Digital Commons Network^™

Balancing Robustness And Practicality In Model Compression, Personalization, And Healthcare Interventions, Sawinder Kaur

Dissertations - ALL

Advances in machine learning have enabled significant progress in generating robust solutions. However, designing solutions that balance robustness while meeting the practical constraints of diverse applications, such as limited resources and data, remains a challenge. We explored three key aspects of this interplay: verified robust compressed neural networks, context-wise robust personalization, and reliable counterfactual interventions for healthcare. First, we introduce VeriCompress, a novel framework to streamline the synthesis of compressed neural networks with formal guarantees of adversarial robustness. This enables the deployment of reliable and efficient models in resource-constrained environments, such as smartphones. Second, we developed CRoP (Context-wise Robust Static …

On Detecting Change-Points Of A Segmented Logistic Regression Model, Jingwen Li

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation investigates the problem of change-point detection in segmented logistic regression models, where the total number of change-points is unknown. We consider both unconstrained models, which allow discontinuities at change-points, and constrained models, which impose continuity across change-points. The central challenge is to determine the number of change-points and to accurately estimate their locations, while ensuring valid statistical inference for the associated regression coefficients. We begin by introducing a set of regularity assumptions that underlie the theoretical analysis throughout this work. For a given number of change-points, we present algorithms to estimate their locations and obtain the maximum likelihood …

Green Ai-Enhanced Deep Learning Model For Breast Cancer Detection And Classification In Mammography Images: Bc-Net-512, Nesma Abd El-Mawla, Mohamed A. Berbar, Nawal A. El-Fishawy, Mohamed A. El-Rashidy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

This study champions a sustainable approach for developing a Deep Learning (DL) model for medical image analysis, specifically focusing on breast cancer (BC) detection in mammograms. By prioritizing low-computing algorithms to achieve high diagnostic accuracy while minimizing the model's environmental footprint, that aligns with the principles of Green AI. In this paper, an innovative architecture called BC-Net-512 was constructed for the classification of BC mammography. It is composed of lightweight Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) blocks for texture, density, and structure feature extraction and detection, a thin, fully connected layer for learning complex patterns and correlations in the extracted features, and …

Variety Of Study Methods In Ophthalmology Residency, Muhammad Rizqy Abdullah, Evelyn Komaratih

Folia Medica Indonesiana

Effective study methods are critical in ophthalmology residency, which must balance cognitive learning with surgical skill development. This systematic review examined non-surgical cognitive strategies and surgical training techniques to inform curriculum design and enhance resident performance. A structured literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus (2016–2025) using keywords (“study method” OR “effective study” OR “learning strategy” OR “educational intervention” OR “training approach”) AND (“ophthalmology residency” OR “resident education”). After screening and applying eligibility criteria, 17 studies were included. Methods were categorized as non-surgical (n = 5) and surgical learning (n = 12). This review revealed that non-surgical strategies, including …

How Narrative Storytelling On Social Media Develops Relationships Between Authors And Readers, Madelyn Woodson

Theses - ALL

With the rise of social media being used to sell products and connect communities, it is important to understand how creators are developing relationships with viewers. A specific community where this is evident is BookTok, where readers and authors can connect over shared interests. Understanding how, in this case, relationships are built between readers and authors can be broken down by looking at elements of trust, satisfaction, and commitment which stem from the Organization Public Relationship (OPR) theory developed by Hon and Grunig (1999). Research has shown that personalization and storytelling when creating content and communicating with publics develops a …

Dysconscious Ableism In The Public Library Advancing Disabled Patron And Staff Experiences Toward More Inclusive Programs And Services, William N. Myhill

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation investigates the operation of dysconscious ableism in public librarianship and its impact on disabled patrons and staff. Drawing on critical disability studies, critical theory, and ethnographic methods, the study explores how public library policies, practices, and professional beliefs perpetuate ableist norms and marginalize disabled individuals. The research is grounded in three central questions: (1) How does dysconscious ableism operate in public librarianship? (2) What are the lived experiences of disabled patrons and staff in public library spaces? (3) What strategies can disrupt dysconscious ableism and promote a more inclusive, anti-ableist praxis? Data were collected through interviews with librarians …

Do Digital Transformation And Macroeconomic Stability Matter For The Asean's Economic Growth?, Sri Andaiyani, Abdul Bashir, Ichsan Hamidi

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This work assesses the association between digital transformation, macroeconomic stability, and economic growth. We employ yearly data from 2010 to 2021 in ASEAN countries. The findings show digital transformation and macroeconomic stability can increase in GDP in the long term. Digital transformation contributes favorably and substantially, while macroeconomic stability negatively and significantly affects economic growth in the short-term. The study reveals causal link between digital transformation and macroeconomic stability, causality from digital transformation to economic growth, and economic growth to macroeconomic stability. This implies that digital transformation is the engine of growth.

