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Experimental And Finite Element Analysis On Seismic Performance Of Composite Shear Walls With Embedded Cold-Formed C-Shape Steel Section, Mohamed F. Abd El-Wahed, Sameh Moustafa Gaawan, Mohamed M. Yehia

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

The composite shear wall with embedded cold formed steel-braces (ECFSB) is a revolutionary pattern of composite wall. It involves of a cold formed steel (CFS) braced frame that is fully immersed within reinforced concrete. The purpose of this configuration is to develop the lateral resilience of the shear wall. The CF steel columns, which are embedded the walls, boost the wall's capability to augment bending forces. Additionally, the steel braces, which are enclosed within the web, enhance the wall's efficiency to resist shear forces. This study investigates the cyclic shear behaviour of compact embedded cold formed steel (ECFS) walls by …

Finite Element Modeling For Two-Dimensional Wireless Capsule Endoscope Manipulation System, Wael S. Abbas, Mohamed T. El-Wakad, R.R. Darwish

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

The inadequacies of traditional flexible endoscopes used in gastrointestinal diagnostic procedures, causing pain and discomfort to patients, led to the development of the wireless capsule endoscope. There are two types of wireless capsule endoscopes: passive and active. The passive wireless capsule endoscope cannot stop at a specific position for diagnostic purposes, which can lead to capsule retention. The active capsule can solve those problems. In this article, we use COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate a two-dimensional (2D) electromagnetic actuation (EMA) system for active wireless capsule endoscope. The EMA system uses a stationary two-pair coil system (Helmholtz and Maxwell). The capsule endoscope …

Synthesis And Characterization Of A High Entropy Alloy By Powder Metallurgy Technique, Aya Fawzy, Mohamed Bhlol, Osama Dawood, Ayman Elsayed

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

Synthesis of CuCoFeNiW alloy has been realized by powder metallurgy. Mechanical alloying was used to prepare a high-entropy alloy consisting of Cu, Co, Fe, Ni with and without 10 wt.% W particles. The mixed samples were compacted by a uniaxial press under pressures ranging from 340 to 840 MPa. Green samples were sintered in a vacuum sintering furnace from 1150 and 1300 C. The results have shown that the proposed synthesis route could be used to obtain the alloy with proper transformation and metallurgical properties. Hot forging has effectively increased the hardness of the alloy at all preparation conditions.

Irisin And Bdnf Mediate Exercise And Melatonin Effects In Animal Model Of Experimental Hypothyroid Depression., Hanan Essam Mohamed, Mf El-Bab, Noha O. Shawky, Nermien E. Waly

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

Background Depression affects about 60% of people with hypothyroidism. Exercise and melatonin are thought to have beneficial effects in hypothyroid depression. Irisin and brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) participate significantly in hypothyroid depression in rats and both are decreased in hypothyroid depression. Objectives To investigate the potential roles of melatonin and exercise in hypothyroid depression. Methodology Fifty-six male albino rats were divided into eight groups (n=7/group) as follows: Control (C), Hypothyroidism (Hypo), Hypothyroidism and Melatonin 10 mg/kg/day (Mel), treated hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine 20 μg/kg/day and Melatonin (Mel&Levo), Hypothyroidism and Exercise (30-minute swimming protocol, 5 days/week) (Ex), treated hypothyroidism and exercise (Ex&Levo), …

Evaluation Of Electrical And Piezoresistive Properties Of Carbon Black/Polyurethane Nanocomposite For Strain Sensing Applications, Nihal A. Youssef, Tamer Z. Wafy, O.R Abdelsalam, Nariman E. Elbaly, O.M. Dawood

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

Nanocomposite sensors are gaining importance due to their cost-effectiveness and the ability to modify their properties for various applications. This study investigates the electrical and piezoresistive properties of polyurethane (PU)/carbon black (CB) nanocomposites for strain-sensing applications. Nanocomposite films were prepared by mixing varying weight percentages of CB (3-6 wt %) using a direct method, followed by sonication and screen printing. The characterization of carbon black (CB) particles and nanocomposite microstructure were examined using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), while their thermal stability and degradation behavior were assessed by Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) under different temperature conditions. The …

To Explore Potential Targets And Their Natural Inhibitors To Combat Diabetes, Rishita Dey, Sisir Nandi, Asmita Samadder

