Digital Commons Network^™

Recognition Of Autism Characteristics In Females: An Examination Of Stakeholders, Laurel Lyn Bishop

Theses and Dissertations

Autism is a neurodevelopmental communication disorder, characterized by differences in social communication, attention, interests, and sensory perception. Diagnostic criteria have historically applied to males, but clinical diagnostic criteria beginning in 2022 now include slight differences in traits comprising the female phenotype. Until recently, autistic females may be missed by the professional and education community or diagnosed later than males. Like their autistic male counterparts, they face an increased risk of suicidal ideation, but they also face more difficulties in peer relationships, academic problems, and increased anxiety and depressive symptoms, but may not get supports. School-age girls spend their days with …

Toroidal Plasmonic Nanodimers For Enhanced Near-Infrared Emission In Heterostructured Inp Quantum Dots, Arda Gülücü, Emre Ozan Polat

Turkish Journal of Physics

Near-infrared (NIR) emitters operating in the 650--900 nm spectral range are highly attractive for imaging and sensing in turbid media. However, cadmium-free InP-based quantum dots (QDs) often exhibit limited brightness owing to nonradiative recombination pathways and inefficient photon outcoupling. In particular, heterostructured InP QDs may possess band alignments that induce partial spatial separation of charge carriers, thereby reducing the electron-hole wavefunction overlap. This characteristic modifies the intrinsic recombination dynamics and increases the sensitivity of their emission to the surrounding photonic environment. Here, we investigate silver toroidal plasmonic nanoantenna dimers (Ag TPNDs) using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations as a geometry-tunable platform …

Mathematics Anxiety And Academic Performance In Mathematics, Bradley Vandermissen

Masters Projects

Mathematics anxiety represents a psychological barrier that negatively impacts student academic performance and self-efficacy across all educational levels. Many secondary mathematics students experience physiological stress, self-doubt, and reduced working memory efficiency when encountering mathematical tasks, often leading to disengagement or an over-reliance on artificial intelligence (AI as a learning shortcut rather than an educational tool. Despite the widespread nature of this issue, educators frequently lack the formal training and practical pedagogical strategies necessary to identify, manage, and alleviate mathematics anxiety within their classrooms. Rooted in Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, this project addresses the underlying cognitive and biological components of mathematics …

Influence Of Transboundary Wildfire Smoke On Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations At South Texas Border Schools, Sai Deepak Pinakana, Kabir Bahadur Shah, Owen Temby, Dawid K. Wladyka, Juan L. Gonzalez, Md Saydur Rahman, Katarzyna Sepielak, Amit U. Raysoni

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Exposure to air pollutants in indoor and outdoor school environments poses significant health risks to children due to their heightened vulnerability. Increasing wildfire frequency has intensified transboundary smoke transport, with border communities among the first to experience associated air quality impacts. While the impacts of wildfires on air quality are increasingly recognized through satellite observations and modeling, ground-based observations remain scarce in under-monitored regions. Low-cost air sensors were deployed across schools in the Roma and Rio Grande City areas of Starr County, along the U.S.–Mexico border, for 146-days from November 2023 to April 2024. The raw sensor measurements were corrected …

A Semantic Data Management Framework For Uncertainty Quantification In Synchrotron Diffraction Pattern Analysis, Ayorinde E. Olatunde, Ozan Dernek, Erika I. Barcelos, Roger H. French, Anirban Mondal

Student Scholarship

Advancements in technology have enabled scientists and engineers in the synchrotron science domain to generate high-dimensional data. To conduct a machine learning study on these data, an analyst undergoes multiple analytical stages, including dimensionality reduction, predictive modelling, and uncertainty quantification (UQ).

To ensure reproducibility in science, it is necessary to document the semantic relationships among the stages of the analysis to enable provenance, interoperability, and knowledge reuse. In this work, we present a Semantic Data Management (SDM) framework rooted in FAIR principles that provides ontologies for UQ workflows. We illustrate the application of UQ ontology in synchrotron diffraction pattern analyses …

Extreme Heat And Its Impact On Public Transit Ridership In Nyc, Craig Denton

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the connection between extreme heat events and public transit ridership patterns in New York City, with a particular emphasis on low-income communities. It investigates the intersection of socioeconomic factors and heat-related challenges, analyzing how extreme temperature periods influence overall transit use and why certain routes or neighborhoods experience greater declines in ridership during these events.

