Digital Commons Network^™

Ai-Driven Autonomous Manufacturing: A Novel Taxonomy, Vision-Guided Planning, And Diversity-Aware Active Learning Frameworks, Ibrahim Yousif

Theses and Dissertations

Manufacturers face two opposing challenges: the escalating demand for customized products and the pressure to reduce lead times. Current manufacturing equipment, although reliable, operates at the limits of its technology and lacks adaptability to dynamic environments. This trade-off has been described as the optimal degree of automation, a threshold beyond which further automation incurs more cost than benefit. Smart manufacturing has introduced adaptive, data-driven systems, but many deployments still lack the contextual adaptability and autonomous decision-making required to handle unplanned disruptions. This underscores the need for intelligent, autonomous systems capable of real-time adaptation without costly reconfiguration, minimizing human intervention during …

Towards Accurate First-Principles Modeling In Heterogenous Catalysis: Ethane Dehydrogenation And Hydrogenolysis Over Pt Catalysts, Mubarak Ayo Bello

Theses and Dissertations

First-principles modeling has become central to heterogeneous catalysis research, offering mechanistic insight and guiding catalyst design, yet conventional approaches often struggle to accurately describe complex catalytic systems due to methodological uncertainties, simplified assumptions, and the structural diversity of nanoparticle catalysts. This dissertation addresses these challenges using ethane dehydrogenation (EDH) and hydrogenolysis (EH) over platinum catalysts as model systems. The first study benchmarks density functional theory (DFT) functionals against the random phase approximation (RPA) for the EDH network on Pt(111), identifying cost-effective functionals and demonstrating the efficiency of BEEF-vdW ensembles for capturing functional uncertainty. The second study (addressed in prior work) …

Hearing The Difference: Just Intonation Techniques Utilizing Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions In Viola Performance, Calj Green Umezono

Theses and Dissertations

Difference tones, also known as distortion product otoacoustic emissions, are the result of active phenomena in the human cochlea during the conversion of sound waves into bioelectrical signals. Difference tones make it possible to explore alternative musical tuning systems beyond the twelve-tone, equally tempered regime. Musicians have investigated difference tones since the 18th Century in Euro-American musical contexts, but their application has so far been limited in scope. Advances in science, technology, and music theory from the late 19th Century through the early 21st Century have given present-day violists the opportunity to more fully understand the virtues of difference tones …

Machine-Learning-Assisted Discovery Of Lattice Dynamics Signatures Of Sodium Superionic Conductors, Ogheneyoma Maxwell Aghoghovbia

Theses and Dissertations

Sodium superionic conductors are key to the development of all-solid-state sodium batteries. Discovery of new superionic conductors has traditionally relied on insights from material defect chemistry and the transition/hopping theory, while the role of lattice vibrations, i.e., phonons, remains underexplored. We identify key lattice dynamics signatures that govern ionic conductivity by analyzing the phonon mean squared displacement (MSD) of Na⁺ ions. By high-throughput screening of a dataset of 3903 Na-containing structures, we establish a strong positive correlation between phonon MSD and diffusion coefficients, providing a quantitative correlation between lattice dynamics and ion transport. To accelerate this discovery, we incorporate …

Multi-Perspective Feature Learning For Facial Expression Recognition In The Wild, Xiangyu Hu

Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid progress of deep learning, Facial Expression Recognition (FER) has seen substantial improvements in performance, particularly “in the wild” meaning real world conditions. Despite these advances, most existing methods extract features from facial images as the sole emotional cues, which limits the model’s ability to capture the full complexity of human emotional expressions.

In reality, facial expressions are composed of diverse and multi-perspective information, including appearance-based cues and geometric structural deformations due to activations of facial muscles. Depending exclusively on one type of representation may fail to exploit the complementary nature of these cues, an issue that becomes …

From Seapower To Shining Seapower, Michael Lee

Publications and Research

The liberal world order is dead: the United States has abandoned both the domestic and international institutional commitments that enabled it to function. How can liberal democracy survive in an increasingly hostile world? How can liberal democracies grow powerful enough to defend themselves without becoming the empires they fear? I argue that seapowers have historically represented a distinct kind of hegemon, that is more amenable to international cooperation, and democracy at home. Moreover, the transition from declining seapowers to rising ones has played a vital role in preserving a space for more liberal states (relative to their historical context), such …

Contracting Around Treaties, Aaron Simowitz

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

Killing The Wto, Katayoon Beshkardana

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

New Approaches On Source Coding For Quantum Stochastic Sources And Implementation Of Quantum Fanout Gate, Rabins Wosti