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that affects millions of people around the globe. Prolonged hyperglycemia, abnormal metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, oxidative damage, and a high incidence of microvascular diseases are the common hallmarks of diabetes and its complications. This condition has been shown to hasten the onset of several other disorders, including peripheral neuropathy, nephropathy, and cardiomyopathy, pulmonary arterial disease, and coronary artery disease, thereby necessitating exploration of different avenues of medicinal regimen to address / delineate the complications. The subject matter for this review has been gathered from a range of research publications, review papers, and book …

Thermal Performance Of A Vapor Compression Refrigeration Cycle Utilizing A Heat Pipe As A Heat Exchanger, Wael I. A. Aly, Islam S. Hassan, Mo’Men I. Radwan

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

The present study experimentally investigates the performance of a vapor compression refrigeration cycle (VCRC) integrated with a heat pipe functioning as a heat exchanger. The heat pipe was developed to enhance heat transfer between the suction and liquid lines of the VCRC. The integration of the heat pipe heat exchanger (HPHE) aims to decrease the compressor duty cycle, which consequently enhances system longevity and reduces energy consumption. The effects of different working fluids and filling ratios in the HPHE on the system performance were examined. Specifically, the impact of these parameters on the refrigeration effect (RE), and overall coefficient of …

Genetic Mutations Affecting Dentin Formation: Molecular Insights And Therapeutic Strategies, Mohamed Yehia Abdelfattah, Yara Sameh Said, Shimaa A. Elsaady, Shahenda A. Abdallahahmed, Wael Abou-Zeid

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

Writing a comprehensive review on gene mutations affecting dentin mineralization requires thorough research and organization, as each section examines how specific mutations influence this process, supported by relevant findings. Mutations in genes such as DSPP, DMP1, andMEPE impair dentin structure and mineralization by disrupting odontoblast function, dentin matrix integrity, and mineral deposition. These genetic alterations interfere with key biological processes, including odontoblast differentiation and matrix formation, through altered signaling pathways such as Wnt/β- catenin and TGF-β, contributing to dental disorders like Dentinogenesis Imperfecta (DI). Gaining molecular insights into these disruptions enhances our understanding of dentin biology and supports early diagnosis, …

Field-Validated Load Modelling And Prediction-Driven Bess Sizing For Oil Drilling Microgrids, Omar H. Abdalla, Alaa A. Afifi, Amr Kassem, Ismail M. Mosaed

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

Diesel-based microgrids serving oil drilling operations are subject to sharp and unpredictable load fluctuations that lead to generator underloading, elevating specific fuel consumption (SFC), and reducing system reliability. Conventional battery energy storage system (BESS) sizing methods typically depend on long-term field measurements and static load assumptions, which fail to capture the real transient nature of drilling processes. This paper develops a framework for BESS sizing that directly integrates a measurement-based machine learning (ML) load prediction model. The adopted model, built using the exponential Gaussian process regression (GPR) technique, has been trained and validated on six months of high-resolution field measurements …

Biomedical Applications Of Reactive Oxygen Species From Catechol Oxidation, Zhongtian Zhang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Catechol, a key functional moiety found in mussel adhesive proteins, undergoes oxidation to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can be leveraged for biomedical and environmental applications. By modifying catechol-based polymers, ROS generation can be controlled and applied toward organic compound degradation, antimicrobial treatments, and polymer crosslinking. This dissertation focuses on the design and application of catechol-based materials that leverage ROS generation for biomedical and environmental applications.

Triboelectrostatic Separation Of Lunar Regolith, Hannah Peterson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lunar regolith as a source of raw materials for a long-term human presence on the moon would need to be separated into single mineral fractions. To do this, triboelectric properties can be utilized to separate minerals without needing to add a working fluid, such as air and water, or expensive, consumable chemicals. A lightweight machine can be created to do this, one that also requires minimal electricity. A series of three prototypes for this machine were created and tested to determine if this concept would work, and what properties the machine would need. A mixture of magnetite and silica were …

Multiscale Computational Chemistry Studies Of The Catalytic Mechanisms Of Non-Heme Fe(Ii)/2-Oxoglutarate-Dependent Oxygenases, Simahudeen Bathir Jaber Sathik Rifayee

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Enzymes catalyze complex biological transformations. Non-heme Fe(II)/2-oxoglutarate (2OG)–dependent enzymes are highly versatile catalysts capable of selective C–H oxidation, enabling transformations such as hydroxylation, halogenation, desaturation, demethylation, ring rearrangements, epoxidation, and electrophilic aromatic substitution. These enzymes are involved in various biological processes, including fatty acid metabolism, hypoxic signaling, collagen maturation, and transcriptional regulation. Computational Modeling provides detailed knowledge of the enzymes including atomistic details of the important catalytic species, conformational and electronic effects, which are crucial to enzyme engineering and drug design efforts. This dissertation implements advanced multi-scale molecular modelling techniques including Molecular dynamics and Quantum Mechanic / Molecular Mechanics calculations …

