Digital Commons Network^™

Rover Chassis & Suspension, Nikki Zainer, Aung Bhone Zaw, Joelle Romero, Colin Thompson

Mechanical Engineering

The Mars rover project is part of the University Rover Challenge (URC), a robotics competition organized by the Mars Society that tasks student teams with designing and building the next generation of Mars rovers. Cal Poly Human Space Technology and Research (CP-HSTAR) has inherited a rover developed by a previous senior design team.

This report documents the progress made in refining the rover’s structure, highlighting key specifications, and detailing design improvements aimed at enhancing the suspension’s structural integrity, improving wheel traction, increasing modularity, and developing an enclosed chassis for electronic components.

This report includes a detailed breakdown of the rover’s …

Uses Of Project Management Practices In Development Of A Recreational Facility Business Plan, Lucian Blake

Student Projects for Graduate Degrees

The objective of this endeavor is to demonstrate the intended application of project management's best practices, in the submission of a conventional business plan as administrated by the University of Anchorage Alaska capstone, the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PM BoK), and the Project Management Institute (PMI). Preparations and outcomes encountered within this effort will both initiate and actively assert an economy in discovery or concept use, which coincide with technical simulations capable of breaching and sustaining confidence within continued practice or future findings. The determination within this dynamic effort was inspired by a self-passion for entrepreneurship, within equitable achievements …

The Algorithm Of Fear: Unpacking Prejudice Against Ai And The Mistrust Of Technology, James Hutson, Daniel Plate

Faculty Scholarship

The mistrust of AI seen in the media, industry and education reflects deep-seated cultural anxieties, often comparable to societal prejudices like racism and sexism. Throughout history, literature and media have portrayed machines as antagonists, amplifying fears of technological obsolescence and identity loss. Despite the recent remarkable advancements in AI—particularly in creative and decision-making capacities—human resistance to its adoption persists, rooted in a combination of technophobia, algorithm aversion, and cultural narratives of dystopia. This review investigates the origins of this prejudice, focusing on the parallels between current attitudes toward AI and historical resistance to new technologies. Drawing on examples from popular …

Algotric: Symmetric And Asymmetric Encryption Algorithms For Cryptography – A Comparative Analysis In Ai Era, Naresh Kshetri, Mir Mehedi Rahman, Md Masud Rana, Omar Faruq Osama, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within cybersecurity has necessitated stronger encryption methods to ensure data security. This paper presents a comparative analysis of symmetric (SE) and asymmetric encryption (AE) algorithms, focusing on their role in securing sensitive information in AI-driven environments. Through an in-depth study of various encryption algorithms such as AES, RSA, and others, this research evaluates the efficiency, complexity, and security of these algorithms within modern cybersecurity frameworks. Utilizing both qualitative and quantitative analysis, this research explores the historical evolution of encryption algorithms and their growing relevance in AI applications. The comparison of SE and AE …

The Primate Gut Microbiota Contributes To Interspecific Differences In Host Metabolism., Elizabeth K Mallott, Sahana Kuthyar, Won Lee, Derek Reiman, Hongmei Jiang, Sriram Chitta, E Alexandria Waters, Brian T Layden, Ronen Sumagin, Laura D Manzanares, Guan-Yu Yang, Maria Luisa Savo Sardaro, Stanton Gray, Lawrence E Williams, Yang Dai, James P Curley, Chad R Haney, Emma R Liechty, Christopher W Kuzawa, Katherine R Amato

Faculty Research 2024

Because large brains are energetically expensive, they are associated with metabolic traits that facilitate energy availability across vertebrates. However, the biological underpinnings driving these traits are not known. Given its role in regulating host metabolism in disease studies, we hypothesized that the gut microbiome contributes to variation in normal cross-vertebrate species differences in metabolism, including those associated with the brain's energetic requirements. By inoculating germ-free mice with the gut microbiota (GM) of three primate species - two with relatively larger brains and one with a smaller brain - we demonstrated that the GM of larger-brained primates shifts host metabolism towards …