Video Education On The Knowledge Of Cosmetics And Skin Care Contact Dermatitis: A Cross-Sectional Study, Muhammad Rizkinanda Prasetyo, Damayanti Damayanti, Lilik Herawati, Sylvia Anggraeni

Journal of General - Procedural Dermatology and Venereology Indonesia

Background: Contact dermatitis is an immunologic reaction to irritants, allergens, and is commonly associated with cosmetics and skin-care products. Limited knowledge of this condition increases the risk of improper product use and delays preventive measures. Therefore, education plays a crucial role in fostering a comprehensive understanding of its etiology and prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a video-based educational intervention in enhancing women’s knowledge regarding contact dermatitis related to cosmetics and skin-care products.

Methods: This cross-sectional study collected primary data from 100 female academics aged 17–45 at Airlangga University, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. Knowledge of contact dermatitis …

Learning Engagement In Primary Education: Development And Validation Of A Contextualized Scale For Indonesian Elementary School Students, Meidias Abror Wicaksono, Edy Purwanto, Tri Joko Raharjo, Diani Akmalia Apsari, Bambang Subali, Nuni Widiarti

Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling

This study aims to develop and examine the validity and reliability of a contextual learning engagement scale for elementary school students. The scale was develop based on the learning motivation and behavior theory by Schunk, Pintrich, and Meece, and interest dimensions from Ainley. A quantitative approach using instrument development design was employed. Data analysis was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate the construct structure. A total of 330 students from grades 4, 5 and 6 were selected through cluster random sampling. The results revealed that the scale consists of four dimensions: learning enthusiasm, learning persistence, learning autonomy, and …

Relational Knowledge Restructuring: Explored Though Experimental And Bayesian Computational Methods, Ashley Nicole Douglass

Dissertations - ALL

Are people rational Bayesian learners that produce a final posterior belief that is a compromise of their prior and the amount of new data? If they are then can one create a model that can predict their final belief given an estimate of their prior belief and the new data? This study aims to explore this. The participants were presented with two relational structures, the initial and the alternative which contradicted each other to a certain degree. In condition 1 the alternative structure was similar to the initial and in condition 2 the structure had the same number of contradictions …

Adaptive Generation In Evolutionary Robotics: From Adversarial Objects To Guided Optimization, Unknown Akshay

Dissertations - ALL

Evolution-inspired algorithms have proven effective for complex optimization problems butsuffer from computational inefficiency due to their reliance on random variation operators. This is problematic in domains where fitness evaluation depends on expensive procedures such as training a neural network or running a robot, either in simulation or on hardware. This dissertation presents novel approaches for evolutionary robotics that replace stochastic evolutionary operations with learned, adaptive strategies using reinforcement learning (RL), significantly improving search efficiency while maintaining population diversity.The first contribution is a voxel-based evolutionary framework for generating adversarial objects that challenge robotic grasping systems. By evolving objects with controlled similarity …

Cultural Mistrust Framework Of Mental Help-Seeking And Internalized Model Minority Myth, Jin Zhao

Dissertations - ALL

Objective: Cultural mistrust can serve as an intermediary variable indirectly facilitating the association between racial microaggressions and unfavorable mental help-seeking attitudes. This study sought to broaden the cultural mistrust framework’s applicability to Asian and Asian American college students by (1) replicating the framework using a national multi-campus sample and (2) integrating internalized model minority myth (i.e., unrestricted mobility and achievement orientation) via a conditional process approach. Methods: This study used cross-sectional data from a national sample of Asian and Asian American college students (N = 180, Mage = 21.47 [SD=1.84]). Path models estimated indirect and direct associations, as well as …

Computationally Efficient Methods For Calculation Of Light-Matter Interaction In Large Semiconductor Quantum Dots, Chandler Martin

Dissertations - ALL

Quantum dots are a class of materials in the nanometer scale that have unique optical and electronic properties due to the quantum confinement effect. Traditional electronic structure computational techniques used for calculating these properties fall to scalability issues as the size of the quantum dot increases, or introduce significant errors into the final result. This makes using computational methods to predict new materials, or verify properties of existing materials, challenging to use for experimental applications of quantum dots. This gap between experiment and computation is due to large basis sets, expensive integrals, and storage and manipulation of tensors that grow …

