Digital Commons Network^™

Optimizing Emissions And Sustainability Of Alternative Fuel Buses Using Machine Learning And Life-Cycle Modeling, Md Rezwan Hossain

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Public transportation is undergoing a critical transition as agencies seek to balance environmental responsibility, operational efficiency, and economic viability. Alternative fuel buses (AFBs), including electric, compressed natural gas (CNG), propane, and biodiesel, offer opportunities to reduce emissions and advance sustainability, yet their adoption raises complex trade-offs. High upfront costs, infrastructure constraints, range limitations, and variable real-world performance complicate decisions for fleet managers and policymakers. This dissertation addresses these challenges by integrating real-world operational data, life-cycle modeling, and machine learning within a multi-objective optimization framework to evaluate and optimize AFB deployment. Using detailed telematics and GPS datasets from Central Florida's transit …

Smart Urban Air Pollution Management Using Crowdsourced Big Data, Low-Cost Sensor Network And Aerial Remote Sensing, Md Hasibul Hasan

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Air pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges, especially in urban areas with dense populations and concentrated emission sources. Effective air quality management requires accurate information on emissions to guide control strategies and reliable exposure estimates to evaluate health impacts. This dissertation examines multiple sources of uncertainty in both emission and exposure assessments. Two major emission sectors were investigated: on-road motor vehicles and landfills. For on-road sources, detailed traffic information inferred from crowdsourced big data were leveraged to improve the estimation of traffic-related emissions. For landfills, the application of low-cost sensor and aerial remote sensing …

Paleoethnobotany And Starch Grain Residue Analysis Collected From Ceramics At The White Marl Site, Jamaica, Lydia E. Kiernicki

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The White Marl site represents the largest known Taíno settlement and archaeological site in Jamaica. Road construction in the eighteenth century first disturbed the site, followed by further damage during Mandela Highway construction in the 1940s. The site now faces renewed threats from a proposed highway expansion that has divided it into two zones. In response, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust began archaeological investigations in 2016 to assess and document the land before development and preserve any recoverable material remains and cultural heritage. Field seasons from 2016 to 2019 recovered of several ceramic burial vessels from inhumation contexts, providing valuable …

Exploring The Genetic Structure And Evolutionary History Of Marine Fish Populations Across Micronesia, Pavithiran Amirthalingam

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

Most marine species exist as metapopulations, composed of subpopulations inhabiting patchily distributed habitat. Connectivity among these subpopulations is primarily facilitated by larval dispersal via ocean currents. Understanding patterns of population connectivity is crucial for evaluating metapopulation dynamics and ensuring long-term population stability in managed species. Micronesia, a vast region in the North Pacific with hundreds of islands, is the northern extent for many tropical species and is thought to function as vital stepping-stones between the central and western Pacific. However, limited phylogeographic studies in the region have left significant knowledge gaps regarding metapopulation dynamics. Here I address this knowledge gap …

Exploring The Security Landscape Of Ar/Vr Applications: A Multi-Dimensional Perspective, Abdulaziz Alghamdi

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The rapid evolution of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies on mobile platforms has significantly impacted the digital landscape, raising concerns about security and privacy. As these technologies integrate into everyday life, understanding their security infrastructure and privacy policies is crucial to protect user data.

To address this, our first study analyzes AR/VR applications from a security and performance perspective. Recognizing the lack of benchmark datasets for security research, we compiled a dataset of 408 AR/VR applications from the Google Play Store. The dataset includes control flow graphs, strings, functions, permissions, API calls, hexdump, and metadata, providing a …

Long Term Trends In The Reproductive Output And Phenology Of Three Marine Turtle Species, Jeena Prasertlum

