Digital Commons Network^™

Multiview Outlier Filtered Pediatric Heart Sound Classification, Sagnik Dakshit

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The advancements in deep learning has generated a large-scale interest in development of black-box models for various use cases in different domains such as healthcare, in both at-home and critical setting for diagnosis and monitoring of various health conditions. The use of audio signals as a view for diagnosis is nascent and the success of deep learning models in ingesting multimedia data provides an opportunity for use as a diagnostic medium. For the widespread use of these decision support systems, it is prudent to develop high performing systems which require large quantities of data for training and low-cost method of …

“Sounds Like” Redemption? On The Musicality Of Species And The Species Of Musicality, Tyler Yamin, Alice Rudge

Faculty Journal Articles

Popular and academic studies of music frequently claim that human musicality arose from the so-called ‘natural world’ of non-human species. And amid the anxieties produced by the Anthropocene, it is thought that the possibility of reconnecting with the natural world through a renewed appreciation of music’s links with nature may usher in a new era of posthuman environmental consciousness, offering repair and redemption. To critique these claims, we trace how notions of ‘musicality’ have been applied to or denied from non-human entities across diverse disciplines since the late nineteenth century. We conclude that such debates reinforce the separation that they …

Cooking In The Past And For The Future In Latin America, Clare A. Sammells

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Signals Of Positive Selection In Genomes Of Palearctic Myotis-Bats Coexisting With A Fungal Pathogen, V. G. Twort, V. N. Laine, K. A. Field, F. Whiting-Fawcett, Ito, M. Reiman, T. Bartonicka, M. Fritze, V. A. Ilyukha, V. V. Belkin, E. A. Khizhkin, D. M. Reeder, D. Fukui, T. L. Jiang, T. M. Lilley

Faculty Journal Articles

Disease can act as a driving force in shaping genetic makeup across populations, even species, if the impacts influence a particularly sensitive part of their life cycles. White-nose disease is caused by a fungal pathogen infecting bats during hibernation. The mycosis has caused massive population declines of susceptible species in North America, particularly in the genus Myotis. However, Myotis bats appear to tolerate infection in Eurasia, where the fungal pathogen has co-evolved with its bat hosts for an extended period of time. Therefore, with susceptible and tolerant populations, the fungal disease provides a unique opportunity to tease apart factors contributing …

White Adipose Tissue Remodeling In Little Brown Myotis (Myotis Lucifugus) With White-Nose Syndrome, El Pannkuk, Marianne Moore, S Bansal, K Kumar, S Suman, D Howell, Ja Kath, A Kurta, Deeann Reeder, Ka Field

Faculty Journal Articles

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal wildlife disease of bats that has caused precipitous declines in certain Nearctic bat species. A key driver of mortality is premature exhaustion of fat reserves, primarily white adipose tissue (WAT), that bats rely on to meet their metabolic needs during winter. However, the pathophysiological and metabolic effects of WNS have remained ill-defined. To elucidate metabolic mechanisms associated with WNS mortality, we infected a WNS susceptible species, the Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), with Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) and collected WAT biopsies for histology and targeted lipidomics. These results were compared to …

Earliest Ancient Maya Salt Production In Southern Belize: Excavations At Jay-Yi Nah, Heather Mckillop, Cory Sills

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Salt works along the Yucatan coasts of Mexico and Belize provide a record of salt production for inland trade during the height of Late Classic Maya civilisation (AD 550–800). At the Paynes Creek Salt Works in Belize, production focused on the creation of salt cakes by boiling brine in pots supported over fires in dedicated salt kitchens. Underwater excavations at the Early Classic (AD 250–550) site of Jay-yi Nah now indicate there was a longer and evolving tradition of salt making in the area, one that initially employed large, incurved bowls to meet local or down-the-line trade needs before inland …

Using Virus Like Particle Conjugates Of Synthetic Targeting Compounds To Deliver Chemotherapeutic Drugs To Cancer Stem Cells, Austen W. Kerzee

Chemistry Theses

Cancer stem cells are a type of cell that have the properties of both cancer cells and stem cells. They can differentiate into other types of cancer cells, are resistant to conventional chemotherapeutics, and seem to contribute greatly to the metastasis and recurrence of cancer. Due to these properties, eliminating cancer stem cells would be greatly beneficial in the treatment of cancer. While there have been approved therapeutic methods for the removal of a few of the cancer stem cells types, treatment for most types of cancer stem cells are still in the experimental phase and have yet to be …

