Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Biocompatibility And Structural Integrity Of Decellularized Biomaterials, Elaine Vanterpool, Jayden Vanterpool, Ayanna Liburd, Andrew Mcintosh, Cayden Pyform, Cameron Scott, Jea Joseph Msie

Student Posters

Venous grafting using synthetic and biomaterials has been one of the forefront issues of the scientific community. For years, in vitro experimentation of both bio and synthetic materials has been carried out with the hope of treating issues like chronic venous insufficiency, heart attacks, artery blockage, etc. Within these issues, there has been much success. Numerous cases have made it to clinical trials with grafts lasting as long as two years within the patient. Nonetheless, some common and persistent issues occur within all the cases observed. Despite extensive experimentation and development of the most prestigious technology, thrombosis, negative immune response, …

Using Secreted Biomarkers In The Development Of The Detection Of Advanced Cancer Screening System, Elaine Vanterpool, Jaydan Vanterpool, Jordon Vanterpool, Robert Lister, Shania Swain, Enock Ngoga, Jovaughn Redley, Imani Shields, Dalen Jones, Santiago Moreno, Ronnie Nichalson, Jea Joseph Msie

Student Posters

As of 2020, there were an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases and almost 10 million cancer deaths. Among the different types of cancers in the world, the most prevalent cancer, lung cancer, accounted for 23% of all cancer deaths (CDC) and has been relatively steady since 1999. However, by using Detection of Advanced Cancer Screening (D.A.C.S), many patients with cancer cases would receive efficient, reliable treatment in a timely manner. According to Cancer.gov, multiple participants reported being screened for cancer, “After they had ‘aged out of the recommended range for routine cancer screening”. (Dr. Moss) “We found that over …

Pulsesight: Ai-Powered Smartphone Solution For Non-Invasive Oxygen Saturation, Respiration Monitoring & Emr Integration, Kazi Zawad Arefin

Dissertations (1934 -)

The utilization of non-invasive, contactless methods to detect physiological parameters such as oxygen saturation (SpO2) and respiration rate has the potential to significantly improve healthcare delivery. This dissertation suggests a new system that utilizes photoplethysmography (PPG) signals extracted from facial and fingertip video recordings. These video recordings are captured using a standard smartphone. The system accomplishes real-time, contactless health monitoring without the necessity of specialized medical equipment by employing advanced image processing and signal analysis techniques. This method addresses critical health challenges, particularly for vulnerable populations, by facilitating continuous monitoring in resource-constrained environments. The development of a context-aware mobile application …

Urban Base Cations: Fate, Transport, And Effect On Nitrogen Cycling Genes In Green Stormwater Infrastructure, Duyen Thuy Lam

Dissertations (1934 -)

Urbanization has significantly changed the natural cycling of base cations, primarily due to the use of deicer salts, such as sodium chloride, and chemical weathering of limestone and concrete infrastructure. An unintended consequence is the accumulation of salt across urban settings. These base cations, transported mainly by stormwater runoff, accumulate in soils, streams, lakes, and groundwater, posing risks to soil health, water quality, and ecosystems. To mitigate stormwater runoff and pollutants, cities have adopted stormwater best management practices, shifting from traditional gray to hybrid gray-green infrastructure. As a result, salt-laden runoff is increasingly routed into green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), where …

Dual Quaternions For Gravity Recovery Missions, Ryan Kinzie

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A dual quaternion-based modeling, state estimation and control approach is introduced as a better alternative to the traditional methods which are currently utilized for gravity recovery missions. The proposed modeling and control approach was verified against and compared to the tangent bundle to Special Euclidean Group 3 through MATLAB simulations. The dual quaternion-based approach shows superior performance over traditional linearized and uncoupled methodologies, in both modeling accuracy of spacecraft translational position, and the ability to control the pose of a test mass relative to its host spacecraft. Utilizing data products from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On mission, a …

Exploring A Novel Adaptive Mesh Refinement Strategy For High-Speed Cfd, Arjun Jaishankar Vedam

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) techniques to efficiently and robustly achieve grid independent solutions on multi-element unstructured grids is a topic of practical interest within the CFD community.

