Digital Commons Network^™

Discoverinsects.Com: An Interactive Tool To Introduce Younger Audiences To Entomology, Ian Eldred

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

Early in life, children’s views towards arthropods can be tainted by many things. One major way is through the views held and expressed by those that surround them, especially their caregivers. Tools are needed to reach children during these crucial developmental ages and expose them to all of the wonderful things arthropods do and educate them on how big of a role arthropods play in the lives of every human around the globe. As digital technology in households is becoming more apparent and accessible, new ways to engage these audiences need to be developed and utilized. This creates a unique …

Towards Modeling Human Attention From Eye Movements For Neural Source Code Summarization, Aakash Bansal, Bonita Sharif, Collin Mcmillan

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Neural source code summarization is the task of generating natural language descriptions of source code behavior using neural networks. A fundamental component of most neural models is an attention mechanism. The attention mechanism learns to connect features in source code to specific words to use when generating natural language descriptions. Humans also pay attention to some features in code more than others. This human attention reflects experience and high-level cognition well beyond the capability of any current neural model. In this paper, we use data from published eye-tracking experiments to create a model of this human attention. The model predicts …

Turfgrass Alternatives For The Modern Yard, John Lonowski

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The considerable maintenance and irrigation required of turfgrass lawns can often be seen as a fruitless endeavor, as it consumes substantial resources but yields minimal economic benefit. The goal of this paper is to highlight the resource needs of traditional turfgrass lawns and identify and test alternative lawn types that are still aesthetically pleasing while being more sustainable than traditional turfgrass. To obtain the results, the experiment was conducted in Alda, Nebraska employing a randomized complete block design, which tested four entries at two separate locations, each with three replications. The entries include: 1. Buffalograss, 2. Tall Fescue, 3. White …

Evaluating Biophilic Design Characteristics In Lincoln Public Schools, Sarah Burr

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

A mixed qualitative-quantitative study was conducted in Lincoln, Nebraska to observe and evaluate the biophilic design characteristics in Lincoln Public Schools (LPS). There is a significant lack of nature in urban environments, especially in older buildings and schools, therefore incorporating natural elements in school buildings can promote the success of students and contribute to improved well-being. The research question this study aims to address is: How and to what degree are Lincoln Public Schools integrating biophilic design characteristics in their high school buildings? Four high schools were toured utilizing an evaluation form with 10 biophilic design characteristics and a 5-point …

Interspecific Oral Rabies Vaccine Bait Competition In The Southeast United States, Wesley C. Dixon, Jacob E. Hill, Richard Chipman, Amy J. Davis, Amy Gilbert, James C. Beasley, Olin E. Rhodes Jr., Guha Dharmarajan

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The United States Department of Agriculture’s National Rabies Management Program (NRMP) has coordinated the use of oral rabies vaccination (ORV) to control the spread of raccoon rabies virus variant west of the Appalachian Mountains since 1997. Working with state and local partners, the NRMP deploys ORV baits containing a rabies vaccine, primarily targeting raccoon populations (Procyon lotor). Bait competition between raccoons and non-target species may limit the effectiveness of ORV programs, but the extent of bait competition remains poorly quantified, particularly in the southeastern United States. We placed placebo ORV baits in bottomland hardwood (n = 637 baits) and upland …

Foreword: Symbiotic Perspectives On The Processes Of Biology And Art, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Process Epistemologies For The Careful Interplay Of Art And Biology: An Afterword, S. R. Gilbert, Scott F. Gilbert

Biology Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Evaluating Microlearning Strategies In The Corporate Environment: A Comparative Mixed Methods Study Using The Kirkpatrick Model, Megan Laird Reynolds

Theses and Dissertations--Education Sciences

Corporate training and development, despite their significance as primary learning strategies for adults, have received limited research attention. This study addresses this gap by evaluating and comparing the effectiveness of video-based and digital job aid procedural-based microlearning in a corporate setting, utilizing most of the Kirkpatrick Model: learner satisfaction, knowledge retention, and behavior change. Employing a mixed methods approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of microlearning’s application and potential for improving business outcomes, the study incorporates pre- and post-tests, participant interviews, and self-reported questionnaires. Thirty participants completed the study, with equal representation (15 participants each) for both modalities, and interviews …

