Digital Commons Network^™

Textualism As A Pro-Employee Force In Employment Discrimination Law, Alex Reed

The University of Chicago Business Law Review

Textualism has gotten a bad rap, at least insofar as employment discrimination law is concerned. Derided by antidiscrimination scholars as an interpretive smokescreen concerned less with faithfully construing statutory text than reliably yielding pro-employer results, textualism is understood to pose an existential threat to employment discrimination law. This Article challenges academic orthodoxy by demonstrating that, in practice, textualism is correlated with employee-favorable outcomes. Specifically, the Article examines a subset of the Supreme Court’s major employment discrimination cases over the past thirty years and finds that textualism is twice as likely to be associated with outcomes benefiting employees than it is …

L1 Chinese Learners’ Interlanguage Of English Infinitive And Gerund Verbal Complements, Sixin Qin

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research, following the Interlanguage Hypothesis (Selinker, 1972), examined L1 Chinese learners’ interlanguage of English infinitive and gerund constructions and probed into the psycholinguistic factors influencing the development of their interlanguage. The targeted verbs were verbs that can be followed by both infinitive and gerund complements, depending on the contexts, i.e., forget, remember, stop, and regret. A guided story oral production (GSOP) task and a semi-structured interview were conducted individually with 31 L1 Chinese learners, whose English proficiency was at an intermediate level. The results showcased that L1 Chinese learners’ interlanguage of English infinitives and gerunds was motivated by multiple …

Exploring Social Issues In And The Reception Of The Thai Television Series The Gifted, Siyu Liang

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This research explores the Thai television series The Gifted (GMMTV, 2018) as a cultural text that reflects the power dynamics and social inequalities embedded in Thailand’s educational system. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s concept of disciplinary power, the research examines how the series portrays mechanisms of control, compliance, and resistance within a hierarchical school environment. Textual analysis is complemented by a reception study of audience responses collected from YouTube, IMDb, and MyDramaList, revealing how viewers interpret and emotionally engage with the drama’s social implications. The findings suggest that The Gifted functions not only as youth entertainment but also as a critique …

Robust Palm Print For Mobile Authentication System, Son Nguyen

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Smartphones are gateways to financial, health, and personal data; consequently, mobile authentication must be accurate, fast, privacy-preserving, and scalable. This thesis presents an end-to-end palmprint authentication framework that addresses a practical trilemma: label-efficient learning, on-device efficiency, and cloud-scale identification. We pretrain a ResNet-18 encoder with self-supervised contrastive learning on unlabeled palm images, distill its representation to a lightweight MobileNetV3 student for real-time inference on phones, and support both 1:1 on-device verification and 1:N cloud identification using FAISS/HNSW. On public datasets, the system attains 99.2% accuracy, a 0.15% equal-error rate (EER), and ~87 ms end-to-end latency on iPhone-class hardware. FAISS scales …

ผลของโปรแกรมการส่งเสริมความสุขสบายแบบองค์รวมต่อคุณภาพการฟื้นตัวหลังการผ่าตัดศัลยกรรมกระดูกในเด็กวัยเรียน, กนกพร กลับเจริญ

