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Rising Numbers, Rising Risks: Population, Growth, And Natural Disasters, Sophia Becker-Toro, Yu Ouyang

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

How does population size and growth affect the risk of natural disasters? On October 7, 2024, before Hurricane Milton makes landfall in the Tampa Bay area, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issues a dire warning to affected citizens: “I can say without any dramatization whatsoever. If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die.” While there is an extensive literature which focuses on the impact of climate change and/or natural disasters, there is a dearth of works on how population affects the risks of natural disasters. As both the frequency and severity of storms and …

Strategies To Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening In Rural Primary Care Clinics, Brenda Sue Holland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are lower in rural areas than in urban settings. Individuals in rural areas have lower screening rates due to geographic isolation, provider shortages, and socioeconomic barriers. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify and synthesize best practices for implementing evidence-based strategies to increase CRC screening rates in rural primary care clinics. A systematic literature search across multiple databases identified 24 relevant articles published between 2019 and 2025. The Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model (JHEBPM) rated articles for evidence and quality, while the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) guided the analysis. Thematic analysis identified four …

The Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of Fresh Produce Distribution In Rockingham County And The City Of Harrisonburg, Lauren A. Fisher, Alisa Hart

ASPIRE 2026

Fresh produce is essential to a balanced diet; however, many families struggle to access consistent sources of it. In 2022, about 17 million households were without access to nutritionally sound food from an easy to access source (Godoy 2023). About 10% of the populations of Rockingham County (approximately 17,000 people) are considered to be food insecure with at least 1,000 of those being children (Map the Meal Gap 2016).  Many of those experiencing food insecurity rely heavily on the emergency food system (e.g. food pantries).  Highly processed foods tend to be less expensive and shelf stable than the healthier fresh, …

Self-Assembly Interactions In Magnetite-Coated Cellulose Nanocrystals: Implications For Magnetic Hyperthermia Applications, Mohammad J. Hasan, Erin L. Mcneill, Kishore Chand, Juganta Roy, Monishita Deb, Katherine Schlaak, Sydney Herzog, Yvonne Sun, Sarah Watzman, Esteban E. Ureña-Benavides, Erick S. Vasquez-Guardado

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

Magnetic cellulose nanocrystal (MCNC) nanocomposites are promising sustainable and biocompatible platforms for magnetic hyperthermia; however, the molecular mechanisms governing Fe3O4 adsorption and deposition onto CNCs remain poorly understood. Here, sulfated (S-CNC) and TEMPO-oxidized CNCs (T-CNC) were used to prepare nanocomposites at 1:2 and 1:4 CNC:Fe3O4 mass ratios, enabling a systematic evaluation of how surface chemistry and nanoparticle loading dictate interfacial interactions and magneto-colloidal behavior. Bare magnetite nanoparticles were 21 ± 5 nm by TEM but grew to 144 ± 18 in the DLS measurement at pH 7. The S-CNC nanocomposites had hydrodynamic sizes between 144 and 210 nm, not much …

2026 Library Award Winners, University Of Dayton

University Libraries Blog Archive

Congratulations to Lilly Lowe, Maggie Romano and Stacy Ngo.

Design And Implementation Of A Customer Retention And Voice Ai System For El Nopal, Brando Medina

Undergraduate Theses

This Honors Applied Thesis documents the design and implementation of a live Customer Retention and Voice AI System for El Nopal, a full-service restaurant, to improve customer follow-up, routine communication handling, and cross-channel engagement. The project was developed for El Nopal’s Tyler Center location on Taylorsville Road and focused on building a practical artifact rather than primarily evaluating long-term business outcomes. The completed v1 system consists of three modules: a Customer Retention System centered on a QR-based VIP rewards workflow, a Voice AI System for routine phone support, and a Cross-Channel Integration Layer that connects voice interactions to CRM-based SMS …

American Society For Testing & Materials V. Upcodes Inc

2026 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Gas Lift Valve Operation Under Elevated Pressure And Temperature Conditions, Pedro O. De Melo Flores

LSU Master's Theses

Gas lift valves are critical components in artificial lift systems, and their performance directly influences well unloading efficiency and long-term production. Current industry models used to correct valve opening and closing pressure for temperature rely on assumptions that have not been extensively validated against experimental data. This study experimentally investigates the opening and closing behavior of injection pressure-operated (IPO) gas lift valves under controlled elevated-temperature conditions. A load rate test bench was modified to include a heating system capable of maintaining valve temperatures up to 220°F. Five gas lift valve designs from multiple manufacturers were tested over a range of …

Executive Committee - Agenda, 04/07/2026, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Agendas

No abstract provided.