Improving The Figure Of Merit In Iron-Vanadium-Aluminium Thermoelectric Alloy System Guided By Computational Modeling, Tao Fang

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Thermoelectric materials can convert a thermal gradient to electricity. Currently, commercialized Bi₂Te₃ is brittle and expensive, which restricts the usage of this material. Compared to other thermoelectric materials, Fe₂VAl is cost-effective, stable and more robust mechanically. However, the figure of merit (zT) had been much lower than Bi₂Te₃. In this thesis, our main goal is to improve the figure of merit in Fe₂VAl system guided by computational modeling. We will start the discussion by presenting the Ge doped Fe₂VAl sample with record thermoelectric figure of merit value. …

Old, Flat, And Slow: Interior Greenland Snow And Ice Dynamics Revealed With Gnss, Derek James Pickell

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

The interior dry snow zone region of the Greenland Ice Sheet can no longer be confidently considered a reliably melt-free region, yet our ability to investigate and quantify the dynamic nature of this landscape is hindered by its remoteness. To overcome this challenge, this work describes a novel, low-cost, low-power GNSS (positioning) instrument that enables simultaneous measurements of (1) ice accumulation/ablation changes and (2) 3D ice flow. Deployed in a dense array, these GNSS instruments achieve similar performance to scientific-grade, commercial options (cm- to mm- precision), yet operate at < 60% of the power and < 34% of the hardware cost. Over a three year campaign, we analyze spatial and temporal patterns of accumulation in this region, using a technique called GNSS interferometric reflectometry (GNSS-IR). Observations with this technique show low bias and high precision relative to a validation study (-2.1 ± 2.9 cm), while we also demonstrate for the first time how GNSS-IR can reveal cm- to m- scale surface roughness, a critical yet often neglected measurement due to longstanding observational challenges. Patterns of accumulation show a spatial dependence linked to surface slope (~+0.7 mm w.e. km^-1 westward away from the divide) while surface roughness has a temporal dependence likely driven by wintertime high winds. Next, we combine GNSS-IR surface heights with the geodetic position time series of the antenna to derive surface elevation changes, which are compared to coincident ICESat-2 laser altimetry elevations. Observations of the surface show a millimeter-level relative bias and cm-level precision (-0.9 ± 3.8 cm) compared with the satellite altimeter, demonstrating for the first time that this technique is a viable ground-truthing method, while ICESat-2 performance has continued to exceed mission performance requirements. Finally, we examine station positioning through time to show a sensitivity to dynamic ice thinning and firn densification, two parameters than cannot be finely observed with space-based methods in this region. Together, these results provide the first ground‑based, high‑resolution picture of interior ice‑sheet change—capturing accumulation, roughness, surface elevation, and strain in one unified dataset. Our approach dramatically lowers logistical barriers, opening the interior of Greenland (and other remote regions) to sustained, quantitative monitoring at unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution.

Transformer Models For Paraphrase Detection: A Comprehensive Semantic Similarity Study, Dianeliz Ortiz Martes, Evan Gunderson, Caitlin Neuman, Nezamoddin N. Kachouie

Mathematics and System Engineering Faculty Publications

Semantic similarity, the task of determining whether two sentences convey the same meaning, is central to applications such as paraphrase detection, semantic search, and question answering. Despite the widespread adoption of transformer-based models for this task, their performance is influenced by both the choice of similarity measure and BERT (bert-base-nli-mean-tokens), RoBERTa (all-roberta-large-v1), and MPNet (all-mpnet-base-v2) on the Microsoft Research Paraphrase Corpus (MRPC). Sentence embeddings were compared using cosine similarity, dot product, Manhattan distance, and Euclidean distance, with thresholds optimized for accuracy, balanced accuracy, and F1-score. Results indicate a consistent advantage for MPNet, which achieved the highest accuracy (75.6%), balanced accuracy …

Homelands Not Graveyards, M. Alexander Pearl

Faculty Articles

Within the last five years, the U.S. Supreme Court has taken up several transformative cases affecting Native nations and federal Indian law jurisprudence. The Supreme Court’s decision in Arizona v. Navajo Nation is no different. This Article examines that decision and situates it within that legal history as well as the realities of present-day water resource availability. While recent decisions have shown the Court’s willingness to confirm fundamental components of federal Indian law, such as the legal tests for determining the persistence of reservation and the authority of Congress to enact the Indian Child Welfare Act, the Court’s examination of …

Undocumented Eldercare, Llc, Kit Johnson

Faculty Articles

Americans are aging. Within five years, 20% of the U.S. population will be over the age of 65. In the next 25 years, the number ofcitizens over the age of 80 is expected to triple.

