Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Effort Cost Decision Making, Consummatory/Anticipatory Pleasure, And Health Behaviors In Schizotypy, Adriann Lai

Theses and Dissertations

Motivational and hedonic deficits are not well studied in schizotypy as they relate to health behaviors. Nonclinical undergraduate participants (n= 247) completed self-report measures and a behavioral task (EEfRT) that assessed effort cost decision making. Social anhedonia was positively associated with increased effort but simultaneously reduced responsiveness to increasing rewards, indicating inefficient effort allocation. Consummatory pleasure was the more relevant hedonic predictor of effort, rather than anticipatory pleasure. In exploratory analyses, higher positive schizotypy scores were significantly associated with greater consummatory pleasure, while disorganized schizotypy was unrelated to pleasure indices or effort performance. In secondary hypothesis analyses, all schizotypy traits …

Exploring The Effects Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy On Literacy Achievement, Sarah Fisher

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of culturally relevant pedagogy and how multicultural mentor texts could support a third grade student who has been identified as a struggling reader over the course of six weeks. This study was guided by these research questions: What happens when a struggling reader receives culturally relevant pedagogy? How does culturally relevant instruction impact engagement in literacy? What specific literacy skills improve based on culturally relevant instruction? The findings indicate that the student who participated in this study demonstrated growth in engagement and higher order comprehension skills.

Domain Obedient Deep Learning, Soumadeep Saha

Doctoral Theses

Deep learning, a family of data-driven artificial intelligence techniques, has shown immense promise in a plethora of applications, and it has even outpaced experts in several domains. However, unlike symbolic approaches to learning, these methods fall short when it comes to abiding by and learning from pre-existing established principles. This is a significant deficit for deployment in critical applications such as robotics, medicine, industrial automation, etc. For a decision system to be considered for adoption in such fields, it must demonstrate the ability to adhere to specified constraints, an ability missing in deep learning-based approaches. Exploring this problem serves as …

Well Spacing Optimization Technology For Coalbed Methane Horizontal Wells, Wang Yuting, Yang Yanhui, Zhang Cong, Wang Xiuwei, Liu Zhong, Chen Jiale, Dong Qing, Sun Tao, Zhang Wuchang, Li Kexin, Wang Qi

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Well spacing design directly affects the resource utilization and exploitation benefits of blocks. Rational well spacing design plays a significant role in the commercial exploitation of coalbed methane (CBM) fields. Since the beginning of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, blocks for CBM production in the southern Qinshui Basin have experienced a gradual increase in burial depth, a progressive decline in permeability, and a constant update of primary exploitation technology. Consequently, traditional well spacings fail to meet the requirements for field CBM exploitation any longer. Methods This study investigated the western Qinnan – eastern Mabi block by combining numerical simulations with …

Geochemical Characteristics And Genesis Of Element Enrichment Of Niobium-Rich-Rare Earth Metal Layer In Longtan Formation Of Zhina Coalfield, Ding Yunlong, Wang Fangfa, Li Bi, Tang Lifang, Yang Yi, Li Shangyuan, Wang Xiaofang, Zou Yinhong, Wang Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background With the increasing demand for strategic metals and the gradual depletion of traditional metal deposit resources, coal and coal-bearing rock series are considered to be potential sources of rare metals, and coal series associated has become one of the main directions of current mineral exploration. A set of coal measure strata rich in niobium (Nb) and rare earth elements (REE) has been found in Zhina coalfield, western Guizhou and the contents of Nb and REE are as high as 334.89 μg/g and 1014.51 μg/g, respectively. This discovery is of great significance to the theoretical study of coal measure metal …

Advances In Research On The Activation And Recovery Of Strategic And Critical Valuable Metals From Coal Fly Ash, Wang Yuhao, Dong Zhongbing

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Coal fly ash, a bulk solid waste byproduct from coal-fired power generation, has a global annual output exceeding 0.75 billion tons. Its disordered piling poses severe environmental risks, such as the generation of heavy metal leachate and PM_2.5 emissions. However, coal fly ash is rich in aluminum (Al 100‒200 mg/g), gallium (Ga 10‒300 μg/g), lithium (Li 1 300‒3 700 μg/g), and rare earth elements (REEs 200‒800 μg/g), establishing it as a potential alternative resource of strategic metals. Methods By analyzing the current domestic and international technologies for metal recovery from coal fly ash, this study expatiates on the …