The current effort focuses on the efficiency of a novel Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) strategy that is developed and evaluated for transonic high-speed flows using Ansys Fluent. The algorithm for marking cells for adaptation is designed to systematically reduce local truncation errors based on the curvature of the primitive vector field. The algorithm for marking cells for adaptation is described in sufficient detail to be portable to other flow solvers that offer AMR. …

Contaminated Sweeping Langmuir Probes On Sounding Rocket Platforms, Rachel Conway

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Sweeping Langmuir Probes (SLPs) are one of the most commonly used probes on sounding rocket missions. They offer measurements of plasma density, electron temperature, and both relative and absolute payload charging. One of the major implementation challenges, however, is contamination on the surface of the probe such that collected IV curves become distorted. This distortion can result in deflated densities, inflated temperatures, and erroneous charging measurements. This dissertation aims to expand our understanding of contamination's impact on SLP data and offer new mitigation methods appropriate for the sounding rocket platform.

SPICE, Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis, is used to …

Applying Software Engineering Black-Box Methods For Testing Machine Learning Models, Timothy Elvira

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This dissertation proposes researching an approach to incorporate and align Software black-box testing methods into Machine Learning (ML) applications, specifically in the context of computer vision models. Typically, testing methods within Software Engineering (SE) encompass a range of test types that assess levels of a software system, such as Unit, Integration, Functional, and System testing [1]. The testing spectrum offers two perspectives on the system: black-box, where the system’s code is hidden, and white-box, where the system's code is exposed for testing. Software Quality pairs testing with requirements, in a many-to-one relationship, to ensure proper validation of the software system. …

Modeling The Dynamics Of Flexible Aerospace Vehicles Using The Theory Of Functional Connections, Carlo Lombardi

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Modeling and control of flexible vehicles is a topic of high interest in the aerospace field and a key challenge lies in finding accurate mathematical representations of the flexible dynamics of continuous elastic structures that allow simple integration into estimation and control algorithms. The answer was found in approximating the dynamics of these systems with sets of coupled Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE) for which a well-established estimation and control theory is available. Each of the techniques employed to achieve this goal is characterized by its own strengths and limitations. Hence, the main objective of this research is to develop the …

Developing Fixed-Bias Langmuir Probes For Multi-Point Constellation Deployments, Henry Carter Valentine

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Since their initial development in the early 20th century, electrostatic Langmuir probes have proved invaluable in terrestrial and interplanetary ionospheric sounding applications. When deployed aboard rocket and satellite platforms, these probes yield high-cadence, in-situ measurements of key plasma parameters such as electron density, ion density, and electron temperature. Furthermore, the efficacy of Langmuir probes in characterizing the three-dimensional structure and dynamics of ionospheric plasmas can be augmented by the technique of multi-payload deployments. In this work, we discuss the design, development, and analysis of fixed-bias Langmuir probes constructed for two multi-point science campaigns: the Mars-bound, dual-satellite Escape and Plasma Acceleration …

Framework For Integrating Industry Knowledge Into A Large Language Model To Assist Construction Cost Estimation, Prashnna Ghimire

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The construction industry generates a large amount of data across projects produced by digital devices, tools, and methods, and this volume is rapidly increasing. However, the industry lags behind in adopting data-driven technologies. On the other hand, the rapid advancement of generative AI (GenAI) in recent years, especially state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs), shows great potential and has been increasingly adopted in many industries; however, the construction industry is behind in adoption. While academic studies have proposed various machine learning applications for construction, industry implementation has lagged due to a disconnect between these proof-of-concept developments and practical industry needs. Also, …

