Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Relationship Between Metacognition And False Feedback, Sarah M. Grillo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Accepting false feedback may lead to performance decreases and skewed confidence. Identifying who is more susceptible to false feedback can help us understand how to prevent performance declines and overconfidence. We believe that individuals with low metacognition may be more susceptible to blindly accepting false feedback because they often rely on external sources of feedback for self-evaluation, whereas high metacognitive individuals may be protected because they often rely on accurate internal judgements for self-evaluation. Feedback is important for successful task execution; it can highlight errors (negative feedback) or successful behaviors (positive feedback) to guide future behavior. Individuals with higher metacognition …

Convergencias Y Divergencias: Un Estudio Comparativo De Lenguas Y Literaturas Española Y Portuguesa En España Durante La Temprana Edad Moderna Europea, Eduardo A. Rodrigues D'Abruzzo

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines the literary and linguistic relationships between Spain and Portugal during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries through literary works and their translations. A period characterized by the Iberian Union, vernacularization, and the consolidation of early modern literary systems. It explores the interaction of Spanish and Portuguese texts within a shared yet asymmetrical cultural space shaped by translation, genre adaptation, and hierarchies of linguistic prestige. The research employs comparative textual analysis grounded in historical sociolinguistics, philology, and translation studies. Key works analyzed include Alfonso X’s historiography, Francisco Rodrigues Lobo’s Corte na aldeia and its Spanish translation, and Luís de …

Bridging The Gap: Investigating The Impact Of Adequate Prenatal Care On Adverse Maternal Outcomes Among Black And African American Women, Ciaera Ambroise

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The United States continues to face a maternal health crisis marked by persistent racial disparities, with Black women experiencing pregnancy-related mortality rates three times higher than those of White women. Despite national efforts to expand access to prenatal services, inequities in maternal outcomes remain, indicating that the quality of prenatal care may be as critical as its timing and frequency. The purpose of this thesis is to examine whether adequate prenatal care, compared to inadequate prenatal care, is associated with reduced adverse maternal outcomes among Black and African American women in the United States. Guided by a PICO question, this …

Ai-Thropology: A Study Of Artificial Intelligence Use In Anthropology, Carly R. Junod

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examines how undergraduate anthropology students utilize Artificial Intelligence tools in their coursework and the impact on perceptions of learning. As the use of AI becomes more commonplace, I investigated whether it has been integrated into the praxis of undergraduate anthropology students. Using a Likert-scale survey distributed to 26 anthropology students across multiple subfields, I investigated AI usage patterns, perceptions of academic integrity, and correlations with demographic factors. The results reveal that anthropology students exhibit conservative AI usage patterns, with the majority rarely using AI for core academic tasks such as drafting papers. ChatGPT and Grammarly emerged as the …

Evaluation Of The Long-Term Sealability Performance Of Aramid Fiber Nitrile-Based Gaskets, Salome Ramirez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The reliability of sealed, oil-filled containers is critical for maintaining the operation of high-voltage energy systems, in which the sensitive electronics need to be isolated from the cyclic conditions associated with outdoor environments. New materials bring the possibility of extending service lifetimes and maintenance intervals. Aramid fiber nitrile-based gaskets are an attractive alternative to conventional gasket choices due to their long-term stability in various environments and compatibility with porcelain, metals, and plastics. For newly designed porcelain-to-metal fittings, understanding the behavior of the candidate gasket material under realistic loading conditions is essential to ensure long-term seal integrity and equipment safety. Traditional …

Discomfort In Silence: Investigating Workplace Discrimination In Relation To Employee Disclosure Of Menopausal Health Issues, Alysia Furbish

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Menopause is a universal developmental transition for women that often coincides with peak career years, yet it remains underexamined in organizational research and is frequently treated as a private or taboo workplace topic. This lack of visibility shapes whether women feel able to disclose menopause-related challenges, seek accommodations, and access organizational support. Drawing on literature related to pregnancy and motherhood discrimination, menopause stereotypes, and disclosure literature, this study examines how symptom burden, ideal worker norms, and stigma-related identity management contribute to anticipated workplace discrimination and disclosure decisions. Data were collected via an online survey of 106 working women recruited through …

Centralism: Ecuador's Major Constraint Towards Decentralization, Daniel A. Moreira Castañeda

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Centralized governance has predominantly characterized Latin America, with few countries adopting decentralized systems or federalism. This study explores why decentralization and federalism remain uncommon in the region, focusing on Ecuador’s persistent centralist traditions. Despite federalism being proposed as an alternative governance model, its adoption has been limited due to structural constraints and historical legacies. Ecuador’s centralized authority, rooted in its independence, has shaped institutional arrangements and political dynamics over time. Through a comparative analysis of the decentralization process and governance quality in Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, the research argues that Ecuador’s ongoing centralist practices stem from historical path dependency. This …

