Digital Commons Network^™

Coding For Decentralized Systems And Forensic 3d Fingerprinting, Canran Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation presents novel coding techniques that optimize communication costs and address security challenges in decentralized systems and 3D printing technologies. The first part focuses on encoding data in distributed systems in a decentralized manner, i.e., without a central processor which orchestrates the operation. In such systems, processors require coded data generated from inputs provided by source processors. An example is a distributed storage system with geographically dispersed nodes storing a large database collected by specific source processors. To reduce communication costs, we propose a universal solution applicable to any linear code, with optimizations for systematic Reed-Solomon and Lagrange codes, …

Investigating The Role Of The I-Ii Linker In Nav1.5, Emily Wagner

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The cardiac voltage-gated sodium channel, Nav1.5 is essential for initiating the cardiac action potential. Its dysfunction can lead to dangerous arrhythmias, sudden cardiac arrest, and death. Like many channels, its known properties depend heavily on its structure. The functional core of the alpha subunit consists of four homologous repeats (I, II, III, and IV), each formed from a voltage sensing domain and a pore domain. The channel also contains two cytoplasmic termini and three cytoplasmic linkers (I-II, II-III, and III-IV). While most of the channel has been resolved in multiple structures, the I-II and II-III linkers have remained conspicuously absent …

Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Final Bpsou Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Belle Of Butte (Bres No. 8 & Ur-39) Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp) Request For Change Ir- 2024-Ra-02, Mike Mcanulty

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Reply Brief For Plaintiff-Appellant Brandon Velez, Stephen T. Martin, Seth J. Hipple, Madeline H. Meth

Faculty Scholarship

Defendants don’t want to face the evidence, including video footage, that shows them escalating a traffic stop in front of Velez’s home to a forceful arrest because Velez exercised his First Amendment rights. So, instead of dealing with the record directly, Defendants rely entirely on the district court’s (improper) view of the record, which on appeal from that court’s grant of summary judgment is subject to this Court’s de novo review. Besides ignoring the evidence that favors Velez, Defendants leave unaddressed this Court’s key cases, citing only precedent in which officers confronted wildly different circumstances from those presented here.

When …

Promoting And Developing Industrial Organic Clusters In Egypt: Case Study Of Damietta Furniture Cluster, Nermen Abdelmoula

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the development of industrial clusters in Egypt, with a specific focus on the Damietta Furniture Cluster, an organic industrial cluster known for its rich tradition in furniture craftsmanship. These industrial clusters, which are primarily composed of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), are characterized by the geographical concentration of interconnected firms and institutions, play a critical role in fostering economic growth, innovation, and competitiveness, particularly in emerging economies. The research explores the key factors affecting the development of the Damietta Furniture Cluster, identifies the challenges it faces, and provides policy recommendations to enhance its growth and global …

In Situ Preparation Of Silver Nanoparticles/Organophilic-Clay/Polyethylene Glycol Nanocomposites For The Reduction Of Organic Pollutants, Amina Sardi, Bouhadjar Boukoussa, Aouicha Benmaati, Kheira Chinoune, Adel Mokhtar, Mohammed Hachemaoui, Soumia Abdelkrim, Issam Ismail, Jibran Iqbal, Shashikant P. Patole, Gianluca Viscusi, Mohamed Abboud

All Works

This work focuses on the preparation and application of silver nanoparticles/organophilic clay/polyethylene glycol for the catalytic reduction of the contaminants methylene blue (MB) and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) in a simple and binary system. Algerian clay was subjected to a series of treatments including acid treatment, ion exchange with the surfactant hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTABr), immobilization of polyethylene glycol polymer, and finally dispersion of AgNPs. The molecular weight of polyethylene glycol was varied (100, 200, and 4000) to study its effect on the stabilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and the catalytic activity of the resulting samples. The results showed that the catalyst with …

Imagining Hydropower: Transnational Narratives And Realities Of The Stiegler’S Gorge Project In Tanzania, 1960s–1980s, Emma Athanasio Minja