Reimagining The Potential Of Higher Education In Prison And Reentry, Darren Wheelock, Theresa Tobin, Robert Smith

Social and Cultural Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Design Of Dmd Nano Logic Gates With Strip Waveguides For Communication System, Jabbar Khalaf Mohammed

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

COMSOL software is used to build and quantify optical logic circuits using plasmonic square ring resonators. An operation utilizing constructive and destructive control along with input port interferences as inputs results in the proposed gates. At 1010 nm resonance wavelength, the transmission threshold is 30% at a single interface, the ratio of input power to output optical power. All plasmonic gates are executed within a singular structure measuring 150 nm by 150 nm. The OR gate and the AND gate exhibit transmission rates exceeding 100%, with both reporting a rate of 221%. The OR and AND gates exhibit modulation depth …

Hiding Secret Message Into Gray Image Using 2-Bit Plan Slicing, Zahraa Abbas Al-Zubaydi, Layth Kamil, Israa Ali Al-Neami, Maisa'a Abid Ali Khodher

Iraqi Journal of Computers, Communications, Control and Systems Engineering

The comprehensive utilization of the Internet has grown significant and widespread in contemporary times. Thus, the necessity for a robust method to facilitate the secure dissemination of data has emerged as a significant barrier for network users in the realm of data transmission.The proposed system comprises four stages: the first stage employs two-bit plane slicing (2-BPS) to partition the image into four subimages (covers), the second stage transforms a secret message from ASCII to binary format; the third stage produces a random secret key; and the four stage conceal the secret message into the covers(2BPS) images. The results obtained the …

Integrating Elementary Computer Science And Mathematics Instruction: One Size Does Not Fit All, Umar Shehzad, Jody Clarke-Midura, Mimi Recker

Publications

This paper presents a model, the double integration model, for integrating Computer Science (CS) and mathematics in upper elementary instruction. Fifth-grade students (n=1,037) participated either in the double integrated model (Condition 1; integrated in both CS and Math instruction) or integrated lessons only in CS instruction (Condition 2). After each lesson, students rated their enjoyment, perceived ease, and perceptions of CS-math connections. Multilevel analyses revealed that Condition 1 students reported significantly more positive perceptions and stronger CS-math connections of the lessons than Condition 2 students. Girls in Condition 1 responded more positively than boys on enjoyment and connection items, and …

Streamlining Field Note Analysis: Leveraging Gpt For Further Insights, Saríah López-Fierro, Umar Shehzad, Alireza (Sina) Zandi, Jody Clarke-Midura, Mimi Recker

Publications

As an integral part of qualitative research inquiry, field notes provide important data from researchers embedded in research sites. However, field notes can vary significantly, influenced by the researchers' immersion in the field, prior knowledge, beliefs, interests, and perspectives. As consequence, their interpretation presents significant challenges. This study offers a preliminary investigation into the potential of using large language models to assist researchers with the analysis and interpretation of field notes data. Our methodology consisted of two phases. First, a researcher deductively coded field notes of six classroom implementations of a novel elementary-level mathematics curriculum. In the second phase, we …

Zoophytophagous Predator Sex Pheromone And Visual Cues Of Opposing Reflectance Spectra Lure Predator And Invasive Prey, Bashiru Adams, Fathiya Mbarak Khamis, Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf, Baldwyn Torto

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Introduction: In sub-Saharan Africa, the invasive South American leafminer Phthorimaea absoluta is the most damaging tomato pest. Females of the pest can reproduce both sexually and through parthenogenesis and lay their eggs on all tomato plant parts. The mirid predator Nesidiocoris tenuis, a biological control agent for the pest, is also a tomato pest when prey population is low. To date, however, no study has developed an eco-friendly solution that targets both the predator and its host in a tomato farming system. Objective: To develop a bio-based management system for both pest and predator based on the combined use of …

2025 April, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for April of 2025.

Color Constancy In Virtual Environments With Head-Mounted And Flat-Panel Displays Across Different Illuminants And Lightness Levels, Andrea Avendano Martinez

