Digital Commons Network^™

Social Networks Of Care: A Qualitative Study On The Role Of Social Support In Managing Diabetes While Facing Economic And Housing Insecurity, Shankeri Vijayakumar

Public Health Theses

Research has identified the particular significance of social support for individuals living with chronic health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes. Housing stability and economic security are just a few key determinants for good health-- factors shaped by structures and systems acting at various levels of influence. Without stability in these dimensions, social support is one of the most significant resources to promote and maintain health by serving as a buffer for adverse physical and mental health exposures. However, less is known about how vulnerabilities related to poverty, racism, and housing insecurity can impact an individual's ability to cultivate sources …

Implementing A National Electronic Health Record In The United States Using Insights From Similar Nations, Alexandra Webster

Public Health Theses

This thesis explores how the United States can implement a national electronic health record (EHR) system by drawing lessons from three comparison countries (Germany, Italy, and Austria) that have implemented their own national EHRs. A national EHR, distinct from local electronic medical records (EMRs), is a centralized or linked platform that consolidates standardized patient health data across all care settings. While a national EHR offers significant benefits, such as improved patient safety, better clinical decision-making and care coordination, more efficient allocation of care, and expanded capacity for public health research, it also presents challenges related to data security, data quality …

Integrating Rare Variant Association Studies With Embedding-Based Methods: Simiskato, Changheng Wang

Public Health Theses

Understanding the genetic basis of rare diseases remains a central challenge in human genomics, especially when conventional methods rely on case-control labels that may oversimplify complex clinical variation. In this thesis, we introduce SimiSKATO, a novel approach that integrates phenotype embeddings with rare variant association testing. Using PERADIGM-generated similarity scores to represent clinical resemblance between individuals, SimiSKATO treats these scores as continuous traits within the SKAT-O framework. By applying this method to rare diseases in the UK Biobank, we demonstrate that SimiSKATO not only replicates known gene-disease associations but also identifies biologically plausible novel candidates missed by other methods. This …

Expanding The Trypanosoma Brucei Parasite Detection Limit Through Tb177 Gene Detection In Qpcr, Yi Yan

Public Health Theses

Trypanosomiasis, caused by protozoan parasites of the Trypanosoma genus, remains a significant health and veterinary burden in sub-Saharan Africa, with Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) and Animal African Trypanosomiasis (AAT) posing ongoing threats to underserved populations. Despite advances in therapeutics, the lack of sensitive and scalable diagnostic tools continues to limit early detection, effective disease management, and evaluation of emerging vaccine candidates. Current diagnostic methods such as light microscopy and serological tests frequently fail to detect low levels of parasitemia during the early stages of infection, thereby delaying intervention and increasing the risk of disease progression and transmission.

Our study mainly …

Temporal Analysis In Connectivity Structure Of Human Disease Co-Occurance Network, Jingxuan Xu

Public Health Theses

Recent research on human disease networks (HDNs) has revealed the importance of jointly analyzing multiple diseasesand their interconnections, yet many existing approaches focus on molecular-based data and do not fully capture non-molecular relationships. Building on the concept of the phenotypical HDN, we leverage Medicare inpatient claims data to construct a comprehensive disease co-occurrence network. In our framework, two diseases are deemed interconnected if their observed probability of co-occurrence significantly deviates from that expected under independence. We adopt the weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) framework to build our network, using a ϕ-correlation measure and a hard threshold to ensure a …

Codecontext: Integrating External Context For Enhanced Source-Code Model Performance In Software Development, Mohammad Arjamand Ali

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

In the ever evolving field of software development, understanding and maintaining complex codebases is crucial. There exist machine learning models and algorithms that aid in this by specifically learning to ‘understand code’, allowing engineers to build applications that help develop and maintain these large codebases. Although existing source-code machine learning models often overlook an important factor: the code's context. Our research focuses on leveraging external contextual information to enhance source-code model performance. We’ve developed a data pipeline that utilizes CodeQL to extract contextual information from the CodeSearchNet benchmark dataset to extend and create an augmented version of the dataset. We …