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

Hydropower development in the Global South has attracted several donor programmes for decades. How have such interventions shaped energy imaginations in Tanzania? Adopting a historical perspective and drawing on transnationalism and travelling frameworks, this article examines hydropower aid interventions and the dynamic shifts of specific actors and discourses in bilateral relations. The primary focus is on Norway, a leading actor in planning the Stiegler’s Gorge hydropower project in Tanzania’s Rufiji Basin in the 1970s to mid-1980s. It seeks to understand how, despite substantial aid support, the project failed to kick off in the face of the country’s post-independence drive for …

Design, Control, And Evaluation Of A Photovoltaic Snow Removal Strategy Based On A Bidirectional Dc-Dc Converter For Photovoltaic–Electric Vehicle Application, Salma Elakkad, Mohamed Hesham, Hany Ayad Bastawrous, Peter Makeen

Electrical Engineering

A novel self-heating technique is proposed to clear snow from photovoltaic panels as a solution to the issue of winter snow accumulation in photovoltaic (PV) power plants. This approach aims to address the shortcomings of existing methods. It reduces PV cell wear, resource loss, and safety risks, without the need for additional devices. A self-heating current is applied to the solar panel to melt the snow covering its surface, which is then allowed to slide off the panel due to gravity. The proposed system consists of a bidirectional DC-DC converter, which removes the snow cover by heating the solar PV …

‘Prevention Is Better Than Cure’: Smallpox Vaccination In Postcolonial Tanzania, 1961–1980, Musa Sadock

Zamani: A Journal of African Historical Studies

This article examines the smallpox vaccination programme in postcolonial Tanzania from the 1960s to the early 1980s as part of the postcolonial future making in preventive medicine. The article departs from extant scholarship on smallpox vaccination in postcolonial Tanzania, which depicts the intervention as a success, while relegating to the background challenges associated with the intervention. The article argues that the smallpox vaccination programme registered challenges and successes that offer lessons for combating of future epidemics. The achievements of the programme were due to the adoption of specific public health policies, namely mass vaccination and public health education as well …

Reflecting On Shakespeare’S Accessibility And Relevance In A Chinese University: The Case For Translanguaging And A Genai-Proficient Educator, Therese P. Abonales

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

This paper reflects on the implementation of an approach that integrates Generative AI (GenAI), specifically the Chinese GenAI model Wenxi Yiyan (also known as Ernie Bot in English), along with translanguaging into the teaching of Shakespearean literature and language instruction.The approach, tested with a group of third-year English majors at Jimei University (JMU), Xiamen, China, using Sonnet 116 as the primary topic, leveraged Wenxin Yiyan using both Chinese and English, to enhance pedagogical strategies, simplifying complex Shakespearean language, instead of mere translation, to make it more accessible and engaging for Chinese English majors. This paper begins by exploring Shakespeare's relevance …

Dynamic Analysis Of Additively Manufactured Tensegrity Structures, Keivan Davami, Russell A. Rowe, Ben Gulledge, Jesse Park, Ali Beheshti, Anthony N. Palazotto, Fariborz Tavangarian, Sadie Beck

Faculty Publications

Herein, we present an analysis, design, and experimental testing of modular prestressed pin-jointed structures constructed from bistable units and inspired by the classical triangular tensegrity prism. Tensegrity structures, characterized by a combination of tension members (cables) and compression members (bars) in a self-equilibrated state, have gained significant attention in engineering over the past two decades due to their unique nonlinear mechanical behavior. The discontinuity of the compression members in tensegrity structures leads to a slightly different failure behavior compared to their lattice structure counterparts, with unprecedented applications. However, traditional fabrication and assembly methods have posed challenges for their widespread adoption. …

Flamingo Search Algorithm For Aircraft Landing Scheduling, Zied O. Ahmed, Noor T. Mahmood, Sura Mazin Ali

Baghdad Science Journal

Aircraft landing scheduling (ALS) is the process of organizing the arrival and departure of aircraft at an airport. This process is managed by air traffic controllers who use various tools and techniques to ensure that aircraft land and take off safely and efficiently. The goal of aircraft landing scheduling is to minimize delays and maximize the number of aircraft that can be accommodated at the airport. This is done by carefully coordinating the arrival and departure times of aircraft and the number of aircraft that can be safely accommodated. Flamingo Search is an optimization algorithm stimulated by the flamingos’ behavior. …

