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Equal Access To All: Under Usage Of Adult Day Care Services For Adults With Alzheimer's And Related Dementias In The Hispanic/Latino Community, Jezabel Galvan

Master's Projects and Capstones

The goal for many older adults suffering from Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and related dementias, is to be able to age in the comfort of their own home and with familiar faces. One of the services many older adults suffering from AD and their families opt for to make this possible are Adult Day Care Programs (ADCP). ADCP offer support to caregivers and are a good alternative to long-term care placement. ADCP provides clients with health monitoring by health professionals, as well as socialization opportunities and assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) (Oliver et. al., 2013). Although ADCP are a …

Mindfulness Training To Reduce Perceived Stress Among Manufacturing Employees: An Evidence-Based Project, Ijeoma Okoro

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Stress, a state of emotional or physical tension, is experienced by individuals for various reasons. The American Psychological Association identifies money, work, and the economy as the most frequently cited sources of stress. Workers in manufacturing settings are particularly susceptible to increased levels of perceived stress due to the demanding nature of their work. To reduce stress levels, some manufacturing companies have begun implementing different interventions, including mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Objectives: The aim of this project was to implement a weekly 30-minute mindfulness training program over six weeks to reduce perceived stress levels among manufacturing employees at a company …

Development And Validation Of Simulation Protocols For Assessing Stresses In A Network Tied Arch With A Posttensioned Tie Girder, Kanchani Lakamalika Kumari Basnayake Mudiyanselage

Dissertations

Posttensioned concrete members; especially the posttensioned tie girders, are critical load resisting elements in network tied arch bridges. The stresses in the structure are influenced by the prestress losses that depend on the posttension force magnitude, time-dependent concrete modulus of elasticity, and concrete creep and shrinkage. The use of performance-based, high-strength, ternary mixes to promote the carbon neutral concrete and the need for executing multiple construction stages challenge the assessment of the state of stress in a completed bridge. The primary objective of this study is the development and validation of simulation protocols for assessing stresses in a network tied …

Simulating Strongly Coupled Many-Body Systems With Quantum Algorithms, Manqoba Qedindaba Hlatshwayo

Dissertations

The complexity of the nuclear many-body problem is a severe obstacle to finding a general and accurate numerical approach needed to simulate medium-mass and heavy nuclei. Even with the advent of exascale classical computing, the impediment of exponential growth of the Hilbert space renders the problem intractable for most classical calculations. In the last few years, quantum algorithms have become an attractive alternative for practitioners because quantum computers are more efficient in simulating quantum physics than classical computers. While a fully fault-tolerant universal quantum computer will not be realized soon, this dissertation explores quantum algorithms for simulating nuclear physics suitable …

2023-2024 Faculty Senate Roster, Faculty Senate, East Tennessee State University

Faculty Senate Agendas and Minutes

No abstract provided.

Design, Synthesis, And Evaluation Of Oleyl-Wrh Peptides For Sirna Delivery, Mrigank S Rai

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

The delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics across various cell membranes has always been one of the major challenges. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) containing arginine (R), tryptophan (W), and histidine (H) have been promising for siRNA delivery. Therefore, to enhance siRNA delivery and efficient silencing of the STAT3 gene, herein, we hypothesized to use of fatty acylation with oleyl chain to our newly designed cell-penetrating peptide (WRH) to evaluate their silencing efficiency in breast and ovarian cancer cells. Therefore, the oleyl conjugated (WRH)_n (n=1-4) peptides were synthesized using Fmoc/tBu solid-phase peptide chemistry, followed by purification using Reverse-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC), …

Cave Research Foundation Newsletter, Volume 51, No. 3, August 2023, Laura Lexander

Cave Research Foundation Newsletter

Contents: President's Column -- CRF Received $1,585 from Amazon Donation Program -- CRF's Hamilton Valley Facility Transitions to Long-Term Maintenance -- Google Group for Eastern Operations -- Regional Expedition Reports

Compact Representatives Of Databases And Responsible Data Management, Suraj Shetiya

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

With the advent of advanced computational models, we are being constantly judged by AI systems, complex algorithmic systems based on data that has been collected about us. These analysis are critical as they span many wide spread areas of our lives. For instance, these systems have been shown to find effective ways to fight back and make informed decisions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The wide spread use of these models naturally give rise to a few questions regarding explaining decisions that these systems have made, fairness questions in various parts of these systems. In this dissertation, we present three important …

Repair As Research: How Copyright Impedes Learning About Devices, Anthony D. Rosborough, Aaron Perzanowski

Joint PIJIP/TLS Research Paper Series

Widespread computerization and ubiquitous smart devices have enabled software-based copyright governance to reach into new domains. Beyond their instrumental utility, these devices are also containers of vast amounts of information in the form of software and technical know-how. Through copyright and anti-circumvention rules, however, this information can be cordoned off and confined to exclusive distribution channels. This can have a significant impact on research. While copyright law traditionally conceives research as the use of expressive works within institutional settings, this paper proposes a broader conceptualization that includes device research, including informal inquiries and DIY activities. Whether for the purposes of …

Tremblings, August 2023, Western Aspen Alliance

Tremblings

What drives oystershell scale invasions?

