Digital Commons Network^™

2025 Hillsborough County Agricultural Fair 4-H Animal Shows, Carrie A. Finke

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Semitic Root Encoding: Tokenization Based On The Templatic Morphology Of Semitic Languages In Nmt, Brendan T. Hatch

Theses and Dissertations

The morphological structure of Semitic languages like Arabic and Hebrew is based on non-concatenative roots and templates. This complex word structure used by humans is obscured to neural models that use traditional tokenization algorithms. In this work, I present and evaluate Semitic Root Encoding (SRE), a tokenization method that represents Semitic words with distinct root and template stem tokens, and apply it to neural machine translation (NMT). I evaluate whether tokenization with the SRE method leads to increases in translation quality, whether it allows NMT models to hypothesize unseen word forms needed at inference, and how impervious resulting NMT models …

Neat Vs. Scruffy: How Early Ai Researchers Classified Epistemic Cultures Of Knowledge Representation, Lindsay Poirier

Statistical and Data Sciences: Faculty Publications

Accounts of the history of symbolic artificial intelligence (AI) often categorize researchers and their programs through binary oppositions: logicist versus procedural, or alternatively, neat versus scruffy. These terms were often referenced throughout the 1970s and 1980s by AI researchers at institutions in the United States and Europe to document epistemic and esthetic differences in approaches to knowledge representation. In this article, I historicize and situate these binary oppositions, showing how researchers leveraged them in discourse to demarcate the beliefs and commitments underpinning certain AI approaches. I argue that the labels helped knowledge representation scholars identify, trouble, and grapple with the …

Leveraging An Arts-Based Approach To Foster Engagement, Nurture Kindness, And Prevent Violence, Yok-Fong Paat, Diego Garcia Tovar, Nathan W. Myers, Max C. E. Orezzoli, Anne M. Giangiulio, Sarah L. Ruiz, Angela V. Dorado, Luis R. Torres-Hostos

School of Social Work Faculty Publications

Drawing from the insights of community partners, this study explored the roles and benefits of arts-based approaches to foster civic learning, critical media literacy, and community engagement. It also uncovered approaches to promote kindness, prevent violence, and combat online extremism, offering insights into strategies that may enhance community engagement and create a positive impact. We presented our model framework, a detailed case study of our project, and qualitative methods incorporating 15 interviews with our community partners to capture a broad range of perspectives and experiences. Interviewees were community partners who collaborated with our project in organizing events and activities using …

Histotripsy: A Novel Non-Invasive Ultrasound Technology For Precision Thrombolysis In Acute Ischemic Stroke Management, Ameer E. Hassan, Thomas Dreyer, Yousef Khalili

School of Medicine Publications

BackgroundStroke remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Traditional treatments for ischemic stroke such as mechanical thrombectomy and pharmacological thrombolysis are often less effective or inaccessible for certain patient populations, particularly those with delayed hospital arrival, contraindications to thrombolytics, or in regions with limited access to endovascular care. This study investigates the feasibility of using histotripsy, a non-invasive ultrasound technology, to precisely liquefy thrombi in an artificial experimental setup.MethodsClot analogs were introduced into sample tubes, and focused ultrasound was applied using optimized parameters, including pulses per burst, repetition rates, and output amplitudes. These parameters were systematically adjusted to …

Churchill House, L.P. V. Marshall

All Decisions

In a licensee holdover involving a HUD Section 236/Low Income Housing Tax Credit apartment, the court dismissed the respondent's succession claim, granting the landlord a final judgment of possession and money judgment for use and occupancy. The court acknowledged that federal regulations and caselaw for subsidized apartments do not mandate the fixed co-residency periods of rent-regulated contexts nor require inclusion on household compositions. However, the respondent's testimonial evidence of co-residency with her deceased father for "a suitable duration" to establish membership in the family unit was found lacking in credibility and consistency, failing to prove her succession rights.