Many older Americans, particularly the oldest, need help with daily lifeeverything from dressing and showering to cooking and cleaning. Assistance, however, is hard to come by. At-home caregivers are expensive. Institutional settings, also expensive, are routinely understaffed.

Thousands of noncitizens provide eldercare in home and institutional settings. Many of these noncitizens have work authorization pursuant to Temporary Protected Status (TPS), an immigration program that President …

Engineering Extracellular Vesicles (Evs) To Combat Infection And Inflammation In Cystic Fibrosis, Sharanya Sarkar

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a multisystemic genetic disorder caused by mutations in the CFTR gene, resulting in chronic pulmonary infections, hyperinflammation, and progressive lung damage. Among the pathogens that colonize CF lungs, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is predominant, infecting over 50% of adults with CF and developing antibiotic resistance over time. Current modulator therapies fail to address persistent bacterial infections, chronic inflammation, or irreversible lung damage, underscoring the need for novel therapeutic strategies. In our previous in vitro studies, we demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by primary Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (HBECs) inhibit P. aeruginosa growth by reducing the …

Spatial Analysis Of American Chestnut (Castanea Dentata) Distribution And Ecology In Kentucky’S Federal Lands, Jacob Raymond Pease

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Anthropogenic factors have been the cause of the decline of tree species across the globe. From unsustainable logging and development to disease and improper management, threats to forests have taken their toll. The American chestnut (Castanea dentata) was once an integral basal tree species in Appalachian forests, but chestnut blight drove the species to functional extinction by the mid-1900s. The recent creation of genetically modified chestnuts gives hope for future restoration of the species throughout its historical range. Despite blight resistance, effective restoration will require optimal site selection for finding and planting chestnuts, which will maximize limited resources. …

Understanding Bird Diversity: A Modeling Approach In An Urban And Wetland Ecosystem, Clay Bliznick

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The global increase in anthropogenically-driven shifts of land cover has resulted in losses to many natural communities such as prairies and wetlands. These ecosystems take on artificially-derived characteristics such as croplands, buildings, and roads to the extent that they no longer resemble the areas they once were. This process often results in the loss of biodiversity, ecological integrity, and valuable ecosystem services in these environments. Attempts to restore the condition and function of these disturbed areas are often implemented, but due to the complexity of factors driving these restorations, there is often a lack of practical insight needed to optimize …

Strong Neighborhood-Prime Labelings Under Ordinary & Gaussian Integers, Micheal Arnal-Brown

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This thesis introduces and studies the notion of a strong neighborhood-prime labeling, a strengthening of the neighborhood-prime labeling where the label 1 can be assigned to any vertex in a graph. We prove that several graph families—including paths, cycles (excluding those congruent to 2 modulo 4), caterpillars, helm graphs, closed helm graphs, gear graphs, and graphs with universal vertices—admit such labelings, and also provide results to more general classes of graphs. We extend this new labeling concept to the Gaussian integers using a spiral order- ing on Z[i] and define a Gaussian analogue of strongly neighborhood-primeness. To support this extension, …

Wildlife Distribution Mapping And Analysis In Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique, Using Site And Satellite Imagery Data, Pinho Joaquim Munhequeira Mr

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

One of Mozambique's most important conservation sites, Gorongosa National Park has seen critical ecological changes over the past several decades resulting from climate variability, habitat loss, and political instability. This research integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing to examine the relationship between vegetation dynamics and wildlife population, and distribution. The main goals of this study are to evaluate the spatial distribution of particular wildlife species: buffalo (Syncerus caffer), elephant (Loxodonta africana), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), and zebra (Equus quagga), and determine the impact of vegetation density and land cover on their …

The Preferred Leadership Styles Of Generation Z Public Educators, Rex Booth

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Amid declining enrollments in teacher preparation programs and increasing teacher turnover, understanding the characteristics of Generation Z, who constitute a substantial portion of the future workforce, is critical for effective recruitment and retention in education. This quantitative study explored the preferred leadership styles of Generation Z public educators in western Kentucky using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Specifically, it examined preferences for transformational, transactional, and passive-avoidant leadership styles and assessed whether these preferences varied by race, gender, or years of experience. Results revealed a strong preference for transformational leadership, followed by transactional leadership, with a clear aversion to passive-avoidant approaches. …

