Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Climate Change On Fungal Diversity And Function In Streams, Syeda Tasfia Imam

Masters Theses

"This study investigated the impact of climate change, particularly drought, on leaf decomposition and associated fungal and macroinvertebrate communities in freshwater ecosystems. With climate change, streams may experience altered hydrology, leading to shifts in community composition and biogeochemical processes. Fungi decompose organic matter, facilitate nutrient cycling, and support food webs. However, drought can disrupt these processes by reducing water availability, causing declines in fungal diversity and activity. I examined leaf breakdown and associated biota in 13 stream sites across varying hydrologic conditions, from perennial to ephemeral flow patterns. Flow duration varied during the 8-week study. Leaf breakdown was significantly related …

Fetal Acidosis Prediction Using Attention Enhanced Convolutional Neural Networks, Anusha Adhikari

Masters Theses

This study explores the integration of spectral mixtures of fetal heart rate (FHR) and uterine contraction (UC) signals to enhance the prediction of fetal acidosis, utilizing the CTU-CHB dataset. Several classification models were trained using two distinct oversampling techniques and inputs, demonstrating that models incorporating spectral mixtures significantly outperform those using raw signals. These models, particularly when combined with convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and attention mechanisms, achieved a notable F1-score of 0.98, with the highest model achieving an area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.95. The research employs a variety of techniques including short-time Fourier transform and …

Isolation And Characterization Of A Halophilic, Extremely Acidophilic, Iron-Oxidizing Bacterium, Connor Crites

Masters Theses

This thesis describes the isolation and characterization of a halophilic iron- oxidizing bacterium from sediments obtained from Lake Magic; an extremely acidic, saline lake located in Western Australia. The purpose for the isolation of novel, halotolerant/halophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria is to aid in metal-mining bioleaching operations. Currently used iron- and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria are extremely sensitive to chloride, which restricts their use in these industries.

A singular bacterial morphology was isolated from Lake Magic sediments that was roundly-rod shaped, 1-2 um in length, and stained Gram-negative. This organism was able to grow in a modified medium (DSM14174) using ferrous sulfate as an …

Multimodal Spatio-Temporal Pest Prediction In Precision Agriculture, V N S Kameswari Sri Sindhu Manchikanti

Masters Theses

Accurate and timely prediction of pest outbreaks is a cornerstone of Agriculture 5.0, which emphasizes intelligent, data-driven, and sustainable decision-making in crop production. This research presents a multimodal deep learning framework that integrates heterogeneous data sources, including weather parameters, satellite-derived vegetation indices, and static and dynamic soil attributes, to forecast pest population dynamics under varying management and ecological conditions. The proposed framework employs modality-specific deep encoders to capture distinct temporal and spatial representations from each data stream and merges them through a late-fusion architecture that learns cross-modal dependencies critical to pest emergence. The design further incorporates treatment-aware and multiclass extensions, …

Application Of Artificial Intelligence Techniques To Improve Leadership Decision Making With Uncertainty, Michael David Parrish

Doctoral Dissertations

"Every good leader is a good manager, but not every good manager is a good leader. The difference between the leader and the manager is critical decision-making. Today’s decision-making environment is characterized as Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA). With the exponential increase in the technical capabilities of systems, the human has become the weakest link in the use of such systems. To remain relevant, good leaders must continuously adapt to new advances in technology and processes.

The research contributions of this work provide several unique and novel solutions for leaders to utilize artificial intelligence tools to improve and optimize …

Replicating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) Behavioral Profiles In School-Age Children: A Multi-Informant Investigation Of Emotional, Behavioral, And Cognitive Functioning, Tarah K. Todd Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with attention, behavioral regulation, and impulsivity. Traditional diagnostic methods rely on categorical subtypes, often failing to capture the substantial heterogeneity observed across children with ADHD. As a result, there is growing support for data-driven, person-centered approaches that identify naturally occurring behavioral profiles rather than relying solely on categorical subtypes.