Forage Preference In Two Geographically Co-Occurring Fungus Gardening Ants (Formicidae): A Novel Dietary Dna Approach, Matthew Richards-Perhatch V

Biology Theses

Existing biological techniques, when applied in novel ways or to novel systems, can be used to overcome long-standing obstacles. Limitations resulting from traditional methods of forage material identification make resource partitioning impractical to study in non-leafcutting fungus gardening ants. This thesis explores the use of dietary DNA (dDNA) metabarcoding as a method of forage material identification in ant fungus gardens. We hypothesize that dDNA analysis will be sufficient to identify forage material in the gardens of co-occurring species Trachymyrmex septentrionalis and Mycetomoellerius turrifex. Furthermore, we hypothesize that T. septentrionalis and M. turrifex will forage on significantly different …

The Unequal Distribution Of Social Risk For Black Men Across The Life-Span. A Novel Framework., Waleed Y. Sami

Adultspan Journal

This conceptual overview offers a comprehensive overview of systemic pathways that negatively impact the mental health of Black Men throughout their lives. Our argument highlights the importance for counselors and mental health professionals to utilize a thorough social risk assessment that considers these pathways in order to effectively address the mental health needs of Black Men while fostering positive working relationships. This overview strongly advocates for the use of context and structural determinants when evaluating mental health symptoms. Without an appropriate understanding of social risk and determinants, counselors may inadvertently perpetuate disparities by decontextualizing symptomology, and reproducing racist discourse.

Perspectives On Enhancing Clinical Informatics Education In The Artificial Intelligence Era, Hua Min, Xia Jing, Yang Gong, Ping Yu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: This paper aims to analyze clinical informatic (CI) - a subfield of biomedical and health informatics (BHI) - programs to identify challenges and provide solutions for CI education. Using an online clinical decision support system (CDSS) course as a case study, we demonstrate how these challenges can be addressed. In addition, we discuss the potential impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI), along with the opportunities and risks it presents for CI education.

Methods: This is a perspective paper. The viewpoint analysis is based on a review of formal academic and training programs offered by the American Medical Informatics Association …

Incorporating Global And Latin American Sounds In The Classroom, Latin American And Iberian Institute

K-12 Lesson Plans

No abstract provided.

The Dynamic Interplay Of Opposites In Zoroastrianism, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This exploration addresses some aspects of Zoroastrianism, examining how the ancient Persian belief system aligns with the dynamic and indeterminate principles of Fuzzy, Neutrosophic, and MultiAlist systems. Zoroastrianism, rooted in the eternal struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, exhibits parallels with Neutrosophy's acknowledgment of indeterminacy, incompleteness, and the dynamic interplay of opposites. The prophet Zarathustra's vision of a neutrosophic God challenges conventional notions of divine attributes, emphasizing a dynamic and evolving universe. Before investigating these vague areas, the concept of unclear conceptual borders is explored, emphasizing the indeterminacy and imprecision inherent in defining opposites or partially opposite concepts. …

The Convergence Of Ikigai And Design Thinking: Crafting A Purposeful Framework, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In an era where innovation is not just about solving problems but also about enhancing human experiences and fostering personal fulfillment, the convergence of Ikigai principles with Design Thinking methodology offers a promising avenue for holistic problem-solving and in-novation. This paper explores the intersection of Ikigai—a Japanese concept representing one's reason for being—and Design Thinking—a human-centered approach to innovation. We propose a conceptual framework, termed Ikigai-Driven Design (IDD), which integrates the principles of Ikigai with the stages of Design Thinking. IDD comprises five main stages: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test, each combining elements of Ikigai and Design Thinking to …

Residual Attention Augmentation Graph Neural Network For Improved Node Classification Residual Attention Augmentation Graph Neural Network For Improved Node Classification, Muhammad Affan Abbas, Waqar Ali, Florentin Smarandache, Sultan S. Alshamrani, Muhammad Ahsan Raza, Abdullah Alshehri, Mubashir Ali