Real Estate Board Of New York, Inc. V. The City Of New York

All Decisions

The court denied a preliminary injunction against New York City's FARE Act, which shifts broker fee payment from tenants to landlords. The judge granted in part the City's motion to dismiss, striking down plaintiffs' First Amendment, New York State Constitution, and state law preemption claims. However, the Contracts Clause claim was allowed to proceed. The court emphasized that it cannot overturn legislation based on policy disagreements.

Engineering Lipid–Polymer Nanoparticles For Sirna Delivery To Cancer Cells, Arthur Manda, Abdulelah Alhazza, Hasan Uludağ, Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background: RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool that can target many proteins without the expensive and time-consuming drug development studies. However, due to the challenges in delivering RNA molecules, the potential impact of RNAi approaches is yet to be fully realized in clinical settings. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been the most successful delivery system for nucleic acids, but targeted delivery to a solid tumor still eludes the developed LNPs. We hypothesized that specially designed low-molecular-weight PEIs can partially or completely replace the ionizable lipids for more accommodating vehicles due to the structural flexibility offered by polymers, which could …

Parallel Use Of Low-Complexity Automated Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests And Lateral Flow Urine Lipoarabinomannan Assays To Detect Tuberculosis Disease In Adults And Adolescents Living With Hiv, Stephanie Bjerrum, Bada Yang, Johanna Åhsberg, Laura Olbrich, Mathias Weis Damkjær, Ruvandhi R Nathavitharana, Tobias Broger, Ioana Diana Olaru, Brittney Sweetser, Hayley Poore, Alia Razid, Alexander W Kay, Claudia M Denkinger, Ian Schiller, Nandini Dendukuri, Devan Jaganath, Andreas Lundh, Maunank Shah

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Low-complexity automated nucleic acid amplification tests (LC-aNAATs) are molecular World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended rapid diagnostic tests (also known as mWRDs) widely used to diagnose tuberculosis disease. The lateral flow urine lipoarabinomannan assay (LF-LAM) is recommended by the WHO to assist in diagnosing tuberculosis disease amongst people with HIV. Previous systematic reviews have assessed the diagnostic accuracy of LC-aNAATs and LF-LAM used in isolation for the detection of tuberculosis, but in clinical practice the tests may be used in parallel (i.e. LC-aNAAT in combination with LF-LAM).

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of the parallel use of LC-aNAAT on respiratory …

A Fifty-Year Assessment Of Historical Planning Processes And Green Space Distribution (1975-2025): A Case Study Of Portland, Or, Usa, Quadri Olatunbosun Taiwo

Dissertations and Theses

The Portland study examined past planning regulations and greenspace distribution over the period of fifty years, with particular attention given to neighborhood differences between invested and non-invested neighborhoods. This research utilized a mixed-methods approach through the synthesis of qualitative themes from oral narratives and archival records. Furthermore, I examined spatial greenspace using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) imagery. I tested the study hypothesis using the GIS Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression test to predict how key sociodemographic characteristics affect the provision of greenspace in non-white disinvested neighborhoods. The key findings indicated a consistent trend of inequity in greenspace, heavily shaped …

Structure-Function Coupling In The First Month Of Life: Associations With Age And Attention, Ursula A Tooley, Jeanette K Kenley, M Catalina Camacho, Aidan Latham, Dimitrios Alexopoulos, Ashley N Nielsen, Tara A Smyser, Barbara B Warner, Joshua S Shimony, Jeffrey J Neil, Joan L Luby, Deanna M Barch, Cynthia E Rogers, Christopher D Smyser

2020-Current year OA Pubs

How brain structure relates to function is a critical and open question in neuroscience. Here, we characterize regional variation in structure-function coupling, capturing the degree to which a cortical region's structural connections relate to patterns of coordinated neural activity in healthy, term-born neonates (

World Average Intercomparison Method: An Approach To Compare Landsat 8 Oli To Landsat 9 Oli, Mehran Yarahmadi, Kurtis Thome, Brian Wenny, Norvik Voskanian, Mohammad Tahersima, Sarah Kay, Derrick Lampkin

