Digital Commons Network^™

Disability, Sense Of Belonging, And Inclusive Classroom Climates In Undergraduate Engineering, Candice W. Bolding

All Dissertations

In higher education, there has been a growing interest in identifying and addressing the systemic factors that impact the educational experiences and outcomes of underrepresented students pursuing degrees in engineering. Students who identify as having one or more disabilities are an underrepresented population in postsecondary engineering, and although this population of students possess numerous strengths that make them well suited for the field, they often face barriers and challenges that hinder their success within engineering programs. There exists a robust collection of literature examining the experiences and factors that impact other underrepresented groups within postsecondary engineering (e.g., students of color …

Multi-Biometric Systems: A Review, Zahraa R. Naji, Abdul Monem S., Raheem Ogla

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

Traditional authentication methods such as passwords are susceptible to easy hacking, and as technology progresses, the demand is on the rise for more reliable and secure recognition systems, which can be used in surveillance and biometrics applications etc. A biometric recognition system of individuals is established on the unique features of the individual. Multi modal biometric systems represent a significant research field with widespread applications of recognition systems. Unimodal biometric systems have a variety of Issues, including nonuniversality and noisy data. Certain limitations and difficulties can be partially addressed with the use of multi modal biometric systems. In this paper, …

Kinship Verification Based On Intelligent Techniques: Survey, Muna Ghazi Abdulsahib

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

Kinship verification is the process of using observable characteristics, including facial features or other biometric data, to ascertain whether two people are familial related. Current approaches to kinship verification encounter multiple challenges, despite their significance in fields such as biometric security, family reunification, and forensic investigations. The most accurate way to confirm kinship is by DNA analysis, which is expensive, time-consuming, and invasive; in contrast, the traditional methods using manual comparison and facial recognition are more prone to human mistake. Visual verification of kinship among family members can be difficult to reliably rely on due to genetic variability, aging, and …

Blend Matters: Interactions Of Rice Cultivars On Milling, Physico-Chemical & End Use Traits, Bindu Regonda

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rice blending or mixing of different rice cultivars, a common practice in the industry, significantly impacts processing efficiency and end-product quality, yet its effects on end products remain understudied. This research investigated the implications of blending contemporary Arkansas rice cultivars through two comprehensive studies focusing on milling yields and physicochemical properties, instantization, and parboiling processes. Five long-grain cultivars, including hybrids (RT 7521 FP, RT 7321 FP, XP 753) and purelines (Ozark, CLL 16), were blended in various combinations and different drying.

The first study revealed that blending significantly affected milling yields and physicochemical attributes. Pre-drying blending yielded better results compared …

Quantile Regression And Change Point Analysis Of Remote Patient Monitoring Data From Cardiomems Hf System, Shanshan Jia

All Dissertations

Quantile regression provides a sophisticated analytical approach for clinical data, offering deeper insights into patient variability and risk assessment than conventional regression techniques. This study delves into the mathematical underpinnings of quantile regression, highlighting its advantages over ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, particularly in the context of predicting diastolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). We explore how this method can be applied to guide clinical interventions more effectively. By leveraging quantile regression’s ability to model different parts of the outcome distribution, we demonstrate its potential to enhance patient care through improved identification of high-risk individuals and the development of more personalized …

Neural Operator And Physics-Informed Deep Learning Approaches For Inverse Design Of Composites And Manufacturing Processes, Minglei Lu

All Dissertations

In this dissertation, artificial intelligence (AI) models are designed and used to accelerate inverse design of composites and manufacturing processes. The critical bottlenecks in machine learning (ML) including data availability, data quality, model generalization and adaptation, interpretability, physical consistency, and the ’black box’ nature of models for the inverse design are addressed. And the proposed AI models are tested under different engineering scenarios. Firstly, a fast deep neural operator (DNO) structure was developed to significantly reduce training time. This model was tested in the context of additive manufacturing, a transformative industrial technology that allows for the creation of materials with …

Advancing Visual Geometric Perception: Camera-Based Depth, Reconstruction, And Active Vision, Ziyue Feng

All Dissertations

The advancement of autonomous driving technology and intelligent robotic applications has emerged as a focal point in the realm of autonomy. One of the driving forces behind this trend is the profound understanding of the environment, and at the core of this endeavor lies the three-dimensional geometric perception. This dissertation embarks on a comprehensive exploration of this domain, emphasizing the advances of depth prediction, 3D scene reconstruction, and active vision to enhance geometric perception and scene understanding capabilities in autonomous driving, embodied AI, and robotics. In the domain of depth prediction, this research addresses the challenges of accurately inferring three-dimensional …

Genetic Testing And Anorexia Nervosa: Knowledge, Attitudes And Awareness, Sarah Ramsay

All Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three parts, each building on the results of the former, evaluating the treatment and research of anorexia nervosa (AN) from a healthcare genetics perspective. These three parts are bookended by an introduction and a conclusion summarizing key findings and providing suggestions for future work. First, in order to assess how Severe and Enduring Anorexia Nervosa (SE-AN) is defined in the literature, and inclusion of those with SE-AN in genetics research, a comprehensive literature review was performed. The review found a lack of consistent identification and inclusion of the SE-AN subtype in AN genetic study participants. Second, …

Investigating The Role Of Cd44 In Her2+ Breast Cancer Cells During Cancer Cell Redirection, Holly Caroline Jordan Campbell

All Dissertations

Despite a rise in survival rates of breast cancer patients due to advances in modern medicine, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women and is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Early detection and a more personalized treatment of breast cancer has slowly improved patient outcomes. Nevertheless, there are impediments to better patient outcomes due to the complexity of the disease physiology. Therefore, there is a demand for a comprehensive understanding of cancer development as well as a need to understand tumor progression for enhanced therapies for patients.

Previous in vivo …

Follow The Bloody Brick Road: Bleeding Kansas And The Emancipation Proclamation, Margaret Hu

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

To help illuminate Balkin’s project of Memory and Authority, this brief Essay considers a slice of American memory from Kansas’ historical archives and other primary sources, and examines its unique role in the Civil War. Specifically, it excavates the influence of Kansas’ leaders as advisors to President Abraham Lincoln. Prior to and during the Civil War, Lincoln relied upon the guidance of senior leaders from Kansas on matters ranging from guarding the White House, war strategies, the recruitment of former enslaved persons to the war effort, and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation as a part of an effective …

Jeremiah And Falsehood, Ernesto A Guajardo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis proposes that falsehood within Jeremiah is the culminating socio- theological development of a string of habitual and willful degradations done to Judah’s agency by its collective religious and public parties. Jeremiah’s inherent historical context being imbedded within the ancient Near East, and his intentional cross-comparison of Judah’s prophets with that of Samaria, calls for a reconsideration of Jeremiah’s standard reading to one that includes non-Israelite divination, prophecy, and ideas on the divine presence. Judah’s prophets and priests are specifically mentioned repeatedly throughout the text as being the encouragers of and sustainers of Judah’s idolatry, immoral behavior, false prophecy, …

Leading The Charge: A Case Study On The Leadership Behaviors Of Education Leaders At Title I Campuses In Texas Prisons, Ashley Mckelvey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Each year, eligible schools across the nation receive Title I grant funds through the Elementary and Secondary Act. These funds, justified in pursuit of social justice and educational equity, serve to provide supplemental education services to neglected and delinquent students. While the majority of the awarded schools operate within the traditional school setting, a very small number of schools in the United States operate within the correctional setting. These schools receive Title I Part D Subpart 1 funds. Consequently, most of the guidance pertains to best practices within traditional public schools, which provides no provision on the appropriate use of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Hispanic First-Generation High School Graduates Who Do Not Pursue Higher Education, Amanda J. Arrambide

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study identified why only 47% of Hispanic first-generation students
/="/">pursue college after high school graduation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the high
/="/">school graduate enrollment rate was down about 4% compared to the 66.2% rate in October
/="/">2019. The data collection and analysis procedures included qualitative interviews over Zoom
/="/">with the participants, with recording devices. High schools should provide opportunities for
/="/">students to explore various career paths through internships, job shadowing, career fairs, and
/="/">vocational training programs. This helps students make informed decisions about their college
/="/">major and career goals. …

Leadership Emergence And Factors Preventing Emergence Of Elders In The Churches Of Christ In The Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly, Francis Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the persistent absence of formally appointed elders in five Churches of Christ within Teshie in the Ledzokuku municipal assembly, Ghana, despite these congregations’ existence for over two decades. The research seeks to critically examine the factors contributing to the inability of long-serving leaders to align with biblical qualifications. Utilizing a case study methodology, the research examines leadership emergence within the congregations, exploring the discrepancy between tenure and adherence to scriptural standards, and emphasizing the causes and implications for leadership effectiveness and spiritual integrity that facilitate or obstruct the ordination of elders. The study employs a qualitative research …

A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study Of The U.S. Army’S Performance Evaluation Process And Its Impact On Minority Groups: Bias, Diversity, And Military Readiness, Laterrious Starks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the impact of the U.S. Army’s Officer Evaluation Report process on minority groups. Through a constructivist grounded theory framework, this research unravels the dynamics that influence performance evaluations and examines the Army’s ability to be a developmental organization. As the military sharpens its focus on identifying near-peer threats and updating the National Defense Strategy for large-scale combat operations, diversity and inclusivity policies are increasingly recognized as fundamental to military readiness. This study uncovers disparities that emerge from the organizational practices within the Officer Evaluation Report process. The finding highlights the implications for minority groups and the systemic …

Immediate Effect Of Local Vibration On Motor Unit Firing Behavior And Muscle Strength In Healthy Young Adult Males, Yuichi Nishikawa, Aleš Holobar, Kohei Watanabe, Toshihiko Komatsuzaki, Takanori Chihara, Jiro Sakamoto, Takashi Kawagoe, Hidetaka Nagayasu, Kyoko Mori, Kenji Kawano, Noriaki Maeda, Shinobu Tanaka, Allison S. Hyngstrom

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of vibration on motor unit (MU) firing behavior and physical performance of antagonist muscles in healthy young adult males.