Hybrid Differentiator-Based Method For Estimating The Drilling Speed Of A Vehicle-Mounted Drilling Rig During Surface Drilling For Mine Rescue, Wang Yunfei, Zhao Jiyun, Hu Yongjie, Zhang Zongyang, Pan Xiaochen

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Vehicle-mounted drilling rigs (VMDRs), key devices in surface drilling for mine rescue, directly connect the ground and underground disaster-hit areas through vertical drilling, thereby creating rescue channels for trapped people. In this case, the drilling speed of VMDRs serves as an important indicator for evaluating surface drilling operations. However, directly determining the drilling speed is challenging due to the limitations of position sensors. Methods This study developed an estimation method based on a new hybrid differentiator (NHD), allowing the drilling speed to be calculated using measurable displacement signals. First, a continuous switching function was devised, and its convergence characteristics …

Methodology And Integration For Dynamic Safety Assessment And Early Warning Of Drilling Sites For Emergency Rescue After Underground Space Collapse, Xie Zhongzhi, Zhang Guohua, Wei Xingtong, Zhang Ning, Wang Xiaotian, Ni Xiaoyang, Zhou Zhengwen, Wang Xianze

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective IGiven the lack of methods for dynamic safety assessment related to disasters in drilling site environments for emergency rescue after underground space collapse, this study proposed a multisource data-driven methodology for dynamic safety assessment and real-time early warning. Methods By comprehensively considering the disaster-inducing environment and disaster-causing factors at drilling sites for emergency rescue, this study established the safety assessment indices of the environment and their grading system. By integrating multi-source data on surrounding rock deformation, gas concentration, and drilling rig vibration, this study developed a safety assessment method through combination weighting achieved using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) …

A Study On Webassembly And Its Security, Thomas Crossman

Research from the Berry Summer Thesis Institute, 2025

This project studies WebAssembly, a binary language specification that enables non-native languages, such as C/C++ and Rust, to run efficiently on webpages, supporting complex tasks like gaming or data processing. It functions by translating a non-native language into a WebAssembly binary, which is natively supported by most browsers. Notably, WebAssembly uses a linear memory model, storing all non-code data in a single linear array. Unfortunately, this design compromises some security principles, introducing security risks and complications.

Our overall project goal is to investigate WebAssembly functionality, develop a test program, and address a critical security challenge to enhance the safety of …

Using Statistical Clustering Of Trajectory Data To Support Analysis Of Subject Movement In A Virtual Environment, Martin Galicia Avila, Douglas Timmer, Alley C. Butler

Manufacturing & Industrial Engineering Faculty Publications

Gracia de Luna conducted experiments with an HMD virtual environment in which human subjects were presented with surprise distractions. His collected data for head, dominant hand, and non-dominant hand included 6 DOF human subject trajectories. This paper examines this data from 57 human subject responses to those surprise virtual environment distractions using statistical trajectory clustering algorithms. The data is organized and processed with a Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) algorithm and then analyzed using the Density Based Spatial Clustering (DBSCAN) algorithm. The K-means method was used to determine the appropriate number of clusters. Chi Squared goodness of fit was used to …

Family Ties: Nba Draft Position And Player Performance, Nick Riccardi, Rodney J. Paul

Sport Management - All Scholarship

This study aims to investigate the role, if any, that nepotism plays in the careers of players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Career performance is compared between the 780 players drafted from 2007-2019 with familial relationships considered. Ordinary Least Squares and logistic regression models are specified to estimate the effect of having a relative on the success of an NBA player’s career. We find that siblings of NBA players earn more and reach minimum games played thresholds more often, while sons of NBA players earn more, but generally do not reach games played thresholds more often than similarly-drafted peers.