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษานี้เป็นการวิจัยกึ่งทดลองแบบวัดเฉพาะหลังการทดลองมีกลุ่มเปรียบเทียบ (Posttest-only Control Group Design) โดยมีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อประเมินผลของโปรแกรมการส่งเสริมความสุขสบายต่อคุณภาพการฟื้นตัวหลังการผ่าตัดศัลยกรรมกระดูกในเด็กวัยเรียน กลุ่มตัวอย่างเป็นเด็กอายุ 7–12 ปี จำนวน 40 ราย ที่เข้ารับการผ่าตัดใหญ่ศัลยกรรมกระดูกส่วนรยางค์และพักรักษาในหอผู้ป่วยกุมารศัลยกรรมกระดูก สถาบันสุขภาพเด็กแห่งชาติมหาราชินี โดยแบ่งเป็นกลุ่มทดลอง 20 ราย ซึ่งได้รับโปรแกรมการส่งเสริมความสุขสบาย และกลุ่มควบคุม 20 ราย ซึ่งได้รับการพยาบาลตามปกติ เครื่องมือวิจัยประกอบด้วย (1) โปรแกรมการส่งเสริมความสุขสบายแบบองค์รวมที่พัฒนาตามแนวคิดความสุขสบายของ Kolcaba (1992) (2) แบบประเมิน Children’s Comfort Daisies และ (3) แบบประเมินคุณภาพการฟื้นตัวหลังผ่าตัด 15 (Quality of Recovery–15: QoR–15) เครื่องมือทั้งหมดผ่านการตรวจสอบคุณภาพ โดยมีค่าดัชนีความตรงตามเนื้อหา (CVI) เท่ากับ 1.00, 1.00 และ 0.96 ตามลำดับ และแบบประเมิน QoR–15 มีค่าความเที่ยง Cronbach’s alpha เท่ากับ 0.86 การวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลใช้สถิติ Independent t-test ที่ระดับนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ .05 ผลการวิจัยพบว่า เด็กในกลุ่มทดลองมีคะแนนคุณภาพการฟื้นตัวหลังผ่าตัดเฉลี่ยในช่วง 48 และ 72 ชั่วโมง สูงกว่ากลุ่มควบคุมอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ (p < .001) โดยที่ 48 ชั่วโมงหลังผ่าตัด กลุ่มทดลองมีคะแนนเฉลี่ย 130.80 (SD = 16.43) ขณะที่กลุ่มควบคุมมีคะแนนเฉลี่ย 101.45 (SD = 21.13) และที่ 72 ชั่วโมงหลังผ่าตัด กลุ่มทดลองมีคะแนนเฉลี่ย 140.90 (SD = 10.76) ขณะที่กลุ่มควบคุมมีคะแนนเฉลี่ย 118.20 (SD = 17.19) ผลลัพธ์ดังกล่าวแสดงให้เห็นว่าโปรแกรมการส่งเสริมความสุขสบายแบบองค์รวมมีประสิทธิผลในการส่งเสริมคุณภาพการฟื้นตัวหลังการผ่าตัดศัลยกรรมกระดูกในเด็กวัยเรียนอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Metacognitive Awareness Of Learning, Kara R. Muscha

Theses

The present study examined knowledge updating abilities in individuals with and without ADHD when forced to metacognitively evaluate the effectiveness of different study strategies. Participants with and without ADHD were randomly assigned to either a spontaneous or a forced knowledge updating condition, with those in the latter condition being asked to keep track of encoding strategy-recall outcome results, but no additional instructions for those in the spontaneous condition. I expected that healthy control participants would show greater knowledge updating abilities than those with ADHD, the participants in the forced knowledge updating condition would show greater knowledge updating abilities than participants …

Evaluating Bias In Facial Recognition Datasets : A Study On Representation And Classification Fairness, Milyonta Williams

Theses

Facial recognition technology is widely used in security and identity verification but exhibits biases that disproportionately impact certain demographic groups. This thesis examines racial and skin tone biases in commonly used facial recognition datasets, assessing their influence on classification models. Using manual classification via the Fitzpatrick scale and numerical skin tone representations from LAB color values, we identified significant dataset imbalances, with lighter skin tones (Fitzpatrick Types 1 and 2) overrepresented and darker tones (Types 4-6) underrepresented. Model evaluation using Random Forest, SVM, and XGBoost showed an overall accuracy of 72\%, but classification for Asian individuals was notably weaker (0.45 …

Modifying The L-Tryptophan Affinity Of The Ribosomal Arrest Peptide Tnac, Alexis Orlando Delgado Castillo

Theses

Since creating biosensors from zero has proven a more challenging enterprise than expected, resorting into naturally occurring regulatory systems already characterized represents a more accurate, rapid, and attractive option. Various previous strategies have sought to exploit and modify regulatory elements that sense for different molecules, including monosaccharides (Tang et al., 2008), secondary metabolites (Flachbart et al., 2021), and other amino acids (Della Corte et al., 2020). This study aims to leverage current scientific knowledge and advances concerning the structure and function of the ribosomal arrest peptide TnaC. With this research I integrated the TnaC ribosome-arresting peptide into a new biosensor …