Executive Committee - Minutes, 04/07/2026, Academic Senate

Academic Senate Minutes

For agenda, see: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/senateagendas/1432/

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study On The Ethical Use Of Artificial Intelligence In Instructional Practice, Jan David Bagwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the instruction of the ethical use of artificial intelligence through the lived experiences for teachers at Little Texas High School, North Carolina. The theory guiding this study was Mishra and Koehler’s technological pedagogical content knowledge theory, which explains how teachers can use their knowledge of content, pedagogical practices, and technology to integrate the three skill sets to best instruct their students. This framework aligns with the ethical use of artificial intelligence because it recognizes artificial intelligence as a technological tool that can be used with a teacher’s content knowledge to …

Organic Photocatalysts For Desulfurization Of Fuels, A K M Maksudul Hasan

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Desulfurization of fuels is a critical process for reducing sulfur contents in petroleum-based fuels to mitigate environmental pollution and meet the regulatory standards. Among various pollutants, Sulfur is the deadliest as inhaling leads to coughing, shortness of breath, sinus problem as well as the death of brain cells. Petroleum has a number of organosulfur derivatives, for example in crude oil (0.1 to 6wt% sulfur), which should be removed before using in combustion engines and other applications. High sulfur containing petroleum products used in engines and power plants would lead to the formation of sulfurdioxide (SO2) which would contribute to the …

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Exploring Leadership Styles That Support Teacher Retention In Christian Secondary Schools, Jeremy T. Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the leadership styles of school administrators that influence teacher retention for secondary Christian school teachers, in a southeastern coastal state. The theory guiding this study was Avolio’s full-range leadership model, which provides the background to understanding how leadership styles of school administrators influence the retention rate of their teachers. The central research question was: What are the retention experiences of secondary Christian school educators who attribute their persistence to the leadership styles of school administrators? Data was collected from 11 secondary Christian school teachers to explore the persistence experiences of …

Multiple-Valued Quantum Automata For Robotics, Yuchen Huang

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation introduces a new type of quantum automata, their encoding and circuit realization. I concentrate on possible applications in robotics. Several methods and application of quantum automata and quantum circuit-based controllers for elementary robotic systems, with a focus on humanoid robot motion, emotion, and behavior generation are illustrated in detail. The research introduces several novel methodologies that bridge quantum computing principles with robotic control, aiming to overcome the limitations of classical deterministic and probabilistic approaches.

The dissertation first presents a quantum-circuit-based framework for generating non-repetitive and expressive (e)motions in a humanoid robot actor, using superposition and entanglement to produce …

Green Synthesis Of Biodiesel From Pliek U Oil Using Oyster Shell–Derived Calcium Oxide Modified With Pva: Structural Characterization And Catalytic Performance, Masyithah Fauzi, Maulidhia Syifa, Nurul Syafika, Bhayu Gita Bhernama

Chimica et Natura Acta

The production of biodiesel from local resources is a strategic approach to support sustainable energy transition. This study aimed to synthesize and evaluate the performance of a heterogeneous catalyst derived from oyster shell-based calcium oxide (CaO) modified with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a binder, for the transesterification of Pliek U oil into biodiesel. CaO was synthesized by calcining oyster shells at 800°C, followed by PVA modification to improve structural stability and catalytic activity. The catalyst was characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) to observe crystal patterns, while the resulting biodiesel was analyzed by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and Fourier Transform Infrared …

Transcriptomic Analysis Of Xeroderma Pigmentosum Group C Skin Samples, Austen N. Gleave

Theses and Dissertations

Xeroderma Pigmentosum is a rare genetic disorder caused by defective DNA damage repair enzymes. This condition results in an increased risk of developing skin cancer and other symptoms in those affected. In this thesis, we examined the effects of Xeroderma Pigmentosum on gene expression in patient skin biopsy samples. To accomplish this, we utilized statistical analysis of spatial transcriptomic and single-cell RNA sequencing techniques to discover differences between patient and heterozygous carrier skin samples. We found that the skin samples from Xeroderma Pigmentosum patients showed elevated levels of inflammation, immune activation, and cellular stress, while the carrier skin samples leaned …

Elizabeth Craig Awarded Class Of 1937 Professorship In Marine Biology, Unh Communications And Public Affairs

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Ai Method For Classification Of Diagnosis Of Near-Infrared Breast Lesion Images, Kaiquan Chen, Fangyang Shen, Honggang Wang, Zhengchao Dong, Jizhong Xiao, Ming Ma, Afroza Aktar, Christopher Chow, Wenxiong Zhang