The present study sought to replicate previously identified ADHD-related behavioral profiles using contemporary clinical measures. BASC-3 Parent Rating Scale (PRS) data served as the foundation for replication of behavioral profiles, and then these profiles were examined across teacher ratings, executive-function …

Implications Of Nutrient Fate And Transport Following Nanopesticide Applications In Agricultural Field Plots In Central Kentucky, William Rud, Manuel D. Montaño, Daniel M. Miller, Wayne T. Sanderson, Carmen Agouridis, Brianna F. Benner, Tiffany L. Messer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The potential benefits of nanopesticide use over standard pesticides include more precise application at reduced application rates, lower premature degradation, and decreased direct impacts to target organisms. However, field scale investigations of the fate and transport of common nanopesticides such as copper (II) hydroxide and imidacloprid combinations, remain limited. A field study evaluating nano-scale copper (II) hydroxide (Cu), standard imidacloprid (I), nanoimidicloprid (NI), and nano-scale copper (II) hydroxide and imidacloprid (CuNI) compared to control (C) plots was conducted using thirty 14.6 m² field plots to determine the impacts of nanopesticide applications on nutrient cycling and quantify the persistence of …

Sam Altman, Openai, And The Importance Of Corporate Governance, Lawrence J. Trautman, Larry D. Foster Ii

Journal of Law, Technology, & the Internet

The sudden firing of CEO Sam Altman by OpenAI’s three independent directors highlights concerns about whether a leading AI company, susceptible to internal conflict and unclear accusations, can be trusted to develop a technology with far-reaching consequences for billions of people.

This paper examines how OpenAI’s board of directors terminated CEO Sam Altman’s employment, a decision that risked hundreds of highly skilled employees walking out the door, disrupted billions of dollars in value, and jeopardized critical knowledge of this important technology. It is hoped that corporate directors—whether at for-profit and non-profit companies—along with venture capitalists, technologists, and government regulators can …

Neuroinflammatory Signaling And Immune Cell Infiltration Differ In Brains Of Rats Exposed To Space Radiation And Social Isolation, Austin M. Adkins, Zachary N. M. Luyo, Alea F. Boden, Riley S. Heerbrandt, Richard A. Britten, Laurie L. Wellman, Larry D. Sanford

Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Inflammatory Diseases (CINID) Faculty Publications

Astronauts on the proposed Mars missions will be exposed to extended periods of social isolation (SI) and space radiation (SR). SI and SR-induced immune dysregulation can result in persistent neuroinflammation and neuronal damage which could negatively impact an astronaut’s health and ability to maintain adequate levels of performance. The synergistic effects of combined SI and SR on immune system functionality and the brain remain unknown. Determining how single and combined inflight stressors modulate the immune system is crucial for fully understanding pathways impacting astronaut health and performance. We used ground-based analogs of SI and SR in rodent models to investigate …

Adjudication Hiding In Plain Sight: Rethinking Standing In Rulemaking Petition Cases, Gwendolyn Savitz

Articles, Chapters in Books and Other Contributions to Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

The Intersection Of Indigenous Medicine And Biomedicine In Santiago, Chile, Sam Boehm

Hispanic Studies Honors Papers

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Race In Reproductive Oppression: Why Intersectional Abortion Stigma Disruption Is Necessary To Achieve Reproductive Justice In 2024 And Beyond, Emma Adams

UC Law SF Journal on Gender and Justice

This article examines the perpetuation of white supremacy in reproductive oppression throughout American history. The history of the reproductive rights movement, when applying a racialized lens, often looks contradictory in protections and restrictions implemented by the American government, at both the federal and state level. For example, contraception, while often thought to provide more access to family planning and personal autonomy, was historically implemented in a way that relied on racist and classist framings to prevent more black and brown children from being born. This paradigm has fluctuated throughout American history to now prevent black and brown women from receiving …

Budget Oversight Policy 1st Quarter Budget Review Fy 2025-26, Csusb Budget Office

University Budget Office records

No abstract provided.