Aviation Weather Forecasting Utilizing An Artificial Neural Network, Joshua Mote

Theses

Weather forecasting is critical to minimize risk and maximize efficiency for flying operations and is challenging due to the uncertainty involved in atmospheric changes. Operational area weather is becoming more critical with the growing reliance on air domain for transportation. This study investigates whether the forecasting accuracy using a Hybrid Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) Artificial Neural Network (ANN) outperforms the San Antonio International Airport (KSAT) Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) by integrating diverse data sources – regional Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR), TAF, Avian Advisory System (AHAS) Data and geomagnetic activity K Index Data. When tested on one year of historical data, …

Improving Satellite Needs Working Group Assessment Process Through Automation And Process Consolidation, Raj Dangol

Theses

The increasing complexity of modern software ecosystems, presents significant challenges to system resilience, maintainability and automation. This work presents a proof-of-concept implementation of an automation system to address these challenges for a large scale fragmented software systems. Succinctly we address these challenges in the context of Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG), which is responsible for collecting and communicating federal agencies' Earth observation needs to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Multiple automation scripts and applications exist to support the SNWG's assessment cycle, encompassing the areas of data validation, visualization, report generation, and user management. However, the dispersion of these tools …

Surveying Subterranean Biodiversity Of The Tongass National Forest Using Traditional Survey Approaches And Environmental Dna (Edna) Metabarcoding, Jared P. Higgs

Theses

The Tongass National Forest (TNF) is a large temperate rainforest in southeastern Alaska, much of which is underlain by karst. Timber harvest, among other threats, can have detrimental effects on karst habitats; however, the subterranean fauna of this region is understudied and lacks a baseline for monitoring. I spent three field seasons conducting biological assessments of caves in the TNF using two approaches: traditional specimen-based sampling and eDNA metabarcoding. To improve the reference sequence database, I generated 213 novel sequences from invertebrate specimens collected from 35 caves. I also collected 125 water samples from 39 sites for environmental DNA (eDNA) …

Utilization Of Artificial Intelligence To Predict Surface Energy Budget, Joseph Bonucchi

Theses

Estimating heat and moisture exchange between the land and atmosphere has several important practical applications, including water resource management, air pollution forecasting, and atmospheric propagation modeling. Turnkey systems for measuring the surface energy budget typically cost between $5,000 and over $50,000. This study explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict sensible heat flux (SHF) and latent heat flux (LHF) using inexpensive surface meteorology data and downwelling solar radiation measurements as inputs. Observations from Amer- iFlux sites were used to train several AI models—Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), One Dimensional Transformers (1D Transformers), Artificial Neural Net- works (ANNs), and Long …

Information Capacity For Time-Varying Adversarial Networks, Raphael Thorp

Theses

This thesis investigates the capacity of time-varying adversarial networks where intelligent adversaries can corrupt transmissions on restricted subsets of network edges that change availability over time. Building upon the work of Beemer et al. on adversarial network coding with restricted adversaries, we analyze networks whose topology evolves temporally, motivated by applications in space networking and delay-tolerant systems. We introduce different adversarial modes that capture different temporal aspects of corruption behavior and establish their hierarchical relationship with respect to network capacity. The analysis employs time-expanded graph representations and develops recursive counting methods for computing expected network capacity under random time assignments, …

Evaluating Sequential Inference Via Poisson And Change-Point Frameworks, Samuel Johnson

Theses

Sequential testing reduces sample size and costs compared to fixed-sample approaches by allowing decision making during data collection. This thesis investigates sequential methods for Poisson processes and change-point detection. Wald’s sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) and efficiency measures are developed. Practical applications of the SPRT are studied, from detecting noisy sources to classification algorithms. The MaxSPRT is derived, and its critical value algorithm is optimized. The MaxSPRT, a Bayesian SPRT, Wilk’s generalized likelihood ratio test, and the Cash statistic are examined. Various change-point algorithms are surveyed, including Shewhart control charts, cumulative sum methods, homogeneity tests, and multiple change-point approaches. These …

Blockchain Poisoning Attacks In Federated Learning, Mohammad Raihan Uddin

Theses

Federated Learning (FL) enables collaborative model training across distributed clients without sharing raw data, thereby preserving privacy. However, conventional FL depends on a centralized aggregator, exposing it to poisoning and backdoor attacks that threaten model integrity. This thesis introduces B-ZkFed, a blockchain-based and zero-knowledge proof (ZKP)-enhanced FL framework designed to ensure verifiable trust, transparency, and robustness. The blockchain layer decentralizes aggregation through smart contracts, while the ZKP module allows clients to cryptographically prove the correctness of updates without revealing private data. A multi-layer adaptive defense combining gradient-norm filtering, model-similarity analysis, and robust aggregation mitigates poisoning threats under both IID and …

