Digital Commons Network^™

Nanostructured Mn-Oxide And Composites For Supercapacitor Applications: Synthesis And Characterization, Alisha Dhakal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The global transition toward sustainable energy systems has intensified the need for high-performance, low-cost, and environmentally benign electrochemical energy storage materials. Among transition metal oxides, manganese-based compounds offer rich redox chemistry, natural abundance, and structural tunability, making them promising candidates for next-generation supercapacitors. This dissertation presents a comprehensive investigation into the structure–property–performance relationships of Mn oxide–based electrodes, emphasizing morphology engineering, precursor chemistry, electrolyte optimization, and composite formation. Three classes of materials were extensively studied: (i) MnO2, Mn2O3, and Mn3O4; (ii) morphology-controlled Mn2O3 synthesized via urea and piperazine-assisted hydrothermal routes; and (iii) advanced heterostructures including Mn2O3–Co3O4 and LaMnO3-based composites. MnO2 exhibited …

Civil, Construction, And Environmental Engineering Apr 2026 Self-Study Report & Documents, Unm Academic Program Review

UNM Academic Program Review

Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering APR self-study report, review team report, response report, and initial action plan for AY2025, fulfilling requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

Philosophy Apr 2026 Self-Study Report & Documents, Unm Academic Program Review

UNM Academic Program Review

Philosophy APR self-study report, review team report, response report, and initial action plan for AY2025, fulfilling requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

Public Policy Apr 2025 Self-Study Report & Documents, Unm Academic Program Review

UNM Academic Program Review

Public Policy APR self-study report, review team report, response report, and initial action plan for AY2025, fulfilling requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

Film And Digital Arts Apr 2025 Self-Study Report & Documents, Unm Academic Program Review

UNM Academic Program Review

NM Film and Digital Arts APR self-study report, review team report, response report, and initial action plan for AY2025, fulfilling requirements of the Higher Learning Commission.

How Do Social Network Models Compare To All-To-All Models For Forecasting Tuberculosis Epidemics? A Mathematical Modeling Study, Masabho Peter Milali, Hae-Young Kim, George Corliss, Anna Bershteyn

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Background. Mathematical models guide tuberculosis (TB) target-setting, yet most assume homogeneous “all-to-all” mixing. We compared projected intervention impacts between an all-to-all compartmental model and a Barabási–Albert (BA) scale‑free social network model under otherwise identical disease assumptions.

Methods. We calibrated transmission parameters so both models produced similar baseline trends, then introduced vaccination (coverage 30–70%; efficacy 80–95%) and treatment (20–50% increases in recovery) after a 400‑day burn‑in. Outcomes were assessed 300 days post‑intervention.

Results. Under 60% coverage, increasing vaccine efficacy from 80% to 95% yielded smaller projected reductions in active TB with the network model than with all‑to‑all mixing. Treatment improvements showed …

Electronic Book Acquisition Strategies In Academic Libraries: A Review Of The Literature, Rachel E. Scott, Michael A. Arthur

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

Electronic book (e-book) acquisition models have evolved over the decades they have been available to library customers. This review leverages findings from scholarly literature to document the proliferation and evolution of e-book acquisitions models, their strengths and weaknesses in various contexts, and their role in the collection development strategies of academic libraries. From firm orders and subscription packages to demand-driven and evidence-based acquisitions, engagement with e-book acquisitions models varies considerably based on factors such as library budget and staffing, institutional curriculum and programs, consortial affiliations, support for textbook affordability initiatives, and COVID-19 responses. The findings from this literature review suggest …

State: The Magazine Of Illinois State University, Spring 2026, Illinois State University, University Marketing And Communications

State: The Magazine of Illinois State University (1999-present)

Illinois State University alumni magazine

Integrated Biotechnological Strategies For Planetary Health And Ecosystem Restoration, Duygu T. Yildirim, A. Baki Yildirim, Donald Martin, Tommaso Beccari, Oscar Vicente, Iza Radecka, Fideline Tchuenbou-Magaia, Robert Marks, Ratnesh Lal, Satya Prakash, Adam Mechler, Mario Petrov Milkov, Svetlana Fotkova Georgieva, Ilia Iliev, Radka Kaneva, Nuriye Gokce, Galina Aleksieva Yaneva, Nadya Vasileva Agova, Nikoleta Dobromirova Ivanova, Izem Olcay Sahin, Mariya Kiryakova Tsvetkova, Ivelin Rosenov Iliev, Michel Salzet, Kisung Ko, Michele Maffia, Matteo Bertelli, Isabelle Fournier, Lejla Pojskic, Qun Sun, Lembit Nei, Reynir Armgrisson

Research Outputs: 2025-Present

The escalation of ecological degradation, marked by climatic instability, precipitous biodiversity loss, and systemic chemical infiltration, necessitates a shift toward integrated biotechnological intervention. This analysis considers how the trajectory of diverse advanced methodologies, including environmental DNA (eDNA) surveillance, CRISPR-based genetic restitution, and synthetic biology-driven bioremediation, might be synthesized into a unified Planetary Health Framework. By exploring the convergence of high-precision genomic engineering, AI-augmented bioinformatic modeling, and the tenets of a circular bio-economy, we examine the capacity of technological intervention to ameliorate ecological stressors and restore critical ecosystems. Moving beyond the constraints of conventional conservation, this discourse explores frontier solutions in …