Homopurine Guanine-Rich Sequences In Complex With N-Methyl Mesoporphyrin Ix Form Parallel G-Quadruplex Dimers And Display A Unique Symmetry Tetrad, Ming Ye , '23, Erin V. Chen , '23, S. H. Pfeil, Kailey N. Martin, Tamanaa Atrafi , '23, Sara Yun , '23, Zahara Martinez , '23, Liliya A. Yatsunyk

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Works

DNA can fold into G-quadruplexes (GQs), non-canonical secondary structures formed by π-π stacking of G-tetrads. GQs are important in many biological processes, which makes them promising therapeutic targets. We identified a 42-nucleotide long, purine-only G-rich sequence from human genome, which contains eight G-stretches connected by A and AAAA loops. We divided this sequence into five unique segments, four guanine stretches each, named GA1-5. In order to investigate the role of adenines in GQ structure formation, we performed biophysical and X-ray crystallographic studies of GA1-5 and their complexes with a highly selective GQ ligand, N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM). Our data indicate …

A Really Good Example Helps Learning About An Abstract Concept, Ava Funkhouser, Elena Nicoladis

International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning

University students are often asked to learn abstract concepts. Abstract concepts are hard to learn. Giving specific examples can help learning abstract concepts. These examples might limit understanding to the similarities between the abstract domain and particular examples. The primary purpose of this study was to test whether exposure to multiple examples would lead to better learning than exposure to a single example. Secondarily, we were interested in whether there was any particularly effective example. Introductory psychology students were invited to learn about the abstract concept of semiotics, through either 1) three of five distinct examples or 2) a single …

Eating Disorders And Autism: A Network Approach, Lillian C. King

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This paper explores the overlap of ED and ASD symptoms, and evaluates the results of a study that used network analysis to investigate pathway and core ED and ASD comorbidity symptoms. Eating Disorders (EDs) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have several overlapping symptoms that may inform our understanding of both disorders. Increased knowledge of the overlap of EDs and ASD can improve the treatment of EDs in those with ASD.

Your Friend, Wildfire, Elizabeth Riddle, Aubrey Frissell, Mackenzie Weiland, Katherine Wendeln, Rory Mclaverty, Lillian Hollibaugh

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The frequency and severity of wildfire has increased around the world within the past two decades, due to shifts in land management practices, climate change, and other factors. The effects of these fires have led to an inaccurate public perception of wildfire as a whole. This overly-simplified, vilified perception of all fire obscures the role that it has played in shaping landscapes for thousands of years, and how indigenous peoples have applied fire to take care of landscapes.

Positive public perception of using fire as a tool for land management creates a more supportive environment for healthy landscape management. Thus, …

Unpacking The Forgotten Truth: Reestablishing Affirmative Action With Hispanic-Serving Institutions And The Military Equal Opportunity Program For Hispanics, Isabelle Rosado

Modern Languages, Philosophy and Classics Theses

Affirmative Action combats discrimination amongst individuals on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, or national origin and falls under the 14th Amendment. Race has been a leading result of the reevaluation of Affirmative Action programs. Furthermore, the United States Military is an organization that also advocates for racial equality but is seldom discussed. Claims of reverse racism and privilege shield the primary purpose of Affirmative Action. Discredited opinions engulf young minds in the never-ending social conflict of racial equality. This problem continues to be unsolved which divides Americans. The increase of Hispanics/Latinxs in the U.S. forces the analysis of …

Gauging The Mass Of Metals In The Gas Phase Of Galaxies From The Local Universe To The Epoch Of Reionization, K. E. Heintz, Alice E. Shapley, Ryan L. Sanders, M. Killi, D. Watson, G. Magdis, F. Valentino, M. Ginolfi, D. Narayanan, T. R. Greve, J. P. U. Fynbo, D. Vizgan, S. N. Wilson

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The chemical enrichment of dust and metals are vital processes in constraining the star formation history of the universe. These are important ingredients in the formation and evolution of galaxies overall. Previously, the dust masses of high-redshift star-forming galaxies have been determined through their far-infrared continuum, however, equivalent, and potentially simpler, approaches to determining the metal masses have yet to be explored at z ≳ 2. Here, we present a new method of inferring the metal mass in the interstellar medium (ISM) of galaxies out to z 8, using the far-infrared [C II]- 158† μm emission line as a proxy. …

