Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of A Video-Based Tool To Measure Motor Asymmetry In Infants At Risk For Hemiparesis, Roha Ali

Master's Theses

Congenital hemiparesis is a unilateral motor impairment stemming from brain injury in utero or early postnatally. Hemiparesis can be difficult to detect in early infancy with current clinical tools. Yet, early identification of motor asymmetry could play a key role in the design of effective early intervention and rehabilitation strategies. This thesis presents the development and validation of a video-based tool designed to extract infant limb movement data using DeepLabCut’s (DLC) machine learning network. The pipeline was developed using videos of typically developing (TD) infants and infants with Asymmetric Perinatal Brain Injury (APBI), all at or under 3 months corrected …

A Security Framework For Pacemaker Lead Failure: Anomaly Detection System And Failsafe Policy Considerations, Ethan Wagner

Master's Theses

Embedded system security in implantable medical devices (IMDs) remains an underexplored challenge due to the unique constraints of these systems. Specifically, pacemakers are optimized for ultra-low power consumption to maximize device lifespan, are highly resource constrained, and demand reliable and correct operation to prevent severe health consequences. These systems rely on sensing electrodes, called leads, to detect cardiac activity and stimulate the patient’s heart when appropriate. Therefore, pacemaker lead integrity is a critical issue, as malfunction or compromise can result in device failure jeopardizing patient safety.

The security framework presented in this thesis integrates several works to proactively detect and …

Neuron Notes, Araceli Franco, Ethan Diec, Max Blennemann, Shibo Cong

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Mainstream digital note-taking tools such as Notion, Microsoft OneNote, and Evernote organize knowledge around linear documents and rigid folder hierarchies, a structure that strays from the associative, graph-like nature of human semantic memory. Mind-mapping and linked-note systems such as XMind, Obsidian, Roam Research, and Logseq move closer to that associative model but still constrain users to short labels, automatic layouts, or page-centric workflows that underutilize spatial and visual recall. This thesis presents Neuron Notes, a spatial, graph-based note-taking system designed to align digital organization with how people actually form and retrieve ideas. The system is implemented as a three-tier web …

Open Secrets, Robin Feldman Distinguished Professor Of Law, Vaughn Goehrig -- Center For Innovation

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Patents and trade secrets were never intended to meet, but in the world of biologic drugs, they’ve become as thick as thieves. Patent law’s disclosure requirement has demanded far too little of biologics manufacturers—allowing them to keep vital manufacturing details under trade secret lock and key. This intellectual property patchwork has been devastating for drug affordability: Because the most critical manufacturing information remains hidden, makers of follow-on biologics (called biosimilars) are often stuck reinventing the wheel, even after the original patents have expired. This Article makes two principal contributions to illuminating this problem. First, it presents, for the first time …

(Wp 2026-03) Fomc Forecasts, Constant-Gain Learning, And Optimism/Pessimism, Stephen J. Cole

Economics Working Papers

This paper uses an adaptive learning framework to study FOMC forecasts from the Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) dataset. FOMC expectations are modeled as the sum of two components: (1) an endogenous learning part and (2) a sentiment part capturing waves of optimism and/or pessimism. The results include key policy takeaways. FOMC forecasts are responsive to incoming macroeconomic information, consistent with adaptive learning, while sentiment is persistent, correlated across GDP growth and inflation forecasts, and becomes quantitatively more important during and around recessions. FOMC participants also rely more on their endogenous/learning model to form expectations, but sentiment plays a larger …

Unrepresentable Objects: Neoliberalism In The Contemporary Novel In French, Alicen Marie

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation operates at the intersections of textual analysis, political theory, psychoanalytic theory, and aesthetics to investigate the prevalence of uncanny imagery in ten examples of contemporary fiction, while also interrogating the notion of the uncanny as a category of analysis. Entitled “Unrepresentable Objects: Neoliberalism in the Contemporary Novel in French,” it examines a group of novels by Marie Darrieussecq, Virginie Despentes, Marie NDiaye, and Linda Lê, published in France between 1993 and 2017. These novels share an aesthetic of hauntedness and breakdown, incongruous affect, and a continual presence of the uncanny; they depict a world split from history and …

Draft Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-07 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Weaning Stress Induced Alterations To The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid And -Adrenal Axes In Swine, Isabel B. Walpole, Alyssa A. Smith, Kaylyn G. Rudy, Dayeon Jeon, J. Scott Radcliffe, J. Alex Pasternak