Studying The Surface Morphology Of The Precipitate Formed Of Cobalt (Ii) Ion And Copper (Ii) Ion By Using Continuous Flow Injection Analysis/ Nag-4sx3-3d Analyzer-Atomic Force Microscopy, Nagham Shakir Turkey, Bakr Sadiq Mohammed, Issam Mohammad Shakir

Baghdad Science Journal

This work aims to use the home-made NAG-4(sources)x3 with three solar cells (NAG-4SX3-3D analyzer), together with AFM and CFIA, in which the morphology of the surface of the Co²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions precipitates have been determined by determine the roughness parameters and obtain a sufficient amount of weight (Maronite precipitate of Cu(II) ion and bright green precipitate of Co(II) ion) for the AFM sample via the reaction of both ions with Ca₂[Fe(CN)₆] as a precipitating agent. The ability of the suggested method to calculate the quantity of nanoparticles that can fill the vacant surface …

Comparison Of Xrf And Icp-Oes Methods To Determine Trace Element Concentrations Of Kidney Stones In Iraqi Patients, Farah Khalid Denyeif, Saadiyah Ahmed Dhahir

Baghdad Science Journal

Understanding the nature and composition of stone formation as well as developing treatment strategies that prevent stones from forming in kidneys are dependent on researching the chemical makeup of kidney stones. Therefore, 11 samples of kidney stones were collected and digested, and the concentration of metal ions such as (Ag, Al, Cu, Mn, Ni, Ti, Zn, Ca, Na, K and Mg) was measured using the Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy method and X-ray Fluorescence. it was found that Ca is the highest concentration and most abundant in all samples in both methods, followed by Na, Mg and Ni. …

Organic And Inorganic Carbon Drives Zooplankton Composition In Tigris River Within Baghdad, Mohammed Hamdan, Batool Kadhim

Baghdad Science Journal

Increasing availability of organic and inorganic carbon in aquatic ecosystems became a common phenomenon that was influenced by manmade activities and ongoing climate change, which could influence zooplankton communities. Zooplankton composition in Tigris River under the effects of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon inputs (DOC and CO₂) has not been studied yet. Hence, we studied those impacts by taking three locations that were distributed in Tigris River within Baghdad City. Eighty-four taxa of zooplankton have been recognized during the study. These taxa were divided into three main groups that are: Rotifera forms 69.04% and Cladocera forms 16.66%, while …

Impact Of Dividend Policy On Share Price Volatility: Evidence From Sri Lanka, Maleesha Piumini Panangala, Neluka Devpura, Ravindra Lokupitiya

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This paper investigates how dividend policy affects share price volatility among companies on the Colombo Stock Exchange from 2012 to 2020, including the COVID-19 period. Using a fixed effects model that explains 70% variability, we find both dividend per share and payout ratio significantly reduce share price volatility. Results remain robust even after excluding 2020 data. We identify several policy implications including how our results are useful for policy makers in understanding financial market instability and how investors can factor information in forecasting market prices.

The Impact Of Increasing News Intensity And Number Of Investors On The Relationship Between News Sentiment And Price Movement In The Developing Country: Indonesian Evidence, Zaäfri Ananto Husodo, Muhamad Nagib Alatas

Bulletin of Monetary Economics and Banking

This study examines how news intensity and investor numbers affect the link between news sentiment and equity price movements in Indonesia, using the LQ45 Index. Applying methods such as correlation analysis, CAPM, VAR, Granger causality tests, and rolling correlations, we find that higher news intensity and investor participation strengthen the connection between news sentiment and stock returns while also increasing volatility. The findings suggest that incorporating news sentiment analysis can improve market stability and investment decisions in developing economies.