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have emerged as a powerful tool for node representation learning within graph structures. However, designing a robust GNN architecture for node classification remains a challenge. This study introduces an efficient and straightforward Residual Attention Augmentation GNN (RAA-GNN) model, which incorporates an attention mechanism with skip connections to discerningly weigh node features and overcome the over-smoothing problem of GNNs. Additionally, a novel MixUp data augmentation method was developed to improve model training. The proposed approach was rigorously evaluated on various node classification benchmarks, encompassing both social and citation networks. The proposed method outperformed state-of-the-art techniques by achieving …

A Reconsideration Of Advanced Concepts In Neutrosophic Graphs: Smart, Zero Divisor, Layered, Weak, Semi, And Chemical Graphs, Takaaki Fujita, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

One of the most powerful tools in graph theory is the classification of graphs into distinct classes based on shared properties or structural features. Over time, many graph classes have been introduced, each aimed at capturing specific behaviors or characteristics of a graph. Neutrosophic Set Theory, a method for handling uncertainty, extends fuzzy logic by incorporating degrees of truth, indeterminacy, and falsity. Building on this framework, Neutrosophic Graphs [9,84,135] have emerged as significant generalizations of fuzzy graphs. In this paper, we extend several classes of fuzzy graphs to Neutrosophic graphs and analyze their properties.

Three Novel Approaches To Deep Space: Interstellar Travel That Transcend The Limitations Imposed By The Rocket Equation, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

At the time of writing this abstract, we read about Betelgeuse star has exploded in the last few days. While there are various explanations and interpretations on how that event would have impacted this Earth’s inhabitants, our interpretation asserts that there are several chains of stars that act to lock this Earth to the 3D realm, and the exploded Betelgeuse star can be considered as a signal from heaven that we, all Earth inhabitants, are allowed to be elevated to 5D consciousness and to explore the Deep Space beyond this solar system. Therefore, in the present paper, it is considered …

A Right-Brain-Based Epistemology Grounded On Local Wisdom: Intuilytics As A Culturally-Meaningful Alternative In Science, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Epistemology, the study of knowledge, has long grappled with the challenge of determining truth. While the combination of deductive and inductive reasoning has been a cornerstone of scientific inquiry, several limitations emerge in its application to contemporary epistemology. One significant issue lies within the core of falsificationism, a prominent philosophy championed by Karl Popper. Falsificationism posits that a scientific theory can only be proven false, not true. While this approach aims to prevent dogmatic adherence to untested ideas, it can lead to an endless cycle of trial and error. As Popper himself acknowledged, no single experiment can definitively prove a …

Soft Sets Extensions Used In Bioinformatics, Florentin Smarandache, Daniela Gifu

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This comprehensive review delves into the intricate realm of Soft Sets and their extensions, including HyperSoft Set, IndetermSoft Set, IndetermHyperSoft Set, and TreeSoft Set, within the context of biomedical data analysis. Soft Sets serve as a foundational framework for managing the inherent uncertainty and imprecision inherent in biological data, thereby facilitating informed decision-making and knowledge discovery. The exploration of Soft Set Products, particularly in the context of multiple soft sets, underscores their pivotal role in advancing biomedical research. By extending these concepts to HyperSoft Sets, researchers can unlock deeper insights into complex biological phenomena, enabling more accurate predictions and classification.

Abmscore: A Heuristic Algorithm For Forming Strategic Coalitions In Agent-Based Simulation, Andrew J. Collins, Gayane Grigoryan

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

Integrating human behavior into agent-based models has been challenging due to its diversity. An example is strategic coalition formation, which occurs when an individual decides to collaborate with others because it strategically benefits them, thereby increasing the expected utility of the situation. An algorithm called ABMSCORE was developed to help model strategic coalition formation in agent-based models. The ABMSCORE algorithm employs hedonic games from cooperative game theory and has been applied to various situations, including refugee egress and smallholder farming cooperatives. This paper discusses ABMSCORE, including its mechanism, requirements, limitations, and application. To demonstrate the potential of ABMSCORE, a new …

State Of Coastal And Marine Resources: Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, Ma Celina J. Añonuevo, Jemelyn Grace P. Baldisimo, Denmark B. Racamara, Mary Joyce P. Velos, Joseph Benedict T. Garcia, Frederico B. Sabban, Joey P. Cabasan, Rhea Mae Luciano, Darryl Anthony Valiño, Lovely Joy Heyres, Hazel O. Arceo

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Sablayan, situated on the western side of Mindoro Island facing the WPS (12.8564° N, 120.9101° E), is a first-class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro with a total land area of 2,188.8km² that is divided into 22 barangays, nine of which are along the coast. The coastline stretches for 115 km, with municipal waters covering approximately 750,000 km² (LGU-Sablayan 2008).