Theses and Dissertations

The accurate computation of advanced quantum algorithms like Shor’s integer factorization, quantum phase estimation (QPE), and the quantum Fourier transform (QFT) requires quantum circuits of considerable size and depth. It is difficult to achieve reliable computation with deep quantum circuits due to the limited coherence times of the current noisy quantum devices. The quantum fanout gate is known to be a powerful primitive for reducing the depth of many quantum circuits (Høyer and Špalek 2003; Gottesman and Chuang 1999). Shallow or constant-depth quantum circuits are desirable for both near-term and fault-tolerant quantum computations as they reduce noise and allow faster …

The Church As An Ecological And Cultural Anchor: Examining Its Role In Gifted Education, Advanced Academic Access, And Educational Equity, Matrissa Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

This action research study examines the role of the Black church as an ecological and cultural anchor in addressing the inequities of gifted education and expanding access to advanced academic opportunities for Black students. The study is grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, critical race theory, and racial and ethnical socialization, and it explores how the Black church can support student development, empower parental advocacy, and partner with schools to promote educational equity. Conducted at Mountain Valley Baptist Church in South Carolina, the interventions included student mentoring, goal setting sessions, academic enrichment, emotional support initiatives, a parent workshop, and a …

Developing A Dynamic Bilingual Space In An Early Childhood Korean Heritage Language Classroom Through Multimodal Translanguaging Pedagogy, Kyungjin Hwang

Theses and Dissertations

Drawing on translanguaging theory and multimodal literacy, this dissertation examines how a multimodal translanguaging pedagogy can create a dynamic bilingual space in a Korean heritage language classroom in the southeastern United States. Using a teacher-research design and thematic analysis of classroom video recordings and student artifacts, the study explored ten instructional modules with Korean-American children aged five to six. It first identified the core components of the pedagogy, its framework, curriculum content, and teacher strategies, and then analyzed how children flexibly used Korean and English across modes such as speaking, writing, and drawing. Findings revealed diverse translanguaging forms and functions. …

Investigating The Influence Of Instructional Strategies On The Development Of Procedural And Conceptual Knowledge In Advanced Algebra Ii Students, Maura Frances Yinger

Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods action research study investigated the influence of instructional strategies shown to improve students’ procedural and conceptual understanding in a rational expressions and equations unit in Advanced Algebra II. The instructional strategies used in the study include comparing, self-explaining, and exploring before instruction. The students (N=27) completed a pre-test and a post-test, both of which were followed by questions asking students to justify their responses on two questions. All students also responded to six digital self-explanation journal prompts. Randomly selected students were placed into three homogenous groups to participate in performance task observations. Analysis of the data …

Decorin Evokes A Pro-Lysosomal Pathway In Lymphatic Endothelial Cells, Gabriel J. Pascal, Dipon K. Mondal, Sadie Kim, Christopher Xie, Devanarayanan Siva Sankar, Jörn Dengjel, Renato V. Iozzo

Kimmel Cancer Center Faculty Papers

The lymphatic system is critical to the body's immune and circulatory system, and lymphangiogenesis, the development of new lymphatic vessels from pre-existing ones is a significant process capitalized upon by cancer during tumorigenesis. Decorin is a small leucine-rich proteoglycan which we have previously shown to be anti-tumorigenic and a suppressor of lymphangiogenesis. We have also shown that decorin exercises its anticancer properties through its ability to evoke autophagy. Through a comprehensive and unbiased proteomic analysis, we explored the implications of decorin exposure on protein expression within mouse lymphatic endothelial cells. We discovered that decorin enriches several protein pathways, notably proteasomal …

Phase Iv Clinical Trials For The Treatment Of Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (Nsclc): A Systemic Review From 2020-2025, Yousif A. Kariri, Mohammed H. Alqasmi, Bijad S. Alqahtani

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate and provide evidence on drugs investigated in completed phase IV clinical trials for adult non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) therapy, primarily focusing on treatment objectives and adverse effects. Methods: Clinical research studies from January 2020 to January 2025 were systematically reviewed using the “ClinicalTrials.gov” database. The inclusion criteria focused on publicly available, relevant, and completed Phase IV studies limited to “Clinicaltrials.gov”, while those not meeting these specifications were excluded. As of 3 January 2025, a total of 7,541 Phase IV clinical trials were available on “ClinicalTrials.gov”, of which 121 were related to NSCLC. Results: Six of …