Customer Perceptions Of Tipping In Minimal-Service Food Settings, Fabian R. Rodriguez Gomez

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As digital payment systems and point-of-sale technologies become increasingly common, customers are encountering more frequent requests to tip in minimal-service food settings, such as coffee shops, pizza parlors, and quick-service restaurants. These changes have prompted discussions regarding the fairness of tipping, customer willingness to tip, and the growing phenomenon of tipping fatigue. The purpose of this study was to examine how employee effort, social pressure, and social obligation influence customer perceptions of tipping in minimal-service food settings.

A quantitative experimental research design was used with 328 participants recruited through the online platform Prolific. Participants were randomly assigned to scenarios manipulating …

The Effects Of Bicultural Identity On Risk-Taking And Moral Decision-Making In South Asian American College Students, Meera Puthukkudy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis was to explore how biculturalism in South Asian American college students impacts their behaviors, specifically moral decision-making and risk-taking behaviors. Bicultural individuals must navigate the complexities of their identity by integrating norms, values, and expectations from both their heritage culture and their dominant Western culture, which inherently creates a unique cognitive and psychological framework for evaluating choices. Participants in this study completed a survey online and were asked to complete three measures. First, the extent to which participants feel cultural harmony or conflict between their respective cultural identities was measured using the Bicultural Identity Integration …

To Print A Remake: An Analysis Of Hollywood Remakes And Their Cultural Value, Connor F. Seaton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In recent years, audiences and movie critics have expressed concern that Hollywood’s growing reliance on remakes, sequels, franchises, and similar adaptations has led to a broader worry that originality is fading from modern cinema and that the industry is instead focused on using adaptations to maximize profits. Although adaptation is often seen as a commercially driven framework for reproducing existing intellectual property in a new media format, this thesis argues that it should be recognized as an autonomous cultural category with its own artistic, historical, and social significance and merit. By analyzing adaptation scholarship and reviewing its complex historical development, …

The Role Of The Amygdala In Huntington Disease-Associated Aggression, Luis Torres

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Huntington disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a trinucleotide CAG expansion in the huntingtin gene (HTT). HD is characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms that significantly impact patient and caregiver quality of life. Psychiatric symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and irritability, are common manifestations of HD and can emerge years before the onset is clinically diagnosed. Aggression is a common and challenging psychiatric symptom in HD, often misunderstood and associated with caregiver stress, early institutionalization, and reduced quality of life. Despite its clinical impact, aggression in HD lacks effective, targeted treatment options. Similar to HD …

How Religious Priming Affects Morality In Sports, Daniel Prias

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This research focuses on filling the hole in existing literature regarding religious priming and how it affects morality in sports. This study examined whether different types of moral priming influenced moral reasoning in undergraduate soccer athletes. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: an external religious prime, an internal religious prime, a secular prime, or a no-prime control group. Moral reasoning was assessed using the Moral Reasoning in Sports Scenarios Questionnaire (MRSSQ), strength of religious faith was measured using the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire (SCSRFQ), and personality traits were assessed using the Mini International Personality …

Symbolic Racism And Punitive Policy Preferences In The First Quarter Of The Twenty-First Century, Anthony T. Fulinello

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Despite the decay in the acceptability of explicit racism brought about by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, implicit racism may continue to inform individual decision making even into the first quarter of the twenty-first century. Utilizing data from 25 years of the General Social Survey, this study examines how indicators of symbolic racism, a form of implicit racism, impact punitive policy preferences among the general United States population using separate logistic regression models isolating each indicator, plus a full model, for each outcome. Punitive policy preferences were operationalized as support for increased spending on crime prevention …

Increased Risk Of Alzheimer Disease–Associated Mortality In Nonobese Vs Obese Metabolic Dysfunction–Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: A 30-Year National Cohort Study, Sarpong Boateng, Guy Loic Nguefang, Mexan Mapouka, Ridwan Lawal, Solomon Gyabaah, Bright Nwatamole, Amita Kasar, Selom Adatsi, Basile Njei

School of Medicine Publications

Background and aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is increasingly recognized for its extrahepatic consequences, including emerging links to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer disease (AD). Whether AD mortality risk differs across MASLD phenotypes, remains unclear.

Methods: We analyzed adults from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994) with mortality follow-up through 2019 via the National Death Index. Participants were followed for AD mortality. Cumulative incidence was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated MASLD phenotypes and AD mortality, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty-income ratio, body mass index, and smoking status.