The Apo Reef Natural Park, one of its most prominent features, is located approximately 33 km off the coast (Figure 2.9-1) The Apo Reef Natural Park is a protected coral reef system under presidential proclamation 868 (1996) encompassing …

Can Multi-Species Plantings Alleviate Abiotic Stressors To Enhance Bald Cypress Restoration?, Victoria S. Ellis, Taylor M. Sloey

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Restoration researchers and practitioners alike advocate for novel restoration approaches, informed by ecological theories and principles, to enhance the likelihood of meeting restoration goals. Forested wetland restoration has historically focused on creating abiotic conditions that support the tolerance thresholds of desired species, but the stress gradient hypothesis provides guidance for potential new strategies that use biotic interactions to ameliorate stressful abiotic conditions. In this study, we tested whether multi-species planting approaches can be used to enhance the survival and growth of a target restoration tree species, Bald cypress, along multiple abiotic gradients. We conducted a fully factorial controlled greenhouse experiment …

Deconstructing The Mangrove Carbon Cycle: Gains, Transformation, And Losses, M. F. Adame, N. Cormier, P. Taillardat, N. Iram, A. Rovai, T. M. Sloey, E. S. Yando, J. F. Blanco-Libreros, M. Arnaud, T. Jennerjahn, C. E. Lovelock, D. Friess, G. M. S. Reithmaier, C. A. Buelow, S. M. Muhammad-Nor, R. R. Twilley, R. A. Ribeiro

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Mangroves are one of the most carbon-dense forests on the Earth and have been highlighted as key ecosystems for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Hundreds of studies have investigated how mangroves fix, transform, store, and export carbon. Here, we review and synthesize the previously known and emerging carbon pathways in mangroves, including gains (woody biomass accumulation, deadwood accumulation, soil carbon sequestration, root and litterfall production), transformations (food web transfer through herbivory, decomposition), and losses (respiration as CO₂ and CH₄, litterfall export, particulate and dissolved carbon export). We then review the technologies available to measure carbon fluxes in …

The Flesh And Silicon Mesh: A New Materialist Conception Of Advanced Digital Machines, Joshua Nieubuurt

English Faculty Publications

Digital machines, including artificial intelligence (AI), have long been held as potential agents of social change. From their binary role in cultural productions to the real-world implementation of such, digital machines have typically been considered within the Heideggerian “readiness-to-hand” category of Being. This paper seeks to alter conceptually this dynamic through the use of new materialism and Morton’s concept of the “mesh” to provide a new understanding of the social and pragmatic roles advanced digital machines play in ecologies in which they dwell and continue to emerge. Through briefly tracing the complex intermingling of advanced digital machines in the realms …

Toxicity Of Crude Oil-Derived Polar Unresolved Complex Mixtures To Pacific Herring Embryos: Insights Beyond Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Maxwell L. Harsha, Yanila Salas-Ortiz, Alysha D. Cypher, Ed Osborn, Eduardo Turcios Valle, Jacob L. Gregg, Paul K. Hershberger, Yuri Kurerov, Sarah King, Aleksandar I. Goranov, Patrick G. Hatcher, Anastasia Konefal, T. Erin Cox, Justin B. Greer, James P. Meador, Matthew A. Tarr, Patrick L. Tomco, David C. Podgorski

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Crude oil toxicity to early life stage fish is commonly attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, it remains unclear how the polar unresolved complex mixture (UCM), which constitutes the bulk of the water-soluble fraction of crude oil, contributes to crude oil toxicity. Additionally, the role of photomodification-induced toxicity in relation to the polar UCM is not well understood. This study addresses these knowledge gaps by assessing the toxicity of two laboratory generated polar UCMs from Cook Inlet crude oil, representing the readily water-soluble fraction of crude oil and photoproduced hydrocarbon oxidation products (HOPs), to Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii …

Introduction: Autoimmunities In The Wake Of Covid-19, Travis Alexander, Nishant Shahani