The Effect Of Specialized Management Of Acute Coronary Syndrome On Patient’S Quality Of Life: A Tertiary Care Centre Study., Maan Jamjoom, Muath Alharbi, Waleed M. Malibari, Waleed Alshehri, Mohammed A. Aalem, Wafa D. Althubaity, Nouf K. Alalshaikh, Mahmoud A. Toonsi, Faisal A. Boker

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the impact of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) on quality of life (QoL) among patients at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Western Jeddah. Acute Coronary Syndrome significantly affect patients’ QoL. Many individuals experience challenges post-ACS. While previous research has identified baseline QoL, access to specialized care, and assessment tools as important factors influencing recovery, limited studies have examined how baseline QoL affects long-term outcomes. Methods: This hybrid cross-sectional study included ACS patients treated at King Abdulaziz Medical City. A sample size of 268 was calculated using RAOSOFT. A culturally tailored questionnaire, derived from the SF-36, was developed, …

The Association Between Inflammatory Bowel Disease And Ischemic Heart Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Mahmoud H. Mosli, Dima M. Alsulami, Yara K. Alghamdi, Abdullah S. Badahdah, Asmaa H. Alhibshi, Thamer M. Alamri, Maan S. Alkhattabi, Khames T. Alzahrani, Hadeel A. Alsufyani, Omar I. Saadah

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate the association between Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Ischemic heart disease (IHD). Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis included patients with and without IBD seen at the outpatient gastroenterology clinic of a large tertiary care hospital between January 2015 and October 2022. The primary outcome was the association between IBD and IHD, and the secondary outcome was predictors of IHD in patients with IBD. Results: The study included 400 patients; 291 were IBD patients, and 109 had other non-inflammatory GI disorders. The IBD group displayed significantly lower rates of hyperlipidemia (8.6% vs. 30.3%, p <0.001), diabetes mellitus (DM) (10% vs. 24.8%, p <0.001), and hypertension (11.7% vs. 32.1%, p <0.001) compared to the non-IBD group. Only 2.7% (n=8) of IBD patients developed IHD. Logistic regression analysis did not demonstrate a significant association between IBD and IHD ( p =0.932). Among classical risk factors, only hypertension (OR: 26.2, 95% CI: 2.14–661, p =0.016) and hyperlipidemia (OR: 10.5, 95% CI: 1.32–132, p =0.0405) significantly increased the risk of developing IHD among patients with IBD. Conclusion: In this cohort, there is no increased risk of developing IHD in patients with IBD compared to non-IBD patients.

Molecular Identification Of Respiratory Syncytial Virus, Seasonal Influenza Viruses, And Sars-Cov-2 In Respiratory Tract Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study In Taif City, Mazen M. Almehmadi, Faiha A Alharbi, Ahmad K. Shawush, Mamdouh A. Allahyani, Osama A. Abdulaziz, Ayman S. Alhazmi, Ahmad A. Aghamdi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To explore the prevalence of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in Taif via molecular diagnosis method, to enhance the clinical decision making and the need for vaccination strategies. Methods: A 5864 participants were enrolled in this study, all from Taif city. Samples were collected via nasal swab, throat swab, or sputum sample. The duration of the study were 24 months from January 2023 to December 2024. Samples were transported in viral transport medium. Then processed using GeneXpert system. Fluorescent probes detected viral RNA and reported as detected or not detected. Chi-square test was applied for statistical analysis purposes. Results: …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Thyroid Nodules With Indeterminate Cytology When Combined With Ultrasonographic Risk, Shaza A. Samargandy, Yousef Z. Khedher, Ghaida A. Alzahrani, Hesham T. Nahhas, Mohammed A. Alshaikh, Saad Samargandy, Khalid A. Alzahrani, Aliaa H. Ghoneim

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To evaluate the added diagnostic value of ultrasonographic risk levels to cytological diagnoses in nodules with Bethesda III and IV cytology. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and involved analyzing thyroid nodules from patients who underwent thyroidectomy between 2016 and 2023. We focused on pathology, US risk stratification based on the 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines, and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) using the Bethesda system. We calculated malignancy rates for each ultrasound (US) and FNAC category, with the indeterminate cytology groups defined as follicular lesions of undetermined significance (FLUS) and follicular neoplasms (FN). …

Healthcare Transformation Through The Implementation Of A New Population Health Management Approach To Achieve Saudi Arabia’S Vision 2030: The Lessons Learned In The Qassim Health Cluster, Majed S. Alharbi, Emmanuel F. Osagiede, Raed F. Al-Harbi