Connor Crouch

Kristen Waring

If you work with aspen in the American West, you may have heard of the invasive insect oystershell scale (OSS; Lepidosaphes ulmi). OSS was first observed causing aspen mortality in Arizona in 2016, and occurrences have since been observed in Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. One of the first questions we hear from practitioners about OSS-infested aspen is, “what’s causing these outbreaks?” This is an interesting question because OSS has been in North America for centuries and was documented on aspen in Arizona as early as the 1990s, but elevated incidents …

Cultivating Political Humility: The Role Of Value Framing On Policy Preference, Benjamin K. Noori

2023 Spring Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

This research project aims to explore the persuasive efficacy of using familiar rhetoric and appealing to familiar values when presenting someone with political arguments. Persuasive efficacy is defined as how much a person’s position and confidence is moved after the manipulation, and familiar values and rhetoric were determined by those associated with the participant’s self-described political affiliation. The participants were first asked their position and confidence on four political issues, then asked to fill out a political intellectual humility scale. For each issue, they were then shown one of four possible videos of a person giving a political argument, with …

The Role Internal Stakeholders Play In Innovation In Large Corporations, Heloisa Benevides Pontes Aragao

Management Dissertations - Archive

Despite the vast existing literature on innovation, the investigation of work conditions that support the generation of ideas to feed the innovative process remains elusive. Holding the assumption that the entire organization is responsible for innovation, not only a specific department or set of experts, I aim to investigate the role two internal stakeholders play in innovation – employees and CEO. I empirically examine the relationship between voice climate – or the workforce perception about its participation in current discussions with ideas, suggestions, and thoughts - and explorative and exploitative innovation. Further, I consider the impact of CEO attributes (origin …

Reactive Atmosphere Pyrolysis(Rap) Of Silicon Carbo Nitride (Sicn), Akshada Bharat Hande

Chemistry & Biochemistry Theses - Archive

Polymer Derived Ceramics (PDCs) are synthesized by converting liquid polymer precursors into ceramics through controlled pyrolysis. This study focuses on silicon carbonitride (SiCN) ceramics obtained from Ceraset Polysilazane (Durazane1800) precursor. The influence of pyrolysis atmospheres, including inert (Ar, N2) and reactive (H2) environments, on the thermal conversion of Durazane1800 into SiCN ceramics is investigated. The resulting ceramics' chemical variations are explored through phase analysis using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Notably, the impact of hydrogen versus nitrogen atmospheres on the conversion process is analyzed, shedding light on their distinct contributions to the composition and properties of …

Experimental Investigation Of Water Quality Impact On The Compressive Strength Of Concrete, Shayan Sharifzad

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Water is an indispensable component in concrete, as it enables crucial chemical reactions. Therefore, the quality of water used in concrete plays a vital role in its performance. Contaminated water, sewage, or high-salt water can disrupt the cement's setting process and overall performance. As a result, it is crucial to prioritize the use of drinking water or water of equivalent quality in concrete production. While the ideal water-to-cement ratio for concrete is typically around 0.20, practical considerations often require a higher water content ranging from 0.30 to 0.70. This increased water consumption is necessary to ensure workability and achieve optimal …

Disaster Management And Recovery: Estimating The Disaster Impacts On Construction Costs And Evaluating The Policy Effects On Disaster Recovery, Sooin Kim

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

A rapidly increasing number of natural hazards pose an inevitable threat to communities. More than a hundred natural hazards strike the United States every year, causing numerous fatalities and billions of dollars of property and infrastructure damage. The total cost of U.S. weather and climate disasters since 1980 has already exceeded 2 trillion dollars. As the number of U.S. county-level disasters has approximately tripled in recent decades due to rapid climate change, a greater share of the population is now more likely to expose to natural disasters. Adequate and timely reconstruction and recovery in post-disaster situations are essential for the …

Wide Band-Gap Metamaterials As Seismic Shields, Ashraf Mohammed Daradkeh

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

In the past decade, a new paradigm gained popularity among researchers aiming to protect structures from low-frequency seismic vibrations using metamaterials. However, developing a workable design for metamaterials is still challenging, given the various factors such as material availability, size, and shape of its components. This project proposes a new configuration that can widen the attenuation frequency of metamaterials and evaluates the attenuation ability of double-graded metamaterials. The project investigates unit cell parameters such as but not limited to size, density, and modulus of elasticity to finalize a unit cell with the broadest possible bandgap by using common construction material …