Utilizing existing literature, NYC-specific transit and climate datasets, and the broader context of transit equity, this research aims to inform strategies that strengthen climate resilience within urban transportation systems. The study’s findings are intended to support policy development and planning initiatives that …

On A Classification Of Goy/Sabra-Type Shell Models Of Turbulence, Austin Ho

Theses and Dissertations

Since their inception in the 1970s, shell models have proved to be a fruitful testbed for studying theories of turbulence. This thesis considers variations of two classical shell models: the Gledzer–Ohkitani–Yamada (GOY) model and the Sabra model. Up to conjugacy classes, we classify all possible GOY-type and Sabra-type models. We numerically approximate the scaling exponents for the newly identified models and develop their mathematical well-posedness.

Generative Ai In Transportation Analytics: Foundations, Deep Generative Models, And Practical Use Cases, Samrad Babaee, Mohsen Naghdi, Ali Mansouri, Abdolmajid Erfani

Michigan Tech Publications

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) is rapidly reshaping transportation analytics by enabling data synthesis, uncertainty modeling, and decision-oriented reasoning under sparse and complex conditions. This study presents a systematic, use-case-driven review of 142 empirical transportation studies published between 2018 and August 2025, synthesizing how Gen-AI has been adapted, evaluated, and integrated into real transportation workflows. This study distinguishes two dominant model families, deep generative models and foundation models, and show that they serve fundamentally different yet increasingly complementary roles: the former addressing data scarcity and distributional learning, and the latter enabling reasoning, coordination, and decision support. Through bibliometric analysis, topic modeling, …

Revised Draft Final Butte Mine Waste Repository Operation And Maintenance (O&M) Plan, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Purpose Of Integration Beyond Expression: Emerging Human Patterns And Possible Selves In A Computational Model Of Self-Reflection, Lore Olson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Self-reflection encompasses the dual modes of Integration and Expression, the processes of actively attempting to know oneself and doing something with that knowledge. Each mode serves a distinct purpose; however, the long-standing idea that Integration is needed before Expression can occur has been challenged by the demonstrated ability to create and maintain a small, stable identity through constant Expression. Across three studies, a theory was tested of the Integration mode as a method of quickly and sustainably distributing clusters of organization across the self-structure, allowing for diversity in the selves one can coherently express. Study one replicated the previously observed …

Final Bpsou Unreclaimed Sites: Ur-46 Remedial Action Work Plan (Rawp), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Changes In Water Quality And Microbiota Over Two Years In Florida Hard Clam (Mercenaria Mercenaria) Hatcheries, Bonnie Getter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This thesis characterized the water quality and bacterial communities in nine hard clam hatcheries over two production years through weekly or biweekly water quality and chemistry monitoring, monthly bacterial plating in the second year of production, and select 16S microbiome sampling at select hatcheries to address production bottlenecks and support the reliable production of high-quality seed for Florida’s growing hard clam aquaculture industry. Logistic regression models showed that water source was distinguished by pH, salinity, alkalinity, and nitrite, whereas geographic location was distinguished by temperature, salinity, nitrate, and calcium; temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and alkalinity distinguished seasons. Vibrio bacteria differed …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Physics

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Spin Polarization On Ion-Acoustic Solitary Waves In Quantum Plasmas, Amirhosein Rezvani, Sedigheh Miraboutalebi, Leila Rajaei, Mahmoodreza Sharifian

Turkish Journal of Physics

The exchange interaction, a fundamentally quantum-mechanical phenomenon, can significantly modify the classical description of cold, overdense plasmas. These quantum effects can be systematically analyzed within the framework of quantum magnetohydrodynamic (QMHD) theory, which enables the use of separate momentum equations for spin-up and spin-down electron populations. In this study, we adopt this approach to incorporate exchange interactions for both spin species and investigate the excitation of ion-acoustic wave (IAW) solitons in the plasma system. Using a perturbative expansion method, the governing equations are reduced to a nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE), which admits solitonic wave solutions. The stability of these solitons …

