Digital Commons Network^™

A Retrieval Augmented Approach To Improving Accuracy Of Biomedical Term Normalization By Large Language Models, Thanh Son Do

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Ontology normalization is crucial in biomedical text processing, as it enables the mapping of medical expressions to standardized ontology terms and their corresponding identifiers. This thesis explores the feasibility of using large language models (LLMs) for ontology normalization, with a specific focus on the Human Phenotype Ontology and Gene Ontology. Prior research studies indicated that LLMs employing zero-shot learning tend to exhibit low accuracy and are prone to frequent hallucinations. We propose a retrieval augmented generation (RAG) approach to address these limitations and enhance normalization accuracy. We generated synthetic test sets of ontology-derived synonyms to evaluate normalization performance and developed …

The Effects Of Calcium Availability On Growth And Calcium Content Of Hydroponic Daikon Radish Microgreens, Cory Michael Reichmuth

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Microgreens are young, edible seedlings harvested upon emergence of the first true leaf. Their popularity is growing as a nutritionally dense food source that can be grown quickly in space-efficient systems. However, little is known about optimal cultivation practices and the effects of fertilization on growth and nutrition of microgreens. This study investigates the role of calcium (Ca) fertilization in optimizing the growth, yield, and nutrient content of daikon radish (Raphanus sativus) microgreens. A hydroponic system was designed to consistently deliver nutrient solution to microgreens grown in a closed-environment chamber. This study tested different Ca fertilization rates of 0, 5, …

Applied And Conceptual Implications Of Relational Density Theory In Machine Learning And Behavioral Economics, Bentley J. Elliott

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Relational Density Theory (Belisle & Dixon, 2020a) is an advanced conceptualization of Stimulus Equivalence (Sidman & Tailby, 1982) and Relational Frame Theory (Hayes et al., 2001) that allows behavior scientists to measure the strength, formation, and malleability of covert behavioral experiences such as attitudes, biases, and probabilities. Relational density combines principles of behavior with the fundamentals of Newtonian classical mechanics to quantify the dimensions of relational framing as a tool for examining behavior. This thesis contains two studies on relational density in context. The first study utilized relational density theory and principles of behavioral economics to measure attitudes and charitable …

Development Of Cyan And Blue Thermostable Fluorescent Proteins: Characterization And Structural Analysis, Acacia J. Jurkowski

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Fluorescent proteins are commonly used as cell markers in living organisms. Modifications by mutation can be used to improve the qualities of these proteins including fluorescence, thermostability, pH stability, and chemical stability. The goal of this project is to use mutagenesis to improve the fluorescence of thermostable cyan and blue proteins derived from the thermal green protein (TGP). The first cyan protein developed by the DeVore lab (CTP 0.0) shifted the fluorescence to cyan but decreased the quantum yield (Φ_F) to 0.056. Further mutations were incorporated to increase the quantum yield through incorporating hydrogen bonding interactions to the …

The Effects Of Corporal Punishment In Childhood On Early Adulthood Cortisol And Aggression, Tyler Priest

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study aimed to see if experiencing corporal punishment led to more aggressive behaviors as well as higher cortisol levels than in those who did not experience corporal punishment. The study also examined whether self-regulation moderated the relationship between corporal punishment and levels of aggression. Morning cortisol levels were collected from participants, and they completed a demographics survey, an aggression index, a corporal punishment index, and a self-regulatory inventory index. A T-test found that there was not a significant difference in morning cortisol levels between those that experienced corporal punishment and those that had not experienced corporal punishment. A …

Effects Of Active Learning In An Undergraduate Physiology Class Using Hands-On And Simulation Labs, Ainsley C. Frayer

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Increasing student engagement has shown positive effects on students and can be achieved by incorporating active learning strategies in the lab. Currently, the undergraduate human physiology lab at Missouri State University utilizes simulations to practice physiological concepts. The proposed project aims to evaluate if incorporating hands-on labs would improve student learning and/or their engagement. The hypothesis is engagement will be increased in hands-on labs, but grades will not differ significantly, based on previous literature. Three simulations were replaced with hands-on lab software to evaluate engagement and learning. Student engagement was assessed using a voluntary, anonymous survey. Exam average scores were …

Inoculating Soybean Plants At Different Growth Stages: Selecting Bradyrhizobium, Sinorhizobium, Or Both, Matthew R. Knoll

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Soybean plants rely on nitrogen for growth, however atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is not a usable form and needs to be converted into different forms that are available to the plant. Nitrogen fixing bacteria such as rhizobia form symbiotic relationships with Soybeans in exchange for shelter and excess plant sugars. As a result, the plant can get the nitrogen it needs. There are four main genera of rhizobia that can form root nodules on Soybean including Bradyrhizobium, Sinorhizobium, Mesorhizobium, and Rhizobium. At this point, the effect that age of the host plant has on the selection of …