Budget Oversight Policy 2nd Quarter Budget Review Fy 2025-26, Csusb Budget Office

University Budget Office records

No abstract provided.

President's Report (5-1-2025), California State University, San Bernardino

President’s Office records

No abstract provided.

Lifelong Machine Learning With Adaptive Resonance Theory, Sasha Petrenko

Doctoral Dissertations

"This publication option dissertation is composed of three papers concerning the study of the problem lifelong machine learning with Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART) algorithms. Lifelong learning (L2) is a challenging machine learning paradigm that both encompasses and formalizes the fields of continual learning and incremental learning. The field is concerned with the mitigation of the phenomenon of catastrophic forgetting whereby learning agents that are faced with incrementally novel information deleteriously overwrite previous knowledge if that learning process is not regularized to counteract this consequence. ART algorithms solve this stability-plasticity dilemma by optimally assigning learning to categories or instantiating new knowledge …

The Influence Of Maternal Size/Age Effects On The Physiological Responses Of Adult Female Gopher Rockfish (Sebastes Carnatus) To Ocean Acidification And Hypoxia, Dylan H. Sarish

Master's Theses

Climate change is rapidly reshaping the chemistry of the ocean. Fishes living in California coastal waters are experiencing increased ocean acidification and hypoxia (OAH) due to more frequent and intense upwelling. Nearshore rockfish may be particularly threatened by these conditions due to their long generational times. However, it is unknown how OAH may impact maternal physiology and reproduction in these viviparous fish. To understand the physiological effects of OAH during gestation, adult female gopher rockfish, Sebastes carnatus, were exposed to a variety of combined OAH stress treatments during different gestational stages. Routine metabolic rate (RMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), blood …

Sustainable Water Purification Using Green-Synthesized Nanoparticles: A Comparison Between Mono- And Bimetallic Nanoparticle Systems, Sai Bhargava Vipparla, Naveen Debbata, Satyavardhan Dharmapuri, Anil Kumar Busi, Pranay Bhasker Kalakonda, Dayanand Aitipamula, Moses Kigozi, Pritam Mandal, Krishna Kumar Balu, Parvathalu Kalakonda

Michigan Tech Publications

This review explores recent advancements in using environmentally benign monometallic nanoparticles (MMNPs) and bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) for photocatalytic water purification, addressing the urgent need for sustainable solutions to global water scarcity. This study systematically analyzes how key photocatalysis variables, including nanocatalyst concentration, dye selection, and pollutant concentration, influence dye degradation outcomes. Standardized experimental conditions utilizing UV irradiation, 10 ppm, methylene blue (MB), and green synthesis routes were employed for comparative assessment. Results indicate that BMNPs, particularly Ag-Cu BMNPs composites, consistently outperform their MMNPs, achieving degradation rates between 90% and 99%, compared to 70%–85% for MMNPs. This superior performance is attributed …

Preserving The Horizon: How Henry David Thoreau And William Morris’S Environmental Aesthetics Ward Off Ecoapocalypse, Esther Kw Mack

West Chester University Master’s Theses

To add to the current the current ecodiscourse, this thesis sets out to reimagine contemporary ecological discourse through the analysis of nineteenth century figures Henry David Thoreau and William Morris, two countercultural figures who dedicated their lives to protecting nature. Where Thoreau’s “Autumnal Tints” highlights autumn’s tide through a scientific narrative, Morris encapsulates the four seasons’ companionship in “Verses for Pictures,” as well as his infamous textile “Acanthus.” By synthesizing ecoadvocates’s life works from around the world and positioning them as interlocutors to Asian philosophy, art, and practice merge to evolve into a profound ecorehetoric accompanied by aesthetics. As the …

Unveiling The Bacterial Communities Of Aphaenogaster: Taxonomic Composition, Developmental And Species Influences, And The Impact Of Climate Change, Lily Kelleher