Results: Among 7125 …

Multi-Period Coordinated Planning Of Xfcs In Coupled Tn-Pdn Networks: Integrating Demand Charge Reduction And Pre-Existing Infrastructure, Waqas Ur Rehman, Siyuan Wang, Liheng Lv, Jonathan W. Kimball, Rui Bo

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and transportation electrification is encumbered by two chief barriers: i) the limited driving range of EVs in the market today and ii) inadequate charging infrastructure support. This paper aims to address the latter bottleneck and proposes a strategic multi-period coordinated planning model to optimally site and size battery energy storage system (BESS) assisted extreme fast charging stations in a highway transportation network and solar systems in a power distribution network. The proposed approach accounts for pre-existing charging stations, the increasing EV penetration levels, decreasing technology costs, and technological advancements in the future and …

Temperature Compensation In Loop And Patch Fss Strain Sensors: Analysis And Experimental Validation, Swathi Muthyala Ramesh, Kristen M. Donnell

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) are arrays of conductive elements or apertures that exhibit frequency-dependent reflection and transmission properties. Their electromagnetic response is influenced by geometry and environmental conditions, making them attractive for wireless strain-sensing applications. However, temperature variations can produce frequency shifts similar to those caused by strain, reducing measurement accuracy. This work investigates the effects of intrinsic temperature compensation on two common FSS unit cell geometries—loop and patch—through comprehensive simulation analysis. The results show that loop-based cells offer superior thermal stability, while patch-based cells provide greater strain sensitivity, illustrating the trade-off between thermal robustness and mechanical responsiveness. A patch-type …

Mitigating Hysteresis In Metal-Coated Fibers Via Optimized Thermal Treatment For Advanced Distributed High-Temperature Sensing Applications, Koustav Dey, Rony Kumer Saha, Bohong Zhang, S. Narasimman, Farhan Mumtaz, Jeffrey D. Smith, Rex E. Gerald, Ronald J. O'Malley, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Metal-coated optical fibers are widely employed in sensing applications owing to their superior mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. However, their calibration at elevated temperatures is hindered by hysteresis, manifested as discrepancies between heating and cooling cycles, primarily caused by residual strain from mismatched thermal expansion coefficients (TECs) between the metal coating and silica cladding. This research introduces an optimal heat treatment procedure aimed at minimizing the impact of the mismatch in TECs between the cladding and the coating materials that causes the residual strain in gold (Au) and copper (Cu) coated fibers for achieving reliable distributed high temperature sensing up …

Large Language Models For Neurology: A Mini Review, Donald C. Wunsch, Daniel B. Hier

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Large language models have the potential to transform neurology by augmenting diagnostic reasoning, streamlining documentation, and improving workflow efficiency. This Mini Review surveys emerging applications of large language models in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy, with emphasis on ambient documentation, multimodal data integration, and clinical decision support. Key barriers to adoption include bias, privacy, reliability, and regulatory alignment. Looking ahead, neurology-focused language models may develop greater fluency in biomedical ontologies and FHIR standards, improving data interoperability and supporting more seamless collaboration between clinicians and AI systems. Two future developments have the potential to be particularly impactful: (1) …

Evaluation Of Multiple Generative Large Language Models On Neurology Board-Style Questions, Mohammad Almomani, Vijaya Valaparla, James Weatherhead, Xiang Fang, Alok Dabi, Chih Ying Li, Peter Mccaffrey, Dan Hier, Jorge Mario Rodríguez-Fernández

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Objective: To compare the performance of eight large language models (LLMs) with neurology residents on board-style multiple-choice questions across seven subspecialties and two cognitive levels. Methods: In a cross-sectional benchmarking study, we evaluated Bard, Claude, Gemini v1, Gemini 2.5, ChatGPT-3.5, ChatGPT-4, ChatGPT-4o, and ChatGPT-5 using 107 text-only items spanning movement disorders, vascular neurology, neuroanatomy, neuroimmunology, epilepsy, neuromuscular disease, and neuro-infectious disease. Items were labeled as lower- or higher-order per Bloom's taxonomy by two neurologists. Models answered each item in a fresh session and reported confidence and Bloom classification. Residents completed the same set under exam-like conditions. Outcomes included overall and …