The Role Of Host Factor Sptbn1 In Hiv-1 Capsid Uncoating In Human Microglial Cells, Callie Marie Fry

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

HIV-1 is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and currently, there is no cure once an individual is infected. The development of new drugs targeting HIV-1 replication steps is essential for keeping viral loads low or undetectable to prevent further transmission. An attractive replication step for new drug targets is viral capsid uncoating, where the virus loses the protein structure encapsulating the genome. The exact mechanism of capsid uncoating is unknown; however, several host-factors may be involved including protein SPTBN1. Recent studies have shown a significant decrease in viral infectivity when SPTBN1 is knocked down, yet its role …

Learned Helplessness: An Online Replication And Validation, Arshpreet (Sunny) Kandola

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The current study entails the partial replication of a classic learned helplessness two-phase triadic design experiment within an online learning context and aimed to validate a new attributional style self-report measure designed to identify individual differences in tendencies to develop learned helplessness consistent with the original reformulation of the hypothesis. Further, recent innovations in neuroscientific technology have allowed for a deeper examination of the mechanisms at play, finding support for a major re-interpretation of the theory of learned helplessness - suggesting that helplessness is more so the default passive response, while the active ingredient that is detected or expected (i.e., …

Restoration Of Giant River Cane (Arundinaria Gigantea) In Southwest Missouri, Lyndsey D. Rightnowar

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Giant river cane (Arundinaria gigantea), a native bamboo species, once dominated riparian landscapes across the southeastern United States but has declined to approximately 2% of its historic range. This study evaluated restoration techniques for giant cane in southwest Missouri by examining the influence of rhizome source (putative genotype), planting type, and restoration site on restoration success. I compared two planting types: greenhouse-to-field (G2F) transplanting, where rhizomes were first propagated in the greenhouse before planting, and field-to-field (F2F) transplanting, where rhizomes were directly transplanted from source canebrakes to restoration sites. Rhizomes were collected from four existing canebrakes in Taney …

Mental Heath Experiences Of Transracial Adoptees Of The Global Majority (Black, Indigenous, And People Of Color - Bipoc)., Phebe Brako

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of transracial adoptees of the global majority (BIPOC), focusing on their bicultural identity integration and its impact on mental health. During semi-structured interviews, nine participants shared their stories of navigating cultural and racial dynamics as adoptees in predominantly White adoptive families and communities. The findings revealed six core themes: (1) the Quest for Bicultural Identity Formation, (2) Cultural Integration and Adaptation, (3) Navigating Racial and Cultural Tensions, (4) the Role of Family in Cultural Integration, (5) the Importance of Community and Support Systems, and (6) Mental Health and Therapeutic Experiences, addressing …

Psychological Techniques For Athletes With Orthopedic Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Systematic Review, Nicole L. Williams

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Musculoskeletal injuries and recovery from them play a vital role in both the physical and psychological wellbeing of the public. Existing research has been conducted primarily within the athlete population with rehabilitation from these injuries having a profound impact on the physical and mental health. One of the most frequent psychological responses related to sports injuries is a trauma response, which has been shown to hinder the rehabilitation process and to increase the likelihood for reinjury upon return to play. Embedded within the many inputs to trauma responses to these injuries are psychological distress reactions, in particular fear connected to …

Catalog 2025-2026, University Of North Florida

UNF Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Selections From Contaminate The Isolates, Maria Morrow

Humboldt Journal of Social Relations

"These images are part of a zine-like artifact called “Contaminate the Isolates” that I created as a final project for my class, “Radical Futures: Race, Environment, and Social Justice,” during the Fall semester of 2024. I had originally intended to make a zine..."

Court Forms And Court Reforms: Pro Se Litigants And The Limited Success Of Standardized Family Court Forms, Caroline Rogus

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

The first step in any civil lawsuit, long before a court will contemplate awarding relief, is initiating the court matter: a plaintiff must always start by effectively pleading their case. The court system rests upon the presumption that an attorney will create and file the requisite court documents—including complaints, answers, and motions—on behalf of their client. The reality, however, is that an extraordinarily high number of litigants do not have legal representation and must therefore proceed pro se and submit these documents on their own. Most jurisdictions offer pro se litigants standardized, fillable court forms. These forms are intended to …

Dimensional Prediction Of Borderline Personality Disorder Traits: A Cross-Sample Comparison, Savanah Stinnett