Model Development To Evaluate Consumers’ Intention To Adopt Electric Vehicles, Apurva Pamidimukkala

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: The ever-increasing concern over climate change is compelling global economies to employ alternative fuel technology to combat the vehicular emissions of greenhouse gases. Electric vehicles (EVs) offer a viable environmentally friendly alternative that has the potential to facilitate an effective shift towards a sustainable transportation system with low emissions while preserving the environment. However, well-intentioned policies and other incentives have not been able to transcend the factors that prevent their adoption. Therefore, this research aims to develop three models to determine the factors affecting consumers’ willingness to adopt EVs. A questionnaire survey was designed based on an extensive literature …

Experimental And Theoretical Studies Of Fluid-Solid Coupling Processes Of Tight Rock Media, Tao Zhang

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

This study covers the application of continuum mechanics in the realm of rock work in geological studies. Continuum mechanics encompasses two major branches: fluid mechanics that deals with fluid behavior, and solid mechanics pertaining to the behavior of rock media. The research focuses on comprehending the mechanical behavior of rocks as a continuous mass, offering a comprehensive perspective for analyzing geological structures, fluid flow, and rock mechanics. Under the framework of continuum mechanics applied to rock media, following the sequence of the rock/solid properties, fluid flow properties, and the fluid-solid coupling behavior, this dissertation is divided into four sections, each …

Fuzz Testing Of Zigbee Protocol Implementations, Mengfei Ren

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: In recent years, we have witnessed the increasing of the Internet of Things (IoT) devices deployed by many areas, such as home automation, healthcare, manufacture, and smart vehicle. Among the numerous IoT wireless standards available, Zigbee stands out as one of the most globally popular choices, with major companies like Amazon, Samsung, IKEA, Huawei, and Xiaomi incorporating it into their products. Notably, Zigbee has even been utilized in NASA's Mars mission, where it serves as the communication radio between the flying drone and the Perseverance rover. However, with the rapid growth of Zigbee's global market presence, the incentive for …

Molecular Mechanisms That Regulate The Stress Response In A. Baumannii, Feroz Ahmed

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Acinetobacter baumannii is particularly problematic in hospital settings, where infections can occur in a range of tissues. This bacterium can endure extreme stress from various antimicrobial agents, biocides, host immune response etc. Not much is known about how these bacteria react to such high stress. A. baumannii also possesses a unique ability to inactivate lipooligosaccharide (LOS) biosynthesis, which is an essential molecule in most Gram-negative bacteria. LOS is enriched in the outer membrane and is the targeted by the last-resort antibiotic, colistin. LOS-deficient A. baumannii is highly resistant to the list-line antimicrobial. Previously, our lab discovered that a two-component system, …

Topics In Optimization For Sustainable Energy Planning, Bahareh Nasirian

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: Due to the current trend of rising energy demand, finding alternate energy sources is vital. Many cities consider renewable energy as a component of a sustainable future. Typically, organic wastes are considered renewable energy sources. Wastes can be converted to proper energy forms using waste-to-energy technologies. On the other hand, more renewable energy sources in the power system may increase energy market stochasticity, alter system operation, and pose new problems for the current supply and demand equilibrium, which consequently requires new control methods. Hence, taking into account the issues mentioned above, in this research, we address organic waste conversion …

Estimation Of Suspended Sediment Concentration Along The Lower Brazos River Using Satellite Imagery And Machine Learning, Trevor Stull

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

ABSTRACT: Suspended sediment transport in river basins is important for many water management planning activities to maintain safe drinking water for the community and maintenance of water quality and waterways for the ecosystem. Currently, the traditional way to measure suspended sediment effectively and reliably is by collecting field samples in the river body, which is very time consuming and only provide a point value of suspended sediment within the waterbody at the instant the sample was taken. This thesis focuses on developing models that estimate suspended sediment concentrations for the lower Brazos River using satellite imagery from publicly available data …

Comparative Mechanical Property Evaluation Of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Reinforced With High-Strength Steel Straight And Hooked Fibers, Sujan Kumar Singh

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

This study investigates the tensile properties and ductility of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) reinforced with high-strength steel hooked fibers with a tensile strength of 445 ksi (3,070 MPa) and compares its tensile performance to that of UHPC reinforced with commonly used high-strength smooth steel microfibers with a tensile strength of 2,160 MPa (313 ksi). The research is based on a proprietary mix developed at the University of Texas at Arlington and investigates the mechanical properties of UHPC with varying fiber volume fractions of 1.5%, 2%, 2.25%, and 2.4%. The experimental results indicate that UHPC reinforced with high strength hooked fibers generally …

