Digital Commons Network^™

Characterizing Electrospray Performance Of Hydroxylammonium Nitrate (Han) And 2-Hydroxyethylhydrazinium Nitrate (Hehn) Ionic Liquids By Mass Spectrometry And Dynamics Simulations, Wenjing Zhou

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Dual-mode propulsion combines chemical and electric propulsion methods into a single compact system by sharing hardware and propellant for both modes, offering complementary advantages tailored to specific mission needs. A promising propellant candidate for dual-mode propulsion is a binary mixture of hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) and 2-hydroxyethylhydrazinium nitrate (HEHN) ionic liquids (ILs). Each of the two ILs was developed as a greener alternative to the traditional, yet toxic, hydrazine monopropellant used in chemical propulsion. Recently, their potentials in electrospray propulsion have garnered attention. This thesis focused on the investigation of reaction dynamics and kinetics of HAN, HEHN and their binary mixture …

Audiologic Management Of Individuals With Advanced Cochlear Otosclerosis: A Systematic Review, Sophie Silvermintz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This systematic review evaluates the efficacy and outcomes of cochlear implantation (CI) in adults diagnosed with far-advanced cochlear otosclerosis. This synthesis of audiological outcomes, surgical complexities, and patient-reported quality-of-life (QoL) measures is the first systematic analysis of peer-reviewed studies on this topic. By completing a comprehensive analysis of CI's viability in managing severe-to-profound mixed or sensorineural hearing loss attributed to CO, it is anticipated that CI will be considered an option for persons experiencing the significant communication challenges presented by CO when traditional approaches to management have been ineffective.

Eleven peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria, examining key outcomes including …

Biophysical Analysis Of S100a12 And The Nucleosome Core Particle, Christopher Diforte Jr.

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Calcium signaling and chromatin remodeling are fundamental regulatory processes that control protein activity and gene expression, respectively. This thesis investigates the molecular mechanisms by which local ligand binding and structural perturbations propagate allosteric effects across larger protein systems, using two distinct yet mechanistically analogous models: the calcium binding protein S100A12 and the nucleosome core particle. These studies are unified by a shared emphasis on how physical forces govern biological function.

In the first part, we explore calcium mediated allostery in S100A12, focusing on the distinct roles of its two EF-hand calcium binding loops (EF-I and EF-II). Through a combination of …

East Asian And “Extraordinary”: Intersecting Racial And Musical Identities In The Classical Music Solo Career, Audrey Chen

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

A performer’s success within the classical music industry is reliant not only on musical merit but also on extramusical factors like race, gender, class, and culture, all of which influence a musician’s upbringing. For East Asian musicians, distinctions of merit can be accompanied by racialized and often paradoxical narratives about Asian identity that essentialize their performance, personality, and background. This dissertation examines how Asian and Asian-American performers of Western classical music navigate this interplay of racial and musical identity within their careers, with a specific focus on string players and pianists.

Chapter 2 introduces five major racialized narratives used to …

Bimodal Hearing Vs. Bilateral Hearing: Presenting A Review Of Existing Literature To Assist Audiologists With Determining The Optimal Hearing Modality, Eliana Dachman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

While guidelines exist for cochlear implant candidates, there are no specific established guidelines for bimodal users who are considering a 2nd cochlear implant. The objective of this paper is to critically review the literature addressing the question of comparative performance outcomes for bimodal hearing (one hearing aid in combination with a cochlear implant) and bilateral cochlear implants (two cochlear implants). The inclusion criteria were publications comparing bimodal and bilateral cochlear implant performance on speech perception, localization, and subjective quality. Fifteen qualifying papers were identified and analyzed. The results indicate that there are possible advantages to bilateral cochlear implants when assessing …

Stereotype Engineering, Ian Olasov

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

I offer an account of a novel variety of conceptual engineering, which I call stereotype engineering. Someone engineers a stereotype when they work to change the typicality effects associated with a category or expression (performance on goodness-of-example tasks, feature listing tasks, and accuracy rates and response times in recognition and retrieval tasks), without necessarily changing the concept of that category or the semantic value of the expression. I offer a number of examples of stereotype engineering in popular discourse – from rape activism to expansive uses of “white supremacy” and “ethnic cleansing,” to the hashtags #BlackGirlMagic and #MyNYPD, to advocacy …