Studying Of The Process Of Obtaining Monocalcium Phosphate Based On Extraction Phosphoric Acid From Phosphorites Of Central Kyzylkum, Mokhichekhra Shaymardanova, Kholtura Mirzakulov, Gavkhar Melikulova, Sakhomiddin. Khodjamkulov, Abror Nomozov, Oybek Toshmamatov

Baghdad Science Journal

In this paper, a study of monocalcium phosphate production based on extractable phosphoric acid obtained from Central Kyzyl-Kum phosphorites was conducted. Effects of various parameters (density, temperature, and viscosity of starting materials) on the process of defluoridation and desulfation of extraction phosphoric acid and production of monocalcium phosphate based on calcium carbonate were studied. The experiments were mainly conducted on two samples, and the composition of the substances before and after the process was studied. According to the results, the contents of other components also increase proportionally (sample 1). Thus, the content of calcium oxide increases from 1.58% to 5.54% …

Adaptive Lossy Color Image Compression System Based On Hybrid Algorithm, Husam Khalid Khammas, Ayça Kurnaz Türkben

Baghdad Science Journal

As the digital age progresses, multimedia technologies have become commonplace, with users expecting high-quality audio, video, and image content across various platforms and devices. As a result, the quantity of data produced by these multimedia programs has grown substantially. Also, the explosive growth in the use of multimedia has led to a rise in the quantity of images that are used and created, which creates challenges, in relation to the requirement for increased storage capacity and enhanced data transport speed. To address these challenges, image compression has emerged as a critical solution by decreasing the volume of the image without …

An Ensemble Model For Predicting Cardiovascular Disease Utilizing Nature Inspired Optimization, Annwesha Banerjee Majumder, Somsubhra Gupta, Sourav Majumder, Dharmpal Singh

Baghdad Science Journal

This paper represents an efficient model for heart disease prediction model utilizing an ensemble mechanism optimized through BAT algorithm. Worldwide mortality rates are widely acknowledged to be significantly influenced by the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, particularly in economically disadvantaged regions. The need to mitigate the potentially severe repercussions associated with this particular health concern highlights the requirement for accurate and timely outcome prediction. Proposed methodology incorporates Mutual Information for feature selection, Inter Quartile Range for outlier removal. The StandardScaler method is used to achieve feature-wise standardisation in order to mitigate any bias resulting from varying scale disparities. Gradient boosting is …

Solving Edges Deletion Problem Of Complete Graphs, Anwar N. Jasim, Alaa A. Najim

Baghdad Science Journal

As the network size increases, there is an increased probability that some components will fail. It is therefore necessary for the network to be able to maintain the interconnection even in the presence of faulty components. The likelihood of a failure in the connections between stations is higher than that of a failure in the stations themselves because of the nature of many networks. Numerous graph-theoretic methods can be used to examine the reliability and efficacy of a network, and the network's dependability is determined by its connectivity. For a parallel and distributed system, the maximum connection time between any …

Optimizing Encrypted Search In The Cloud Using Autoencoder-Based Query Approximation, Mahmoud Mohamed, Khaled Alosman

Baghdad Science Journal

Searching over encrypted data is critical for secure cloud services. However, encryption reduces search efficiency due to inability to directly compute on ciphertexts. This leads to an inherent tradeoff between privacy and usability that has motivated extensive research on enabling effective encrypted search. Recent work has explored using machine learning models like autoencoders to optimize similarity search under encryption. Autoencoders compress data into low-dimensional vectors capturing semantic information. Documents and queries can be encoded for efficient similarity computation without decryption. However, existing analysis remains limited in scope and scale. The research address these gaps through large-scale experiments and novel optimizations. …

Determination Uranium And Its Isotopes In Biological Samples Of Smokers, Abdulhussein A. Alkufi, Mohanad H. Oleiwi, Ali Abid Abojassim, Noor Ulhuda G. Mohammed, Ali Saeed Jassim, Michele Guida