Radiation Pressure And Membrane Dynamics In Cavity Optomechanics: Interaction Hamiltonian And Quantization, Mahmut Can Özuygur

Turkish Journal of Physics

Cavity optomechanics explores the interaction between light confined in optical cavities and mechanical oscillators, primarily driven by radiation pressure forces. These interactions enable significant advances in precision measurements, quantum information processing, and tests of fundamental quantum mechanics. This paper presents a detailed analysis of membrane vibration and radiation pressure force within a cavity optomechanical system. The membrane's equation of motion is derived, the radiation pressure force is evaluated within the Lorentz force formalism, and the corresponding interaction Hamiltonian is formulated. Quantization of the resulting Hamiltonian enables the investigation of quantum phenomena, including entanglement generation and quantum state transfer, and provides …

Observational Constraints On The Structure-Induced Dark Energy Model, Ali̇ Kazim Çamlibel

Turkish Journal of Physics

A new phenomenological dark energy model, originally associated with large-scale structure formation and proposed as a solution to the fine-tuning and coincidence problems related to the cosmological constant, was analyzed within the framework of General Relativity in a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime and its model parameters were estimated using cosmic chronometers and recent DESI data. It turns out that the proposed model can serve as an alternative evolving dark energy model with a novel equation of state function. Given the form of this phenomenological energy density ansatz, which rises with the nonlinear structure growth in the universe and declines as cosmic voids …

On Cosmological Equation Of State From The First Law Of Thermodynamics, Ch'ng Han Siong

Turkish Journal of Physics

We derive several equations of state for different types of energy from the first law of thermodynamics. We derive the equation of state of a Machian universe from the well-known energy formulaE=mc2. This equation of state is consistent with previously reported results. We then propose hypothetical forms of energy that lead to the equations of state of the Chaplygin gas, generalized Chaplygin gas, and modified Chaplygin gas. We also obtain the energy density of the Chaplygin gas by dividing the hypothetical energy by the volume of the universe, and find that it is consistent with previously reported results. Finally, we …

Design And Fabrication Of Petri Dish Optimized For High-Frequency Acoustic Microscopy Using 3d Printing, Tuna Pesen, Beyza Ceren Eren, Arda İnanç, Bora Akgün

Turkish Journal of Physics

High-frequency imaging in acoustic microscopy requires the use of Petri dishes with thin and acoustically transparent bottoms to minimize signal attenuation and distortion. Commercially available options suitable for this purpose are often expensive or limited in compatibility with custom setups. Here, we present a cost-effective and easily customizable alternative developed in our laboratory, consisting of a 3D-printed frame combined with commercially available stretch film. The stretch film serves as an ultrathin (8 µm thickness) base that supports efficient high-frequency acoustic transmission, enabling clear and reliable imaging. Beyond acoustic microscopy, the adaptable design is also compatible with other modalities such as …

From Homogeneous To Heterogeneous Adaptive Bounded-Confidence Opinion Dynamics On Networks, Sally Hafez, Fatma R. Farag, Amira S. N. Tawadros

Northeast Journal of Complex Systems (NEJCS)

Adaptive bounded-confidence models (ABCMs) elucidate the coevolution of agent states and network structure via local interactions and rewiring mechanisms. Traditional formulations assume uniform interaction parameters, leading to distinct regime shifts encompassing fragmentation, polarization, and consensus. A symmetric heterogeneous extension of the adaptive bounded-confidence model is introduced, in which interaction parameters vary according to whether agents belong to the same or different groups. The model retains the original update and rewiring protocols but integrates within-group and between-group confidence bounds alongside tolerance thresholds. Initially, the classic homogeneous model is replicated to establish a reference point. Subsequently, the heterogeneous extension is assessed under …