English Faculty Publications

Our introduction and the essays collected in this Special Section address themselves to the ruins, creations, and legacies of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. More precisely, we ask how our notions of immunity and especially autoimmunity have changed over the last three years. We theorize autoimmunity in the wake of COVID-19 through approaches that consider the material and experiential phenomenology proliferated by the longue durée of both the experience of COVID-19 infection and the pandemic itself. In this way, we connect our inquiries both to the history of recent epidemics—most notably HIV/AIDS—and to broader philosophical and cultural investigations of what immunity …

Assessing The Value And Knowledge Gains From An Online Tick Identification And Tick-Borne Disease Management Course For The Southeastern United States, Catherine A. Lippi, Holly D. Gaff, Alexis L. White, Sadie J. Ryan

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Tick-borne diseases are a growing public health threat in the United States. Despite the prevalence and rising burden of tick-borne diseases, there are major gaps in baseline knowledge and surveillance efforts for tick vectors, even among vector control districts and public health agencies. To address this issue, an online tick training course (OTTC) was developed through the Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (SECOEVBD) to provide a comprehensive knowledge base on ticks, tick-borne diseases, and their management.

Methods

The OTTC consisted of training modules covering topics including tick biology, tick identification, tick-borne diseases, and public health, personal tick …

Active Facilitation Of Helper Dispersal By Parents And Siblings In The Cooperatively Breeding Acorn Woodpecker, Natasha D. G. Hagemeyer, Walter D. Koenig, Eric L. Walters

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Offspring that delay dispersal in cooperatively breeding species have been hypothesized to gain direct fitness benefits via parental facilitation—being passively tolerated on their natal territory by their parents—thereby enjoying enhanced survival and increased probability of acquiring a breeding position in the population. Here we describe active facilitation in the acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) by parents and siblings assisting the dispersal of helpers in their social group. Helpers in this species compete for reproductive opportunities in “power struggles” that take place when all breeders of one sex die or disappear, creating a reproductive vacancy. Individuals compete at power struggles …

Baby's First Jets: A Kinematic And Hydrodynamic Analysis Of Turning In Cuttlefish Hatchlings, Alissa M. Ganley, Paul S. Krueger, Ian K. Bartol

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Turning is an important aspect of life underwater, playing integral roles in predator avoidance, prey capture, and communication. While turning abilities have been explored in a diversity of adult nekton, little is currently known about turning in early ontogeny, especially for cephalopods. In this study, we investigated the turning abilities of hatchling common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis, n = 49) and dwarf cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis, n = 30), using both kinematic and wake-based analyses. Using body tracking software and particle image velocimetry (PIV), we found that S. officinalis turned faster than S. bandensis, but both species …

Taxonomic Status, Distribution And Conservation Of The Critically Endangered Plant Psychotria Angustata (Rubiaceae), Walter Simbaña, Alan Tye, Timothy J. Motley, Uno Eliasson

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Simbaña, W.; A. Tye, T. J. Motley & U. Eliasson. 2024. Taxonomic status, distribution and conservation of the Critically Endangered plant Psychotria angustata (Rubiaceae), endemic to Floreana Island, Galapagos. Darwiniana, nueva serie 12(2): 204-219.

Two species of Psychotria have been recognised in the Galapagos Islands, both understorey shrubs endemic to the archipelago: P. rufipes Hook.f. occurs on seven islands, including Floreana, while P. angustata Andersson is endemic to Floreana. Since their mid-19th century discovery, the taxonomic and ecological status of these species has been uncertain. To clarify this, we examined historical specimens and numerous recent collections of both species, and …

Role Of Nitrogenous Functional Group Identity In Accelerating 1,2,3- Trichloropropane Degradation By Pyrogenic Carbonaceous Matter (Pcm) And Sulfide Using Pcm-Like Polymers, Han Cao, Jingdong Mao, Paul G. Tratnyek, Wenqing Xu

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

Groundwater contamination by 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) poses a unique challenge due to its human toxicity and recalcitrance to degradation. Previous work suggests that nitrogenous functional groups of pyrogenic carbonaceous matter (PCM), such as biochar, are important in accelerating contaminant dechlorination by sulfide. However, the reaction mechanism is unclear due, in part, to PCM's structural complexity. Herein, PCM-like polymers (PLPs) with controlled placement of nitrogenous functional groups [i.e., quaternary ammonium (QA), pyridine, and pyridinium cations (py⁺)] were employed as model systems to investigate PCM-enhanced TCP degradation by sulfide. Our results suggest that both PLP-QA and PLP-py⁺ were highly effective …