Excitons And Polaritons In Two-Dimensional Materials Heterostructures - Applications As Qubits, Time Crystals, And Superfluids, Gabriel Pimenta Martins

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation is concerned with exploring the properties and applications of excitons and polaritons in two-dimensional (2D) materials and heterostructures. It focuses on their potential to form qubits, time crystals, and superfluids. The work is motivated by the unique electronic and optical properties of 2D materials—specifically, their ability to host strongly bound excitons and hybrid light-matter quasiparticles known as polaritons. By exploiting a combination of theoretical modeling and numerical simulations, this work examines the behavior of these quasiparticles under various physical conditions, including strain-induced pseudomagnetic fields, optical microcavities, and periodic external potentials.

The first part of this dissertation is devoted …

Structural Studies Towards The Mechanism Of Scanning And Initiator Trna Recruitment During Eukaryotic Translation Initiation, Da Cui

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The central dogma, proposed by Francis Crick in 1958, marks the direction of the flow of genetic information: from DNA to DNA (DNA replication), DNA to RNA (transcription), and RNA to protein (translation). Each of these is tightly regulated and important for cells and organisms to function correctly, grow, and reproduce.

In the eukaryotic system, the initiation stage of translation is the first, the rate-limiting, and the most regulated stage. It involves direct regulation of multiple eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), scanning factors such as DHX29, and other factors such as Poly-A binding protein (PABP). It starts with the small subunit …

Global Constructions Of Gender, Sexuality, And Migration: An Analysis Of Five Immigrant Memoirs, Grace Halvorson

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This capstone analyzes five memoirs by LGBTQ+ migrants—Jose Antonio Vargas, Edafe Okporo, Staceyann Chin, Danny Ramadan, and Samra Habib—to explore how governments weaponize gender and sexual orientation to construct national identity and exert control over both citizens and migrants. Their diverse migration experiences highlight how “gender border control” operates across families, communities, and national government systems, reinforcing heteronormative structures that regulate queer identities. My analysis of their memoirs reveals how both formal tools, such as immigration policies, and informal tools, such as social exclusion, make individuals outside heteronormative identity categories susceptible to state and societal violence. These personal narratives shed …

Sla Evaluation And Composition In Reconfigurable Cloud-Based Services, Michael Iannelli

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Given the business model of offering data and computing services in a cloud setting, a major question arises: How do the services of one cloud provider compare to those of others? With the ubiquitous use of smartphones and tablets, the ability of a cloud provider to support QoS and client mobility becomes paramount. This research proposes a methodology for evaluating service-level agreements (SLAs) between cloud providers and their consumers, with a particular focus on dynamic SLA composition to adapt to changes in the application requirements and the external environment—such as traffic surges, security threats, or evolving business models.

In one …

Tracing My Roots: An Exploratory Data Visualization And Analysis Of Jewish Immigration And Assimilation To New York City, Jamie E. Gelberg

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

As my Capstone, I explored the complex process of immigrant assimilation to New York City from the late 19th century and beyond through a personal lens, using my Ashkenazi Jewish family as a case study.

I outlined and analyzed relevant demographic data from the US Census Bureau, Berman Jewish DataBank, and other sources to understand New York City during this period and how Jewish immigrants fit into the story. I focused on my family history, immigration and settlement, social assimilation, and economic status. I also incorporated personal narratives from my family history from 3 generations. These narratives help provide context …

Data Management Report June 2025, Tennessee. Department Of Disability And Aging

Compliance & System Data/Reports

This monthly report provides data on various aspects of the department's activities and programs.