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

Comparative observations between two or more sensors viewing the same target(s) of known or stable radiance close in time have been successfully used for decades to calibrate and cross-compare calibration of various sensors. While the common target approach has proven effective in ensuring data consistency, they typically involve coordinating near-simultaneous data acquisition that are resource-intensive. The need to address geometric, spectral, atmospheric, and angular differences between measurements adds further complexity, making these methods challenging to implement on a routine basis. This study uses an approach to evaluate radiometric scales of two sensors using statistics of their global coverage of the …

Copernicus Sentinel-2 And Sentinel-3 Radiometric Calval Status: An Overview Of Sentinel-2c Tandem-Phase Results, B. Alhammoud, L. Rivoire, A. Deru, V. Boccia, S. Dransfeld

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

As part of the Copernicus program of the European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA) developed and operates the Sentinel-2 constellation (S2A, S2B and S2C); and in cooperation with the EUMETSAT, they are operating the Sentinel-3 constellation (S3A, S3B). Both are Earth Observation optical missions, where the Multi-Spectral Instrument (MSI) is carried on board Sentinel-2 mission and the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) and Sea Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) are on board the Sentinel-3 mission. In the framework of the Copernicus Optical Mission Performance Cluster (OPT-MPC), we use the Database for Imaging Multispectral Instruments and Tools for Radiometric …

Merging Multiple Analyses Of Slstr Vis-Swir Vicarious Calibration Results, Dave Smith, Caroline Cox, Maciej Neneman, Ali Mousivand, Bahjat Alhammoud, Sebastien Clerc, Camile Desjardin, Steffen Dranfeld

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

The Sentinel-3 SLSTR instrument is primarily designed to measure Sea and Land Surface Temperatures for meteorological and climate research applications. As well as spectral bands in the thermal infrared for measurement of surface temperatures, the radiometer is equipped with channels in the visible to short wavelength infrared range, primarily for daytime cloud screening and scene classification. However, the VIS-SWIR channels are used in the retrievals of Fire Radiative Power (FRP) and land applications when used in synergy with the OLCI instrument data. Furthermore, when combined with the dual view capability of the radiometer, the data from the VIS-SWIR channels are …

Inter-Sensor Level 1 Radiometric Performance Assessment Using Deep Convective Clouds Method: Application To Sentinel-2 And Landsat 8 And 9, L. Rivoire, S. Clerc, J. Bruniquel, V. Boccia, S. Dransfeld

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

The European Union (EU) created the Copernicus programme to achieve a global, high quality Earth observation capacity. The eyes of this programme are the Sentinel missions, and among them the Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution optical imaging in thirteen different bands, from visible to short-wave infrared. The Deep Convective Clouds (DCC) method is used to monitor inter-satellite level 1 radiometry in the framework of the Optical Mission Performance Cluster, an EU-funded Copernicus programme managed by the European Space Agency to assess the performance of optical missions. Sentinel-2 instruments MSI-A, B and C are monitored with this method along with Landsat OLI …

Geoxo Ocx Prelaunch And On-Orbit Calibration, Alexandra Ocasio, Lauren Aycock, Sandra Collins, Meghan Knudtzon

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

BAE will build the Ocean Color (OCX) instrument for NOAA’s next-generation Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite network. The OCX design provides high spatial resolution, moderate spectral resolution, high radiometric sensitivity, and calibration accuracy data at an unprecedented area collection rate to enable significant advances in Ocean Color science. This presentation addresses the OCX prelaunch and on-board calibration approach that will provide hyperspectral measurements with high absolute radiometric accuracy and stability.