Effects Of Imagined Gun Ownership Psychopathology On Fears And Estimates Of Crime, Joseph Brown

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Firearm incidents, a leading cause of death among youth aged 12-17 (CDC, 2023), present a complex issue requiring urgent attention. While prior psychological research has examined the weapons effect and related phenomena, further investigation is needed to understand the breadth of issues related to concerns with firearms usage, and specifically implications for mental health discourse (Berkowitz & Lepage, 1967; Metzl et al., 2021). In a sample (n = 55) of college students, this study investigates the effects of imagined gun ownership and exposure to a firearm and psychopathology on fear of crime and victimization. Participants were recruited in person and …

Colorblind Racial Attitudes Mediates The Association Between The Internalization Of Model Minority Myth Attitudes And Tolerance, Talal Ali

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The model minority myth is the belief that Asian Americans are generally more intelligent and more hardworking than other minority groups. Many studies have demonstrated the relationship between belief in the model minority myth and anti-Black sentiment in White Americans. However, there is little literature on the relationship between belief in the model minority myth and anti-Black sentiment in Asian Americans. With this in mind, we plan to determine whether the internalization of the model minority myth in Asian Americans has a relationship with anti- Black sentiment. This relationship is being measured by the IM-4 Scale (which measures the internalization …

Portfolio Construction Analysis, Liam Peoples

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This project examines the construction and evaluation of a diversified equity portfolio designed to generate positive risk-adjusted alpha relative to the S&P 500 over a five-year investment horizon. The analysis is conducted within a macroeconomic environment characterized by structurally higher interest rates, slowing real GDP growth, and elevating geopolitical and political risks. A comprehensive top-down assessment of financial, economic, industrial, global, political, housing, and trade dynamics forms the foundation for establishing portfolio selection criteria. Emphasis is placed on balance sheet strength, durable cash flows, and pricing power, reflecting the higher cost of capital and increased volatility relative to the pre- …

Pilot Study: Development Of A Food Delay-Discounting Measure For Individuals With Neurodevelopmental Conditions, Aaron Daniel Schwieterman

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Individuals with intellectual (NDD) and neurodevelopmental (NDD) conditions experience disproportionately higher rates of obesity (Hsieh et al., 2014; Ptomey et al., 2020). Yet their diet decision-making process has been left out of the current literature. Delay discounting, which reflects the decrease in the subjective value of a reward as the delay to its receipt increases, has been linked to obesity and unhealthy food intake in typically developing adults. However, most existing tasks rely on hypothetical rewards and verbal reasoning, which limit their use with individuals who have cognitive or communication differences. The present pilot study developed and evaluated a novel …

Fairness-Aware And Culturally Adaptive Machine Learning For Predicting Adolescent Substance Use, Stephanie Nworgu

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Early initiation of substance use during adolescence poses significant risks to long-term health, educational attainment, and social outcomes, making early identification a critical public health priority. Machine learning models have increasingly been used to predict substance use risk; however, many such models do not explicitly examine whether predictive performance differs across demographic groups. This senior project examines the fairness of logistic regression models used to predict first-time alcohol use among adolescents. Using nationally representative survey data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), pooled across the 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 survey cycles, this study develops logistic regression–based predictive …

Tips For Avoiding Contract Cheating, Dawn Atkinson

Writing

No abstract provided.

Sentence Structure, Dawn Atkinson

Writing

No abstract provided.