Disagreement On Foundational Principles Of Biological Aging., Vadim N Gladyshev, Benjamin Anderson, Hanna Barlit, Benjamin Barré, Samuel Beck, Bahareh Behrouz, Daniel W Belsky, Amandine Chaix, Manish Chamoli, Brian H Chen, Kaiyang Cheng, Jane Chuprin, Gary Churchill, Andrea Cipriano, Alex Colville, Joris Deelen, Yuri Deigin, Kehuan K Edmonds, Bradley W English, Ruogu Fang, Michael Florea, Iosif M Gershteyn, Diljeet Gill, Laura H Goetz, Vera Gorbunova, Patrick T Griffin, Steve Horvath, Martin Borch Jensen, Xin Jin, Sara Jovanovska, Kathrin M Kajderowicz, Tomoko Kasahara, Csaba Kerepesi, Subhash Kulkarni, Vyacheslav M Labunskyy, Morgan E Levine, Sergiy Libert, J Yuyang Lu, Yuancheng Ryan Lu, Riccardo E Marioni, Brianah M Mccoy, Wayne Mitchell, Mahdi Moqri, Farzaneh Nasirian, Peter Niimi, Hamilton Se-Hwee Oh, Brian Okundaye, Andrey A Parkhitko, Leonid Peshkin, Mia Petljak, Jesse R Poganik, Glen Pridham, Daniel E L Promislow, Weronika Prusisz, Margaux Quiniou, Ken Raj, Daniel Richard, Jose Luis Ricon, Jarod Rutledge, Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, Nicholas J Schork, Andrei Seluanov, Michael Shadpour, Anastasia V Shindyapina, Steven R Shuken, Sruthi Sivakumar, Thomas Stoeger, Ayumu Sugiura, Nadia R Sutton, Alexander Suvorov, Andrei E Tarkhov, Emma C Teeling, Alexandre Trapp, Alexander Tyshkovskiy, Maximilian Unfried, Cavin K Ward-Caviness, Sun Hee Yim, Kejun Ying, Jeffrey Yunes, Bohan Zhang, Alex Zhavoronkov

Faculty Research 2024

To gain insight into how researchers of aging perceive the process they study, we conducted a survey among experts in the field. While highlighting some common features of aging, the survey exposed broad disagreement on the foundational issues. What is aging? What causes it? When does it begin? What constitutes rejuvenation? Not only was there no consensus on these and other core questions, but none of the questions received a majority opinion-even regarding the need for consensus itself. Despite many researchers believing they understand aging, their understanding diverges considerably. Importantly, as different processes are labeled as "aging" by researchers, different …

Exploring The Interplay Among Effort, Motivation, And Self-Efficacy In High School Mathematics And Act Math Achievement, Katrina Lightsey

Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between high school students' attributions of effort, motivation, and self-efficacy as they relate to ACT math scores. Despite the important role of standardized tests in determining college admissions, there has been little research conducted to determine how students feel about these attributions and how they relate to math grades and ACT scores. A total of 52 juniors and seniors from local high schools participated in this study, which was conducted over the summer through voluntary participation following email invitations. The study was designed to measure students' self-reported effort, motivation, and self-efficacy using a survey instrument. …

Blended Learning: Is It An Equitable Practice For Students?, Jon Price

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study investigated the effect of the blended learning teaching model on K-8 teachers in the state of Indiana. The purpose of the study is to validate the increased attention on educational instruction with the use of technology in a virtual setting combined with the traditional classroom setting to maximize learning opportunities for all students. Teachers (N=115) were randomly asked to participate in a survey to gather data to complete the research. The were four research questions involved in the study, and they are as follows: What are the current self-efficacy perceptions of Indiana K-8 teachers in the areas …

Modeling Pricing And Profit Testing Of Chronic Disease's Insurance Policies Using Prostate Cancer Data In Kenya, Cynthia Mwau, Howard Omukami

Institute for Educational Development, East Africa

Chronic diseases have been on the rise globally and more so in the African continent. Treatment of chronic diseases requires lots of finances hence posing a challenge even to those people who are considered financially stable. Chronic diseases are expected to rise even further due to the rapid lifestyle change. In an attempt to mitigate the challenge of accessing treatment for chronic diseases, we develop a model for pricing and profit testing chronic disease insurance policy using the modified equivalence principle. We use the Kenyan mortality tables for the computation as they reflect the true mortality rate of the population …

Defining Law But Not Justice, Franciska Coleman

Chicago-Kent Law Review

No abstract provided.