Publications and Research

In near-infrared optical breast lesion screening and diagnosis systems, high-speed four-dimensional scanners can dynamically acquire tens of thousands of lesion images within a five-minute period. Currently, manual computer annotation is required to generate standard samples from these scanned breast lesion images, a process that depends heavily on physicians with clinical expertise. On average, a single physician can annotate only approximately ten samples per working day. As a result, this process is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and the collected samples often suffer from low accuracy, large variability, and limited diagnostic reliability. Several AI-based annotation tools, such as QuPath, HALO AI™, and X-AnyLabeling, …

Administrative Burden: The Hidden Costs Associated With Participating In The Department Of Veterans Affairs’ Disability Compensation Process, Christopher Anthony Campagno

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has characterized the Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) as a procedural success, citing reductions in remand rates and increases in grant rates. However, VA’s reporting on AMA performance has generally focused on adjudicatory outcomes and has not addressed the administrative burden costs veterans incur while navigating the disability compensation process. Although current scholarship documents administrative burden in other public programs, little empirical work has examined how it manifests in VA’s disability compensation process. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to examine how veterans describe the learning, psychological, and compliance costs they experienced …

Evolution Of Polypyrrole Electrode During Electropolymerization And Its Effect On Energy Storage Performance, Duy Pham, Ryan Tcheutchoua Gouafong, Jake Irvin, Ben Mckinney, Jacob Dileonardi, Mason Cox, Ashish Aphale

Faculty Articles

This study investigates the influence of electropolymerization time on the evolution of morphology and the electrochemical performance of polypyrrole (PPy) electrodes. The PPy films were synthesized by varying the deposition time from 300 seconds to 1800 seconds, corresponding to 5 to 50 cycles. The electrodes were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and SEM, and electrochemical analyses were conducted using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD). Experimental results showed that increasing deposition time yields large cauliflower-like structures, thereby enhancing capacitance. The 50 cycle electrode exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 412 F/g in a three-electrode configuration …

An Llm-Based Agentic Network Traffic Incident-Report Approach Towards Explainable-Ai Network Defense, Chia Hong Chou, Arjun Sudheer, Younghee Park

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Traditional intrusion detection systems for IoT networks achieve high classification accuracy but lack interpretability and actionable incident-response capabilities, limiting their operational value in security-critical environments. This paper presents a graph-based multi-agent framework that integrates ensemble machine learning with Large Language Model (LLM)-powered incident report generation via Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). The system employs a three-phase architecture: (1) a lightweight Random Forest binary pre-detection, achieving 99.49% accuracy with a 6 MB model size for edge deployment; (2) ensemble classification combining Multi-Layer Perceptron, Random Forest, and XGBoost with soft voting and SHAP-based feature attribution for explainability; and (3) a ReAct-based summary agent that …

Simulations Of A High Ozone Episode And Heatwave Day Using A Coupled Multi-Layer Urban Canopy And Chemistry Model, H. Gamarro, W. M. Angevine, B. C. Mcdonald, R. Bornstein, P. Ramamurthy, F. Moshary, L. M. Judd, J. E. González-Cruz

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Coastal cities face critical challenges in managing ozone pollution because of high population density and complex interactions between urbanization and coastal meteorology. Using New York City (NYC) as a case study, this work examines how urban surfaces influence heatwaves, sea-breeze circulations, and boundary-layer dynamics, and how these processes shape nitrogen dioxide ((Formula presented.)) distributions and ozone formation. Observations from the 2018 Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS), collected with an airborne high-resolution ultraviolet–visible spectrometer, provide tropospheric (Formula presented.) column densities for evaluating the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) in multiple urban canopy configurations. Results show …

A Portfolio Of Actionable Science: How Public Sector Opportunities Can Unlock Equitable Outcomes, Kathryn Dana Sjostrom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Patterns of structural and socioeconomic disparities are stark. Public sector actors, in particular planners and grant managers, have a responsibility to thoughtfully allocate funds to better address longstanding disparities. This study provides examples of how actionable science looks in practice in local government contexts and grounds the work in the literature across planning, public administration, and anthropology fields. This inter-disciplinary approach helps identify co-production as a common theme to stitch these works together. First, a case study in green fleet efforts offers a co-produced approach and detailed program evaluation to justify and continue encouraging the use of idle mitigation technology …