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Ants are vital keystone species in many ecosystems because they provide ecosystem services such as: seed dispersal, soil bioturbation, and pest control. However, ant bacterial symbioses remain largely unstudied, but these interactions are crucial because microbes play a vital role in the ants’ overall health. Today, global climate change is impacting our biodiversity, and we can use information about how changing temperatures impact the symbiotic bacterial communities associated with ants to predict future impact. Aphaenogaster rudis and A. fulva remain understudied in terms of their bacterial community and are important North American species. For this study, ants from several colonies …

The Re-Criminalization Of Sexual Minorities As A Testing Ground For International Human Rights Law In Africa, Matteo M. Winkler & Ilias Bantekas

Fordham International Law Journal

This Article scrutinizes the recently enacted statutes that re- criminalize sexual minorities in Africa from the standpoint of international human rights law (IHRL). These statutes are currently justified under cultural relativism, that is, the idea that African culture abhors homosexuality, which represents a malicious import from the Western world. We argue that the re-criminalization statutes violate IHRL in multiple stances and that in no way are these violations justifiable under cultural relativism. This does not mean that there is no virtue in cultural relativism, but a limit must be fixed to the dehumanization of minorities which is the intended purpose …

Pathogenesis And Pathophysiology Of Celiac Disease, Kendall N. Reece

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Celiac Disease is an allergic response to foods that contain the protein gluten. Celiac Disease is classified as an autoimmune disorder, which specifically deteriorates the villi of the jejunal segment of the small intestine. Specific topics analyzed within this thesis include some physical attributes of Celiac Disease such as weight loss, diarrhea, dermatitis herpetiformis, etc. The basis of classification is discussed and the negative effects Celiac Disease has on the body, such as malabsorption, vitamin deficiencies, and damage to the villi. Diagnostics such as biopsy and blood tests, treatments both experimental and adhering to a gluten-free diet are discussed. Origination …

The Physiological Effects Of Anabolic Steroids On The Human Body, Aedan Kerr

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic derivatives of testosterone used both medically and illicitly for their muscle-building and performance-enhancing properties. While clinically prescribed for conditions like hypogonadism, osteoporosis, and muscle-wasting diseases, AAS are frequently abused by athletes and recreational lifters seeking rapid physical gains. AAS increase muscle protein synthesis via androgen receptor-mediated gene transcription, but they also predispose users to tendon ruptures and various organ functions. AAS abuse is strongly associated with a host of side effects including gynecomastia, male-pattern hair loss, infertility, hepatotoxicity, erythrocytosis, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and hypogonadism. Cardiovascular complications such as left ventricular hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, and myocardial infarctions …

Electronic Propulsion Engines: Revolutionizing Space Travel, Isaiah Echeverria

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Most spacecrafts rely on chemical propulsion to generate thrust and venture into the depths of outer space. They rely on principles from Newton’s three laws of motion, conservation of momentum-energy, and atomic physics. However, an electronic form of propulsion also exists providing spacecrafts an alternative opposed to the sole use of chemical energy. Electronic propulsion systems or engines last longer than current chemical spacecraft engines and are improving to produce greater amount of thrusts.

Comparing the two types of spacecraft engines shows the benefits and disadvantaged obtained by using either option as well as the main differences and similarities shared …

Adding Libraries To The Equation: Mathematical Sciences’ Underutilization Of Academic Librarians, Jennifer Lc Burke, Elizabeth C. Novosel, Daniel G. Kipnis, Rasitha Jayesekere

Scholarship and Professional Work

Academic librarians do not engage with all disciplinary departments equally. Despite equal or even greater efforts, some departments are less responsive to librarian outreach. One such department is mathematics. To understand mathematics departments’ relationships with their academic librarians, three mathematics librarians created a 20-question survey that was disseminated to mathematics faculty, instructors, and instructional staff in the United States and Canada. Of the 188 survey participants, more than a third reported that they never engage with their librarians, approximately half only do so occasionally, and a mere eight percent of participants collaborated with librarians to provide information literacy instruction (IL) …

Fp-25-07 Same-Sex Married And Cohabiting Couples Raising Children, 2023, Christopher A. Julian