Will The Supreme Court Ever Help Victims Of Workplace Sexual Harassment Again? Why Adopting A Uniform Reasonableness Standard May Resolve A 20+ Year Circuit Split, Allyson Buchanan

Chicago-Kent Law Review

No abstract provided.

Consumer Protection Rights Lost In The Undergrowth Of The Amazon: Amazon’S Policies Quietly Facilityating An Anticompetitive E-Commerce Enviornment, Stephen Cruz

Chicago-Kent Law Review

No abstract provided.

Lithotomy And Sitting Positioning: An Objective Structured Clinical Examination, Randall Reece, Jordan Alleman

Doctoral Projects

A foundational skill for anesthesia providers is the ability to safely position surgical patients in a wide variety of surgical positions. Two commonly used surgical positions are the lithotomy and sitting positions. These positions have potential complications that include loss of control of the airway, accidental removal of invasive lines, physiological derangements, soft tissue injury, and nerve injury (Barash et al., 2017). Chui et al. (2018) identified that peripheral nerve injury accounted for 12% of closed claims relating to procedures done under general anesthesia and the most common identifiable event is positioning. The median payout for a peripheral nerve injury …

Discrimination In Contractual Performance: Theory, Evidence, And Preliminary Policy Prescriptions, Meirav Furth-Matzkin

Washington Law Review

This Article examines the often-overlooked practice of “selective performance” of standard form consumer contracts—where sellers permit employees to exercise discretion by waiving or modifying contractual terms to maintain customer satisfaction. While such flexibility can benefit consumers, it raises serious concerns about discrimination. Through both theoretical analysis and empirical evidence, this Article demonstrates that discretionary performance can disproportionately favor certain consumer groups, particularly along racial and gender lines, leading to biased and inequitable outcomes. Drawing on examples from diverse sectors, including retail, insurance, and mortgage services, the Article highlights how marginalized communities, especially Black consumers, frequently face harsher treatment and greater …

The Integration Of Environmental Concerns And Philosophy Into Business Strategies, Johann Thorne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My thesis focuses on how a business can better integrate environmental philosophies and principles into their business model without detracting from the business's primary objectives, specifically that of generating profit. However, this thesis also seeks to extend the business's objectives to include the environment using these environmental philosophies, arguing that the business should have some obligation to the environment in terms of morality, as well as social obligations. This is an evolution of some common ethical theories used within the business world, but I argue they do not suffice to protect the environment. Instead, I develop an ethical pluralist framework …

Investigating Challenges Of Converting Cad Models To Game Ready Assets, Vathsa Pawar

All Theses

This thesis explores the challenges associated with converting detailed CAD models into game-ready assets optimized for use in virtual reality (VR) environments using game engines, focusing on enhancing using mechanical engineering models. The primary goal is to establish a toolchain that allows the integration of CAD models into game engines for immersive applications, enabling engineers and stakeholders to interact with 3D models in a synthetic environment. The study employs several test cases ranging from simple door models to complex automotive vehicle prototypes, elaborating the process of exporting CAD models through intermediate formats (such as STEP, STL, GLB) using tools like …

Environmental Storytelling In Video Games Through The Lens Of Film Noir, Samuel Hagen

All Theses

My project is an interactable video game experience showcased through the lens of film noir, that focuses on the capabilities and benefits of environmental storytelling in video games. With a heavy focus on immersion, my project forces the player to explore a murder scene and encourages them to formulate their own narrative about what has transpired. My project fuels the player’s ability for self-reflection and self-acceptance through the player’s personalized and unique interpretations experienced while exploring the scene I have created. In my paper, I discuss the aspects of environmental storytelling and immersion in video games and how they have …

The Effect Of Packaging On The Acceptance Of Natural Peanut Butter, Perian M. Reese

All Theses

The aim was to determine the effect of packaging on the acceptance of natural peanut butter, especially concerning the acceptance of the undesirable oil layer. The jars of peanut butter differed by color, label size, and inclusion of qualifying statements. 119 participants across two groups completed this study. Both groups completed an eye-tracking study in a mock grocery setting. The first group rated all five jars in appearance, expected quality, and overall rating. They were given one sample cup of peanut butter and gave hedonic liking values for color, oiliness, peanut flavor, smoothness, sweetness, and overall liking. The second group …