Top Management Team Functional Diversity And Firm Performance: A Mediation Analysis, Tsung Hsuan Yang

Accounting Dissertations - Archive

In my dissertation, I study whether the top management team (TMT) between-member and within-member functional diversities affect firm performance. Between-member functional diversity, known as Dominant Functional Diversity (DFD), refers to the heterogeneity of functional experts on a TMT, and within-member functional diversity, known as Intrapersonal Functional Diversity (IFD), refers to the aggregate functional breadth of TMT members. My analysis indicates that IFD is positively and significantly associated with firm performance. The relationship between DFD and firm performance is also positive but not statistically significant. In the second analysis, I perform a mediation analysis to explore plausible mechanisms through which TMT …

A Machine Learning Approach To Constructing Ramsey Graphs Leads To The Trahtenbrot-Zykov Problem., Emily Hawboldt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Attempts at approaching the well-known and difficult problem of constructing Ramsey graphs via machine learning lead to another difficult problem posed by Zykov in 1963 (now commonly referred to as the Trahtenbrot-Zykov problem): For which graphs F does there exist some graph G such that the neighborhood of every vertex in G induces a subgraph isomorphic to F? Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to graph theory. Chapter 2 introduces Ramsey theory for graphs. Chapter 3 details a reinforcement learning implementation for Ramsey graph construction. The implementation is based on board game software, specifically the AlphaZero program and its …

Evaluating Chatgpt For Recommendation: How Does The Ability To Converse Impact Recommendation?, Kyle Spurlock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recommendation algorithms have become an absolute necessity in the modern world to avoid information overload. However, the interaction between the human and the system is largely superficial and without any real contact. If you are given poor recommendations, you have no choice but to sift through mountains of content on your own until the model learns to accommodate your tastes more. This is bad for business as well as the consumer. Recently, large language models like ChatGPT have seen a significant rise in popularity due to their ease of use and wide range of knowledge. It has now become nearly …

Development And Application Of A Microfluidic Platform For Quantifying Intra-Tumoral Compressive Stress., Zachary P. Fowler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cancer progression is linked to the emergence of aberrant mechanical signaling in the tumor microenvironment. Modulation of extrinsic signals, such as ECM stiffness and composition, have been thoroughly explored. However, the development of solid stresses within the tumor remains poorly understood. To address this, we have developed a microfluidic platform that generates deformable alginate microbeads that allow for the quantification of compressive stresses generated within a growing glioblastoma (GBM) tumorsphere. PDMS microfluidic devices were fabricated via SU-8 mold with channels ranging from 10µm-40µm in diameter. Fluorescently labeled sodium alginate underwent a cross-linking reaction within the device to generate monodisperse beads …

Investigation Of Possible Inflammatory Response After Ultrasound And Microbubble Procedure In The Spinal Cord., Jenna Wilkerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experiment is to explore the inflammatory effects of focused ultrasound paired with intravenously delivered microbubbles when used in the lumbar spinal cord. There are currently very few pharmaceuticals that can successfully enter the blood spinal cord barrier (BSCB). This technique used at the lumbar enlargement might allow targeted treatment of pathologies involving the spinal cord.

To test the possible inflammatory response of this technique, an animal experiment was performed. 15 animals were given a T12 laminectomy and allowed to fully recover. Once recovered, all animals received FUS+MB at L2 and were euthanized in groups of five …

Addition Of Process Control Experiment To Unit Operations Ii Laboratory., Bradley Esselman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Process control is an essential aspect of manufacturing, contributing to improved process safety, efficiency, product consistency, and energy optimization. Chemical engineers are often responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective operation of industrial processes, and process control plays a pivotal role in accomplishing this.

Chemical engineering students at the University of Louisville complete the course, Elements of Process Control, during the second semester of their fourth year. This lecture-based course offers limited hands-on, practical experience. To supplement the lack of hands-on experience in the classroom, a new process control experiment was designed and implemented into the Unit Operations …

Influence Of Hydrologic History On Nitrogen Cycling In Lake Sediments, Emily Jainarain

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Water quality is declining in freshwater lakes around the world due to environmental change and anthropogenic activities that threaten the physical, ecological, and geochemical integrity of freshwater ecosystems. Excess N and P in lakes can cause eutrophication, a major driver of water quality impairment that leads to excessive algal growth, or harmful algal blooms (HABs), and poses risks to recreation, fisheries, and public drinking water. Water level fluctuations in lakes are expected to become more frequent and intense as climate change increases periods of drought and alters precipitation patterns, and fluctuations may stimulate biogeochemical reactions in littoral sediments that add …