Phospholipid Scramblase 1 (Plscr1) Regulates Interferon-Lambda Receptor 1 (Ifn-Λr1) And Ifn-Λ Signaling In Influenza A Virus (Iav) Infection, Alina Xiaoyu Yang, Lisa Ramos-Rodriguez, Parand Sorkhdini, Dongqin Yang, Carmelissa Norbrun, Sonoor Majid, Sanghyun Lee, Yong Zhang, Michael Holtzman, David F Boyd, Yang Zhou

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Phospholipid scramblase 1 (PLSCR1) is an interferon-stimulated gene (ISG) that has several known anti-influenza functions. However, the mechanisms in relation to its expression compartment and enzymatic activity have not been completely explored. Moreover, only limited animal models have been studied to delineate its role at the tissue level in influenza infections. Our results showed that influenza A virus (IAV)-infected

Aquifer Distribution In Lukobe Ward, Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania: Mapped Resources For Sustainable Water Access, Kelvin K. Kayuni

Tanzania Journal of Science

In response to the ongoing challenges posed by the scarcity of reliable fresh-water sources in Lukobe Ward, Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania, this study applied an integrated approach that combines geospatial and geophysical datasets to identify previously undocumented aquifers. The datasets utilized include an apparent density map generated from high-resolution GGMPlus satellite gravity data, a geological map (Quarter Degree Sheet 183), a water drainage map, and a slope map created from a digital elevation model (DEM). The analysis successfully identified four unconfined, saprolitic aquifers in the study area, designated as aquifers A, B, C, and D. These aquifers span areas of 12.2 …

Synergistic Use Of Sentinel-1 And Sentinel-2 Data For Mapping Of Degradation In Coastal Forests And Miombo Woodlands Of Tanzania, Daria C. Kimaro

Tanzania Journal of Science

Forest degradation is one of the leading sources of carbon emission globally. In Africa, particularly in Tanzania, forest degradation is driven by selective logging and forest fires. Monitoring degradation over large areas is very challenging due to the lack of accurate and reliable methods. This study assessed degradation in miombo woodlands and coastal forests using a synergy of remotely sensed data acquired from sentinel-1 and sentinel-2 achieved by integrating their complementary strength where sentinel-1 enhanced detection of structural changes and sentinel-2 provided spectral insight into vegetation. The 3I3D, unsupervised algorithm analysing trends for three vegetation indices (3I) in a three-dimensional …

Performance Comparison Of Kriging Models Used For Estimation Of Rainfall Variability In The Northern Coast Of Tanzania, Salma Suleiman, Clement Mromba

Tanzania Journal of Science

Accurate rainfall estimation underpins effective disaster preparedness and sustainable socioeconomic planning. The performance of Ordinary Kriging (OK), Universal Kriging (UK), and Simple Kriging (SK) in estimation of rainfall variability were assessed across eight stations in the northern coast of Tanzania for the period from 1960 to 2020. Using ArcGIS 10.3, each method was evaluated and cross-validated using six performance metrics, namely; Mean Error (ME), Mean Square Error (MSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Root Mean Standardized Square Error (RMSSE), Average Standardized Error (ASE), and the Coefficient of Determination (R²). Performance comparison results indicate OK to have achieved the lowest bias, …

Rapid Post-Castration Decline In Serum Canine Prostatic Specific Esterase (Cpse) And Prostatic Volume In Dogs With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, Panthipa Borikappakul, Junpen Suwimonteerabutr, Suppawiwat Ponglowhapan

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The objectives of this study were to quantify temporal changes in prostatic volume and serum CPSE concentrations in dogs with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (n = 6) following surgical castration, and to evaluate the potential of CPSE as a biomarker for monitoring prostatic regression. Prostatic volume was determined by transabdominal ultrasonography, and serum CPSE concentrations were measured at baseline (Week 0) and at Weeks 1, 2, and 4 postcastration. The mean (±SE) prostatic volume before castration was 11.4 ± 1.9 cm3 and decreased significantly to 6.3±1.1 cm3 by Week 1 (P < 0.001), representing a reduction to approximately 56% of the baseline value. Smaller progressive declines were observed at subsequent time points up to Week 4 (P > 0.05). In parallel, serum CPSE concentrations dropped …

A Self-Reflective Destruction Of Humankind: A Christian Eco-Theological Reading Of W. B. Yeats’S “Second Coming”, Kehan Yang

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas

This essay proposes an innovative reading of W. B. Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming” through a lens of Christian Eco-theology as explained by Fr. Seán McDonagh in Pluriverse: A Post-Development Dictionary. It demonstrates how literature may efficiently bring topics of environmental protection, anti-war ideology, and theological allusion into integrity.