Jwst/Nirspec Balmer-Line Measurements Of Star Formation And Dust Attenuation At Z ∼ 3–6, Alice E. Shapley, Ryan L. Sanders, Naveen Reddy, Michael W. Topping, Gabriel B. Brammer

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present an analysis of the star formation rates (SFRs) and dust attenuation properties of star-forming galaxies at 2.7 ≤ z < 6.5 drawn from the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey. Our analysis is based on JWST/NIRSpec Micro-Shutter Assembly R ∼ 1000 spectroscopic observations covering approximately 1-5 μm. Our primary rest-frame optical spectroscopic measurements are Hα/Hβ Balmer decrements, which we use as an indicator of nebular dust attenuation. In turn, we use Balmer decrements to obtain dust-corrected Hα-based SFRs (i.e., SFR(Hα)). We construct the relationship between SFR(Hα) and stellar mass (M _*) in three bins of redshift (2.7 ≤ z < 4.0, 4.0 ≤ z < 5.0, and 5.0 ≤ z < 6.5), which represents the first time the star-forming main sequence has been traced at these redshifts using direct spectroscopic measurements of Balmer emission as a proxy for SFR. In tracing the relationship between SFR(Hα) and M _* back to such early times (z > 3), it is essential to use a conversion factor between Hα and SFR that accounts for the subsolar metallicity prevalent among distant galaxies. We also use measured Balmer decrements to investigate the relationship between dust attenuation and stellar mass out to z ∼ 6. The lack of significant redshift evolution in attenuation at fixed stellar mass, previously confirmed using Balmer decrements out …

Azimuthal Anisotropy Measurement Of (Multi)Strange Hadrons In Au+Au Collisions At √𝑠𝑁⁢𝑁=54.4 Gev, Star Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Azimuthal anisotropy of produced particles is one of the most important observables used to access the collective properties of the expanding medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. In this paper, we present second (v2) and third (v3) order azimuthal anisotropies of KS0, φ, Λ, Ξ, and ω at midrapidity (|y|< 1) in Au+Au collisions at sNN=54.4 GeV measured by the STAR detector. The v2 and v3 are measured as a function of transverse momentum and centrality. Their energy dependence is also studied. v3 is found to be more sensitive to the change in the center-of-mass energy than v2. Scaling by constituent quark number is found to hold for v2 within 10%. This observation could be evidence for the development of partonic collectivity in 54.4 GeV Au+Au collisions. Differences in v2 and v3 between baryons and antibaryons are presented, and ratios of v3/v23/2 are studied and motivated by hydrodynamical calculations. The ratio of v2 of φ mesons to that of antiprotons [v2(φ)/v2(p¯)] shows centrality dependence at low transverse momentum, presumably resulting from the larger effects from hadronic interactions on antiproton v2.

Beam Energy Dependence Of Fifth- And Sixth-Order Net-Proton Number Fluctuations In Au + Au Collisions At Rhic, Star Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We report the beam energy and collision centrality dependence of fifth and sixth order cumulants (C5, C6) and factorial cumulants (κ5, κ6) of net-proton and proton number distributions, from center-of-mass energy (sNN) 3 GeV to 200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. Cumulant ratios of net-proton (taken as proxy for net-baryon) distributions generally follow the hierarchy expected from QCD thermodynamics, except for the case of collisions at 3 GeV. The measured values of C6/C2 for 0%-40% centrality collisions show progressively negative trend with decreasing energy, while it is positive for the lowest energy studied. These observed negative signs are consistent with …

Measurement Of Sequential ϒ Suppression In Au + Au Collisions At √Snn = 200 Gev With The Star Experiment, Star Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We report on measurements of sequential ϒ suppression in Au+Au collisions at sNN=200 GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) through both the dielectron and dimuon decay channels. In the 0%-60% centrality class, the nuclear modification factors (RAA), which quantify the level of yield suppression in heavy-ion collisions compared to p+p collisions, for ϒ(1S) and ϒ(2S) are 0.40±0.03(stat)±0.03(sys)±0.09(norm) and 0.26±0.08(stat)±0.02(sys)±0.06(norm), respectively, while the upper limit of the ϒ(3S) RAA is 0.17 at a 95% confidence level. This provides experimental evidence that the ϒ(3S) is significantly more suppressed than the ϒ(1S) at RHIC. The level of …