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) presents a significant challenge in clinical diagnosis and treatment due to its pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, affects, and impulsivity, often manifesting in early adulthood. Despite its prevalence, issues with categorical personality disorder (PD) diagnosis have been highlighted, leading to the introduction of the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) in Section III of the DSM-5. This doctoral project seeks to address the current mapping of AMPD traits for BPD by evaluating the comprehensive assessment of traits relevant to BPD to determine whether these traits accurately measure the construct or if supplemental characteristics …

What Is The Meaning Of This? A Proposed Assessment Tool For Exploring Meaning Of Life In The Therapeutic Realm, Logan S. Burris

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

It is likely that since man has first learned to communicate with one another, we have wondered what the meaning of life is. Throughout recorded history, groups of individuals with religious, philosophical, and scientific backgrounds have searched for the answer to this deceptively simple question. Previous research has shown that finding meaning in one’s life can render positive psychological and physiological outcomes for individuals presenting with depressive and anxiety disorders, trauma, chronic and terminal illness, and many more. There have been numerous attempts of creating assessments intended to measure a person’s meaning in life, however most of them either do …

Brooches And Identity In Early Medieval Burials In Britain, Elizabeth Christopher

Spectrum

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Trauma Linked To Contemporary Human Sacrifice Practices: A Pilot Study Exploring Machine Learning In Criminological Analysis, Julia Melanson, Riley Woolverton

Spectrum

No abstract provided.

Development Of Ligands And Metal Complexes With Weakly Coordinating Apical Elements And Their Application To Nitrene Insertion And Addition To C‒H And C=C Bonds, Meenakshi Sharma

Doctoral Dissertations

"We present a family of triangular coinage metal M₃Cl₃ complexes [M = Cu (I), Ag (I)] supported by antimony [Sb (III)], and bismuth [Bi (III)]-centered highly basic tetramethyl-guanidinyl [TMG₃trphen-E] (E = Sb, Bi) ligand frameworks with their applications as catalysts toward the construction of C‒N bond through aziridination and amination reaction methodologies.

The [(TMG₃trphen-Sb)Cu₃(µ-Cl)₃] catalyst gives better yields of aziridines with styrenes than [(TMG3trphen-Bi)Cu₃(µ-Cl)₃] with PhINTs as a nitrene source. However, the catalytic reactivity of both catalysts is enhanced by an electrophilic nitrene, PhINTces for …

Testing The Life-History Dependence Of Dietary Restriction Effects On Oxidative Molecular Damage In Hornworms, Fahime Taheri

Masters Theses

DR and ambient temperature are two environmental factors widely implicated in shaping organismal maintenance and longevity through effects on metabolic rate and oxidative damage. This study tests whether DR and reduced body temperature independently or interactively reduce oxidative protein damage in the gut of tobacco hornworm larvae, a short-lived ectotherm whose life history may constrain typical DR responses. Larvae hatched from eggs were allocated to two feeding regimes (AL and DR) and to 20 °C and 30 °C. At a defined endpoint, guts dissected and homogenized, and analyzed for protein carbonyl content and total protein. Protein damage was expressed as …

Biological Computing From Microscopic To Macroscopic Evolution, Xiaofeng Ding

Masters Theses

A unified theory from microscopic to macroscopic DNA-based biological systems is explained in terms of the rule components used when the system size is increased. Even though the eight female rules in each ruleset are provided with an equal probability of the computation-state outcomes, the initial ensemble of the computation states will exponentially settle into one dominant rule that supports the nutrition needed for growth. The remaining seven rules form into two minority groups to provide the biological characteristics of the system's growth from a micro to macroscopic evolution. The object of this study is to prove that such a …

The Theory And Practice Of Modifying Soccer: Maximizing Learning Outcomes In Elementary School Physical Education, Jongho Moon, Dongwoo Lee

Department of Kinesiology Scholarship and Creative Works

Physical education (PE) has been affirmed over the past decade as a vital part of school curriculum. Drawing from Newell’s theory of constraints (1986) and a comprehensive review of evidence-based literature, this study meticulously investigates pedagogical practices, effective activity modifications, and the implementation of a game-like progression within elementary school PE, with a focus on augmenting learning outcomes across the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains. This paper places a primary emphasis on soccer—an open-skill team sport taught in PE programs globally—as its situational conditions make it an ideal option for maximizing students’ learning. The study equips readers with an extensive …

De Acordo Com A…: Lexical Bundles And Disciplinary Variation In Academic Brazilian Portuguese, Larissa Goulart