Animal and Food Sciences Faculty Publications

Combined modulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–thyroid (HPT) and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axes is known to play a critical role in maintaining physiological stability in response to stress. In this study, stress induced modulation of these axes was examined using 20 pigs/treatment either weaned (WN), weaned with feed/water restriction 9 h (FR), transported 9 h (TRANS), or remaining with sow (SOS) and euthanized at 32 or 56 h post-weaning. Serum cortisol, thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3) were measured before weaning and after 24, 32, and 56 h with no difference in cortisol concentrations among treatments at any timepoint. However, both T3 and T4 …

Assessing Aflatoxin Knowledge, Perceptions, And Related Practices, In A Rural Coastal Community: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey, Rosebella Iseme, Joseph Abuodha, Anthony Ngugi, Innocent Abayo, Mansoor Saleh

Population Health, East Africa

Background

Aflatoxin contamination is a significant yet under-addressed food safety challenge in low-resource settings, driven by a complex interplay of environmental, agricultural, and socio-economic factors. Limited access to agricultural inputs, inadequate post-harvest handling and storage, and weak regulatory enforcement alongside food scarcity and climate change heighten the risk of contamination and exposure. Human exposure is associated with serious health consequences, including hepatocellular carcinoma, immune suppression, and childhood stunting. Although aflatoxin is increasingly recognized as a global food safety concern, little is known about community-level knowledge, risk perceptions, and preventive practices. This study examined household heads’ awareness, perceptions, and behaviours related …

Nlrp3 Inflammasome: A Link Between Systemic Infection And Alzheimer’S Disease, Tatiana Barichello, Felipe Dal-Pizzol

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Imaginatively Humankind Dwells: The Necessity Of The Imagination For Divine-Human Commun(E)Ication, Tracey-Ann Pypker-Van Brenk

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Adipose Tissue Trauma On Vascular Function After Collateral Arteriogenesis, Nathan Tran

Biomedical Engineering

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects an estimated 200 million people worldwide and is characterized by arterial narrowing that reduces perfusion to the limbs. Collateral arterioles can naturally restore blood flow through a remodeling process called arteriogenesis, making it a promising therapeutic target. However, the femoral artery ligation (FAL) model used to study arteriogenesis requires surgical access deep to the inguinal fat pad, and approaches for handling the fat pad vary widely across surgeons and protocols. Since adipose tissue harbors a large population of macrophages, the immune cells that govern arteriogenesis, fat pad manipulation may introduce confounding inflammatory stimuli that disrupt …

Bacterial Adaptation To Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields Based On Experiences From Ionizing Radiation, Ilham Said-Salman, Seyed Mohammad Javad Mortazavi, Sami El Khatib, Seyed Alireza Mortazavi, Lembit Sihver

Informatics and Engineering Systems Faculty Publications

Bacteria, part of the three domains of life (Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria), are constantly exposed to man-made electromagnetic fields, which often exceed the intensity of natural electromagnetic sources. In response to this exposure, bacteria have developed various defensive and resistant traits. This article presents an overview of both historical and recent research on how bacteria adapt to common sources of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields (RF-EMF). The widespread use of mobile phones and Wi-Fi, both utilizing Radiofrequency (RF) radiation, raises potential public health concerns, which have been addressed by international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO). Understanding how bacteria adapt to …

Partial Insect-Based Meal Inclusion In The Diets Of Ross® 308 Broilers Upregulates Growth And Immune Related Genes, Victor K. Rotich, Isaac M. Osuga, Mathew G. Gicheha, Shaphan Y. Chia, Jandouwe Villinger, Anderson N. Maina, Jinhua Xiao, Dennis Beesigamukama, Chrysantus M. Tanga

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

This work investigated the effects of black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens L.) larvae meal (BSFLM) on growth- and immune-related gene expression in Ross 308 broilers. Birds were fed diets containing soybean meal (SBM), fishmeal (FM), combinations with BSFLM, or BSFLM alone. Growth, organ weights, immune genes [interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrotic factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)] and growth-related genes [chicken growth hormone (cGH), insulin growth factor 1 (IGF-1)] expression were measured. Our results demonstrate that birds fed FM+BSFLM had significantly higher final liveweight, average daily weight gain (ADG), and low feed conversion ratio. Birds fed FM+BSFLM showed highest …

The Wake Of Addiction: Pharmacological Strategies For Sleep Disturbances In Stimulant Use Disorders, A Systematic Review, Isabella G Bourtin, Douglas J Calvillo, Jessica C Badawi, Joy M Schmitz, Scott D Lane, Jin Ho Yoon, Heather E Webber

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to identify human studies investigating pharmacological interventions and reported sleep outcomes among individuals with CUD or MUD.

