Digital Commons Network^™

Essential Practices And Attributes Of Integrated Stem In Elementary Education, Leah R. Cheek, Vinson Carter, Michael K. Daugherty, Christian Z. Goering

Curriculum and Instruction Faculty Publications and Presentations

Throughout the 21st century, STEM education’s effectiveness remains a focal point for researchers, policymakers, and employers. Despite substantial investments, student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has remained essentially unchanged. Researchers persistently face challenges in expanding STEM pedagogy and improving teachers’ classroom practices, directly impacting student performance. Proposals for professional development for teachers abound, yet its success hinges on relevance and collaboration. This study utilized a three-round modified Delphi panel to identify essential P-6 integrated STEM education practices. The findings emphasize the need for dynamic, student-centered approaches coupled with continuous fine-tuning of teaching techniques. This connection is crucial for …

Mathematical Multi-Compartment Modeling Of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cell Kinetics Under Ibrutinib, Melanie Schulz, Sanne Bleser, Manouk Groels, Dragan Bošnački, Jan A Burger, Nicholas Chiorazzi, Carsten Marr

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor ibrutinib is an effective treatment for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). While it rapidly reduces lymph node and spleen size, it initially increases the number of lymphocytes in the blood due to cell redistribution. A previously published mathematical model described and quantified those cell kinetics. Here, we propose an alternative mechanistic model that outperforms the previous model in 26 of 29 patients. Our model introduces constant subcompartments for healthy lymphocytes and benign tissue and treats spleen and lymph nodes as separate compartments. This three-compartment model (comprising blood, spleen, and lymph nodes) performed significantly better …

Perceptions Of Communication And Collaboration Between Special Education And Career And Technical Education Teachers, Alexander Novickoff

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the communication and collaboration between Local Education Agency’s (LEA) special education staff and Career and Technical Center (CTC) staff in supporting students with disabilities (SWD). Given the critical role of effective interagency communication in providing comprehensive support to SWD, this study seeks to identify the perceptions, methods, and frequencies of communication between these entities. The research is set within the context of non-comprehensive CTCs in Pennsylvania, where students split their time between their home schools and regional CTCs. Through a quantitative approach, consisting of a detailed survey distributed to both LEA and CTC staff, this study examines …

Interactions Of The Sars-Cov-2 Viral Genome 3’-Untranslated Region With Viral And Host Rnas, Caleb Frye, Mihaela Rita Mihailescu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the characterization of RNA-RNA interactions within the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome and with host microRNAs. As the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), SARS-CoV-2 has evolved rapidly since its appearance. This has warranted prompt characterization of the virus particularly of its single stranded RNA (ssRNA) genome. By using a combination of bioinformatics, biophysics, and/or biological assays, we analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 viral genomic RNA and uncovered interactions of genomic RNA with host RNAs, highlighting an underutilized method of targeting RNA viruses. We showed here that the conserved elements in the viral genomic …

Challenges To Reproductive Justice: An Ethical Analysis Of Reproductive Technologies And Disparities, Courtney Brenner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes the Reproductive Justice Framework to describe possible solutions to the ethical challenges related to reproductive healthcare disparities. Various frameworks to support reproductive equity fail to address the challenges marginalized individuals face in accessing reproductive health services. The four ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice serve as foundational tools to support reducing these disparities. This dissertation uses the Reproductive Justice Framework to analyze the unequal distribution of harms among marginalized women. It highlights how access to care, such as Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART), is disproportionately inaccessible to marginalized women. Then, it discusses the relationship between marginalized …

The Ethical Contributions Of Nudges To Healthcare, Ian Doherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“The Ethical Contributions of Nudges to Healthcare” examines the ethical use, implications, and rationale for using nudges in healthcare. The use of nudges in healthcare are being empirically examined. This leaves much to be examined from the ethical perspective. To examine the ethical perspective, the dissertation lays out how nudges interact with and enhance the biomedical principles of autonomy and beneficence. The dissertation then turns to clinical ethics. Nudges, more specifically the framing effect, are paired with trust in the patient-physician relationship to discern how best to aid a patient in his or her medical decision-making. The dissertation then investigates …