Wavelet-Based Multiscale Analysis Of Cave Co₂ Concentration In Response To Short-Term High-Intensity Tourism Activities: Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity And Lag Characteristics, Mingda Cao, Wenwen Song, Yan Zhang, Jie Zhang, Zhiqiang Yao

International Journal of Speleology

High-intensity tourism activities can cause a significant increase in cave air CO₂ concentration, thereby affecting the cave micro-environment and secondary carbonate deposition. During the 2023 National Day Golden Week, high-frequency continuous monitoring of cave air CO₂ partial pressure (PCO_2(A)) and visitor numbers was conducted in Dawang Cave, Anhui Province. Wavelet transform and cross-correlation analyses were used to reveal the multi-scale response characteristics of CO₂ concentration to tourism activities. The results show that: (1) PCO_2(A) exhibited clear diurnal variations (higher during the day, lower at night) and decreased spatially with enhanced ventilation, controlled jointly by …

Why Minds Need Bodies: Organismic Unity And Limits Of Artificial Consciousness, Renée Snow

Comparative Philosophy

This paper argues that functional organization alone is not sufficient for phenomenal consciousness or the existence of a unified subject of experience. While many contemporary accounts of artificial consciousness assume that replicating the causal or computational structure of the brain would be sufficient for subjective experience, this paper identifies a deeper constraint: consciousness depends on organismic unity. The argument proceeds through a triangulation of conceptual, empirical, and metaphysical considerations. First, Zuboff’s thought experiment shows that functional organization can be preserved while the unity of the subject dissolves, suggesting that causal pattern replication alone cannot secure subjectivity. Second, findings from neuroscience …

The Limits Of Universal Logic: A Cross-Cultural Archaeology Of Logical Critique, Murat Kelikli

Comparative Philosophy

This study examines critiques of logic articulated across diverse historical and cultural traditions within a comparative framework. The critiques developed in Islamic, Buddhist, Chinese, Indian, Zen, and modern Western philosophy do not, in the main, reject logic or reasoning as such; rather, they target the conceptualization of logic as a universal, context-independent, and singular normative standard. The analysis shows that objections raised at ontological, epistemic, linguistic, methodological, and political levels converge on a set of shared concerns rooted in the structural features of logic itself, most notably categorical determinacy, universalist assumptions, and claims of context-independence. At the same time, these …

The Modal Catuṣkoṭi: Formalizing Emptiness In Classical Modal Logic, Chance Chapman

Comparative Philosophy

Nāgārjuna’s arguments in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā rely extensively on modus tollens, yet this inference is invalid in the paraconsistent frameworks typically used to formalize the catuṣkoṭi. We develop a modal extension of Belnap-Dunn semantics to address this, expressed as: ¬□(v(P) = t) ∧ ¬□(v(P) = f) ∧ ¬□(v(P) = b) ∧ ¬□(v(P) = n). This formula applies self-reflexively, resolves longstanding interpretive debates regarding verses within Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā and Vigrahavyāvartanī such as his “no thesis” defense, and bridges interpretive gaps between traditionally designated Eastern and Western logical traditions, providing a Western analytical translation of Indian dialectic into symbolic modal logic that …

The Aste-Bgc Data-Assimilative Regional Ocean Biogeochemical Model, L. A. Moseley, G. A. Mckinley, D. Carroll, D. Menemenlis, R. Dussin, A. T. Nguyen

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

We present a data-assimilative regional ocean biogeochemical model, ASTE-BGC, which simulates the physical and biogeochemical state of the North Atlantic Ocean from 2002 to 2017. Model physics are provided by a physical state estimate (ASTE), which assimilates O(10⁹) in situ and satellite-based observations over the model domain and time period. Model biogeochemistry is simulated by a medium-complexity biogeochemical module (BLING), which simulates nine prognostic biogeochemical tracers and three ecological classes. Through a three-step optimization process which combines informal adjustments and formal mathematical optimization, we minimize model-data misfit between a “spun-up” simulated biogeochemical state and O(10⁵) BGC-Argo …