Negotiating Tonal Language And Western Melody: Mandarin Diction And Performance Practice In The Art Songs Of Huang Zi And Gao Ping, Xueying Ye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study examines the relationship between Mandarin lexical tones and melodic contour in Chinese art song, focusing on how this interaction shapes vocal performance practice. Through case studies of Huang Zi’s Three Wishes of the Rose and selected songs from Gao Ping’s Melody Abandoned, the project explores how two Western-educated Chinese composers from different historical periods negotiate poetic text, tonal language, and musical expression within evolving cultural contexts. The central research question investigates how the tonal structure of Mandarin interacts with Western-derived compositional techniques, and how this interaction presents specific challenges for non-native Mandarin singers. By analyzing poetic form, musical …

Exploring Mathematics Faculty Perceptions Of Instructional Design In Ai-Integrated Tools: A Phenomenological Study, Taylor Victoria Moreau

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of higher education mathematics faculty implementing artificial intelligence tools in their classrooms. The theory that guided this study was Piaget’s cognitive learning theory, which emphasizes that learners absorb knowledge by building upon previous understandings and experiences. The central research question guiding this study is: What are the lived experiences of mathematics faculty in higher education who utilize AI tools to support instructional design in their classrooms? Purposeful sampling was used to recruit full-time or visiting mathematics faculty members from four-year colleges and universities in the eastern United …

Evaluation Of Thrombotic Markers In Diabetic Septic Foot: A Study Of Coagulation And Hematological Parameters In Khartoum State, Anwar S. Alhussan, Sahar Elbagir, Sarah O. Alsawmhi, Hassn Pyar

Chimica et Natura Acta

Diabetes mellitus is a globally prevalent chronic disease. It is characterized by a metabolic dysregulation in insulin secretion, resulting in persistent hyperglycemia. Uncontrolled HbA1c levels may lead to various complications, including diabetic Septic foot (DSF), which in severe cases can progress to lower limb amputation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate coagulation profiles and hematological parameters as potential thrombotic and inflammatory markers associated with diabetic foot infections. Preventive measures, patient education, and proper diabetic foot care remain the cornerstone strategies for reducing the risk and progression of such complications. The Total of 120 participants were divided into three groups by …

The Courts Closest To The People: The Battle Between Populism And Democracy In The U.S. District Courts, Shruti Rana

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

The U.S. district courts have emerged as a critical site of contested terrain amid the chaos and controversies consuming American law and politics since the start of the second Trump administration. This article examines these frontline courts through the theoretical lens of populism, arguing that they have become a critical institutional flashpoint in the populist assault on constitutional democracy in the United States. As the courts closest to the people, the district courts occupy a unique structural position: They are the fact-finding courts, the most geographically dispersed and professionally diverse tier of the federal judiciary, and often the first institutional …

A Prolonged Nightly Fasting Plus Telehealth Coaching Intervention (Pnf+) For Men On Androgen Deprivation Therapy For Pca: A Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial, Kuang-Yi Wen, Julianne Freedman, Kevin K. Zarrabi, Rachel Slamon, Rita Smith, Jessica Liang, Patrick Mille, William J. Tester, William Kevin Kelly

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a 3-month health coaching intervention to promote PNF and healthy diet for men on ADT for PCa.

Methods: The study was carried out via a two-armed randomized controlled trial including 40 patients with PCa at a medical center in Philadelphia. During the 3-month period, the intervention group (PNF+) received health coaching utilizing an interactive text message system, and the control group received healthy eating text messages for the same duration. The outcome variables were feasibility and acceptability.

Results: The PNF+ group (n = 27) had high …

Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Operating Room Nurse Interns Transitioning To Practice: A Qualitative Study, Christina C. Baker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the essence of the lived experiences of new graduate nurse interns transitioning to the operating room (OR) specialty at a southeastern U.S. university hospital system. Many hospitals have nurse residency programs designed to support and facilitate new nursing graduates’ transition to practice areas. The OR is a highly specialized nursing area requiring training in addition to what is offered in nurse residency programs. The central research question was, what is the lived experience of new graduate OR nurses as they complete their transition to practice programs? The theory guiding this …

The Successful Transition Of Military Veterans To Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, Kenneth Hollis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of student veterans as they transition into 4-year universities in the southern region of the United States. The problem guiding this work is that student veterans often face significant challenges in achieving academic and personal success during the transition from military service to civilian campus life. The theory guiding this study was Schlossberg's transition theory, as it provides a framework for understanding the factors that influence individuals' experiences during change and transition how veterans navigate the academic, social, and psychological dimensions of this pivotal life change. The …