Intrinsic Gas-Phase Behavior Of Uranium Species: A Comprehensive Reactivity Study Of [O=U≡Ch]+ And [Uh]+, Justin Terhorst

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The intrinsic chemistry of actinide elements, particularly uranium, remains a key challenge in understanding f-block reactivity due to the complexity introduced by solvent interactions, counter-ions, and complex equilibria in the condensed phase. In this dissertation, a systematic gas-phase study utilizing preparative tandem ion-trap mass spectrometry (PTMSⁿ) is presented, focusing on the reactivity of uranium-centered species, specifically [OUCH]⁺, an oxy uranium methylidyne species, and [UH]⁺ ions. By stripping away solvent effects and isolating the ions, PTMSⁿ provides a powerful platform to probe the fundamental chemical behavior of uranium species in their intrinsic state.

The …

“Repeat A Little:” Time And Freedom In Deleuze’S Difference And Repetition, Mine Sak

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I examine Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy of time as presented in Difference and Repetition and use it to construct a concept of freedom, which is notably absent in his work. I argue that Deleuze’s exposition of the three syntheses of time provides significant insights for exploring the ontological possibility and structure of freedom. Through an analysis of his theory of the three syntheses of time, I investigate the meanings of agency, destiny, and choice within Deleuze's framework. I demonstrate that free choice necessitates both involuntary and creative action. Given the apparent tension between freedom and involuntariness, I explore …

Hidden Markov Model For Identifying Local Variants In Human Genomes Using Simulated Data, Scott Mccallum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifying adaptive mutations in genetic data is challenging due to the low frequency of occurrence of such events, and because signatures of selection are intertwined with the footprints of various other evolutionary forces that shape our genomes. Even when a larger region appears to be under selection, genomic sites that are linked to adaptive mutations have similar statistical signals, and thus can obfuscate the identification of the actual adaptive mutation. The new method described here uses a Hidden Markov Model that allows for classification of neutral, linked, and sweep (adaptive mutation) genomic sites. This model is general and can be …

Toward Effective Interfaith Relations Between Christianity And Indigenous African Religious Tradition In The Obolo Context In Nigeria – A Decolonial Theological Approach, Jerome Etenduk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the need for effective interfaith relations between Christianity and the Indigenous African Religious Tradition (IART) in a post-colonial Obolo context in Nigeria. It explores a history of complex religious crises in Obolo and identifies that Eurocentric/colonial theological imagination constitutes a significant reason for the problematic interfaith relations in Obolo. The dominant Eurocentric/colonial theology is founded on the theoretical framework that assumes that Europe (and America) is the hubris of knowledge. It negates and discounts the knowledge systems of other people. To know, they must learn from Europe and America. In this way, European missionaries to Obolo …

Ethical Considerations In The Diagnosis And Treatment Of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Ferdinand Okafor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an ethical response to the ethical issues in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism. The problems that underlie the discussion are misconception about autism and Autistics. The misconception about autism and Autistics lead to misinterpretation of the neurological functioning, cognition, and the behaviors of Autistics. Consequently, it influences the approach and model of care in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism. Currently, the analytic approach and biomedical model of disease are applied in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism. The motive of the analytic approach and biomedical care is to cure autism. The consequence …

Muslim Spirituality As A Foundation In Bioethics For Patient Encounters In Health Care, Sara Rahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spirituality plays a major role in decision making for individuals with faith-based values. There is often hesitation to discuss the role of faith in healthcare as a core value and coping mechanism. The growing cultural diversity amongst patients and physicians has increased the need to understand eastern religious principles and incorporate them into bioethical guidance. Even as the 2nd largest religion in the world, Islam has not been sufficiently integrated into religious bioethics in western medicine. Muslim populations of patients and physicians are growing, increasing the need for better understanding of how Islamic principles impact healthcare delivery. Although Islamic law …

Development Of Methods For Predicting Second Harmonic Generation (Shg) Responses Of New Infrared Nonlinear Optical (Ir-Nlo) Materials, Katherine Colbaugh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dissertation supervised by Dr. Jennifer A. Aitken.