Libera Radiometric Ground Calibration In The Earth Radiance Facility (Erf), Robert Haun, Dave Harber, Cameron Straatsma, Katherine Catani, Karl Heuerman, Peter Pilewskie, Nathan Tomlin, John Lehman, Michelle Stephens

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

Libera is a next generation Earth-viewing scanning radiometer that will fly on the Joint Polar Satellite System-4 (JPSS-4), which is set to launch in 2027. Libera will provide continuity of Earth radiation budget measurements from the Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES), enhance observing capabilities to support Earth radiation budget science goals and advance the development of self-contained observing systems. Libera measurements will be collected in four spectral channels: the shortwave channel [SW; (0.3 to 5) µm] to measure solar radiation reflected by the Earth, the longwave channel [LW; (5 to 50) µm] to measure the Earth thermal emission, …

Benefits Of A Faculty Mentored Personalized Instructional Program For Dental Students, Terry E. Hoover, Parvati H. Iyer Dr.

Pacific Journal of Health

The rigors and focus required of dental education often leaves students without time to pursue in-depth learning experiences in areas of personal interest related to dentistry/healthcare. In response to student interest in such learning and enrichment opportunities, a Personalized Instructional Program (PIP) course was created at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry to allow students to engage in a faculty-mentored experiential learning project of their own creation. With its already condensed three-year curriculum, there was initial concern at Pacific Dugoni about whether an additional self-regulated experience could fit into students’ already busy schedules. Thirty hours of curricular time was …

Getting The Most Out Of Your Imager, Torbjorn Skauli, Mark Helmlinger, Nicolas Venjean, Julia Barsi, Christian Conkle, Jason Knudsen, Alex Allgrunn, Matthew Birkebak, Christopher Durell

The Characterization and Radiometric Calibration for Remote Sensing Annual Meeting (CALCON)

This practical workshop will focus on integrating spheres and other methods and maintaining NIST traceability through the calibration process. The workshop starts with a lecture on a basic framework to maintain integrity of radiometric and spectral signals and fundamentals of instrument characterization which is based the new IEEE 4001 standard. Hands-on sessions provide an opportunity to learn about characterizing and efficiently providing calibration measurements for successful campaign results.

The workshop will be organized into three sections:

1. Measuring Absolute Radiance Radiometry & Characterization of Imagers

2. Measuring Payload Spectral Response Application of Sensor Characterization

3. Characterizing and Using Integrating Spheres …

Llm Verifier Agent To Improve Business Attribute Extraction From Images, Na

Defensive Publications Series

Digital map providers enable entities such as businesses to add or edit their information. However, many businesses may not include their information in the digital map. This disclosure describes techniques that leverage a large language model (LLM) to improve text extraction from storefront images (e.g., taken from the street) and specifically, to extract business attributes from such images. Operating independently or supporting other text extraction procedures, the LLM is applied to verify text extracted from images. The described techniques can improve precision-recall in text-extraction problems.

The Rhetoric Of Responsibilization: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Campaigns For Hiv Prevention, Catherine M. Pabalate

Kentucky Undergraduate Journal for the Health Humanities

Responsibilization refers to the process by which patients are made accountable for their health and wellbeing, which is determined by their habits and behaviors. Though responsibilization affords greater agency to patients, it can also result in anxiety and guilt when the patient appears "deviant" or "noncompliant." Because sexual behavior is attributed to the causality of HIV/AIDS, patients’ sexual patterns and choices are included within their medical decision-making. This rhetorical analysis focuses on pharmaceutical campaigns and commercials for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which were released between 2012 and 2024 and are targeted towards patients at-risk for HIV/AIDS. Findings suggest that specific rhetorical …

Llm Music Creation And Recommendation Applications, Curtis Robinson, Allan Yang, Thomas Liu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

This thesis explores the application of large language models (LLMs) in music analysis, creation, and interaction, focusing on their potential to reshape traditional workflows in the music domain. The study begins by contextualizing the role of artificial intelligence in music technology, particularly emphasizing the emergence of LLMs like GPT and their unique capabilities in multimodal and musical contexts. A comprehensive survey of current research and toolsets highlights both creative and analytical implementations, ranging from text-based music generation to music information retrieval. The core contribution is an experimental framework that integrates LLMs with music processing libraries, enabling novel interactions such as …