Measurementus Magnetic Moment To 0.20 Ppm Of The Positive Muon Anomalo, The Muon G − 2 Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present a new measurement of the positive muon magnetic anomaly, aμ(gμ-2)/2, from the Fermilab Muon g-2 Experiment using data collected in 2019 and 2020. We have analyzed more than 4 times the number of positrons from muon decay than in our previous result from 2018 data. The systematic error is reduced by more than a factor of 2 due to better running conditions, a more stable beam, and improved knowledge of the magnetic field weighted by the muon distribution, p′, and of the anomalous precession frequency corrected for beam dynamics effects, ωa. From the ratio ωa/p′, together with precisely …

Ai-Assisted Optimization Of The Ecce Tracking System At The Electron Ion Collider, C. Fanelli, Z. Papandreou, K. Suresh

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is a cutting-edge accelerator facility that will study the nature of the ‘‘glue’’ that binds the building blocks of the visible matter in the universe. The proposed experiment will be realized at Brookhaven National Laboratory in approximately 10 years from now, with detector design and R&D currently ongoing. Notably, EIC is one of the first large-scale facilities to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) already starting from the design and R&D phases. The EIC Comprehensive Chromodynamics Experiment (ECCE) is a consortium that proposed a detector design based on a 1.5 T solenoid. The EIC detector proposal review concluded …

Scientific Computing Plan For The Ecce Detector At The Electron Ion Collider, J. C. Bernauer, C. T. Dean, C. Fanelli, J. Huang, K. Kauder, D. Lawrence, J. D. Osborn

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The Electron Ion Collider (EIC) is the next generation of precision QCD facility to be built at Brookhaven National Laboratory in conjunction with Thomas Jefferson National Laboratory. There are a significant number of software and computing challenges that need to be overcome at the EIC. During the EIC detector proposal development period, the ECCE consortium began identifying and addressing these challenges in the process of producing a complete detector proposal based upon detailed detector and physics simulations. In this document, the software and computing efforts to produce this proposal are discussed; furthermore, the computing and software model and resources required …

Spatially Resolved Imaging Of The Inner Fomalhaut Disk Using Jwst/Miri, András Gáspár, Schuyler Grace Wolff, George H. Rieke, Jarron M. Leisenring, Jane Morrison, Kate Y.L. Su, Kimberly Ward-Duong, Jonathan Aguilar, Marie Ygouf, Charles Beichman, Jorge Llop-Sayson, Geoffrey Bryden

Astronomy: Faculty Publications

Planetary debris disks around other stars are analogous to the asteroid and Kuiper belts in the Solar System. Their structure reveals the configuration of small bodies and provides hints for the presence of planets. The nearby star Fomalhaut hosts one of the most prominent debris disks, resolved by the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer, Herschel and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array. Images of this system at mid-infrared wavelengths using JWST/MIRI not only show the narrow Kuiper belt-analogue outer ring, but also that (1) what was thought from indirect evidence to be an asteroid-analogue structure is instead broad, extending outward into the …

Bringing Stakeholders Along For The Ride: Towards Supporting Intentional Decisions In Software Evolution: Supplemental Material, Alicia M. Grubb, Paola Spoletini

Data

Supplemental material for the research paper entitled, "Bringing Stakeholders Along for the Ride: Towards Supporting Intentional Decisions in Software Evolution". This paper presents an initial literature review to define intentionality, disambiguate it from its use in literature, and position it in relation to similar concepts. This supplement contains the literature review data file.