Theses

Virtual reality (VR) is commonly used as a tool for enhancing immersion within virtual environments, with one of its primary goals being to approximate real-world perception as closely as possible. In everyday life, variations in lighting conditions significantly influence how colors are perceived across different times and settings. However, the human visual system compensates for these changes, maintaining relatively stable color perception; a phenomenon known as color constancy. This process is driven by chromatic adaptation, the visual system’s adjustment to changes in illumination. Despite the growing use of VR, little research has explored how color constancy operates in virtual environments …

Isolated, Accommodated, Or Elevated? English Language Development Teachers In Professional Learning Communities, Kristina Robertson

Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the experiences of ten elementary English Language Development (ELD) teachers in interdisciplinary Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) across the Twin Cities metro area. Although PLC teamwork improves student academic outcomes through collaboration and collective efficacy, ELD teachers often faced challenges integrating their language expertise into these structures, limiting their ability to address English Learner (EL) academic achievement and language growth. Guided by DuFour’s six elements of effective PLCs and Wenger’s Communities of Practice (CoP) theory, the study analyzed data from ten semi-structured interviews, teacher-submitted artifacts, and district guidance documents. Data were coded and thematically analyzed to explore …

Forecasting Of The Dollar Exchange Rate Using Exogenous Variables With The (Iv4) Method And Some Kernel Functions, Mustafa Ali Fakhri, Firas A. Mohammed Almohana

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper proposes a hybrid approach to dollar exchange rate forecasting, wherein both types of forecasting models-linear and non-linear models-have been incorporated to improve the efficiency of predictions. The work essentially combined MISO ARX model with GARCH-X models within MISO ARX framework to enhance the data. These three estimation techniques, namely IV4, RELS-HF, and RELS-SE, could optimize the modeling performance of the MISO ARX model, whereas Quasi Maximum Likelihood Estimation (QMLE) was applied for GARCH-X models. An evaluation metric such as the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) was used for the comparison between model performances. …

Choosing An Appropriate Wavelet For Varx Time Series Model Analysis, Intisar Ibrahim Elias, Taha Hussein Ali

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

The paper purports to improve the accuracy of VARX (vector autoregressive with exogenous variables) models adopted for economic time series analysis through wavelet transform techniques applied for noise reduction. The research assessed various wavelet types, including Coiflets, Daubechies, Symlets, Biorthogonal, and Reverse Biorthogonal, for the most appropriate wavelet to be used for improving the performance of the models. Furthermore, it made use of the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) for evaluating the efficacy of each wavelet in the dimension of noise reduction and predictive accuracy enhancement. It is conclusively deduced that preprocessing through wavelet-based techniques markedly …

Redbird Scholar, Vol. 10, No. 2 (Spring 2025), Illinois State University, Office Of The Vice President For Research And Graduate Studies

Redbird Scholar

No abstract provided.

A New Multiple Imputation Method For High-Dimensional Neuroimaging Data, Tong Lu, Peter Kochunov, Chixiang Chen, Hsin-Hsiung Huang, L Elliot Hong, Shuo Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Missing data are a prevalent challenge in neuroimaging, with significant implications for downstream statistical analysis. Neglecting this issue can introduce bias and lead to erroneous inferential conclusions, making it crucial to employ appropriate statistical methods for handling missing data. Although the multiple imputation is a widely used technique, its application in neuroimaging is severely hindered by the high dimensionality of neuroimaging data, and the substantial computational demands. To tackle the critical computational challenges, we propose a novel approach, High dimensional Multiple Imputation (HIMA), based on Bayesian models specifically designed for large-scale neuroimaging datasets. HIMA introduces a new computational strategy to …