Methods

Fourteen males (age = 24.3 ± 3.6 years) were included in this study. There were two conditions, one in which participants received 80 Hz vibration in the distal tendon of the hamstring for 30 s and the control condition (no vibration). High-density surface electromyography (HD-SEMG) signals and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensor muscles were evaluated before and after the respective conditions and recorded from the vastus lateralis …

The Fields Of Care Project: Diabetes Education For Agricultural Laborers Of Stockton, California, Matthew Medel, Juan Fernando Rosero, Valerie Visochin, Antonella Winer

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Wellbeing In The Assisted Living Setting: Musical Memories And Pill Prep, Kinsey Hopkins, Audrey Maskiewicz, Ashley Nguyen, Kailynne Van Winkle

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Constitutive Chefs: The Ethos And Constitutive Rhetoric Of Anthony Bourdain, Sean Sherman, And Mashama Bailey., Michael Jared Benjamin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation project explores the motivation of chefs to become Public Chef Intellectuals and how they cultivate and engage with an audience that will never taste their food. Using a case study approach, this dissertation analyzes the intellectual missions of Anthony Bourdain, Sean Sherman, and Mahsama Bailey as told through their television shows, memoirs, cookbooks, and restaurant menus. I argue that for each chef, their cultural identity is inextricably tied to their ultimate purpose – the use of food as a Trojan horse to promote their vision for a collective American culture. This project underscores that this process happens dialogically …

Exploratory Learning In Two Modalities: Tabular Vs Graphical., Lianda Velic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In traditional educational settings, an instructor delivers a lecture prior to providing students a practice activity. Exploratory learning reverses this order to encourage active learning and engagement, typically improving learning outcomes. However, more research is needed in order to determine how to optimally design exploratory learning materials, and how differences in such design impact learning processes and outcomes. The current study investigated the impact of instructional order and activity modality type (tabular or graphical) on learning outcomes. Undergraduate students (N=252) were taught the statistical concept of consistency and the formula to compute standard deviation. In the instruct-first condition, …

An Indigenous Approach To Professional Development Program Evaluation For Pk–12 Educators, Erica Marie Denault

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I address the critical need for Indigenous approaches to program evaluation with an emphasis on cultural professional development (PD) programming.

I choose an Indigenous approach to program evaluation via the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) Indigenous Evaluation (IE) Framework that I modified to include educational and academic terminology to develop a cultural evaluation tool: the Cultural Competency Checklist. The Cultural Competency Checklist was embedded within cultural PD program design to illustrate a cultural learning process to produce IE. The Cultural Competency Checklist, utilized as a cultural evaluation tool shifts and reframes the westernized program evaluation process …

The Catalytic Conversion Of Corn Stover Sugars Into Lactic Acid, Ahmed Essam

Theses and Dissertations

The rising global demand for addressing global warming necessitates the development of renewable-based alternatives to current fossil fuel-based chemicals and fuels. Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant energy source following fossil fuels. As a result, agricultural residues such as corn stover have attracted substantial interest for utilization as a potential feedstock for renewable chemicals.Previous research work at the University of North Dakota showed promising results in converting corn stover sugars into chemical building blocks. The most crucial of these chemicals is lactic acid, which can be used in multiple applications including food, pharmaceuticals, and biodegradable plastics. Traditionally, lactic acid is …

Psychology Graduate Student Experiences, Social Support, And Mental Health, Kathryn Lang

Theses and Dissertations

Graduate school is a highly stressful experience for many psychology students. Accordingly, graduate psychology programs need to identify and minimize unnecessary sources of stress on their students. Despite the importance of this topic, there is little research on factors that increase psychology graduate students’ stress. The present study determined how a student’s financial difficulties, quality of their social support, quality of their faculty support, number of adverse experiences they had in their program, the impact of a student’s negative experience in their program; and the population size of the location of their program affect a student’s mental health, perceived progress …

Personality Across Realities: Correlations Between Personality Profiles And Preferences Within Roleplaying Games, Brittany Lee Mancha