Flash Communication: Visible-Light-Driven, Cobalt-Mediated Selective C–H Arylation Of 2,2′-Bipyridine, Xi Chen, Eric R. Allen, Mckenzie L. Stack, Zachary M. Garozzo, Dian Wang

Chemistry Faculty Research and Publications

Herein, we report a visible-light-driven, cobalt-mediated, highly selective C–H arylation method to afford aryl-2,2′-bipyridine, a widely used class of ancillary ligands in transition metal catalysis. This arylation reaction exhibits good-to-excellent C6 selectivity for a variety of aryl groups, allowing for isolation of the 6-isomer in its pure form. Mechanistic studies provided evidence for the generation of an aryl radical by the joint action of [Co(bpy)₃] species and visible light, enabling arylation under mild conditions. Compared to previous work, this method employs cost-effective reagents and provides one-step, direct access from 2,2′-bipyridine to a broad range of electronically varied 6-aryl-2,2′-bipyridine …

Digital Rock Modeling And Elastic Simulations Of Fractured-Vuggy Carbonate Reservoirs, Zhu Wei, Zhao Luanxiao, Wang Yirong

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The Tarim Basin exhibits extensively distributed deep fractured-vuggy carbonate reservoirs. Therefore, determining the seismic and petrophysical characteristics of carbonate reservoirs with a fracture and vug system will provide significant guidance for the exploration, discovery, drilling, and exploitation of favorable reservoirs in the basin. Variations in the filling state of dissolution fractures and vugs will lead to significantly different elastic and attenuation characteristics of the reservoirs. Methods Based on geological insights into the geometric structural and filling characteristics of the dissolution fracture-vug system in the outcrop sections of carbonate strata in the Tarim Basin, this study proposed a digital rock …

Rethinking The Red Zone: Risk Factors Of College Student Dating Violence Victimization During The Fall Semester, Alexandra Nicoletti

Theses and Dissertations

College students experience dating violence (DV) victimization at alarmingly high rates, which is associated with a variety of negative outcomes (Brewer & Thomas, 2019; Choi et al., 2017; Leemis et al., 2022). To implement effective prevention programming, it is important to understand the risk factors associated with DV victimization on college campuses. Further, college students report the highest rates of one type of DV victimization—sexual victimization—during the fall semester, also known as the “red zone” (Carey et al., 2018, Cranney, 2015). This study utilized the socioecological model to understand which individual-, relationship-, and community-level risk factors were associated with DV …

Development Of Novel Small Molecules As Potential Anti Cancer Agents, Robert John Chitren

Theses and Dissertations

This doctoral thesis explores the discovery and characterization of two novel small molecules, designated as KS100 and (R,S’)-MNF, with potential anti-cancer properties. The study encompasses a comprehensive investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer effects of these compounds, as well as their therapeutic potential in preclinical models. These findings highlight the potential of KS100 and (R,S’)-MNF as lead candidates for cancer therapy, paving the way for further preclinical development and clinical translation.

Using Novel Technology And Sensemaking In The Classroom, Reu/Fri Program Physics And Astronomy, Julio Escobedo

Student Works

This project looked into the usefulness of various new and unique technologies in a science classroom setting to allow for more sensemaking to occur among students. This was done through professional developments or training for multiple educators on how to use these devices in the classrooms. We found that each new technology had a unique set of useful capabilities and drawbacks. These findings suggest that implementation of these technologies can increase sensemaking if done properly and with proper training beforehand.

08.25.2025 Ored Connect, Liz Williamson

ORED Newsletter

• Research Security Required Training
• ORED Research Reception

Effect Of Chalcogen-Phosphorus Substituents On Enediynes Undergoing The Bergman Cyclization, Marcos Hendler, Travis Greene, Dominic A. Siriani, Carol A. Parish

Chemistry Faculty Publications

We have theoretically characterized electrocyclizations of chalcogen-phosphorus-containing enediynes. We performed quantum calculations at the BS-(U)­CCSD/cc-pVDZ level to analyze the geometries and energetics of two different cyclization pathways, each consisting of the first three chalcogens (oxygen, sulfur, and selenium). The first pathway involved the cyclization of the chalcogen-phosphorus substituents followed by Bergman cyclization, while the second pathway proceeded via Bergman cyclization followed by chalcogen-phosphorus cyclization. To more accurately understand the energies of the diradicals involved in each pathway, we also performed spin-flip characterizations using UHF reference wave functions and the spin-flip formulation of the equation-of-motion coupled cluster theory with singles and …

Ai Is Not The New Dei: Academia’S Addiction To The Next Big Thing, Essraa Nawar

Library Articles and Research

"Every August, as campuses come back to life across the country and the world, I notice the same rhythm: new policies announced, committees formed, webinars scheduled, and fall conferences themed around the latest 'big thing.'