Predicting Precedent: A Psycholinguistic Artificial Intelligence In The Supreme Court, Kimo Gandall, Chris Haley, Juliana Chhouk, Logan Knight, Alex Wang, Bella Demarco

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

Since the proliferation of analytic methodologies and ‘big data’ in the 1980s, there have been multiple studies claiming to offer consistent predictions for Supreme Court behavior. Political scientists focus on analyzing the ideology of judges, with prediction accuracy as high as 70%. Institutionalists, such as Kaufmann (2019), seek to make predictions on verdicts based on a thorough, qualitative analysis of rules and structures, with predictive accuracy as high as 75%. We argue that a psycholinguistic model utilizing machine learning (SCOTUS_AI) can best predict Court outcomes. Extracting sentiment features from parsed briefs through the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), our …

Genetic Capitalism: The Anthropological Evolution Of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, Mehin Suleiman

Hispanic Studies Honors Papers

This thesis titled "Genetic Capitalism: The Anthropological Evolution of Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria" explores the evolution of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genotypes in bacteria and its impact on our destruction of a once symbiotic relationship with bacterial species. By taking an anthropological approach, I investigate how material relations, social institutions, cultural meanings, and political relations within and beyond the microcosm of bacteria have led to mass bacterial resistance. In the course of my research, I examine the cultures of bacterial cultures and their interactions, as well as the language of bacteria and their social intelligence, in order to anthropomorphize bacterial species that …

Examining Spaces For Integrating Physics And Computing Through Classroom Inquiry, Colby Tofel-Grehl, Kristin Searle, Douglas Ball, Soojeong Jeong

Teacher Education and Leadership Faculty Publications

As computing becomes an essential component of professional practice across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, integration of computing across content areas in K-12 classrooms is also becoming important. Particularly within science classrooms, computer science and computational thinking (CS/CT) are novel and necessary skills for modeling, working with data, and other foundational science skills. Finding ways to engage students in practicing and learning CT within authentic science learning is challenging for most teachers. In this article, the authors report on one teacher’s efforts to engage high school students in maker-based physics education, integrating computational thinking by designing and building …

Design, Construction, And Stabilization Of An Adjustable Repetition Rate Frequency Comb For Precision Spectroscopy, Matthew Carter

Physics, Astronomy and Geophysics Honors Papers

Optical frequency combs have numerous applications across the sciences. One of the most powerful applications is in molecular spectroscopy, which takes advantage of both the coherence of lasers and combs’ inherent broad bandwidth. One well-established design is the erbium fiber comb, which is popular due to its low cost and relative ease of construction. I have modified the traditional all-fiber design by introducing an adjustable free-space section which allows for adjustments to the path length, and thus the comb’s repetition rate. This low-cost addition allows for repetition rate matching, a necessity for dual-comb spectroscopy, and active repetition rate stabilization, which …

Multimodal Emotion Analysis With Focused Attention, Siddhi Kiran Bajracharya

Dissertations and Theses

Emotion analysis, a subset of sentiment analysis, involves the study of a wide array of emotional indicators. In contrast to sentiment analysis, which restricts its focus to positive and negative sentiments, emotion analysis extends beyond these limitations to a diverse spectrum of emotional cues. Contemporary trends in emotion analysis lean toward multimodal approaches that leverage audiovisual and text modalities. However, implementing multimodal strategies introduces its own set of challenges, marked by a rise in model complexity and an expansion of parameters, thereby creating a need for a larger volume of data. This thesis responds to this challenge by proposing a …

Project Intersect Integrated Stem Badge Facilitator’S Guide, Terrie Galanti, Raven Robinson-Wilson

STEM Integration

This guide supports STEM teacher educators who would like to offer the 8-week Project InTERSECT Integrated STEM badge course (15 hours) to a small group of elementary pre-service or practicing teachers.

The facilitator’s guide describes the structure of the Canvas course, editable text for weekly announcements, and suggested feedback statements to support weekly activity completion and reflection.

The Meaning Of Optimum And Chosen Method Of Optimization Are Individually Defined, Jeffrey Yi-Lin Forrest, Lawrence Shao, Jun Liu, Brian Sloboda

Pennsylvania Economic Review

Finding the true meaning of the assumption of rationality has attracted the attention of many scholars and brought forward major changes to the discipline of economics. However, the vast amount of literature shows that such attention has not only led to inconsistent interpretations, but also contradictory ones. To clear up these inconsistencies and contradictions, this paper looks at this assumption from a different angle – natural endowments of individuals and business firms, respectively. To do so successfully, this research goes far beyond all well-adopted methods of analysis and employs systems methods and such a logical reasoning that is parallel to …