Baghdad Science Journal

This study was conducted in the Najaf Governorate- Iraq, to analyze biological samples from smokers and non-smokers. The samples, including blood serum, urine, hair, and nails, were used as biomarkers to determine uranium concentrations (UC) and isotopes (238U, 235U, and 234U). Using a natural exposure method, the nuclear track detector (CR-39, UK) was utilized to measure these Uc in the samples. Seventy-five samples of blood serum, urine, hair, and nails were collected for smokers of healthy people and fifty samples for non-smokers of healthy people in five age groups. This study was based on age and smoking to compare the …

Predicting Movie Production Years Through Facial Recognition Of Actors With Machine Learning, Asraa Muayed Abdalah, Noor Redha Alkazaz

Baghdad Science Journal

This study used machine learning algorithms to identify actors and extract the age of actors from images taken randomly from movies. The use of images taken from Arab movies includes challenges such as non-uniform lighting, different and multiple poses for the actors and multiple elements with the actor or a group of actors. Additionally, the use of make-up, wigs, beards, and wearing different accessories and costumes made it difficult for the system to identify the personality of the same actor. The Arab Actors Dataset-AAD comprises 574 images sourced from various movies, encompassing both black and white as well as color …

Compulsory Heterosexuality And Regulatory Hegemony In English Textbooks, Angelika Mae N. Balingasa

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

Gender representations are crucial in textbooks given that these instructional materials are integral and widely-acknowledged in the field of education. However, despite various efforts to circumvent gender inequalities, textbooks still remain as conduits for proliferating gender biases and heteronormativity. In this study, secondary English textbooks were examined and sequential explanatory research design was used to investigate how genders were demonstrated in the textbooks through the lens of gender performativity theory. The findings revealed that the textbooks adhered to historical gender conventions, as opposed to genders’ fluid and contingent nature. Additionally, all of the textbooks promote hegemonic masculinity with men dominating …

Enterprise Content Management In Cultural Heritage Institutions: A Study Of Sharjah Landscape, United Arab Emirates, Ahmed Adel Zidan, Mohamed Boufarss

All Works

This study examines the landscape of digital content management within heritage institutions in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It aims to evaluate the state, characteristics, and roles of these processes in preserving and promoting cultural heritage in the digital sphere. Utilizing a descriptive analytical approach, the research employs a checklist as the primary data collection instrument to investigate existing policies, plans, systems, and projects. Findings highlight the absence of formalized content management strategies in most institutions, which rely on unwritten, tacit policies. This lack of structured frameworks adversely impacts communication, operational performance, service delivery, and the long-term sustainability of their work. …

Graph Entropy Of Some Special Chemical Graphs, B. I. Andrew, A Anuradha

Baghdad Science Journal

Chemical graph theory plays an important role in modelling molecules, especially examining physico-chemical properties of the chemical compounds. Alkanes are one of the chemical compounds which are made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms, generally known as hydrocarbons. These alkanes having empirical formula ������2(��+1). Structural/constitutional isomers are the collection of chemical compounds having same empirical formula but different structural arrangements, this lead to the diversity in the physico-chemical properties. Graph descriptors are the essential tools in the graph theory to study about these physico-chemical properties. Some of these graph descriptors are graph spectrum, graph energy and graph entropy which contribute …

Self-Sacrifice And Civilization: American Everyday Heroism And The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission In The Progressive Era, Simon Wendt

Heroism Science

This article examines the multi-layered meanings of civilian heroism around 1900. It argues that the Progressive Era was an important transition period in the history of heroism in the United States, during which definitions of what was regarded as heroic multiplied and no longer revolved solely around military valor or political leadership. Especially everyday heroes received unprecedented media attention. They were seen by many as evidence of the continuing progress of American civilization, which appeared to allow for a peaceful coexistence of individual self-interest and social consciousness. The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, established in 1904, contributed much to such interpretations …

Commencement [Program], December 21, 2024, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates. This commencement program is not an official graduate list.