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation post-2024

The UCF Marine Turtle Research Group (MTRG) has monitored sea turtle nesting along the Brevard County, Florida coastline for over 40 years, yielding one of the world's longest continuous sea turtle reproductive datasets. These data offer key demographic insights for conservation and species recovery assessments. Given climate change’s worsening effects, it is critical to analyze long-term trends in hatchling emergence success and phenology, which impact reproductive output, population growth, and hatchling dispersal. Here I compare the long-term reproductive output trends of loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) sea turtles from …

Discontinuing Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists And Body Habitus: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Sara Berg, Hannah Stickle, Suzanne J. Rose, Eric C. Nemec

Physician Associate Studies Faculty Publications

Research on Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) has mainly focused on the efficacy of weight loss and not the long-term efficacy of weight loss maintenance. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the sustainability of weight loss of patients taking GLP-1RAs following the discontinuation of the drug. EBSCOhost was used to simultaneously search Academic Search Premier, CINHAL Ultimate, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE with full text, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and separate PubMed search was systematically investigated using a predetermined search strategy from inception to February 1st, 2024. The authors extracted data regarding body weight …

Lewd, Rude, Obscene, And… Violent? Analyzing Student Clothing Depicting Firearms Under The First Amendment’S Obscenity Test, Luke Gorman

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Today’s national news and social media have repeatedly exposed our school-age children to the effects of shootings occurring within their schools and communities. Each shooting brings with it commentary, sometimes from the students themselves. While in-school student speech is more limited than speech levied in the outside world, students do not shed their speech rights at the “schoolhouse gate.” As a result, courts have failed to outline a consistent approach for when a student will be punished for wearing a shirt depicting a firearm to school. This Comment addresses this delicate balance by proposing a consistent three-part test framed by …

Foraging Substrates Of Insect-Eating Birds In The Delaware Piedmont During The Fall, Ian Stewart, Jim White

Delaware Ornithologist

No abstract provided.

“The Culture - I Wish It Were Less Intense And More Joyful And Full Of Life”: A Youth Participatory Action Study On Teen Mental Health And Wellness, Marna Wolak

Doctoral Dissertations

Studies indicate that a grave mental health crisis is disproportionately impacting female-identified youth. While school districts have made attempts to address this problem, those most impacted - young people - have frequently found their voices overlooked by adults seeking solutions. Therefore, this Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) study, grounded in humanizing and liberatory pedagogy, examines how high school-aged students in an urban school district understand and define their experiences with mental health challenges and suggest strategies and interventions for improved wellness. Two sets of research questions guide this study: 1) Primary questions: What are youth perspectives about how their mental …

Physiologic And Structural Characterization Of Desisobutyryl-Ciclesonide, A Selective Glucocorticoid Receptor Modulator In Newborn Rats., Juliann D. Jaumotte, Nathalie El Khoury, Charles K. Min, Jiefei Wang, Caroline Madigan, Antalya Jano, Robin J. Russo Kobylski, Laura A. Solt, Rutu S. Dhavan, Kelly L. Short, Tianhua Lei, Uma Chandran, Timothy J. Cole, Ann Paula Monaghan-Nichols, Venkatesh Sampath, René Houtman, Kendall W. Nettles, Donald B. Defranco

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia, the most prevalent chronic lung disease of prematurity, is often treated with glucocorticoids (GCs) such as dexamethasone (DEX), but their use is encumbered with several adverse somatic, metabolic, and neurologic effects. We previously reported that systemic delivery of the GC prodrug ciclesonide (CIC) in neonatal rats activated glucocorticoid receptor (GR) transcriptional responses in lung but did not trigger multiple adverse effects caused by DEX. To determine whether limited systemic metabolism of CIC was solely responsible for its enhanced safety profile, we treated neonatal rats with its active metabolite desisobutyryl-ciclesonide (Des-CIC). DEX but not Des-CIC caused a reduction in …

The Management Of Dietary Fiber Intake In Children With Chronic Kidney Disease - Clinical Practice Recommendations From The Pediatric Renal Nutrition Taskforce., An Desloovere, Nonnie Polderman, José Renken-Terhaerdt, Vanessa Shaw, Caroline Anderson, Larry A. Greenbaum, Christina L. Nelms, Leila Qizalbash, Stella Stabouli, Jetta Tuokkola, Bradley A. Warady, Johan Vande Walle, Fabio Paglialonga, Rukshana Shroff, Evelien Snauwaert