In this work, calculations-based methods were evaluated for use in prediction of second harmonic generation (SHG), specifically χ⁽²⁾ values, of infrared nonlinear optical (IR-NLO) materials. Net dipole moment and dipole moment per volume were calculated by the bond valence sum method. Average F-index, proposed in this research, and group F-index, both representing induced dipole moment were also calculated. Each calculation was evaluated by comparing the results to single crystal and powder χ⁽²⁾ measurements of IR-NLO materials. The selected dataset consisted of ninety-six compounds including polar and nonpolar structures, newly discovered and …

Method Development Of [3 + 2] Cycloadditions Using Tertiary Amine N-Oxides And Efforts Towards The First Total Synthesis Of Chrysosporazine D, Alexander Cocolas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen-containing heterocycles are ubiquitous in bioactive molecules, pharmaceutical drugs, and natural products. For this reason, finding new and efficient ways to make such compounds remains a high priority for the organic and medicinal community. Our current endeavors build upon previously established work by our group, where we generated 1,2-diamines by coupling commercially available aldehydes with trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in two steps. This route proved to be effective in generating 20+ novel 1,2-diamines and imidazolidines with a demonstrated ability to undergo transformations. Using this chemistry, we have developed a diastereoselective synthesis of 50+ novel 7-azanorbornanes using tertiary amine N-oxides …

Rna Structural-Dynamical Hierarchy: Sars-Cov, Sars-Cov-2, And Delta/Omicron Variant S2m Monomers, Kissing Complexes, And Extended Duplexes, Adam Kensinger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The power and promise of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules are only beginning to be realized in living organisms and pharmaceutical intervention. Specifically, defining the chemical physics of RNA’s heterogenous structural ensemble and dynamics, which has experienced expansive growth over the last few years, is central to a complete understanding, yet continues to be a significant challenge. A 41-nucleotide hairpin called the stem-loop II motif (s2m), present in the viral genomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), SARS-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the Delta and Omicron variants responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is a potential antiviral target due to its high sequence conservation …

Benefits Marketplace, Ana Luisa Wu, Jenny Ramirez, Jose Ricardo Tafur Jr, Ricardo Collada, Maikel Zuniga, Manuel Ferreiro Caballero, Salvador Ricardo, Liset Iturriaga Chavez, Francisco Alberdi, Alexander Dale, Orlando Quesada, Ernesto Garcia Vazquez, Daniel Astudillo, Laura Figueroa, Sebastian Hernandez, Cristina Villarroel, Yuset Rosello Moya, Rachel Quijano Vizoso

Defensive Publications Series

A method of provisioning a benefits marketplace platform is disclosed. According to the method, a payment network server computer presents payment network benefits to a consumer and receives feedback from the consumer based on the payment network benefits presented to the consumer. A profiling module profiles the payment network benefits based on the feedback received from the consumer and provides a benefits profile to the payment network server computer. The payment network server provides a recommendation of benefits to the consumer based on the benefits profile. A benefits module receives benefits selected by the consumer from a checkout function, applies …

Sisa's Vengeance: Rizal And The Mother Of All Insurgencies, E. San Juan Jr.

Kritika Kultura

A new appraisal of Rizal is needed today in the light of 9/11, the collapse of finance capital, state terrorism, and neoliberal decadence and barbarism. Rizal’s revolutionary critique can be discovered by shifting the center of inquiry to the Dapitan years and after, the Liga’s resonance, and the Sisa-Maria Clara-Salome nexus. By exposing the limits of Simoun’s romantic idealism, Padre Florentino’s eschatological impulse, and the carnivalesque colonial world bereft of god/nomos, Rizal anticipates the post-capitalist predicament. Women’s vengeance against patriarchal nihilism lies submerged in Rizal’s communicative action to the Malolos collective, mobilizing emergent and residual historical forces in a dialectical …