National Center for Family and Marriage Research Family Profiles

Using data from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS), this Family Profile estimates the proportion of same- and different-sex couples raising children, disaggregated by relationship type (i.e., cohabiting or married) and age (i.e., 18-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59). For this analysis, children are defined as biological, adopted, or stepchildren of the household head1 under the age of eighteen. Couples’ sex composition is coded directly using the recently revised household roster (Kreider & Gurrentz, 2019). To focus on couples raising minor children, we restrict our sample to those in which the younger member is under the age of sixty. This report …

Deep Learning-Based Ensemble Two-Step Classification Of Medical Images Using Cnn Architectures And Ensemble Methods, Noreliz Alorico

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers amongst women globally. Early detection is crucial for improving survival rates. While mammography is widely used and an effective imaging technique, it can sometimes yield false positive or false negatives. Mammogram interpretation is highly operator-dependent, introducing variability and the potential for diagnostic errors. Additionally, mammographic images have limitations, such as low contrast in breast tissue and overlapping structures that can obscure lesions or mimic abnormalities. These limitations can lead to unnecessary biopsies or delayed diagnosis. These challenges highlight the needs for advanced and data driven diagnostic tools to support and enhance …

Spectral Divergence Prioritizes Key Classes, Genes, And Pathways Shared Between Substance Use Disorders And Cardiovascular Disease., Everest Castaneda, Elissa J Chesler, Erich Baker

Faculty Research 2025

Introduction: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are heterogeneous diseases with overlapping biological mechanisms and often present with co-occurring disease, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Gene networks associated with SUDs also implicate additional biological pathways and may be used to stratify disease subtypes. Node and edge arrangements within gene networks impact comparisons between classes of disease, and connectivity metrics, such as those focused on degrees, betweenness, and centrality, do not yield sufficient discernment of disease network classification. Comparatively, the graph spectrum's use of comprehensive information facilitates hypothesis testing and inter-disease clustering by using a larger range of graph characteristics. By adding a …

Response Of Cultured Primary Gingival And Periodontal Ligament Cells To Angiotensin Ii And Il1Β Challenges., Thais Francini Garbieri, Thiago José Dionísio, Bella Luna Colombini-Ishikiriama, Rafaela Alves Da Silva, Vanessa Soares Lara, Sandra Helena Penha Oliveira, Maria Helena Fernandes, Andrew S Greene, Carlos Ferreira Santos

Faculty Research 2025

Angiotensin II (Ang II) releases inflammatory mediators from several cell types. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of Ang II to induce mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators in primary cultured fibroblast-like cells isolated from gingival and periodontal ligament tissues. A synergistic effect of co-treatment with Ang II and Interleukin-1β (IL1β) on the mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was explored. Immunophenotyping of STRO-1, Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R), and Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) was performed using flow cytometry. Cell cultures were challenged with Ang II (1 µM) for 3, 6, and 24 h with …

Opportunities And Considerations For Using Artificial Intelligence In Bioinformatics Education., Stephen R Piccolo, Aparna Nathan, Michelle D Brazas, Manoj Kandpal, Aida T Miró-Herrans, Adam J Kleinschmit, Susan Mcclatchy, Pertunia Mutheiwana, Dusanka Nikolic, Luciana I Gallo, Rolanda Sunaye Julius, Marta Lloret-Llinares, Nicola Mulder, Danielle Presgraves, Sonal Shewaramani, Jorge Xool-Tamayo, Frédéric J J Chain, Silvia Arantza Sanchez Guerrero

Faculty Research 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools and techniques are undoubtedly being used in bioinformatics education, reflecting broader trends in education. However, many instructors and learners may be unaware of the full scope of potential uses for these tools within bioinformatics education, as well as effective practices for using them. Building on discussions held at the 6th Global Bioinformatics Education Summit, this perspective article provides insights about ways that AI might be used to generate or adapt instructional content, provide personalized help for learners, and automate assessment and grading. Additionally, we highlight AI skills that are important for bioinformatics learners to develop in …