Theses and Dissertations

Clinically maladaptive behaviors and personality types have been studied within gamers, both those who play video games and those who roleplay in tabletop games. However, the connection between personality types and the preferences of the players themselves in what and how they roleplay is just barely being studied. Personality traits, such as extraversion/introversion and motivation by pain or pleasure, may be both influencing the gameplay decisions and preferences of players, and vice versa. A total of 500 respondents completed the Millon Index of Personality Styles, Revised (MIPS-R), followed by a demographics survey and finally a survey assessing Dungeons and Dragons', …

Targeting World Language Learning In The Target Language: A Qualitative Inquiry Of The K–12 Foreign Language Teacher Experience, Igor Ljevaja

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the current practices of K–12 foreign language teachers (FLTs) in using the target language (TL) within an urban school district in the Midwest United States. Focusing on how FLTs engage in professional development (PD) to optimize their TL use in the classroom, the study investigates the strategies and knowledge FLTs employ to foster TL proficiency among students. Purposeful sampling was employed to recruit participants (n = 5) who represented full-time FLTs, taught between sixth and 12th grade, and had at least four years of teaching experience and valid state licenses. Semi-structured interviews with current FLTs provide …

Using Problematic Sexual Behaviors And The Developmental Life Course Model To Predict Criminal Justice Involvement And Psychopathology By Early Adulthood, Amanda Schwartz

Theses and Dissertations

The developmental life course (DLC) model explains risk factors and developmental patterns among juveniles who have committed more than one sexual offense by considering the impact of major life events, experiences, and risk and protective factors throughout various developmental stages. Using an archival longitudinal dataset, the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN), this study applied the DLC model to explore the relationship between gender and onset and persistence of problematic sexual behaviors (PSBs) in childhood and adolescence with criminal justice involvement and psychopathology by early adulthood (N = 330, 46% male, M = 18.26 years) after controlling for …

Investigating The Impact Of Urban Areas On Quasi-Linear Convective Systems, Claiborne Wooton

Theses and Dissertations

Urban areas absorb and radiate energy at a higher rate compared to surrounding rural areas due to several factors, including an urban area’s tendency to have sparse vegetation and tree canopies along with high incidences of pavement. Urban areas have been shown to impact both the environment in which thunderstorms form (by altering thermodynamic, microphysical, and wind flow patterns) and the thunderstorms themselves; however, most of this previous work focused on isolated thunderstorms amid weak environmental vertical wind shear. This thesis analyzes how the structure of observed quasi-linear convective systems (QLCSs)—i.e., lines of thunderstorms—are altered as they pass over urban …

Enhancing Ai Ethics Through Integrating Aif360 With Generative Ai, Christina Ieisha Hastings

All Dissertations

In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought about significant positive changes in people's lives with respect to convenience and efficiency. The primary aim of AI is to emulate human intelligence in machines, creating a system capable of thinking and replicating human cognitive functions. AI encompasses tasks that mirror human behaviors, such as visual perception, speech recognition, and language translation.

The realm of AI ethics is an evolving and interdisciplinary field dedicated to addressing ethical considerations in AI. The establishment of ethical standards for AI is vital for developing morally upright AI systems and ensuring ethical conduct in AI applications. …

Low Toxicity Of Dissolved Silver From Silver-Coated Titanium Dental Implants To Human Primary Osteoblast Cells, Ranj Nadhim Salaie, Alexandros Besinis, Christopher Tredwin, Richard D Handy

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

The controlled release of silver as a biocide from Ag-coated medical implants is desirable. However, the biocompatibility of Ag leachates is poorly understood. This study investigated the toxicity of silver released from the silver plated titanium implants to human primary osteoblast cells; and the effect of cell culture medium on the silver speciation and bioavailability.

METHODS: Ti6Al4V discs were coated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs), silver plus hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles (Ag+nHA), or Ag NPs plus microparticles (Ag+mHA). Primary human osteoblast cells were exposed to the leachates from the various discs for up to 7 days.

RESULTS: the total Ag concentrations released …

Drivers Of Variability In Surf Zone Habitat Use By Sandy Beach Fish: Unwitting Citizen Scientists Reveal Detailed Spatiotemporal Patterns, Ryan Hepburn, Tim Scott, Sam Prodger, Benjamin J. Ciotti

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

Surf zones of sandy beaches are among the most heavily impacted aquatic ecosystems, yet are of criticalecological importance for inshore fish and fisheries. Knowledge of the drivers of fish habitat use in surf zones isneeded across broad scales to advise conservation and fisheries management, but sampling capabilities can belimited in spatio-temporal extent and resolution. The lesser weever Echiichthys vipera is a small, benthic,venomous fish that dominates surf zone fish assemblages in Northwest Europe and inflicts painful stings onbeachgoers. This study capitalises on an extensive record of E. vipera sting incidents to characterise variations insurf zone habitat use in relation to …