Network Analysis Of Sociotechnical Systems, Siva Kadiresan

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Sociotechnical networks have become integral frameworks in the accomplishment of organizational objectives by increasingly diverse, cross-functional, and technology-enabled modern teams. In cross-disciplinary teamwork, multiple mediating and moderating factors appear to lend context to the effects of team diversity faultlines on team outcomes. In the several decades of research into teamwork from a network perspective, there has been a paucity of empirical studies that examine how team transition processes and cross-disciplinary connections influence the impact of faultlines on team performance. This study investigates the association among perceived teamwork effectiveness, transition processes, cross-functional team connections, and faultlines in the context of sociotechnical …

Streamer Discharge Simulation For Plasma-Assisted Combustion, Stuart Jairo Reyes

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A common and successful method to achieve atmospheric pressure fuel-air plasma-assisted combustion is through repetitive ns pulsed discharges and dielectric-barrier discharge. The transient phase in these discharges is dominated by transport influenced by strong space charges produced by ionization fronts, this can be best represented by the streamer model. The function of non-thermal plasma in these discharges is to excite the species in the fuel-air mixture to produce radicals which accelerate the chemical conversion reactions which directly lead to temperature rise, ultimately culminating in ignition. Therefore, the characterization of the streamer and its energy partitioning is essential to developing a …

The Impact Of Success Coaching On Psychological Well-Being And Sense Of Belonging In First-Year College Students, Lashay Y. Mcqueen

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

As higher education institutions seek to assist students with the first-year transition, coaching is one intervention shown to increase academic performance and retention rates (Capstick et al., 2019). Along with academics, fostering student success from a holistic perspective is imperative (Bentrim & Henning, 2022). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of participation in success coaching on the psychological well-being and sense of belonging for first-year college students. The study also investigated the impact of success coaching on first-generation students. Existing data were used to compare participation in success coaching to overall psychological well-being and sense of …

Exploring The Impact Of Language Modeling Integration In Classroom Assessment Scoring System (Class) On Language Teaching And Learning In Pre-K Settings: A Comprehensive Analysis Of Teacher-Child Relationships And Interactions, Joy Lee Hernandez

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

This descriptive research study utilizes a mixed methods design to explore the impact of integrating language modeling into the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) on teachers' perspectives on language teaching and learning. Additionally, the study analyzed teacher-child interactions in Pre-K settings in Southeast Virginia, U.S.A.

Observations were conducted in eleven (11) classrooms using the Pre-K CLASS, a key instrument for assessing the quality of teacher-child interactions across domains such as Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support, which includes Language Modeling. The CLASS tool was supplemented with detailed notetaking to capture both quantitative scores and qualitative nuances of interactions. This …

Testing Autonomy: Hybrid Scenario Synthesis, Benjamin E. Hargis

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Hybrid Scenario Synthesis merges static and adaptive techniques to generate interactions that rigorously assess autonomous performance under multi-factor testing. Multifactor scenarios employ multiple individual stimuli to rigorously test system responses in complex settings. Static Scenario Testing involves scripted test cases that simulate specific conditions or events. These scenarios represent typical situations an autonomous system might encounter. The benefits of static testing include early defect detection, focused review by trained experts, and efficiency. In multi-factor scenarios, however, statically defined scenario factors are not able to guarantee meaningful interactions as the presence of other factors may invalidate underlying assumptions regarding the system …

The Impacts Of Physical (In)Activity On Endothelial Function, Joel Ernest Harden

Rehabilitation Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Exercise and physical activity are known to have beneficial effects on endothelial function and vascular health. Sedentary behavior and physical inactivity, however, have been shown to be related to poor endothelial function and vascular health. The overall purpose of this dissertation was to further elucidate the physiological links between physical (in)activity and vascular health. In the first study, 12 active, young (18-40 yr) individuals and 12 active, old (55+ yr) individuals were recruited. Participants underwent 5 days of removal of exercise, and had their endothelial function assessed via flow-mediated dilation (FMD) during their normal, habitual exercise state (EX) and during …