Methods: PubMed and APA PsycInfo were searched from inception to January 2025 and risk of bias was assessed. Articles were included if they included human participants with either cocaine or methamphetamine dependence, administered a pharmacological treatment, and reported night-time sleep as an outcome using at least one rigorous measurement tool. Articles were excluded if they included animals, did not include pharmacological intervention (e.g., supplements or behavioral treatments), or only assessed baseline sleep or if …

Reimagining Power And Practice: Grantee Reporting For Greater Impact, Steven Lafrance, Jamae Morris, Lauri Valerio

The Foundation Review

The evaluation of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s (RWJF) Written Reports Alternative Project (WRAP) pilot revealed that Oral and Alternative Reporting (OAR) options offer a practical, values-aligned pathway to equitable, trust-based reporting that reduces burden while improving usefulness with a pathway to scale.

WRAP participants reported strengthened relationships and two-way learning, especially when conversations complemented or replaced written materials.

Recommendations for others considering OAR include: offer and codify choice, center questions that matter, design technology to support multiple formats, compensate grantee time for evaluation or additional learning-related asks, and train staff for relational learning.

RWJF’s experience demonstrates how reporting can be …

Entre La Magia Y La Carga: Género, Trauma Y Otredad En Encanto, Sergio García Cabezas, Ángel Serrano Valverde

GDI. Revista de investigación de Género, Diseño e Innovación

Este artículo analiza la película Encanto (Disney, 2021) desde una perspectiva de género, memoria y representación, con el objetivo de desentrañar cómo los personajes femeninos encarnan presiones sociales y culturales que trascienden la narrativa fantástica. A partir de un enfoque cualitativo basado en el análisis narrativo y semiótico, se examinan cuatro figuras centrales: Luisa, como metáfora de la sobrecarga física y emocional; Isabela, como encarnación de la prisión de la perfección estética; Mirabel, como representación de la invisibilización y la otredad; y Abuela Alma, como símbolo de la transmisión transgeneracional del trauma. Junto a ellas, los principales símbolos de la …

Nh 4-H Animal Science With Cloverbuds, Hannah Majewski

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Exploration Of Unanticipated Effects Experienced By People With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Who Participated In Interventions Designed To Reduce Sedentary Behaviour, Fiona Coll, Vinicius Cavalheri, Daniel F. Gucciardi, Kylie Hill

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: This study explored the lived experiences of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who participated in interventions designed to reduce the accumulation of sedentary behaviour in prolonged uninterrupted bouts. Methods: Ten participants with stable COPD participated in a multi-component intervention that spanned over 9 months and was designed to address the intervention message ‘If you have been sitting or resting continuously for 30 min, stand up and move’. Interventions comprised participation in an 8-week programme of supervised exercise training coupled with behaviour change techniques. Throughout the intervention period the person delivering the intervention kept detailed notes of their …

Editorial: Food Safety In The Context Of One Health: Current Trends, Challenges And Perspectives, Daniel Ekhlas, Yosra A Helmy, Federica Savini, Arturo Soro, Elena Alexa

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

No abstract provided.

4-H Summerfest Exhibit Building Premium Book, Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

4-H Summerfest Animal Premium Book, Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Instructions For Ezfair Entries, Extension

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Synergies Of Microecology And Macroecology Elicit Insights For Creation Care, David Warners, John T. Wertz

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

This article reports on a collection of microecological and macroecological insights that emerged from extended conversations between Calvin University professors David Warners, a botanist concentrating in restoration ecology, and John Wertz, a micro-biologist specializing in microbial ecology. Classic descriptions of ecology identify biological interactions as happening at the ecosystem, community, or population level. And yet, ecological interactions are very much occurring at the microbial level as well. Furthermore, microbial-level interactions frequently influence the quality and character of macroecological relationships and vice versa. Allowing ecological principles to be applied across all life forms broadens our comprehension of interactions that are happening …

The Color Of Combat: How Subtleties Of Resource Value Alter The Effects Of Fighting Ability In Hermit Crab Contests: How Subtleties Of Resource Value Alter The Effects Of Fighting Ability In Hermit Crab Contests, Thomas M. Chatfield, Mark Briffa