Self-Healing Materials In Aerospace And Automotive Engineering: A Systematic Review Of Material Systems, Integration Strategies, And Application Performance, Sami Ullah Khan, Wasim Jamshed

Babylonian Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Self-healing (SH) materials, including polymers, are revolutionary for aerospace vehicles, automobiles, and other applications where structural integrity, reliability, and longevity are critical. In this regard, this systematic review surveys 40 recent works on various types of self-healing material systems, integration methods, and performance outcomes. The review assesses material categories from epoxy-based composites and thermoplastics to shape memory polymers and advanced nanocomposites, and considers both intrinsic and extrinsic healing mechanisms. Performance metrics across application contexts, such as healing efficiency, mechanical property recovery, environmental stability, and cyclic durability, are synthesized. Aerospace applications show significant advancements in addressing delamination, impact resistance, and high-temperature …

A Comprehensive Study Of Energy, Exergy, Exergoeconomic, And Exergoenvironment Analysis Of Combined Cycle Power Plant, Ahmed Sarhan Abdulsitar, Arkan Fawzi Saeed, Hatem Hasan Ismaeel

Babylonian Journal of Mechanical Engineering

One of the most effective ways to generate electricity in the thermal power plant is with a Combined Cycle Power Plant (CCPP), which uses both gas and steam turbines to their full potential. This research employs energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental analyses to assess the CCPP performance. Energy analysis indicates the plant's overall efficiency, while exergy analysis identifies losses due to system irreversibilities and proposes methods for enhancement. Exergoeconomic analysis, which integrates thermodynamic and economic factors, quantifies the financial impact of exergy losses and identifies cost-effective improvement strategies. Reducing emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases is possible through the use …

Pointer Land Game App With Unity, Isaac S. Mullison

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

In this project, I implemented my game concept, Pointer Land, using the Unity game engine. I have implemented the game in the past using other frameworks (such as Flutter), but I thought that doing this using Unity would help me gain two major types of experience: using cross-platform software frameworks in general and using Unity. I found this project to be helpful in doing that. I have found that, with every software framework that I learn, there are new concepts associated with the framework. For Unity, I quickly figured out that a lot of the scripting I was doing involved …

Grandparent Relationship Quality, Social Support, And College Student Mental Well-Being, Camille E. Lehrmann

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

With living to older ages becoming more common in the United States, Americans may have an increased opportunity to form a relationship with their grandparents. Relationships with others, and the social support they provide are important for mental well-being, and are an important area to consider when understanding individuals’ mental health. Relationships with parents and peers have received a large amount of research attention, and have been found to influence the mental health of college students. Despite the increased opportunity to form meaningful relationships with grandparents, there has been much less research directed at this potential source of social support. …

Steering Through The Investment Potential Of Lear Corporation, Wazni Abed Jaber

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Lear Corporation stands for the intersection of innovation and tradition within the electrically, autonomously, and sustainability-driven world. Based on our financial analysis of Lear using free cash flow projections, dividend valuation, and WACC modeling, we estimate the stock’s value at $140.28. Yet it seems that behind all those financial numbers there are so much larger questions: Can a 100-year-old automotive giant reform itself when consumer needs change rapidly, competition remains relentless, and regulators are under ever-increasing pressure? This analysis examines Lear’s financial strength and how it plans to adapt and grow amid ongoing industry change. In the end, Lear’s story …

Improving Torque Distribution Of The Baja Car's Drive Shaft, Natalie E. Falerios

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This honors thesis analyzes torque variation in the drive shaft system of the Baja SAE vehicle, with a focus on the effects of universal joint (U-joint) geometry and phasing in an inherited and new drive shaft design. The original drivetrain was inherited from a previous team and affected the seat placement that did not comply with the Baja SAE rules. This resulted in a redesign of the drive shaft and evaluation of both the inherited and redesigned configurations’ performance. An initial experiment was created and attempted to analyze the torque variation in the drive shaft, however, there were time constraints …

Sickle-Cell Genotyping Cost Analysis In Amua And R, Nicholas P. Haley

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a prevalent genetic disorder in the United States, with a significant economic burden due to the high costs of care, especially from chronic red blood cell (RBC) transfusions. These transfusions carry risks such as alloimmunization, which can lead to complications like delayed hemolytic transfusion reactions (DHTRs), further increasing healthcare costs in addition to increasing suGering. This study aims to aid in the evaluation of cost-eGective strategies for SCD management using Markov models, currently within TreeAge Pro software, which is proprietary. A decision model was adapted from the Kacker et al. (2013) study, which analyzed the …