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

The benefits of dietary fiber are widely accepted. Nevertheless, a substantial proportion of children fail to meet the recommended intake of dietary fiber. Achieving adequate fiber intake is especially challenging in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). An international team of pediatric renal dietitians and pediatric nephrologists from the Pediatric Renal Nutrition Taskforce (PRNT) has developed clinical practice recommendations (CPRs) for the dietary intake of fiber in children and adolescents with CKD. In this CPR paper, we propose a definition of fiber, provide advice on the requirements and assessment of fiber intake, and offer practical guidance on optimizing dietary fiber …

Emerging Role Of Sh3bp2 As Regulator Of Immune And Nonimmune Cells In Nephrotic Syndrome., Tarak Srivastava, Mukut Sharma

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) are major forms of nephrotic syndrome that remain difficult to treat. MCD and FSGS have distinct but also overlapping clinical, histological, metabolic, and molecular features. Effective use of immunosuppressive drugs, activated immune cells, altered cytokine profiles, and upregulated signaling pathways suggest a link between immune dysfunction and nephrotic syndrome, but the exact mechanism of immunopathogenesis is unclear. Immune dysfunction is an area of ongoing research for identifying novel molecular targets for treating nephrotic syndrome. However, the available animal models do not directly address the role of immune dysfunction in nephrotic …

Tetralogy Of Fallot: Anatomy, Physiology, And Outcomes, Edo Bedzra, Eli Contorno, Herra Javed, Amna Qasim, James St Louis, Taufiek Konrad Rajab

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Since the first identification of Tetralogy of Fallot in 1671, consisting of a combination of anatomical defects including biventricular origin of the aorta, maligned ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, and narrowing or atresia of the pulmonary outflow tract. The first successful operation consisted of a shunt between the left subclavian artery and pulmonary artery. Following this palliative procedure, complete repair is performed once the patient reaches indicative criteria. Since the first attempts at surgical palliation and repair, techniques and outcomes have improved drastically. Definitive repair of Tetralogy of Fallot consists of a multi-patch closure of any Ventricular Septal Defect along …

Biodiversity Conservation And The Ever-Expanding Web Of Federal Laws Regulating Nonfederal Lands: Time For Something Completely Differenct?, J.B. Ruhl

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Integrating A Canine Comfort Program With Occupational Therapy Services For Emerging Adults With Mental Health Diagnoses, Emily Vieth

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Mental health plays a critical role in the lives of emerging adults (ages 18-29) including how they identify, their coping strategies, and social skills (Matud et al., 2020). Occupational therapists (OTs) can play a vital role in the management of depressive and anxiety symptoms for the promotion of an individual’s well-being (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2020). OT can address depressive and anxiety symptoms through the incorporation of animal-assisted therapy (AAT). AAT is a therapeutic approach that uses animals to improve overall health and well-being (Pandey et al., 2024). Though still limited in evidencebased research, emerging interventions like canine …

Nature-Based Practices In Early Childhood Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Angela Mossman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Early childhood experiences are the building blocks for all future behavior and health (Warmbold,2015). These experiences, whether positive or negative, build the foundation of the brain's architecture (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2016). The developing brain comprises neural connections that develop through an ongoing process that begins before birth and continues into adulthood (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2016). This capstone project aims to demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of naturebased practices through the lens of occupational therapy. Ginsburg et al. (2007) stated that play is essential for optimal child development. The benefits of …

Incorporating A Facility Dog Into Practice: A Guide For Occupational Therapists In Mental Health Settings, Anneka Harris