Safety Aware Continual Reinforcement Learning-Based Output Tracking Control Of Nonlinear Continuous-Time Systems, Irfan Ganie, Sarangapani Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An output feedback (OF)-based control scheme utilizing both a scalable multilayer neural network (MNN) observer and actor–critic MNN via integral reinforcement learning (IRL)/adaptive dynamics programming (ADP) approach for a class of nonlinear systems with output constraints is introduced. The proposed observer, critic, and actor MNN weight updates are derived using a singular value decomposition (SVD) of MNN activation function gradient along with output error, Bellman and control input errors, respectively. Next, the approach incorporates continual learning (CL), utilizing a penalty function in the weight update laws for both actor–critic MNNs to consolidate knowledge from previous tasks and enhance learning in …

Multi-Parameter Optimization And Adaptive Temperature Compensation For Fbg Strain Sensors In Wide-Temperature-Range Aerospace Applications, Ruling Zhou, Jiacheng Yu, Yutang Dai, Jianguan Tang, Minghong Yang, Farhan Mumtaz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate strain measurement in cryogenic fuel pipelines is crucial for ensuring the structural integrity and reliability of rocket engine systems operating under extreme thermal conditions. Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors show significant potential for such applications; however, their inherent temperature-strain cross-sensitivity limits performance over wide temperature ranges. This research presents an enhanced compensation strategy combining multi-parameter optimization with temperature-zone-specific adaptation to improve the accuracy and stability of FBG-based strain sensing in harsh aerospace environments. Four special steel substrate materials including S03, S06, S07, and 1Cr18Ni9Ti, were evaluated using strain transfer theory and thermo-mechanical coupling simulations. Genetic algorithms optimized key design …

Safe Optimal Control Framework For Cooperative Manipulation Of Objects In Human–Robot Teams, Irfan Ganie, Sarangapani Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article introduces a distributed deep neural network (NN)-based adaptive control framework for cooperative object manipulation in human–robot teams with unknown agent dynamics by using three distinct multilayer NN observers (MNNOs). The first observer, termed the reference point estimator, enables each robotic agent to estimate the object's reference center using consensus-based learning, even without direct access to global reference trajectories. The second observer, referred to as the human force-to-trajectory estimator, uses human-applied forces to infer the intended position, velocity, and acceleration of the object, enabling real-time estimation of human intent. Together, these two observers allow distributed estimation of human-intended motion. …

High-Resolution, Fast-Response Optical Fiber Temperature Sensor With A Large Measurement Range Based On Fiber-Tip Alumina Fabry-Pérot Interferometer, Ruimin Jie, Chen Zhu, Robert Abbott, Michael Davis, Xiong Zhang, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present an alumina-tip optical fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometric temperature sensor exhibiting high-temperature performance, rapid response, and high resolution. Fabricated by fusion splicing an alumina micro disk directly to a single-mode fiber, the sensor achieves robust, stable operation without complex fabrication processes or adhesives. Experimental evaluation confirms a measurement range extending to 1000°C, with sensitivity of 28.66 pm/°C, a resolution of 0.042°C, and a rapid response time of approximately 13 ms. Compared to state-of-the-art optical fiber FPI sensors, our alumina-tip sensor offers superior overall performance, effectively addressing critical demands for high-resolution, fast-response temperature measurement in extreme environments including aerospace, structural monitoring, …

Waveguide-Assisted Single-Mode Fiber Bragg Gratings In A Highly Multimode Coreless Fiber Via Femtosecond Laser Inscription For Extreme Temperature Quasi-Distributed Thermal Sensing, Farhan Mumtaz, Koustav Dey, Bohong Zhang, Jeffrey D. Smith, Ronald J. O'Malley, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This research reports a potential quasi-distributed thermal mapping optical sensing system for extreme temperatures, leveraging femtosecond (fs) laser inscribed single-mode fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and a waveguide within coreless, highly multimode optical fiber, resulting in a single-mode structure. Unlike doped single-mode fibers, coreless fibers composed of silica rods prevent issues associated with dopant migration and ensure data accuracy. The strategic placement of point-by-point FBGs in a cascaded formation on the fs-laser inscribed waveguide facilitates localized multipoint sensing. The long-term stability of the proposed waveguide-assisted FBG system was assessed over 24 hours at elevated temperatures (1000°C), showing no hysteresis during heating …

Embeddable Optical Fiber Sensor For Simultaneous Strain And Temperature Monitoring, Amardeep Kaur, Sudharshan Anandan, Steve Eugene Watkins, Yinan Zhang, Kumbla Chandrashekhara, Hai Xiao