Ensuring Integrity In Dental Education: Developing A Novel Ai Model For Consistent And Traceable Image Analysis In Preclinical Endodontic Procedures, Mohamed Ibrahim, Meisam Omidi, Arndt Guentsch, Joseph Gaffney, Jennifer Talley

School of Dentistry Faculty Research and Publications

Aim

Academic integrity is crucial in dental education, especially during practical exams assessing competencies. Traditional oversight may not detect sophisticated academic dishonesty methods like radiograph substitution or tampering. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a novel artificial intelligence (AI) model utilizing a Siamese neural network to detect inconsistencies in radiographic images taken for root canal treatment (RCT) procedures in preclinical endodontic courses, thereby enhancing educational integrity.

Methododology

A Siamese neural network was designed to compare radiographs from different RCT procedures. The model was trained on 3390 radiographs, with data augmentation applied to improve generalizability. The dataset was split into …

The Income Tax As A Market Correction, Rebecca N. Morrow

UC Law Journal

I confess. As a tax professor, it has long hurt my feelings that economists label tax as a market distortion. My field is summed up as an impurity on the otherwise pristine complexion of the economist’s pure market. I like to think that tax scholars are not so disparaging of economics. We do not view economically motivated action as a distortion to our tax system, but as a component of it. It is tax planning. This Article proposes that tax should be viewed as a component of a market system. Just as tax scholarship acknowledges that an imagined world in …

Integrating Universal Generative Ai Platforms In Educational Labs To Foster Critical Thinking And Digital Literacy, Vasiliy S. Znamenskiy, Joel Hernandez, Rafael Niyazov

Publications and Research

This study investigates the educational potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) platforms based on large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, as tools for studentcentred learning. Recognizing the current limitations of GenAI, particularly its propensity for generating inaccurate or misleading information—the paper proposes a novel instructional strategy: an interdisciplinary laboratory designed to foster critical evaluation of GenAI-generated outputs. In this pedagogical model, students engage with GenAI systems by posing questions or solving problems drawn from topics they have already studied and understand. Equipped with correct answers, students are positioned to assess the accuracy and relevance of AI-generated …

Evaluating Student Driver Knowledge And Behaviors Through A University Driver Education Safety Refresher Program, Jason Jackman, Audrey Everett, Kayleigh Murray, Leomar White

CUTR Internal Grant Research Program

This pilot program utilized an online survey to identify driver behaviors among students, faculty, and staff on the University of South Florida (USF) Tampa campus. Adopting a social marketing approach, the program focused on identifying and addressing driver safety issues and behaviors. The research aimed to develop recommendations for creating a safer driving environment at USF by updating driver safety information for students and raising awareness about safety across all campus transportation modes.

As part of this initiative, the USF Student Government (SG) partnered with the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) to pilot a new student transportation officer position …

Why Study Others?, Richard Feinberg

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Koloa Fufu A E Fefine Tonga: Validating Tongan Knowledge And Values As Pedagogy For Tongan Girls Through A Ta-Va Perspective, Lisita Finau Paongo

Pacific Studies

No abstract provided.

Letter To The Philippine Economic Team "At A Crossroads: Progress Or More Of The Same (Mots)?", Jesus Felipe, Mariel Monica Sauler, Gerardo L. Largoza, Susan Kurdli, Alellie Sobrevinas, Christopher James Cabuay

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

No abstract provided.

The Gauge/Gravity Holographic Duality Between String Theory And Quantum Field Theory: A Full Introduction, Alex A. Short

Physics

The Anti-deSitter Spacetime / Conformal Field Theory (AdS/CFT) correspondence is a well known holographic duality between ten dimensional superstring theories and conformal quantum field theories. The existence of such a correspondence is fascinating and the duality provides a powerful tool-set for working out problems in both string theory and quantum field theory. The correspondence defines a dictionary of terms that exist dual to one another in each theory, allowing theorists to understand the dynamics in one system based on quantities from another. Furthermore, when one side of the duality has strong coupling (meaning the approximations of perturbation theory are no …

Implicit Associations With Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Examination In A Clinical Sample By Borderline Personality Symptomatology, Stephanie Jarvi Steele, Nigel M. Jaffe, Claire A. Kelly, Thröstur Björgvinsson, Lance P. Swenson

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objectives We examine correlates and predictors for implicit associations with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) with the Self-Injury Implicit Association Test (SI-IAT) in a treatment-seeking sample. We also examine group differences in the SI-IAT among those with low/none, moderate and high/clinically significant borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptomatology in a treatment-seeking sample.