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Introduction: The field of animal assisted therapy (AAT) is growing as the evidence on the effectiveness of incorporating animals into the rehabilitation process evolves; however, there is currently a lack of guidance for occupational therapy (OT) practitioners working with facility dogs in an adult mental health population. In a setting where clients have traumatic brain injuries (TBI), substance use disorders (SUD), and serious mental illness (SMI), it is important to combine best practice for both OT and AAT approaches. The objective of this project was to understand current resources available, conceptualize appropriate interventions, and provide a guide for practitioners using …

Addressing Occupational Challenges Through Multimodal Educational And Training Intervention Approaches To Improve Health Outcomes For Caregivers And Care Recipients, Skye Gross

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Family caregivers represent approximately 20% of the U.S. population (American Association for Retired Persons [AARP], 2020), with a prevalence linked to the rise of conditions and critical care needs among the baby boomer population. Family members are often relied upon to ensure the basic health needs of their loved ones as the complexity of care increases. On average, family caregivers dedicated 24 or more hours a week to caregiving tasks while fulfilling work and other essential functions. Nearly 50% provided high-intensity care to recipients with complex medical conditions with limited formal training (Reinhardt et al., 2019). These extreme levels …

A Holistic Program Manual For Permanent Supportive Housing: Integrating Housing First And Occupational Therapy Approaches, Melody Mackenzie

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Background: Individuals experiencing chronic homelessness often face complex challenges including trauma, mental health conditions, and barriers to daily living. While permanent supportive housing provides long-term housing with supportive services, gaps exist in resources tailored for both residents and residential support staff. Many existing permanent supportive housing programs emphasize behavioral or mental health approaches, with fewer addressing the full range of occupational participation needs. Occupational therapy, with its holistic and client-centered perspective, offers a valuable lens to enhance service delivery in permanent supportive housing.

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop two compatible tools–a Permanent Supportive Housing Residential …

Policing After Slavery: Race, Crime, And Resistance In Atlanta, Jonathon J. Booth

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Abundance And Other Food Fixations, Margot J. Pollans

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Medicalization Of Education: Applied Behavioral Analysis In Colorado's Schools, Zachary Quaratella

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Cultivating Hope: A Future With Ethics Towards People And Places, Vanessa Ann Racehorse

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Equity Along The Yellowstone, Jason Anthony Robison

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Great Salt Lake And The Future Of Environmental Law, Brigham Daniels, Elisabeth Parker, Karigan Börk, Andrew P. Follett, Danny Dudley

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Cost Of Pfas Cleanup In Waterways: Who Pays And How, Sarah E. Mische

University of Colorado Law Review

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of Gelatin Extracted From Mackerel Bone (Rastrelliger Sp) On Cell Count In Wistar Rats Mandibular Bone Healing-In Vivo, Isnandar, Gostry A. Dohude, Hendry Rusdy, Muhammad F. Lubis, Lokot D. Lubis, Kevin Marpaung, Monica L. Romauli, Aulia I. Sari

Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science

No abstract provided.

Boy Whose Head Was Filled With Stars: A Life Of Edwin Hubble (2021) By Isabelle Marinov, Maughn Rollins Gregory

Picture Books

Barely a hundred years ago, Edwin Hubble changed the way we understand the universe and our place in it more dramatically than almost anyone else has ever done. As this picture book biography shows, his mind-boggling discoveries can be traced back to childhood questions. The discovery that the world is bigger than we had imagined happens in many ways, and learning that we have some choices in deciding how new facts, new experiences, and new perspectives can matter to us is a necessary part of education.

One Day This Tree Will Fall (2024) By Leslie Barnard Booth, Maughn Gregory

Picture Books

Can a tree live a life worth living? This picture book makes the case that trees have lives that are at once intriguingly similar to human lives and just as intriguingly – and importantly – different. It nudges us to consider the meaning of our own lives and our place and our role in the natural world. But trees are quite mysterious. The more we learn about them, the more fantastical they seem – these ordinary inhabitants of every human city and village. This book invites young people and older people to think more about trees; but there is just …