Understanding The Determinants Of Blockchain Adoption: An Empirical Study, Amarpreet Kohli, Nihar Kumthekar, Piyush Shah, Rebecca Jauch

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Blockchain technology (BT) has the potential to enhance security and robustness of transactions through a distributed ledger bookkeeping process. This study employs technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework and threat-rigidity theory (TRT) to examine whether perceived disruption caused by COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the adoption of BT, and inclination to adopt BT in the US. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique backdrop, as it affected businesses across all industries, sizes, and geographies. Results show a non-significant effect of perceived pandemic disruption on the current stage of BT adoption and intention to adopt BT. However, disruption readiness positively influences the current stage of BT …

Trace Level Identifications Of N-Ethylnicotinamide In Racing Horses Associated With A Vitamin B3 Supplement: Case Reports And Analysis, Clara Fenger, Kimberly Brewer, Abelardo Morales-Briceño, Andreas F. Lehner, George A. Maylin, Robert Holland, Levent Dirikolu, Thomas Tobin

Maxwell H. Gluck Equine Research Center Faculty Publications

Nikethamide, N,N-diethyl-3-pyridinecarboxamide (Coramine®) is a central nervous system stimulant at one time used therapeutically in human medicine but no longer marketed in the US. Nikethamide is classified a Drug Class 1, Penalty Class A substance by the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) and as a Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) SO or banned Stimulant that lacks FDA approval. Identifications of Nikethamide or its metabolite N-Ethylnicotinamide in racing samples can result in significant penalties in horse racing. Nikethamide is rapidly metabolized to N-Ethylnicotinamide, which remains detectable in plasma and urine leading to its use as a regulatory “marker” of …

The University Of Texas Permian Basin 2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026, The University Of Texas Permian Basin

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

The University Of Texas Permian Basin 2025-2026 Graduate Studies Catalog, The University Of Texas Permian Basin

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Judicial Economy In The Age Of Ai, Yonathan A. Arbel

Articles

Individuals do not vindicate the majority of their legal claims because of access to justice barriers. This entrenched state of affairs is now facing a disruption. Lawyers and non-lawyers alike are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools to perform legal tasks tools that sharply reduce the costs of generating legal materials. There is finally hope that AI might allow many more to access justice.

Paradoxically, what we gain in access to justice we might lose in the delivery of justice. The problem is not that AI tools are ineffective. Indeed, they are even more effective than most realize affecting every stage …

Simplified Soil-Based Approach For Maximum Pressure Prediction In Horizontal Directional Drilling Operations, India Clark

Theses

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is a trenchless pipeline installation method used in areas where traditional trenching is not feasible due to environmental concerns, existing infrastructure, or other constraints. However, HDD presents significant engineering challenges, with design failures often resulting from excessive installation stresses and Hydro Fracture. Hydro Fracture occurs when the pressure of drilling fluid exceeds the soil’s bearing capacity, leading to unintended subsurface fractures. To mitigate this risk, researchers have relied on the Delft Equation to estimate the maximum allowable mud pressure for borehole stability. However, this equation does have notable limitations and assumptions, which may not accurately reflect …

Sensor Fusion For Enhancing Motion Capture : Integrating Optical And Inertial Motion Capture Systems, Hailey Hicks

Theses

This study aimed to create and evaluate a custom sensor fusion algorithm based on Gauss-Newton optimization that combines Optical Motion Capture (OMC) and Inertial Motion Capture (IMC) measurements to combat the limitations of solely using each system. The goal was to demonstrate how inertial measurement unit (IMU) data can be seamlessly integrated into motion capture data to provide a more efficient and reliable gap filling process for future research. The algorithm takes the first and last frame of OMC data, as quaternions, and fills the rest with IMU gyroscope orientation data to simulate gaps of up to ten minutes. The …

A Deep Learning Multi-Channel Framework For Indoor Image Retrieval, Vidhi M. Bhatia