Gmr-4234 Evaluating Instance Segmentation Models On Histopathology Datasets, Sai Chandana Koganti

C-Day Computing Showcase

Instance segmentation is transforming digital pathology by enhancing the speed and accuracy of tissue sample analysis through advanced image processing techniques. Whole Slide Imaging (WSI) converts traditional microscope slides into high-resolution digital formats, enabling detailed examinations. This paper presents a brief experimental survey of instance segmentation models on two prominent histopathology datasets: PanNuke and NuCLS. Unlike previous surveys that merely describe deep learning models for general pathology images, we conduct experiments using state-of-the-art models including Mask R-CNN, Detectron2, YOLOv8, YOLOv9, and HoverNet on both datasets. Our study evaluates these models for both binary and multiclass instance segmentation tasks. The NuCLS …

Gpr-187 Deep Learning Models For Protein-Protein Binding Affinity Prediction, Lingtao Chen

C-Day Computing Showcase

Binding affinity (BA) prediction is important for drug discovery and protein engineering. It seeks to understand the interaction strength between proteins and their ligands (or proteins). This information assists in the design of proteins with enhanced or novel functions, as well as understanding the molecular mechanisms of drug action. This paper presents the development and comparative analysis of two deep learning models, a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a transformer model. Many variants of models in this research were developed using TensorFlow. One model that utilizes ProteinBERT was developed using PyTorch. The CNN model captures local sequence features effectively, while …

Gpr-185 A Multimodal Approach To Quiz Generation: Leveraging Rag Models For Educational Assessments, Mourya Teja Kunuku

C-Day Computing Showcase

Crafting quiz questions that effectively assess students’ understanding of lectures and course materials, such as textbooks, poses significant challenges. Recent AI-based quiz generation efforts have predominantly concentrated on static resources, like textbooks and slides, often overlooking the dynamic and interactive elements of live lectures—contextual cues, discussions, and interactions—that contribute to the learning experience. In this work, we propose a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) model that processes multimodal inputs by combining text, audio, and video to produce quizzes that capture a fuller context. Our method incorporates Whisper for audio transcription and utilizes a Large Vision-Language Model (LVLM) to extract essential visual data …

Uc-184 Onaccount A Web-Based Accounting Software, Manuel A Jackson, Russell E Steele, Grzegorz Loj, Zachary B Powell

C-Day Computing Showcase

This project streamline and improve the efficiency of the whole accounting process, by using current best practices for user interaction engineering and current design practices. Our software should be able to provide secure, user-friendly, and accessible financial management solutions anywhere and everywhere through various devices including desktop and mobile. Allowing users to manage their accounts whenever it seems necessary while still maintaining a high level of security. The project is inspired by the various complexity and problems regarding the accounting process in the real world such as financial reporting, miscalculations, and data security; by streamlining this process and making it …

Accessing U.S. Census Bureau Data And Insights From The Release Of The American Community Survey, Josie Gatti Schafer

CPAR Presents: A Data and Research Series for Community Impact

In this timely session you will learn how to access the most recent data resources available from the U.S. Census Bureau and learn about the most recent trends in Nebraska.

The Individual, Collective, And Cyclical Transformational Learning Created By Food Tourism Education, Ziene Mottiar, Mairtin Macconiomaire

European Journal of Food Drink and Society

Research on food tourism education is rare, despite a significant growth in food tourism literature in recent decades. A food tourism module was developed for a new MA Gastronomy and Food Studies at the Technological University Dublin, Ireland in 2017. This article, written by the two module creators and lecturers, analyses reflections of two cohorts of mature post-graduate students (n.14). We explore the transformational role (if any) that this module had. Then, using purposive sampling, employ semi-structured interviews with five graduates who had a collective transformational learning experience – setting up the food tourism network Wicklow Naturally – to explore …

