With Ground Radar Information, Jaron Charles Ellingson

Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have become integral to various modern applications, including package delivery, security, medicine, and recreation. The autonomous operation of UAS significantly enhances their utility by improving performance and reducing operator workload, enabling collaborative missions such as boundary detection, border protection, and target tracking. To ensure safe integration of UAS, more work needs to be done in the areas of control, estimation, collision avoidance, path planning, hardware implementation, and autonomous practices in general. For this dissertation we chose to focus on the critical areas of control, collision avoidance, and remote autonomy. Our research is motivated by the need …

How Does Herbicide Resistance Change Farmer’S Weed Management Decisions? Evidence From The Roundup Ready Experiment, Huichun Sun, Terrance Hurley, George B. Frisvold, Katherine Dentzman, David Ervin, Wesley Everman, Jeffrey Gunsolus, Jason Norsworthy, Micheal Owen

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Adoption of diverse weed management practices is viewed as essential for slowing the spread of herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds. Yet, adoption of diverse tactics has remained low, while there has been explosive growth of resistant weeds. This study analyzes U.S.-farm-level data to identify factors affecting adoption of diverse weed management practices. This study uses directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) to consider how practice adoption is influenced by different causal pathways between farmer and farm characteristics and farmer awareness of and concern over HR weeds. This study then uses multiple regression analysis to estimate the direct and indirect pathways that influence practice adoption. …

Intelligent Transportation System With 5g Vehicle-To-Everything (V2x): Architectures, Vehicular Use Cases, Emergency Vehicles, Current Challenges, And Future Directions, Vaishali Pawar, Nilima Zade, Deepali Vora, Vaishali Khairnar, Aurenice M. Oliveira, Ketan Kotecha, Ambarish Kulkarni

Michigan Tech Publications

In recent years, connected vehicle technologies emerged to provide a safer and more connected environment for transportation systems, which has further evolved into cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technology. The current study contributes in the direction of future research of smart India @2047 in connected vehicles. The study presents the diverse aspects of 5G V2X as a comprehensive overview of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technology that covers the significant scope of V2X technology, including its development, components, functionality, use cases, and future potential. It is observed that few surveys are available that cover limited aspects of 5G V2X communication technologies, with one or two …

Student Comprehension Of Biochemistry In A Flipped Classroom Format, Ed Harris, Evan A. Schroder, Teryn J. Berks

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

Concept-heavy courses such as Biochemistry in life and physical science curricula are challenging for many college-aged students. It is easy for students to disengage in a lecture and not learn the subject matter while in class. To improve student learning and participation, we employed a flipped format for the first half of the course and compared learning outcomes and attitudes with the traditional lecture in the second half of the course. The experimental course was an upper-level biochemistry course taken primarily by juniors (49%), seniors (40%), and some graduate students (10%) at the college level. Our results indicate that lower-performing …

Neuro-Symbolic Ai Techniques To Advance Model Verification, Scalability And Equity With Applications To Math Learning, Anup Shakya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Neuro-symbolic models leverage the combined strengths of both symbolic AI and Deep Neural networks (DNNs), namely the interpretability of symbolic AI and the representation power of DNNs. These models are gaining significant attention, particularly in high-stakes domains where domain knowledge and interpretability play a key role. In this dissertation, we propose to develop neuro-symbolic AI based techniques to improve the scalability, verifiability, and equitability of these models. Specifically, we will focus on a high-stakes domain where the aforementioned properties are crucial, namely, AI-enabled education. In particular, Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) can make high-quality education available for a large and diverse …

Network Differentiation And Identification Of Singletons In Gaussian Networks Under The Bayesian Framework, James Olusegun Adefisoye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This dissertation explores Bayesian approaches for network analysis in the context of epigenetic modifications, specifically focusing on Deoxyribonucleic acid methylation (DNA-m) at cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites. DNA-m is a key epigenetic modification associated with diseases and infections. Recent research suggests that analyzing joint activities across multiple CpG sites could provide more powerful insights, which can be achieved using network-based approaches, such as Gaussian networks. The first project introduces a Bayesian variable selection method for detecting singletons and reconstructing networks that incorporate singleton status. Singletons, or isolated nodes, can lead to false connections and biased interpretations. The proposed method effectively detects singletons, …

Habit Coach: Customising Rag-Based Chatbots To Support Behavior Change, Arian Fooroogh Mand Arabi, Cansu Koyuturk, Michael O'Mahony, Raffaella Calati, Dimitri Ognibene