Methods Participants (N = 111; 58% female; 89% White; Mage = 30.25) completed the SI-IAT and self-report measures at two time points.

Results Higher BPD symptom scores were significantly, positively correlated with implicit identification with NSSI, and predicted NSSI identity when controlling for depression indices, history of NSSI and other covariates. …

Key Determinants In Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations, Sania Pirouzi

Theses (2016-Present)

The growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) requires metropolitan areas to strategically plan the placement of charging infrastructure to support accessibility, efficiency, and sustainability. This study investigates key determinants for the optimal siting of EV charging stations, using Houston, Texas, as a case study. Through a comprehensive literature review and expert consultation, eight critical criteria were identified: land use type, population density, median income level of residents in the area, vehicle ownership rate in the area, young and middle-aged residents share in the area, flood risk, traffic density and proximity to major roads, and educational attainment of the residents in …

Admiralty, John P. Kavanagh Jr.

Mercer Law Review

The cases discussed herein represent decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, as well as district courts within the Circuit, issued in 2024. While not an all-inclusive list of maritime decisions during that timeframe, the Author identified and provided summaries of key rulings of interest to the maritime practitioner

Class Actions, Thomas M. Byrne, Stacey Mcgavin Mohr

Mercer Law Review

Class-action controversies regularly appear on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit’s annual docket, and 2024 was no exception. The court issued significant opinions on class-certification requirements under Rule 23(b)(3) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; on class action settlements, including those involving “coupons;” and on arbitration rights in would-be class actions.

Labor And Employment, W. Jonathan Martin Ii

Mercer Law Review

This Article focuses on recent cases concerning federal labor and employment laws. Those opinions address the Federal Arbitration Act; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; The Americans with Disabilities Act; and The Fair Labor Standards Act.

Understanding And Managing Parent–Child Well Interactions In The Bakken, Kyoung Min, Xue Yu, Nicholas A. Azzolina, Darren D. Schmidt, Bethany A. Kurz, James A. Sorensen

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

This study proposes actionable strategies to mitigate parent–child interactions and negative production impacts. Key approaches, including wider well spacing, optimized stimulation designs, and refracturing, minimize interference while enhancing recovery efficiency.

Transparency Without Teeth: An Empirical Understanding Of Data Broker Regulation, Elijah Greisz

University of Chicago Law Review

It is no secret that data has taken over the modern economy, and it is unsurprising that governments have begun acting in response. Perceiving mismatched bargaining power between firms and consumers—and certain externalities resulting from the massive quantities of data being collected by firms about those consumers— many state legislatures have passed generally applicable data privacy statutes. These laws give consumers certain rights to control the data they distribute in everyday commerce. Such regulations follow an “interaction model,” whereby consumers can exercise their rights by interacting with data-possessing firms.

But there is a key player that complicates this scheme: the …

Injury Equity: The Rise Of Future Stakes Settlements, Margaret Schaack

University of Chicago Law Review

In a changing environment in which class action defendants are turning to aggressive strategies to contain the cost of lawsuits, including using bankruptcy proceedings to limit their liability, plaintiffs’ attorneys are fighting back by seeking new ways to recover damages from illiquid and functionally judgment-proof companies. The latest development is the “future stakes settlement,” unveiled in the agreement to end a privacy law class action lawsuit against the startup Clearview AI. Under this novel mechanism, a defendant grants a privately traded equity stake to the class in exchange for a release of all claims

Future stakes settlements, though similar to …

The Making Of A Juvenile Record: The Insidious Consequences Of Criminalizing Race, Adolescence, Disability, And Trauma, Kristin N. Henning, Rebba D. Omer

North Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.

Desegregating Criminal Codes, Root And Branch: The Duty Not To Enforce Unconstitutional Laws, Gabriel J. Chin

North Carolina Law Review

No abstract provided.