The Grd Companion, Julius Gamboa, Muti Shuman, Tro Hovasapian

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

This project introduces the design and development of the GRD Companion. This gesture-controlled reminder device aims to support individuals with special needs in their daily routines, in the hope of them being more independent. The system we designed integrates a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W, PAJ7620U2 gesture sensor, and audio playback components, all housed in a custom 3D-printed case. Some of our key design priorities included accessibility by relying only on gesture recognition to control the device, eliminating screens and buttons, as well as portability, enabling all users to carry the device anywhere. The device is paired with our WaveLink …

First Generation Graduate Student Experiences, Andrew Torres

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gain a better understanding of the experiences, inspiration, motivations, and varying aspects of what it is to be a first- generation master’s level student. Throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, I conducted interviews with three first-generation undergraduate students, three first-generation graduate students, and two first-generation postgraduate professionals at a single university to understand how their higher education experiences were similar and different. I pursued this research topic to understand further what resources graduate students used and which were lacking for their needs. The pursuit motivated me to discover why there was such …

Documentation-Aware Code Generation Via Retrieval Augmented Generation, Daniel Amirtharaj, Rahmin Norwood

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

Modern large language models (LLMs) increase the speed of software development but frequently hallucinate code, forcing developers to debug and rewrite generated code manually. This project introduces Documentation-Aware Code Generation, a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) framework that injects authoritative documentation into the LLM prompt to reduce hallucinations in generated code. We build an ingestion pipeline that scrapes, cleans, chunks, and embeds official API documentation into a Pinecone vector database, then design a retrieval and re-ranking pipeline that retrieves the most relevant snippets for each user query. Results show that augmenting prompts with documentation lowers code hallucination by up to 60%. The …

Lock And Roll, Varun Mangla, Zachary Common, Gaby Gamarro-Gomez

Computer Science and Engineering Senior Theses

As electronic bikes continue to increase in popularity, cycling has become a means of daily travel for more and more people. However, as the price and quantity of these consumer bicycles increase in public areas, so does the probability of their theft. Newer bikes, especially those with onboard electronics, are a priority target for thieves.

Lock and Roll, therefore, is an advanced smart bike wheel lock that aims to address the growing demands for increased bike security. By providing a variety of security features, such as GPS positioning, a gyroscopic alarm system, and remote monitoring, Lock and Roll represents a …

Emg Vocal Translations, Lucas Amlicke, Raphael Kusuma, Cole Heider, Kayleigh Vu, Monica Sommer

Electrical and Computer Engineering Senior Theses

In this paper, we propose a novel augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) framework for silent speech. Many individuals with speech impairments are unable to vocalize effectively due to various conditions that affect the vocal cords. To engage in social activities, many rely on AAC devices that often lack flexibility and expressiveness. Users may still find self-expression and spontaneity difficult with such devices. This project presents a novel approach to developing a silent speech interface (SSI), providing a more adaptable and user-centered solution to give the vocally impaired a voice. Using surface electromyography (sEMG) alongside machine learning techniques, we aim to …

Barbara Clark V. Hospital Of The University Of Pennsylvania

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Building And Demonstrating A Framework And Guide For Human-Centered Threat Modeling, Warda Usman

Theses and Dissertations

As researchers increasingly seek to understand threats faced by people rather than systems, there remains little consensus on how to study these threats in ways that are grounded in human experience. Traditional approaches to threat modeling are often designed for system vulnerabilities and offer limited guidance for eliciting or analyzing threats as understood by individuals in their social and cultural contexts. This dissertation addresses this gap by advancing human-centered threat modeling (HCTM) in security and privacy research as both a conceptual framework and through a set of empirical studies. The dissertation employs a mixed set of qualitative methods across four …

2025 June 09 - University Council Agenda And Minutes, University Council, East Tennessee State University

University Council Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.