The Role Of Leptin In The Regulation Of The Soluble Amyloid Precursor Protein Alpha (Sappa) Levels In Non-Small Cell Lunch Cancer (Nsclc) Cell Media, Benjamin Haddad

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

We previously found that the levels of soluble amyloid precursor protein α (sAPPα) are partly regulated by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in human non-small cell lung cancer cell lines A549 (p53 wild-type) and H1299 (p53-null). In this study, we hypothesize that sAPPα is partly regulated by leptin, a hormone classically recognized for its anorexigenic role in appetite regulation— yet recently shown to play a role in cancer cell signaling. It was observed that cells treated with leptin exhibited greater concentrations of sAPPα and lower concentrations of Aβ40/42 in the media compared to those of cells left untreated. An opposite effect was observed …

Integrating Satellite-Based Precipitation Analysis: A Case Study In Norfolk, Virginia, Imiya M. Chathuranika, Dalya Ismael

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

In many developing cities, the scarcity of adequate observed precipitation stations, due to constraints such as limited space, urban growth, and maintenance challenges, compromises data reliability. This study explores the use of satellite-based precipitation products (SbPPs) as a solution to supplement missing data over the long term, thereby enabling more accurate environmental analysis and decision-making. Specifically, the effectiveness of SbPPs in Norfolk, Virginia, is assessed by comparing them with observed precipitation data from Norfolk International Airport (NIA) using common bias adjustment methods. The study applies three different methods to correct biases caused by sensor limitations and calibration discrepancies and then …

A Review Of Infrared Thermography Applications For Civil Infrastructure, Prabal Shrestha, Onur Avci, Sahabeddin Rifai, Feras Abla, Michael Seek, Karl Barth, Udaya Halabe

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Civil infrastructure is continuously subject to aging and deterioration due to multiple factors, which lead to a decline in performance and impact structural health. Accumulated damage on structures increases operational costs and poses significant risks to public safety. Effective maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation strategies are needed to ensure civil infrastructure’s overall safety and reliability. Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) methods are utilized to assess latent damage and provide decision-makers with real-time information for mitigating hazards. Within the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the research and development of innovative NDE techniques to improve data processing and promote efficient and …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Stay-In-Place Forms To Improve The Tosional Stability Of Box Beam Bridges During Erection, Karl E. Barth, Michael W. Seek, Gregory K. Michaelson, Dimitra Pyrialakou, Brook T. Woldegabriel

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Cold-formed tub girders provide an effective steel solution for short-span bridges. The girders are often delivered with an open top with stay-in-place forms installed on site. Walkways may be installed to the side of the girder that can induce significant torsion rotations in the open cross section. Full scale tests on girder specimens have shown that installing one or two panels of stay in place forms at the ends of the girder can significantly reduce the torsion rotation of the girder by providing warping resistance. Cantilever tests on the stay in place forms are performed to investigate the influence of …

A Comprehensive Academic And Industrial Survey Of Blockchain Technology For The Energy Sector Using Fuzzy Einstein Decision-Making, Umit Cali, Annabelle Lee, Barry Hayes, Claudio Lima, D. Jonathan Sebastian-Cardenas, David Flynn, Emre Kantar, Farrokh Rahimi, Kaung Si Thu, Marco Pasetti, Marthe Fogstad Dynge, Merlinda Andoni, Muhammet Deveci, Murat Kuzlu, Raquel Alanso, Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo, Sambeet Mishra, Shammya Shananda Saha, Sonam Norbu, Srinikhil Gourisetti, Ugur Halden, Vahid Hosseinezhad, Valentin Robu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The global energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation driven by decarbonization and digitalization, leading to the emergence of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) — particularly blockchain — as a promising tool for enhancing transparency, security, and efficiency in modern power systems. This study aims to provide a comprehensive academic and industrial survey of blockchain applications in the energy sector and develop a robust decision-making framework to identify and prioritize the most promising real-world use cases based on multidisciplinary criteria. A three-stage methodology was adopted: (i) a literature and market review encompassing over 300 academic publications and commercial blockchain initiatives in …