Julian Marshall Interview, Julian Marshall, Morris (Mo) Cohen

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

This conversational inquiry explores the ontology of creativity through an extended dialogue between two educators at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. Moving beyond conventional pedagogical frameworks, the conversation grapples with fundamental questions: What is the relationship between technique and creative emergence? How does the teacher create conditions for creativity without systematizing or conceptualizing the creative process itself? What role do trust, validation, and vulnerability play in opening students to their own creative potential? Drawing on diverse philosophical and spiritual traditions--from Heidegger’s ontological inquiry to Buddhist concepts of not-knowing, from Grotowski’s via negativa to the Kabbalistic notion of tzimtzum--Julian Marshall …

Lessons In Object Impermanence, Cindy M. Sabik

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

This hybrid piece begins as a lyric essay written around Emily Dickinson’s meditation on snow and becomes an elegy to winter. Footnotes frame the recollection/lament, toggling between the history that led us to climate catastrophe, cultural commentary, memory, and reflection on the felt experience of the author.

“The Being Of Being Creative” In Assessment: Learning From The Creative And Performing Arts, Eliana Elkhoury

Turning Toward Being: The Journal of Ontological Inquiry in Education

Assessment design shapes not only what students learn, but who they become as learners. In the era of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), where information is abundant and recall is easily outsourced, higher education assessment must move beyond memorization and toward authentic tasks that cultivate deeper learning and ontological growth. This conceptual, reflective paper argues that assessment should be grounded in students’ mode of being, rather than restricted to knowing, having, or doing. Drawing on Barnett’s ontology of higher education, Biesta’s subjectification, and Su’s epistemological distinctions, this paper positions assessment as a formative site where agency, ownership, identity, and self-understanding can …

Lipid Biomarkers Predict Pneumonia Risk In Children With Influenza-Mycoplasma Co-Infections: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Kai-Jing Zhang, Xin-Feng Zhao, Xiao-Juan Lv, Xiao-Hui Huang, Jing Huang, Yan-Yan Zhu

Journal of Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Objective: This study evaluates the prognostic value of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels for pneumonia risk in children co-infected with influenza and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 248 children with influenza-MP co-infection (January 1, 2020–October 30, 2024). Participants were grouped into pneumonia (P, n=195) and non-pneumonia (NP, n=53) based on chest imaging. Statistical comparisons of clinical parameters (WBC, lymphocytes, CRP, lipids) utilized Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. Variables with P<0.1 were included in logistic binary regression to identify independent risk factors. ROC analysis assessed diagnostic performance. Results: Significant differences were observed in lymphocytes (L), CRP, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C levels between pneumonia and non-pneumonia groups (P < 0.05). CRP, HDL-C, and LDL-C were identified as independent risk factors for determining whether influenza-MP co-infections were complicated by pneumonia. CRP and LDL-C levels were risk factors associated with pneumonia risk (OR > 1), whereas HDL-C levels showed a strong protective factor association (OR < 1). The ROC curve analysis showed that the combined area under the curve (AUC) for HDL-C + LDL-C (0.878) was significantly higher than the AUCs for CRP + HDL-C (0.809), CRP + LDL-C (0.753), HDL-C (0.807), LDL-C (0.737), and CRP (0.601). The clinical DCA shows that HDL-C + LDL-C has a higher diagnostic value than CRP + HDL-C, CRP + LDL-C, HDL-C, LDL-C, or CRP alone. Conclusion: HDL-C and LDL-C levels independently predict pneumonia progression in influenza-MP co-infected children, with dual-marker assessment enhancing diagnostic accuracy.

Geographic And Sociodemographic Disparities In Early Hearing Detection And Intervention Adherence, Amanda Pavan, Anton Kvit, Michael Van Skiba, Analise Ristic, Kirsten R. Coverstone

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

Early identification and intervention are crucial to minimizing impacts of congenital hearing loss. Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs recommend newborn hearing screening before one month of age and a diagnostic audiologic evaluation before three months for infants who do not pass the screening. However, not all infants meet these benchmarks, as geographic and sociodemographic factors may influence adherence.

Addresses of primary contacts and audiology clinics were geocoded to calculate drive times to the nearest clinic in 10-minute intervals for infants born in Minnesota between 2019 and 2021. Birth location, NICU admittance, and sociodemographic characteristics were also analyzed. Random …

Factors Affecting Timely Intervention For Children Who Are Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing: Perceptions Of Texas Early Intervention Providers, Julianna C. Wanek, Sandy K. Bowen

Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions and experiences of early childhood intervention (ECI) professionals concerning timely intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in Texas. The data for this study was collected through semi-structured, qualitative interviews of 10 ECI practitioners in Texas. Interview data analysis followed the six-phase framework of Thematic Analysis. The data collected identified three major themes: (a) roles and responsibilities, (b) family attributes and experiences, and (c) “deaf” is different. Overall, the findings reveal that the referral and service process for infants and toddlers who are DHH in Texas …