Contents:

Board of Regents --- 2
Institutional Leadership --- 2
Ceremony Symbols & Traditions --- 3
Academic Honorary Organizations --- 4
University Ambassador Organizations --- 5
University Honors Program --- 6
Graduation with Honors --- 6
Legacy Graduates --- 6
Military Science --- 7
Merchant Scholarship --- 7
Outstanding Student Leader --- 7
Commencement Student Speakers --- 7 …

Two Birds, Two Stones: Separating Biodiversity Conservation From Patent Law, Jessie Sadlon

Nebraska Law Bulletin (Selected Issues)

The current decline in biodiversity is faster than any other point in human history.[1] Overexploitation is the leading driver of biodiversity loss; species are harvested at unreplenishable rates. Government, non-government, and industry representatives are searching for direction in addressing this rapid species loss. In particular, the World Intellectual Property Organization (“WIPO”) is looking to channel biodiversity conservation through patent systems by instituting an origin disclosure requirement within the patent application process. This paper explores the intersection of biodiversity and innovation, contending the origin disclosure requirement is an unjustified, ineffective mechanism to effectuate biodiversity conservation.

Part II describes the biodiversity crisis …

Regulation And Function Of Mec-2 Alternative Splicing In Single Cells, Canyon Calovich-Benne

Biological Sciences Theses and Dissertations

One mechanism for generating diversity at the single cell level is selective expression of a unique set of transcription factors (TFs) and RNA binding proteins (RBPs). These regulatory factors contribute to functions of cells by controlling cell fate, turning genes on and off, and processing of transcripts either co- or post-transcriptionally. Many genes, especially neuronal genes, have multiple different splicing events, promoters, and/or polyadenylation sites. Post-transcriptional coordination is in the infancy of being studied and the functional consequences of this coupling at the single cell level has yet to be explored. Here we show, mec-2 coordination of alternative transcription start …

Epigenomics-Based Approaches To Predict Transcriptional Regulators, Zeyu Lu

Statistical Science Theses and Dissertations

Transcriptional regulators (TRs), proteins controlling gene expression, play a critical role in health and disease. Dysregulated TRs have been implicated in various diseases and cancers, driving the development of computational methods using next-generation sequencing (NGS) data for TR identification. However, a systematic evaluation of these NGS-based methods has been lacking. This dissertation presents a comprehensive review of thirteen existing methods, benchmarking their performance using gene sets derived from TR perturbations.

We further address the emerging challenge of identifying TRs from epigenomic regions (peaks) using NGS techniques. Existing methods often rely on motif-based analysis or user-provided gene lists, both having severe …

Measuring And Improving Api Usability And Quality: A Comprehensive Framework And Empirical Study, Sultan Alanazy

Computer Science and Engineering Theses and Dissertations

Cloud computing provides on-demand access to flexible computing resources, enabling rapid application deployment without substantial infrastructure investment. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) play an important role in ensuring the success of cloud applications. The primary users of APIs are the extensive community of application programmers who search, read, and understand APIs before integrating them into their applications or systems. In addition, developers often turn to online API support when seeking help. Problems in such support can result in incorrect API usage and integration problems. There is an urgent need to measure API usability and support issues to identify, characterize, and assess …

Microwell Fabrication For Impedance And Ac Measurements Of Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes, Fallon Wenck

Multidisciplinary Studies Theses and Dissertations

Electrophysiological behavior of human hearts have been extensively studied for hundreds of years. Even with elucidation of not just biological function, but also time and frequency-dependent current flow, the sheer intricacy of in vivo cardiac tissue function remains somewhat enigmatic. All while heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for over a century, with its rates of occurrence still increasing annually [1]. Thus, new research techniques and tools to quantify cardiac function are still being pursued at smaller and smaller scales to decrease research/innovation time, cost, and diagnostic ambiguity. In fact, it remains incredibly …

Movian: Advancing Human Motion Analysis With 3d Visualization And Annotation, Trudi Di Qi, Isaac Browen, David Zhang, Hector M. Camarillo-Abad, Franceli L. Cibrian

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Human motion analysis, including data visualization and annotation, is crucial for understanding human behavior and intentions during various activities, aiding in the development of innovative tools that support independent living. Current wearable sensing technology provides rich 3D spatial movement data but generates multimodal complex datasets that require specialized skills for effective analysis. Despite the need, limited research exists on tools for effective visualization and easy annotation of such complex motion data. MoViAn (Motion Data Visualization and Annotation) is an innovative 3D data analysis system offering enriched visual representations of 3D human motion data (e.g., gaze, hand movements), along with an …