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To investigate how the Qassim Health Cluster (QHC) implemented population health management (PHM) in tandem with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and to pinpoint the main issues and lessons gained from this implementation. Methods: This research used a descriptive population study design and was conducted between November and December 2024. We collected data using a mixed-method approach, gathering qualitative data from 11 PHM implementers and secondary quantitative data from 102,946 healthcare service users. Results: Qassim Health Cluster’s PHM implementation team established a regional 5-year strategic plan to follow the national PHM framework, utilizing data-based decision-making to implement …

Characterization And Management Of Pain Across Phases Of Intraosseous Infusion In Emergency Department Patients With Non-Cardiac Arrest, Aiping Shi, Juan Chen, Xiaowei He, Chunyan Chen, Ming Sun, Wei Li, Wenxia Xu, Wei Yang, Xiaoqin Han

Saudi Medical Journal

ABSTRACT Objectives: To identify risk factors for moderate-to-severe pain during intraosseous infusion (IOI) in non-cardiac arrest patients in the emergency department (ED). Secondary aims include evaluating pain trajectory across procedural stages and assessing the efficacy of a personalized pain management strategy. Methods: This mixed-methods study analyzed 220 ED patients undergoing IOI (150 retrospective, 70 prospective). The prospective cohort was randomized to standard care (n=35) or personalized pain management (n=35). Pain was quantified using the numeric rating scale (NRS) and critical-care pain observation tool (CPOT). Results: During puncture, 35.33% (53/150) reported no/mild pain. Pain severity peaked during flushing, with 73.33% (110/150) …

A Data-Driven Framework For Optimal Retail Store Location, Ming Hui Tan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study develops a data-driven framework for optimal retail store location planning that integrates road network analysis, mobility data and optimization techniques. By addressing the limitations of traditional approaches that rely on outdated census data and manual site selection, this research offers a scalable and adaptable solution for retail expansion in diverse urban environments. Chapters 1 and 2 establish the foundational context and theoretical underpinnings of this research. Chapter 1 introduces the research problem and motivation, highlighting the limitations of existing approaches and defining three key research objectives: automating candidate site identification, improving footfall estimation, and developing a scalable multi-site …

Harnessing Se Community Knowledge For Developer-Centric Code Intelligence, Chengran Yang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The integration of Large Language Models (LLMs), particularly those tailored for programming tasks—referred to as code LLMs—has created novel opportunities to enhance developer productivity. These advanced models automate routine and repetitive coding tasks, such as code generation and debugging, and enable faster prototyping and more efficient problem-solving. Despite these remarkable advantages, the current generation of code LLMs exhibits notable limitations that impact their practical effectiveness in real-world software engineering scenarios. These models frequently produce code that is inefficient or suboptimal in runtime performance, demonstrate opaque reasoning processes, and struggle to adapt effectively to diverse developer contexts and specific requirements. Moreover, …

Factors Influencing Consumers’ Online Purchase Decisions: Evidence From Amazon.Com, Weiwei Li

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With the rapid expansion of cross-border e-commerce, platform sellers increasingly adopt diverse price formatsto influence consumer decision-making. In this context, consumers’ perceptions of and responses to price information have become a pivotal issue in understanding online purchase behavior. Using Amazon as the research setting, this study employs a dynamic panel model with monthly product-level data spanning January 2024 to June 2025 to investigate how different price formats—such as Prime-exclusive pricing and coupon mechanisms—affect consumers’ online purchase intentions when the out-ofpocket price is held constant. Furthermore, the moderating effect of promotional events is systematically examined.

Departing from prior research that largely …

Design-Led Leadership: A Mixed Methods Study On Understanding How Design Thinking Capabilities Impact Leadership Effectiveness, Tareq Waleed Muhmood

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

“Widespread design thinking among organisation leaders is desirable for the creation of a humanly and sustainable future” (R. J. Boland et al., 2008a)

This study investigates the impact of design thinking capabilities on leadership effectiveness through a mixed-methods research design.