Department of Linguistics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Research on formulaic language has shown that few lexical bundles overlap across disciplines in expert academic writing, with disciplinary writing being characterized by specific bundles. This was proven to be the case in both English (Hyland, 2008) and Spanish (Cortes, 2008). This paper explores the use of lexical bundles in Portuguese academic writing in two disciplinary groups, life sciences and humanities. Using a corpus of research articles written by Brazilian scientists, four-word bundles were extracted and compared for their function (Biber; Conrad; Cortes, 2004) and structure (Biber; Johansson; Leech; Conrad; Finegan, 1999). The results of this study indicate that writing …

Human Serum Albumin Interaction With Organochlorine Pesticides, D. S. Sanford, R. Yadav, A. Mishra

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant blood plasma protein and plays a crucial role in drug transport and physiological homeostasis. HSA has a highly flexible structure consisting of three domains, each with multiple binding sites lined with hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues. The structural properties of HSA make it a robust reservoir and receptor for various endogenous and exogenous compounds, including therapeutic drugs. Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are a subclass of pesticides characterized by their chlorine content. Once widely used, these compounds remain persistent in the environment and biological systems despite regulatory restrictions in many developed countries. The strong ligand-binding …

Comparison Of Machine Learning Models For Colon Cancer Survival: Predictive Modeling Approach, Reuben Adatorwovor, Motolani E. Ogunsanya, Bin Huang, Richard Charnigo, Olufunmilola Abraham

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Background: Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with survival influenced by risk factors, treatment type, and patient characteristics. Traditional statistical models, such as Kaplan-Meier curves, have been widely used to estimate survival probabilities. However, these models often have difficulty handling complex interactions, covariates, and nonlinear relationships between risk factors. Recently, machine learning (ML) techniques have emerged as promising tools for improving survival prediction by handling large covariates and capturing complex patterns.

Objective: This study compares several ML models to accurately estimate colon cancer survival by leveraging data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry. By identifying key risk …

Long-Term Antibacterial Efficacy Of Silver (I) Cyanoximates Against Streptococcus Mutans Ua159 Biofilm Growth, Tiffany A. Rojas

Honors Program Theses

Streptococcus mutans is the primary causative agent of dental caries due to its ability to form resilient multispecies biofilms. These biofilms promote acid production and degradation of the protective layers of the tooth, making biofilm formation a target for novel treatments. Silver(I) cyanoximates are of interest as alternatives to traditional antimicrobials and antibiotics due to the high UV and heat resistivity as well as poor solubility of the cyanoxime ligand paired with the well-established antimicrobial silver ion. Previous research has shown that silver(I) cyanoximates can effectively inhibit S. mutans biofilm formation after 24 hours in vitro. This study aimed to …

Using Lateral Flow Assay To Assess The Prevalence Of Trachemys Hybridization, Lillian Groves

Honors Program Theses

The current study focuses on Trachemys species, which is a group of freshwater turtles found throughout the Greater Antilles. The role of studying an isolated island, such as the Dominican Republic, is significant because it serves as a way to better understand how the combined effects of species migration, mass tourism, and climate change can greatly impact isolated species. Of particular significance is how these forces interact in complex ways to reshape habitats and threaten biodiversity. Additionally, the introduction of a highly invasive species, Trachemys scripta elegans (T. scripta), in this environment pressures native species by acting as a source …

Editorial: The Development And Evolution Of Larval Nervous Systems, Oliver Vöcking, Allan Carrillo-Baltodano, Néva Meyer

Biology

Throughout their development, animals of various taxa go through different larval stages, which have evolved adaptations to interact with specific environments. Larval nervous systems in particular experience strong selection pressures since they control crucial physiological and behavioral processes, especially in taxa with planktotrophic larvae that need to acquire food. Selection pressures also can vary across life history stages if there are differences in factors such as habitat, predation avoidance, and diet. There is evidence for this in the relationship of the larval nervous system to the adult nervous system, which can vary widely between species. Understanding the specific adaptations of …

Phylogenetic Proximity Is A Key Driver Of Temporal Succession Of Marine Giant Viruses In A Five-Year Metagenomic Time-Series, Sarah M. Laperriere, Benjamin Minch, J.L. Weissman, Shangwei Hou, Yi-Chun Yeh, Nathan Ahlgren, Mohammad Moniruzzaman

Biology

Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses (NCLDVs), also called giant viruses, are widespread in marine systems and infect a broad range of microbial eukaryotes (protists). Recent biogeographic work has provided global snapshots of NCLDV diversity and community composition across the world’s oceans, yet little information exists about the guiding “rules” underpinning their community dynamics over time. We leveraged a five-year monthly coupled metagenomic-viromic time-series to quantify the community composition of NCLDVs off the coast of Southern California and characterize their temporal population dynamics. NCLDVs were dominated by Algavirales (Phycodnaviruses, 59%) and Imitervirales (Mimiviruses, 36%). We identified clusters of NCLDVs with distinct classes …