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

During contests over resources, the intensity of fighting and the outcome is often influenced by an interaction between the difference between opponents in the fighting abilities (resource holding potential [RHP]) and the difference in how they subjectively value the resource. Additionally, because fighting can involve vigorous activity, engaging in a fight can make the opponents more noticeable to predators. Thus, predation risk, alongside resource value (RV), may interact with the effects of RHP difference. During hermit crab contests over the ownership of empty gastropod shells attackers perform vigorous shell rapping, whereas defenders adopt a protective posture inside their shells. This …

Dopamine-Endocannabinoid Crosstalk Drives Exercise-Induced Bidirectional Plasticity In Parkinson's Disease, Federica Campanelli, Gioia Marino, Giuseppina Natale, Maria De Carluccio, Tabitha N. Rodriguez, Michelle Smeyne, Richard Jay Smeyne, Veronica Ghiglieri, Paolo Calabresi

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder marked by loss of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons. Epidemiological evidence indicates that lifelong physical activity reduces both PD incidence and slows disease progression. Here, we examine how voluntary exercise induces long-lasting neuroprotection of the corticostriatal function in a murine model of α-synuclein–driven nigrostriatal pathology. In preformed fibril (PFF)-injected mice, long-lasting voluntary wheel running prevents degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic terminals and improves motor performances. Intensive exercise normalizes spontaneous glutamatergic transmission and preserves corticostriatal long-term potentiation (LTP) in striatal spiny projection neurons. Exercise-induced LTP is dependent on activation of dopamine (DA) DA1, GluN2B-expressing NMDA and …

Public Acceptance Of Meat-Reduction Policies Across Cultures: Comparing Singapore And Switzerland, Bianca Wassmann, Shu Tian Ng, Mark Chong, Angela K. Y. Leung, Michael Siegrist

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Purpose – As meat-reduction policies are discussed across the globe, many are met with public resistance. Cultural values may help explain this pushback, yet their role in shaping support for food policy remains poorly understood. This study is the first to apply cultural cognition theory to food policy by examining how cultural worldviews shape the acceptance of meat-reduction interventions in Singapore and Switzerland—two economically developed countries with contrasting cultural profiles. Design/methodology/approach – In an online survey, participants (Singapore: n = 357; Switzerland: n = 495) rated their acceptance of 11 meat-reduction interventions (e.g. taxes, subsidies, labelling). We then analysed to …

The City As Showroom: Singapore And The Rise Of The "Urban Solutions" Industry, Sol Andrew Stokols

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

This article uses the concept of the “city as showroom” to describe an emergent logic shaping urban development that stems from the growing importance of “urban solutions” as an industry. Focusing primarily on Singapore, the article examines how certain urban districts and high-profile sites are conceptualized as “showrooms” for the infrastructure and urban technologies they aim to export around the world. The idea of the “city as showroom” combines aspects of the curation of a city’s image through showcase districts, as well as “testbed urbanism” seen in certain smart-city projects. Singapore's need to reproduce itself as a model of urban …

Intellectual Play And Its Relationship To Teacher Self-Efficacy, Gregory William Kile

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study set out to explore what can be done to improve outcomes for students in Indiana public schools and beyond by exploring ways in which educational leaders might be able to increase levels of teacher self-efficacy in their existing staff. It looked specifically at intellectual play, defined as the behaviors associated with metacognition, play, and innovation, and analyzed its relationship with teacher self-efficacy. Student achievement and overall success in school is critically important to them as individuals and to our society as a whole. If there are innovative ways to improve those outcomes for students, they should be explored. …

Interfold: Learning Interpretable Diffusion Manifolds Beyond Binary Samples, Alexander Vincent Lewi, Rainer Tan, Shengfeng He

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We propose InterFold, a framework for learning and applying interpretable semantic manifolds in latent diffusion models, without requiring binary or paired supervision. Existing methods for semantic editing either rely on limited paired data or uncover only coarse, unsupervised directions that fail to capture user-specific, fine-grained attributes. InterFold addresses these limitations by learning a target attribute manifold in the H-space of diffusion models using only a set of positive, unlabeled examples. To edit a new image, InterFold projects its H-space representation toward this learned manifold through test-time optimization, enabling precise, identity-preserving modifications of complex, non-binary concepts. To make these edits effective …