Generation X’Sperspectives On Indonesian National Pride: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis, Rizal Kurniawan, Sartana Sartana, Avin Fadhila Helmi

The Qualitative Report

Having a sense of national pride is crucial for the well-being and progress of a country. It plays a vital role in the overall development of a nation and its people. Generation X (individuals born between 1960 and 1980) in Indonesia have experienced many national events and these events influence how they feel about being part of Indonesia. However, empirical research has not shown which events are sources of pride for them. Our study identifies sources of national pride for Generation X in Indonesia. The research data was collected using an open questionnaire and analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis …

Interviewing Elite-Experts: When The Few Matter More Than The Many, Jo B. Helgetun, Thibault Coppe

The Qualitative Report

In this methodological essay, we discuss the ontology and epistemology of research interviews. We anchor our methodological reflection in our experiences interviewing elite-experts. Our goal is to highlight the strengths of research interviews, particularly elite-expert interviews, as well as the importance of using a qualitative rather than quantitative logic when conducting and analyzing such interviews. In discussing this case, we reflect on qualitative research and take a critical stance toward practices that undermine the field of qualitative research. Specifically, we reflect on the process of analyzing interviews—what we refer to as “the quantification of qualitative research”—and how it has become …

A Review On Bridge Scour Analysis In Cohesive Soils And Scour-Susceptible Rocks, Darud E. Sheefa, Zhen Liu, Stanley Vitton, Brian Barkdoll

Michigan Tech Publications

Bridge scour analysis, especially scour depth calculation practices implemented mostly by hydraulics and geotechnical engineers, was traditionally built upon flume tests with cohesionless materials, e.g., sands. As a result, the analysis of bridge scour in cohesive materials, i.e., cohesive soils and scour-susceptible rocks, was less understood and thus has been gaining increasing attention. This paper presents a state-of-the-practice survey on the analysis of bridge scour in cohesive materials represented by cohesive soils and scour-susceptible rocks. This includes a literature review covering the concepts and understanding of scour susceptibility, material sampling, erodibility tests, bridge scour calculation methods for cohesive soils and …

Automated Battery Management Systems For Electric Vehicles, Woonki Na, Yuanyuan Xie

Mineta Transportation Institute

Electric vehicle (EV) safety, efficiency, and lifetime are strongly influenced by how well battery cells are managed, and as EV adoption accelerates, improving battery performance has become critical to vehicle reliability, cost, and public trust. This report conducts a field study on the core technologies and challenges in Battery Management Systems (BMS), focusing on the classification of BMS circuit topologies (design/structures) and systematically reviewing different topologies of active cell balancing circuits (systems that move energy from stronger battery cells to weaker ones). The study provides a detailed analysis of the working principles, advantages, and disadvantages of various active balancing circuit …

The Impact Of Using History On Learning In Physics Laboratory Settings, Patrick W. Clouse

Dissertations

Integrating History of Science (HOS) into science courses has many benefits. Students demonstrate improved scientific content knowledge, develop their understanding of Nature of Science (NOS), and improve their attitudes towards science. However, barriers prevent instructors from effectively incorporating history into their teaching. The traditions and culture of science instruction, individual teacher attitudes and skills, existing institutional frameworks, and prevailing curricular materials all prevent HOS integration. Preservice teachers may never be exposed to HOS in their science or education courses, meaning they lack experience and knowledge surrounding the benefits of HOS. Therefore, alternative avenues for effective integration should be considered to …

Community Detection In Bipartite Networks Using Bipartite Stochastic Block Models With Node-Level Covariates, Geraldine Elaine Percival

Dissertations

In this age, monumental webs of data demands for perpetual cultivation of ways to untangle these webs of information. One of the many curiosities is how to systematically group entities. When clustering, one avenue to take is ascertaining the interconnectedness between the data points, and gauging their influence to each other. This perspective is programmed to model the relationships between the data presented as a network. Many of the methods being used today are algorithm-based, which may pose limitations in understanding and explaining the uncertainty revolving around the data. Hence, it is proposed to steer towards a model-based approach that …