This fall? No surprise. The wave is artificial intelligence.

AI task forces are meeting weekly. Universities are drafting 'responsible AI' policies. New centers and certificates are being launched. Syllabi are being rewritten. Symposia and faculty retreats promise that AI will 'redefine the future of education.'

It is bold. It is ambitious. But it is also deeply familiar."

Comparative Data Science Education Policy And Management: United States And Europe, Torbet Mcneil

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

This study examines what “good” curricula and administration for undergraduate data science are by surveying and interviewing U.S. and European data science educators and administrators. Many U.S. and European higher education institutions have embraced data science education with a kind of inertial sensibility, i.e., it is inevitable that data science education needs to be offered to students. Information and data affect so many areas of knowledge that higher education administrators feel they must assure students are “ready” for the world they are inheriting. Academic capitalism and isomorphism theories help elucidate social and market forces influencing higher education decision-making. Topics to …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Fracturing Evolution Mechanisms Of Eroded Coals Under The Temperature Effect Of The Co2-H2O System, Lin Baiquan, Shi Yu, Liu Ting, Shen Yang, Huang Tao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Injecting hot flue gas produced and discharged by gas-fired power plants into deep coal seams where gas is difficult to extract enjoys dual benefits: gas production growth and geologic CO₂ sequestration. However, there is an urgent need to determine the impact of the heat-carrying property of hot flue gas on the stability of coal reservoirs. To address this issue, the key is to clarify the fracturing evolution mechanisms of eroded coals under the temperature effect of the CO₂-H₂O system.Methods Using the independently built platform of CO₂-H₂O-coal interactions that consider …

Advances In Research On Geological Evaluation Of Compressed Air Energy Storage In Underground Gas Storage Facilities, Jiang Wen, Huang Leqing, Zhang Songhang, Ma Huiying

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Against the backdrop of achieving peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality globally, renewable energy has developed rapidly and is gradually changing the world's energy mix. However, the intermittent and fluctuating nature of photovoltaic and wind power energy is prone to cause grid frequency fluctuations and reduced power supply reliability. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology has emerged as the key to the stable operation of the green power grid thanks to its large capacity and low cost.Methods Based on a systematic review of domestic and international literature in recent years, this study organizes the current theoretical and …

Macroscopic Failure Characteristics And Seepage Pattern Of Damaged Goaf-Side Coal Pillars Under Confined Water Accumulation, Liu Weitao, Chen Dongqi, Liu Yuben, Du Yanhui, Zhao Jiyuan

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The method of supporting roadways using small coal pillars has been widely applied in China. As a result, the stability of goaf-side coal pillars affects mining safety. Resulting from multiple disturbance effects, coal pillars tend to contain various types of damage fractures. The confined water environment in goaves with water accumulation might cause the instability failure of damaged goaf-side coal pillars. Methods To investigate the impacts of the damage fracture structure on coal stability, this study introduced the concept of relatively stable initial damage fractures. Based on the theory of damage mechanics, this study constructed hydro-mechanical-damage (HMD) coupling models …

Pseudo-2d Mt Inversion Technique For Small-Frame Tem And Its Application In Advance Geological Prediction, Han Ziqiang, Wanma Longzhi, Li Xiangfeng, Yang Yongqiang, Zhu Xiaoming, Luo Chengxian, Tang Li