The Representation Of Feminine Beauty In Generative Artificial Intelligence Models, Haley R. Stacy

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology advances, its influence on media and societal perceptions becomes increasingly significant. This dissertation explores how popular generative visual AI models represent women and the implications for racial and body type inclusivity. This study examines women’s perceptions of AI-generated representations. Two primary research questions are being explored: (1) How do AI-generated algorithms represent women in visual outputs when prompted with broad beauty-related keywords? (2) How do women perceive their representation in these AI-generated visual outputs? Through a detailed analysis of AI-generated imagery, the research uncovers implicit and explicit biases within these systems. The research also gathered …

Too Much Information: The Role Everyday Information Plays In The Understanding Of Mental Health, Jeremy M. Morgan

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Information overload has become increasingly problematic within the world of mental health, as people are able to go online and access overwhelming amounts of mental health-related information within seconds. The aim of the current study was to examine the interaction between excess mental health information and individuals’ understanding of mental health, specifically Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), as well as self-diagnosis. Data from 128 participants was examined. The data collected related to participants’ online search and use patterns of ASD information, their understanding of ASD symptoms, as well as their experiences with those symptoms. Results indicated a significant positive correlation between …

New Psychoactive Substances Detected In Wastewater Samples Collected Along The Interstate Highway Rest Areas In Kentucky, Durga Prasad Kodati

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The rapid emergence and proliferation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) pose significant challenges to public health and law enforcement. The potential for abuse and toxicity of these substances, which are intended to mimic the effects of controlled drugs, has been raising concerns as these compounds are designed to evade being regulated. There are traditional methods of tracking NPS, such as seizures and forensic toxicology, but they are delayed and seldom effective because these substances continue to evolve rapidly. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a promising tool for real-time surveillance of drug consumption. The primary objective of this research was …

Personality Assessment Inventory: The Treatment Rejection Scale & Treatment Variables, Ashlee Bradley

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to identify the role and validity of the Treatment Rejection Scale (RXR), one of the treatment consideration scales on the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991), and its relationship with treatment variables in an outpatient clinical setting. The study used archival data involving 200 client files. The current study evaluated RXR scores in relation to premature, situational, and mutual terminators. Therapist-rated process variables, such as client cancellations, the number of sessions attended, client “no-shows,” and any barriers to completing treatment from the clinician’s point of view, were also considered. Additionally, the treatment outcome variable, in the …

Unraveling Reproductive Complexity: Integrative Assessment Of White Crappie Pomoxis Annularis Spawning Dynamics In Kentucky Lake, Emily A. Freeman

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In large reservoirs such as Kentucky Lake, White Crappie Pomoxis annularis exhibit complex reproductive dynamics, including variable annual recruitment and frequent skipped or partial spawning events. This study investigates the energetic and environmental factors influencing spawning success in Jonathan Creek, a northern embayment of Kentucky Lake. Using a dual sampling approach, I combined citizen science angler-caught fish during the pre-spawn with trap netting in shallow spawning areas to capture crappie during the full reproductive cycle. Physiological, biometric, and egg analyses revealed that spawning success was driven more by pre-spawn energetic conditions than by the conditions during the spawn. Elevated water …

The Solicitor General, Consistency, And Credibility, Margaret H. Lemos, Deborah A. Widiss

Articles by Maurer Faculty

This Article offers the first comprehensive look at cases in which the Solicitor General (SG) rejects a legal argument offered on behalf of the United States in prior litigation. Such reversals have received considerable attention in recent years, as shifts in presidential administrations have produced multiple high-profile “flip-flops”—as the Justices sometimes call them—by the SG. Even those observers who defend the SG, including veterans of the office, caution that inconsistency in legal argument poses a threat to the SG’s credibility with the Court. Our goal is to better understand the circumstances that lead the SG to change its position on …

Facial Recognition Technology And The First Amendment, Joseph A. Tomain

Articles by Maurer Faculty

The growing ubiquity of facial recognition technology (FRT) is a problem. While much has been written on harmful government use of FRT, little has been written regarding harmful private actor use. This Article helps fill a gap in the literature by providing a detailed analysis of the First Amendment interests at stake when private actors use FRT. Specifically, this Article analyzes whether laws that limit the use of publicly available photographs to create faceprints for inclusion in FRT databases violate the First Amendment rights of private actors.

In May 2025, a multidistrict litigation against Clearview AI, an FRT company, offered …