Influence Of Hygrothermal Conditions Of The Bistability Of Asymmetric Carbon Fiber Laminate Composites, Celia Hill

All Theses

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates have widespread use in many industries because of their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Carbon fiber laminates following an asymmetric layup orientation can exhibit bistability meaning the laminate can exist at two stable geometric configurations. The morphing characteristics of bistable CRFP has a growing level of interest because of its potential in various applications including space aircraft structures for easy repair, automotive structures for energy dissipation and ergonomics, robotics for flexible motion and energy harvesting. Existing research shows that both moisture and temperature affect the material properties and behavior of CFRP laminates, however, the influence of moisture …

Robust Learning With Probabilistic Relaxation Using Hypothesis-Test-Based Sampling, Zilin Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In recent years, deep learning has been a vital tool in various tasks. The performance of a neural network is usually evaluated by empirical risk minimization. However, robustness issues have gained great concern which can be fatal in safety-critical applications. Adversarial training can mitigate the issue by minimizing the loss of worst-case perturbations of data. It is effective in improving the robustness of the model, but it is too conservative, and the plain performance of the model can be unsatisfying. Probabilistic Robust Learning (PRL) empirically balances the average- and worst-case performance while the robustness of the model is not provable …

Between Hope And Despair: The Misery Of International Law – Confrontations With Injustice In The Global Economy, Kanad Bagchi

Indian Journal of International Economic Law

No abstract provided.

The Constitutional Case Against State-Controlled Fact-Checking: A Case Comment On Kunal Kamra V. Union Of India, Abhinav Ravi, Aravind Sundar

National Law School of India Review

The Bombay High Court in Kunal Kamra v Union of India struck down the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023, which had established a centralised fact-checking unit to issue takedown orders against social media posts that were identified as “fake or false or misleading”. The Rules threatened the safe harbour protection of social media intermediaries for failing to adhere to such takedown orders. The Court held that the establishment of the fact-check unit violates the rights of free speech, profession and equality under the Indian Constitution. This article explores the free speech implications of …

Publisher Correction: Observation Of Dense Collisional Soliton Complexes In A Two-Component Bose-Einstein Condensate (Communications Physics, (2024), 7, 1, (163), 10.1038/S42005-024-01659-W), Sean M. Mossman, Garyfallia C. Katsimiga, Simeon I. Mistakidis, Alejandro Romero-Ros, Thomas M. Bersano, Peter Schmelcher, Panayotis G. Kevrekidis, Peter Engels

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the first paragraph of the Methods section, the sentence "We begin with an elongated BEC of approximately 9 x 10587Rb atoms…," has erroneously been written without a space between the two superscripts "5" and "87". This has now been corrected in both the HTML and PDF of the article, and the same expression reads: We begin with an elongated BEC of approximately 9 x 105 87Rb atoms…"

Enrollment Of Females In Randomized Trials For Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists: A Systematic Review, Frederick Berro Rivera, Mc John Caro Ybañez, John Vincent Magalong, Mario Prado, Eloise Arias Aguirre, Ana Patricia Ting Cañares, Janos Marc Rubia, Allyn Ralph Hiyas, Polyn Luz S. Pine, Kyla Lara-Breitinger, Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, Martha Gulati

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) form the basis for therapeutic recommendations for both males and females. Historically, females have been significantly underrepresented in RCTs.

Objectives

The authors sought to determine the trends of representation of females in GLP-1RA RCTs from 2007 to 2024.