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective To address the bottlenecks of low computational efficiency and impracticality of multi-dimensional inversion in the advance geological prediction based on the transient electromagnetic method (TEM), this study developed a pseudo-two-dimensional (2D) magnetotelluric (MT) inversion technique for small-frame TEM based on time-frequency transformation. Methods First, this study corroborated the significant similarity between the late-time apparent resistivity derived using small-frame TEM and the Cagniard apparent resistivity in the MT method under the parameters commonly used in advance geological prediction. Then, the optimal time-frequency transformation coefficient (C_TF) was introduced to achieve a rapid conversion from the late-time apparent resistivity …

Cultivating Climate And Culture: New Jersey Principals' Use Of Sel In Pk-12 Schools, Michelle Papa

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative, intrinsic case study is to explore how PK-12 principals in New Jersey perceive their approaches to leadership through their own social and emotional learning (SEL). With growing demands placed on school leaders, the study examines how principals integrate the five SEL competencies (self-awareness, self- management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making) into their leadership practices to positively impact school climate and culture. Through semi- structured interviews and document analysis, ten principals revealed that SEL is not only essential for student and staff well-being but also central to their own leadership development. Findings indicate that …

Rising Costs Of Higher Education In United States And Student Debt, Mona Muzammil, Muzammil Arshad, Washain Muzammil

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Chemistry)

100 years ago, college tuition at prestigious Ivy League colleges such as Harvard and Brown was about $130 per year. Even when adjusted for inflation, today's cost of higher education has increased dramatically to the point where a college education is shifting further out of reach for many Americans. This book explains the essential concepts in the debate regarding the staggering costs of higher education, supplying ten original essays by higher education policy experts, a lively historical narrative that provides context to current issues, and systematic guides to find additional sources of information on the subject.

Written from a historian's …

Spatially Resolved Kinematics Of Slacs Lens Galaxies. I. Data And Kinematic Classification, Shawn Knabel, Tommaso Treu, Michele Cappellari, Anowar J. Shajib, Chih-Fan Chen, Simon Birrer, Vardha N. Bennert

Physics

We obtain spatially resolved kinematics with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI) integral-field spectrograph for a sample of 14 massive (11 < log₁₀(M₍★₎/M☉) < 12) lensing early-type galaxies at z ∼ 0.15–0.35 from the Sloan Lens ACS (SLACS) Survey. We integrate kinematic maps within the galaxy effective radius and examine the rotational and dispersion velocities, showing that 11/14 can be classified as slow rotators. The data set is unprecedented for galaxy-scale strong lenses in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), sampling, and calibration, vastly superseding previous studies. We find the primary contributions to systematic uncertainties to be the stellar template library and wavelength range of the spectral fit. Systematics …

Analytical Characterization Of Artemisinin And Its Derivatives Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, Electrochemistry Reduction, And Fluorescence, Faraja Ombwayo

Theses and Dissertations

Artemisinin and derivatives were subjected to 37°C and room temperature conditions. When HPLC-UV analysis of both conditions was performed, there were differences in both conditions which suggested that artemisinin and derivatives degrade at 37°C. When artemisinin was electrochemically reduced, new peaks were generated and LC-MS analysis of the reduced artemisinin indicated that either new molecules or molecular reorganization was formed. These electrochemical reduction molecules (products) were deemed analogous to the artemisinin reduction occurring in-vivo after oral administration. Fluorescence analysis of artemisinin and derivatives were performed in the presence of dipyridamole. Dipyridamole intensity was observed to decrease when artemisinin or its …

Probing The Effect Of Peg-Dna Interactions And Buffer Viscosity On Tethered Dna In Shear Flow, Fatema Tuz Zohra, Huda Al-Zuhairi, Jefferson Reinoza, Hyeongjun Kim, Andreas Hanke

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

DNA flow-stretching is a widely employed, powerful technique for investigating the mechanisms of DNA-binding proteins involved in compacting and organizing chromosomal DNA. We combine single-molecule DNA flow-stretching experiments with Brownian dynamics simulations to study the effect of the crowding agent polyethylene glycol (PEG) in these experiments. PEG interacts with DNA by an excluded volume effect, resulting in compaction of single, free DNA molecules in PEG solutions. In addition, PEG increases the viscosity of the buffer solution. By stretching surface-tethered bacteriophage lambda DNA in a flow cell and tracking the positions of a quantum dot labeled at the free DNA end …