While design thinking is widely used in product and service innovation, its application as a leadership development framework remains underexplored.   To address this gap, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods, including pre- and post-intervention survey of leaders, their supervisors, and subordinates within an education business in Vietnam (EBV), as well as semi-structured interviews with senior leaders at a …

The Role Of Employee Engagement In Predicting Risk Management Outcome, Jenny Tan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Risk performance is a key business performance indicator as it measures how well an organization manages its uncertainties. Well-balanced risk performance instills confidence in stakeholders (including investors) and improves organizational performance broadly speaking. This dissertation studies the relationship between Perceived Organizational Support, employee engagement and risk appetite and how that relates downstream to organisational risk performance. Using the lens of Social Exchange Theory (SET; Blau, 1964) I examine how perceived organizational support (POS) predicts employee engagement and how this then relates to risk appetite and subsequent levels of risk taking in an organization. I then make predictions about how exchange …

Is Doing-Good-Enough (Dge) Related To Quitting Or Thriving: Organizational Support Moderates The Link Between Dge And Employee Well-Being, Job Satisfaction And Job Crafting, Yun Zhuo

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This research introduces the construct, Doing-Good-Enough (DGE), a work strategy in which employees consciously meet, but do not exceed, core job expectations. It is a satisficing approach aimed at prioritizing well-being and managing work demands. Three studies were conducted to build the DGE scale and examined its outcomes. Study 1 developed the new measurement scale of DGE by integrating its initial work definition with the existing Quiet Quitting (QQ) scales. Items composing the DGE scale were identified through an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Study 2 validated the DGE scale as unidimensional via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and established its discriminant …

Stories Of Racism And Resistance: A Narrative Analysis Of Stories Told In The Uk Windrush Generation And Descendants Of The Windrush Generation, Jessica Blumsom, Jacqui Scott, Emma Karwatzki, Aishath Nasheeda, David Hernandez-Saca, Alyson Malach, Glenda Andrew

Faculty Publications

The Windrush Generation (WG) and their descendants continue to experience adversity in the UK, including racism and the Windrush Scandal, with such adversities absent from psychological research literature. Intergenerational trauma is a psychological concept explaining that adverse experiences can be transmitted from one generation to impact subsequent generations. There has been limited consideration of the ongoing impact of adverse experiences that span multiple generations, such as experiences of racism within Western Europe. This paper utilised a narrative research design to study the narratives of members of the WG and those of their descendants in the UK. Eight expert by experience …

Teaching Ai For Radiology Applications: A Multisociety-Recommended Syllabus From The Aapm, Acr, Rsna, And Siim, Felipe Kitamura, Timothy Kline, Daniel Warren, Linda Moy, Roxana Daneshjou, Farhad Maleki, Igor Santos, Judy Gichoya, Walter Wiggins, Brian Bialecki, Kevin O'Donnell, Adam E. Flanders, Matt Morgan, Nabile Safdar, Katherine P. Andriole, Raym Geis, Bibb Allen, Keith Dreyer, Matt Lungren, Monica J. Wood, Marc Kohli, Steve Langer, George Shih, Eduardo Farina, Charles E. Kahn, Ingrid Reiser, Maryellen Giger, Christoph Wald, John Mongan, Tessa Cook, Neil Tenenholtz

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

No abstract available

Teaching Ai For Radiology Applications: A Multisociety-Recommended Syllabus From The Aapm, Acr, Rsna, And Siim, Felipe Kitamura, Timothy Kline, Daniel Warren, Linda Moy, Roxana Daneshjou, Farhad Maleki, Igor Santos, Judy Gichoya, Walter Wiggins, Brian Bialecki, Kevin O'Donnell, Adam E. Flanders, Matt Morgan, Nabile Safdar, Katherine P. Andriole, Raym Geis, Bibb Allen, Keith Dreyer, Matt Lungren, Monica J. Wood, Marc Kohli, Steve Langer, George Shih, Eduardo Farina, Charles E. Kahn, Ingrid Reiser, Maryellen Giger, Christoph Wald, John Mongan, Tessa Cook, Neil Tenenholtz

Department of Radiology Faculty Papers

No abstract available.

Social Determinants And Stage At Presentation Of Oral Cancer: Insights From The Rio Grande Valley, Texas, Taha Al Hassan, Yamama Al Sammarraie, Noah Alhassan, Michael Machiorlatti, Adam Bender-Heine, Rachel Giese

School of Medicine Publications

Background: This study aims to explore the social determinants of health and stage at presentation of oral cavity cancer in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a region with significant socioeconomic and healthcare disparities. There has been no comprehensive research conducted to understand the oral cancer burden in the RGV. By filling this critical gap, the study seeks to shed light on regional challenges and inform targeted interventions to improve outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted using data from University of Texas RGV otolaryngology clinics between January 2019 and June 2022. Of 1,609 patient records reviewed, 64 cases met …