Conference papers

This paper presents the iterative development of Habit Coach, a GPT-based chatbot designed to support users in habit change through personalized interaction. Employing a user-centered design approach, we developed the chatbot using a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system, which enables behavior personalization without retraining the underlying language model (GPT-4). The system leverages document retrieval and specialized prompts to tailor interactions, drawing from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and narrative therapy techniques. A key challenge in the development process was the difficulty of translating declarative knowledge into effective interaction behaviors. In the initial phase, the chatbot was provided with declarative knowledge about CBT …

Re: Butte Mine Flooding Operable Unit Berkeley Pit And Discharge Pilot Project – October 2024 Monthly Discharge Monitoring Report, Mark Thompson, Dave Griffis

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

October 2024 Berkeley Pit Migratory Waterfowl Protection Monthly Report, Mark Thompson, Loren Burmeister

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Separating A Particle's Mass From Its Momentum, Mordecai Waegell, Jeff Tollaksen, Yakir Aharonov

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

The Quantum Cheshire Cat experiment showed that when weak measurements are performed on pre- and post-selected system, the counterintuitive result has been obtained that a neutron is measured to be in one place without its spin, and its spin is measured to be in another place without the neutron. A generalization of this effect is presented with a massive particle whose mass is measured to be in one place with no momentum, while the momentum is measured to be in another place without the mass. The new result applies to any massive particle, independent of its spin or charge. A …

Unified Worldline Treatment Of Yukawa And Axial Couplings, James Edwards

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

We provide a worldline representation of the one-loop effective action for a Dirac particle coupled to external scalar, pseudoscalar, vector and axialvector fields. Extending previous work by two of the authors on the pure vector-axialvector case to all four couplings, it allows one to treat the real and the imaginary parts of the effective action in a unified manner, at the price of having a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian. Unlike existing worldline representations, our new worldline action contains terms with an odd number of Grassmann fields, leading to ordering problems that in the worldline formalism are usually encountered only in curved space. …

Association Between Various Types Of Corticosteroids And Mortality For Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia In Adults: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis, Peng Wang, Jun Wan, Qiaoyu You, Yuxin Zheng, Wenhao Xu, Jialing He, Liyuan Peng, Cuyubamba Dominguez Jorge Luis, Yuning Feng, Ping Xu, Xinrong Li, Weelic Chong, Yang Hai, Lu Jia, Fang Fang, Yu Zhang

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of specific corticosteroids, including but not limited to hydrocortisone, methylprednisolone, prednisolone, and dexamethasone, in the treatment of severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP). Efficacy will be assessed using specific outcomes, such as 30-day mortality and the requirement for mechanical ventilation. Safety evaluations will include adverse events like gastrointestinal bleeding and healthcare-associated infections. The study seeks to address the gaps identified in the latest guidelines regarding the optimal use of different corticosteroid types and to provide recommendations for clinical practice.

DATA SOURCES: This study conducted …

Bioconvection Dynamics In Rotating And Stationary Cone-Disk Systems, Puneet Rana, Mahanthesh Basavarajappa

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

This work focuses on the study of bioconvection in a conical region of rotating and stationary cone-disk systems utilizing nanofluids involving gyrotactic micro-organisms. The flow geometry encompasses two different configurations, namely, rotating cone-disk system (RCDS) and stationary cone-disk system (SCDS). For RCDS, four unique configurations are considered: rotating cone static disk (Model-I), static cone rotating disk (Model-II), co-rotating cone-disk (Model-III), and counter-rotating cone-disk (Model-IV), while SCDS includes both swirling and non-swirling flow scenarios. A total of six different physical configurations that differ in boundary conditions are investigated. The mathematical model comprises Navier–Stokes, energy, nanoparticle volume fraction (NVF), and micro-organism density …

The Average Number Of Goldbach Representations And Zero-Free Regions Of The Riemann Zeta Function, Keith Billington, Maddie Cheng, Jordan Schettler, Ade Irma Suriajaya

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In this paper, we prove an unconditional form of Fujii's formula for the average number of Goldbach representations and show that the error in this formula is determined by a general zero-free region of the Riemann zeta function, and vice versa. In particular, we describe the error in the unconditional formula in terms of the remainder in the Prime Number Theorem which connects the error to zero-free regions of the Riemann zeta function.

Understanding Mechanisms For Coastal Marsh Sustainability In A Changing Climate, Ashley R. Booth

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

In the Chenier Plain of Louisiana and Texas, coastal marshes are subject to high rates of relative sea level rise (RSLR), restricted sedimentation, and declining elevation attributed to subsidence and decades of intensive management. These marshes were created via mineral sedimentation but now largely accrete via organic matter accumulation. This organic matter accumulation (OMA) – or the balance between plant productivity and decomposition – is essential for maintaining elevation and thus long-term sustainability. However, management for elevation is complicated by a poor understanding of how abiotic factors like flooding and salinity impact processes driving OMA and elevation. To better understand …