Methods

We reviewed eligible studies and extracted important variables. The proportion of females among the total participants was obtained per study. This was compared over time (year) of publication and over mean age of participants. This proportion was also compared between specific types of GLP-1RA received, diabetes status, indication of …

Genome-Wide Expression Profiling And Phenotypic Analysis Of Downstream Targets Identify The Fox Transcription Factor Jumeau As A Master Regulator Of Cardiac Progenitor Cell Division, M. Rezaul Hasan

Bakerman Student Research Awards

Forkhead box (Fox) transcription factors (TFs) mediate multiple conserved cardiogenic processes in both mammals and Drosophila. Our prior work identified the roles of two Drosophila Fox genes, jumeau (jumu) and Checkpoint suppressor 1-like (CHES-1-like), in cardiac progenitor cell specification and division, and in the proper positioning of cardiac cell subtypes. Fox TF binding sites are also significantly enriched in the enhancers of genes expressed in the heart, suggesting that these genes may play a core regulatory role in one or more of these cardiogenic processes. We identified downstream targets of Jumu by comparing transcriptional expression profiles of flow cytometry-sorted mesodermal …

Kinetics Of Naturally Induced Binding And Neutralising Anti-Sars-Cov-2 Antibody Levels And Potencies Among Sars-Cov-2 Infected Kenyans With Diverse Grades Of Covid-19 Severity: An Observational Study, John Kimotho, Yiakon Sein, Shahin Sayed, Reena Shah, Mansoor Saleh, Ann Karanu, Viviane Oluoch, Jasmit Shah, Julius Mutiso, Zaitun Nneka, Alfred Mburu, Peter Betti, Francis M. Ndungu

Pathology, East Africa

Background: Given the low levels of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine coverage in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA), despite high levels of natural severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) exposures, strategies for extending the breadth and longevity of naturally acquired immunity are warranted. Designing such strategies will require a good understanding of naturally acquired immunity.

Methods: We measured whole-spike immunoglobulin G (IgG) and spike-receptor binding domain (RBD) total immunoglobulins (Igs) on 585 plasma samples collected longitudinally over five successive time points within six months of COVID-19 diagnosis in 309 COVID-19 patients. We measured antibody-neutralising potency against the wild-type (Wuhan) SARS-CoV-2 …

Perceptual Hash Based Content Matching, Nicholas Daniel Chenevey

Master's Theses

The proliferation of video content and AI generated imagery has introduced a number of new challenges in content identification and verification. The ability to trace content back to its source has become a critical problem as video content increases both naturally and synthetically through AI generation. This thesis provides the design, analysis, and experimental verification for a perceptual hash based framework aimed at addressing these challenges. Perceptual hashing is a method for encoding the visual content of images into compact and easily comparable binary strings. This process is used as the foundation for content matching in videos and source verification …

The Integration And Validation Of A Class 3b Laser For Stereo Particle Imaging Velocimetry, Jensen Lam

Master's Theses

Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV) is a laser flow diagnostic measurement technique used to measure spatial and temporal velocity fields. In an effort to promote experimental aerodynamic research, specifically an entry point for students to learn Particle Imaging Velocimetry, an in-house Class 3B laser PIV system was developed and its experimental results were verified with a Class 4 laser. Both systems were integrated on the Cal Poly Water Tunnel Laboratory. The work emphasizes the application of lasers controlled by a micro-controller to perform microsecond-based pulses and integrating a newly-developed device with an old system consisting of software, cameras, and synchronizers. The …

An Investigation Into The Use Of Amateur Astronomy Equipment For Optical Orbit Determination Using A Mobile Telescope Platform, Johan C. Govaars

Master's Theses

The process of optical orbit determination has long been in the domain of large organizations and stationary observatories with highly specialized scientific equipment. This thesis seeks to determine not only if satellites can be captured regularly using purely commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment, but also if initial orbit determinations can be made using that data. Moreover, the use of a mobile telescope platform allows users to circumvent the restrictions of fixed observatories such as low horizon viewing restrictions or existing light pollution.

A completely COTS setup was utilized that included an 8-inch Celestron NextStar 8SE telescope with an f/6.3 focal reducer and …

Generating A Novel Legislator Organization Score, Brandon Lin

Master's Theses

Ever since the 2010 Citizens United v. FEC, corporations and organizations have been able to contribute expenditures and resources into political legislators and campaigns. It has become apparent over the years that organizations can excise significant influence in direct ways to influence campaigns across the United States. During this period, Digital Democracy has collected large amounts of data pertaining to legislative bill information, voting patterns, and donations on behalf of the California public to raise awareness. Digital Democracy has also released its own scoring system that compares the amount of aligning votes between a legislator and an organization. However, this …