Theses

Processing and analyzing multi-source image data is vital across a wide range of fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, computer vision, geolocation, autonomous navigation, remote sensing, and forensic investigations. Although conventional image matching methods such as Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) and Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF) have proven effective in controlled setting, they often face challenges when applied to diverse datasets that exhibit substantial variations in viewpoint, scale, lighting conditions, and modality. Recent developments in deep learning, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), transformers, generative adversarial networks (GANs), and self-supervised learning, have led to the creation of more efficient and precise …

Comparing Role Differences Among Systems Architects, Systems Designers, And Systems Engineers, Kelly X. Campo

Theses

The roles of a systems architect (SA), systems designer (SD), and systems engineer (SE) often work together to develop systems, especially as the scale and complexity of engineered systems increase. However, management of these roles can result in ambiguity of task assignments and may reduce accountability for deliverables. Furthermore, there are few published works examining the roles of SAs, SDs, and SEs collectively. This research explores perceptions of the similarities and differences between the roles of SAs, SDs, and SEs by conducting a systematic literature review of 57 sources containing 1064 quotes in addition to a thematic content analysis, analyzed …

Average Heat Flux Measurements In An Additively Manufactured Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine Calorimeter, Matthew Aaron Maybee

Theses

Rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs) offer benefits over traditional deflagrative engines, including increased engine performance, compact combustion and negligible detrimental thermoacoustic instabilities due to mode-locking. Realizing the benefits of a detonation-based propulsion system will be accompanied by increased thermal loads due to a combination of heat release at elevated pressure and temperature, as well as compact heat release due to detonation. Managing these heat loads necessitates the development of thermal management strategies. As a first step towards establishing the requirements for detonation-based engine thermal management strategies, this work develops an additively manufactured (AM) water-based, axially resolved calorimeter for integration in …

Ammonium Perchlorate Manufacturing Effects On Propellant Burning Rate, Erin Faith Wallace

Theses

This thesis investigates the effect of ingredient variations on the burning rate of reduced smoke, low burning rate composite solid propellant. The effort focused on identical propellant formulations which presented significant burning rate differences correlated with the ammonium perchlorate (AP) source. A series of 1-gallon propellant mixes were prepared and tested utilizing both Manufacturer A and Manufacturer B ammonium perchlorate to investigate the propellant burning rate and pressure exponent shift anomaly and correlate those findings to the differing ingredient properties between the two AP lots. Each propellant mix was evaluated for burning rate utilizing subscale test motors and a scanning …

Near-Field Analysis Of Horn Antennas For Electromagnetic Compatibility Testing, Landon Riley Carroll

Theses

Standard gain horn antennas are widely used in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing and antenna measurements. In EMC testing, it is often required to generate high electric field intensities across a wide frequency range within the near-field region. However, the focusing properties of antennas are deteriorated in the radiating near-field region. In order to increase engineering confidence in EMC testing, it is desirable to understand the root causes of the aforementioned radiation degradation. In this thesis, the near-field characteristics of three different pyramidal standard gain horns are investigated using full-wave analysis, analytical methods, and measurement. The causes of near-field gain reduction …

Factors Affecting Freshwater Fish Communities In Two North Alabama Counties, Joshua Fitts

Theses

This study examined how physical habitat characteristics influence freshwater fish diversity in streams of Madison and Limestone Counties, Alabama. Ten 150-meter stream reaches were sampled using backpack electrofishing and seining, with habitat variables measured at fixed transects. Principal component analysis identified four main habitat gradients representing flow and substrate, channel size, gravel dominance, and canopy–bedrock conditions. Although overall species richness and Shannon diversity were not significantly related to these gradients, species-specific correlations revealed clear ecological preferences. Regression models showed that root wads, herbaceous vegetation, and riprap modestly increased richness, emphasizing the role of structural diversity. These findings highlight the importance …

Angelilli V. Activision Blizzard, Northern District Of Illinois

Historical and Topical Legal Documents

No abstract provided.

Prof. Ed Lee's Testimony Before The U.S. Senate Committee On The Judiciary Subcommittee On Crime And Counterterrorism, Ed Lee

Historical and Topical Legal Documents

Testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism Hearing on Too Big to Prosecute?: Examining the AI Industry’s Mass Ingestion of Copyrighted Works for AI Training