Teen Programming On Virginia Public Library Websites, Melissa Howley, Mlis

SLIS Connecting

communities they serve. As such, teen programs offer an assorted range of experiences tailored to the interests and needs of the local teen population. The state of Virginia, with a diverse geographical landscape, presents a unique case study from which teen programming can be examined. This study examined teen programming in public libraries across six different public library regions, as recognized by the Virginia Library Association (VLA) (The Library of Virginia [LVA], n.d.). Exploring these regional variations revealed valuable insights into how public libraries effectively adapt teen services as well as how these services can be enhanced to empower teens …

How To Design An Effective Mooc To Promote Media Literacy: A Study Based On The Educational Design Research Approach, Lílian Tropiano, Pedro Reis

Journal of Media Literacy Education

The research aims to establish a conceptual framework to design a MOOC to promote media literacy in the context of information disorder. Information disorder is a phenomenon that mainly occurs from the large flow of false or incorrect content posted on the internet. Promoting media literacy is a way of helping citizens to face the challenges of disinformation processes. The educational design research involves the development of a MOOC prototype based on the literature review and improvement through successive iterations with groups of experts and MOOC participants. The first stage of investigation is the literature review for the development of …

Little Ship, Big Screen: Animating The Battle Of The Atlantic At The Canadian War Museum, Jeff Noakes, Marie-Louise Deruaz

Canadian Military History

The Canadian War Museum developed a large-screen immersive computer-animated video experience for visitors to the Second World War gallery. It is a dramatisation of a Canadian corvette’s nighttime encounter with a German U-boat in the North Atlantic, told from the perspective of the corvette’s crew while escorting a convoy. This article examines and discusses the process of developing the upgrade, including decisions about subject matter and approach, and design and accessibility. The role of archival and historical research in defining these objectives is detailed, together with a behind-the-scenes look at the development and installation of the final product.

Le Musée …

Telling The Stories Of Airwomen In The ‘Forgotten Decade’: 1952-62, Rebecca Hartley, Allan English

Canadian Military History

The Royal Canadian Air Force’s centennial represents a time for reflection. While thousands of young women served in the RCAF during the 1950s, many of their stories have since been overlooked or forgotten. Joining the air force meant access to international travel, new social connections, and valuable vocational training — all of which were relatively unattainable for many women at this time. By studying the photographs, memoirs and collected paraphernalia of Leading Aircraftwoman Ruth Doreen Wright (née Tower), this paper reconstructs an airwoman’s typical RCAF career and her perceived value of her RCAF experience on the rest of her life.

A Computational Framework To Optimize Piezoelectric Power Harvesting From A Uav Wing, Hassan Koko, Gihad Ibrahim

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

This paper proposes a computational framework to optimize the ambient power harvesting from an unmanned air vehicle wing by means of piezoelectricity. First, the wing shape and material are selected based on specific design factors. The wing is then subjected to a vibrational analysis in order to predict the first torsional frequency required to calculate an optimum charging speed. The harvester module is then selected so that the vibration frequency of the charging speed fails within the resonance frequency of the harvester. A finite element modeling is conducted to predict the harvester output voltage during the chagrining speed. Finally, a …

User Interface For Efficient Control Of Autonomous Agent Tasks, Diego Rivas, D Shin

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes techniques to manage tasks that are executed by software agents in graphical environments such as extended reality environments displayed via an extended reality headset and/or other graphical user interface. Per the techniques, tasks may be performed by the user or an agent. A visual indication is provided for a task that indicates whether the task is controlled and performed by the user or by an agent. Panels are displayed in the graphical environment that indicate the task being performed, inputs and/or outputs related to the tasks, and progress in the task. A task performed by an agent …

Automatic Generation Of Search Dimensions For Query Refinement, Manasa Babu, Sanika Barve, Ramprasad Sedouram

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes techniques to seamlessly refine and update search queries, resulting in an enhanced user experience and convenience. Per the techniques, in addition to traditional textual refining of queries, users can fine-tune the output results for specific requirements pertaining to information size, personalization, multi-device display of search results, etc. A user can adjust the granularity of the search results, from a gist to in-depth or personalized knowledge, by simple gestures such as tilting the device towards or away from themselves. Information size in the search results can be automatically adjusted to suit the present display size. Search results can …