Integrating Sustainable Practices Into Lean Engineering: Applying The Engineering For One Planet Framework In Manufacturing Engineering Technology Education, Dalya Ismael, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Murat Kuzlu, Charles Lowe, Lisa Bosman

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

A growing number of manufacturers are recognizing significant financial and environmental benefits from adopting sustainable business practices. Sustainable manufacturing refers to the production of goods through processes that are economically sound, minimize environmental impact, and conserve energy and natural resources. Lean engineering, a comprehensive approach to decision-making and leadership within manufacturing organizations, has proven effective in driving sustainable practices. Key strategies include waste elimination, value identification, value stream mapping, flow creation, pull system establishment, and continuous improvement. Both lean manufacturing and sustainability share a common focus on minimizing waste. Lean principles address seven types of waste: transport, inventory, motion, waiting, …

Using Quanser Platform To Introduce Engineering Technology Students To Autonomous Vehicles, Otilia Popescu, Logan Beaver, Murat Kuzlu, Krishnanand Kaipa

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The area of autonomous vehicles is not new, but the latest advances in various technologies gave it a new boost in the last decade and it keeps growing in interest. However, undergraduate curricula rarely include courses specific to this area, which is considered mostly an interdisciplinary graduate field. While various programs introduce students to the background needed to understand and approach the field, specific work on autonomous vehicle projects is left for extra curriculum activities or student clubs, and eventually for senior (capstone) projects. This paper presents the work of a team of electrical engineering technology students on an autonomous …

5g-Enabled Iot Gateway For Educational Purposes, Murat Kuzlu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The project aims to develop and implement a 5G-IoT gateway for efficient management and interconnection of IoT devices through advanced sensing and communication technologies. Sensing technologies encompass modern approaches for detecting and measuring physical properties with high accuracy across manufacturing, smart grids, healthcare, smart cities, and other domains. Communication technologies represent the latest developments in high-speed data transmission, offering enhanced reliability and network capacity. This 5G-IoT gateway functions as an educational platform, providing students and educators with hands-on experience in emerging technologies. The system creates opportunities for practical learning and research in telecommunication technologies by enabling direct engagement with 5G …

Advancing Sustainability In Civil Engineering Technology Through The Engineering For One Planet Framework, Dalya Ismael, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Murat Kuzlu, Charles Lowe, Lisa Bosman

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

As global environmental challenges intensify, integrating sustainability into engineering technology education is increasingly critical. Yet, many programs lack comprehensive methods to embed sustainability principles, leaving graduates underprepared to address real-world environmental issues. Courses on sustainability often approach it in isolated or superficial contexts, unable to capture its complexity. The purpose of this study is to showcase one approach for embedding the Engineering for One Planet (EOP) framework into the Sustainable Building Practices course within the Civil Engineering Technology Department. The newly developed curriculum integrated learning outcomes from three EOP topics: Environmental Impact Assessment, Materials Selection, and Systems Thinking. Students were …

Flipped Classroom Techniques In A Thermodynamics Course In Engineering Technology, Nathan Luetke, Orlando Ayala, Vukica Jovanovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Teaching undergraduate thermodynamics presents numerous challenges to educators due to its inherently complex and abstract nature. The vast array of applications in engineering requires educators to strike a balance between theoretical principles and practical examples, thereby creating a meaningful and applicable learning experience. This paper presents an approach to teaching an undergraduate thermodynamics course in engineering technology developed over four consecutive semesters blending traditional lecture-based teaching with flipped classroom techniques. The teaching methods used, and modifications made each semester are presented along with student performance.