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We present an embeddable hybrid optical fiber sensor based on a cascaded extrinsic Fabry–Pérot interferometer (EFPI) and intrinsic Fabry–Pérot interferometer (IFPI) for simultaneous strain and temperature monitoring in high-performance composite materials. The sensor is fabricated using femtosecond laser micromachining and is embedded within bismaleimide composite laminates manufactured via an out-of-autoclave process. Experimental results demonstrate linear and decoupled responses to strain and temperature, with the EFPI showing minimal temperature sensitivity (1.7 pm/°C) and the IFPI exhibiting high temperature sensitivity (16.1 pm/°C). Strain sensitivities for both components were consistent at 0.6pm/με in embedded conditions. The sensor maintained structural integrity and stable spectral …

Distributed Temperature Sensing In The Spray-Cooled Shell Of A 150-Ton Dc Electric Arc Furnace Using Brillouin Optical Fiber Technology, Farhan Mumtaz, Yeshwanth Reddy Mekala, Koustav Dey, Rony Kumer Saha, Ogbole Collins Inalegwu, Manoj Kumar Pullagura, Bohong Zhang, Muhammad Roman, Nicholas Dionise, Zane Voss, Jeffrey D. Smith, Ronald J. O'Malley, Rex E. Gerald, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents the deployment and validation of a Brillouin - distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system for real-time thermal monitoring of the spray-cooled upper shell of a 150-ton direct current Electric Arc Furnace (DC EAF) at Big River Steel Plant, Osceola, AR, USA. A four-channel Brillouin DTS system from OZ Optics was employed, with one active channel instrumented using an in-house-fabricated Brillouin scattering-depressed single-mode optical fiber (SMF28e+). The 60 m optical fiber sensor was fabricated, with 20 m allocated for thermal measurement and 40 m used as lead-in fiber to isolate the interrogator from the furnace environment. The fiber was …

Self-Calibrating Uav Navigation: Reinforcement Learning Approaches For Horizontal Trajectory Estimation, Shirin Nasr-Esfahani, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Accurate unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) trajectory estimation is essential for autonomous navigation, particularly in GPS-denied environments. Visualodometry and simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) approaches require precise camera intrinsic parameters, which are typically obtained through predefined or offline calibration. Instead, in this work, we propose a reinforcement learning (RL)-based self-calibration framework that estimates camera intrinsic parameters directly from monocular video sequences, without requiring prior knowledge of the camera, environment, or calibration targets. This intrinsic parameter estimation is then leveraged to achieve robust UAV trajectory estimation using only video data. We formulate the problem as a sequential decision-making task, where an RL …

Performance Analysis And Optimization Of Fructose Memristor-Based Neuromorphic Systems, Harshvardhan Uppaluru, Shakil Mahmud Jiban, Shah Zayed Riam, Feng Zhao, Jinhui Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Natural organic memristors have demonstrated promising synaptic behavior, positioning them as strong candidates for synaptic devices in neuromorphic systems. This paper presents the fabrication and evaluation of a neuromorphic system based on natural organic 16-level and 32-level fructose memristors. First, the manufacturing process of fructose memristors is described in detail. Second, the nonlinear property associated with fructose memristors is investigated, and an optimization method is applied to address the nonlinear effects. The performance of the fructose memristor-based neuromorphic system on MNIST with a multi-layer perceptron and on CIFAR-10 with VGG-8 is evaluated and reported under various conditions -with/without nonlinearity optimization …

Integrating Optical And Radiofrequency Interferometry For Enhanced Phase Sensing, Ruimin Jie, Zhaopeng Zhang, Chen Zhu, Jie Huang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Interferometry is a crucial investigative technique used across diverse fields to achieve high-precision measurements. It works by analyzing the phase difference between two interfering waves, which results from variations in optical path lengths within an interferometer. We introduce a novel method for directly measuring changes in the phase difference within an optical interferometer, importantly, with the added advantage of a controllable enhancement factor. This approach is achieved through a two-step process: first, the optical phase difference is encoded into a sub-GHz radiofrequency (RF) signal using microwave-photonic manipulation; then, RF interferometry-assisted phase amplification is implemented at the destructive interference point. In …

Online Lifelong Optimal Adaptive Control Of Partially Uncertain Strict Feedback Discrete-Time Systems With Application To Quadrotor Uavs, Maxwell Geiger, Sarangapani Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article considers the infinite time horizon optimal adaptive tracking control of partially uncertain strict feedback discrete-time (DT) systems with application to quadrotor uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs). First, the strict feedback DT system is transformed into an equivalent affine nonlinear DT system in terms of the tracking error dynamics. The optimal adaptive tracking control problem is solved using an augmented system approach, where a horizon of future bounded reference trajectory points is used in the augmented state, when compared to using a single point. It is assumed that the internal dynamics of the strict feedback system are unknown, but the …