Understanding Codebase Like A Professional! Human-Ai Collaboration For Code Comprehension, Jie Gao, Yue Xue, Xiaofei Xie, Junming Cao, Soemin Thant, Erika Lee, Bowen Xu

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Understanding an unfamiliar codebase is an essential task for developers in various scenarios, such as during the onboarding process. Especially when the codebase is large and time is limited, achieving a decent level of comprehension remains challenging for both experienced and novice developers, even with the assistance of large language models (LLMs). Existing studies have shown that LLMs often fail to support users in understanding code structures or to provide user-centered, adaptive, and dynamic assistance in real-world settings.To address this, we propose learning from the perspective of a unique role, code auditors, whose work often requires them to quickly familiarize …

Fully Decentralized Hierarchical Federated Learning At The Edge With Post-Quantum Secure Communication, Tariq Qayyum

Dissertations

Federated learning (FL) enables collaborative model training without centralizing raw data, but deploying FL at scale in real edge environments remains challenging because iterative training and aggregation must operate over heterogeneous, resource-constrained, and often mobile devices with time-varying connectivity. Conventional hierarchical federated learning (HFL) partially mitigates communication cost by introducing fog/edge aggregation, yet many designs retain cloud-based global aggregation and cloud-centric coordination. This places wide-area network latency on the critical path of every training round, creates a single point of failure, and limits responsiveness as model sizes and federation scale grow. Moreover, moving coordination and aggregation closer to the edge …

Traditional And Machine-Learning Equalization Techniques For Bandwidth-Limited Short-Reach Optical Communication Channels, Abdullah Khawatmi

Theses

This thesis investigates equalization techniques for bandwidth-limited short-reach optical communication systems, with a focus on Visible Light Communication (VLC) and Step-Index Plastic Optical Fiber (SI-POF) links. Commercial light-emitting diodes and photodiode receivers impose severe bandwidth constraints, inter-symbol interference, and noise sensitivity, which fundamentally limit achievable data rates. The work addresses these impairments through systematic evaluation of traditional digital signal processing–based equalizers and modern machine-learning-based post-equalization methods. The primary aim of this thesis is to enhance the achievable data rate and reliability of commercial short-reach optical links while maintaining practical computational complexity. Specifically, the objectives are to (i) design and experimentally …

A Computational Assessment Of Halobacterium Salinarum Glutamate Dehydrogenase Enzymes, Maaz Abdalla

Theses

Glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is a hexameric enzyme. GDH is involved in several pathways and cellular processes such as oxidation-reduction homeostasis, ammonia metabolism, lipid biosynthesis, insulin and lactate production, and acid-base equilibrium. The main objective of this thesis is to understand the structural and biochemical properties of this enzyme and why some organisms, for e.g., Halobacterium salinarum, have more than one GDH with different coenzyme specificities. The catabolism of glutamate is linked to NAD+ specific GDHs, meanwhile, NADP+ specific GDHs play an anabolic role in ammonia assimilation. Molecular docking and binding free energy calculations were employed followed by long-scale (500 nanoseconds) …

Efficient Energy Management In Networked Microgrids Using Multi-Agent Deep Reinforcement Learning In The Presence Of Uncertainties, Ayodele Benjamin Chukwuyem

Dissertations

Microgrid technology is essential in facilitating the transition to smart energy grids in developed countries and mitigating energy poverty in developing countries, particularly in areas where grid extensions are not feasible. Recently, the concept of networked microgrids (NMGs) has garnered tremendous attention due to the plausibility of interactions among interconnected microgrids leading to power networks that are more resilient, reliable, and stable. However, because each microgrid has diverse distributed generation resources (renewables and controllable generators) and each microgrid operator (MO) has different objectives, coordinated energy management is required to satisfy local and system-wide goals under conditions with significant uncertainty. Existing …

Cas Honor Symposium Program, Spring 2026, College Of Arts & Sciences Honors Program

College of Arts & Sciences Honors in the Major Symposium

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Prescribed Burning On Forest Soil Low-Molecular-Weight Organic Acids, Ariana Guiscelle Rivera-Anazco

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOAs) play important roles in nutrient mobilization, microbial activity, and carbon cycling in forest soils, yet their response to prescribed fire and thinning remains poorly understood. This thesis examined whether thinning and prescribed burning altered extractable LMWOA in O-horizon soils from the Lubrecht Experimental Forest. The study focused on lactic, propionic, glycolic, acetic, and formic acids measured in soils collected immediately before and approximately two weeks after the 2024 prescribed burn across four treatment categories: control, burn, thin, and thin+burn. The managed plots belong to a long-term experiment first treated in 2001-2002, whereas the control remained unmanaged …

Evaluating Human Rod Photoreceptor Function Using Pixelwise Intensity-Based Optoretinography, Gao Yang, Mina Gaffney, Robert F. Cooper

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: More than 50 inherited retinal diseases are known, with rod photoreceptor functional loss serving as an early indicator in nearly half of them. The “optoretinogram” is a relatively new assay that detects optical changes in cells in response to stimuli. This tool has excellent potential for providing insights into the earliest functional changes of rod photoreceptors, with the potential to assist in the early detection, monitoring, and treatment of retinal diseases.

Methods: In this work, we obtained intensity-based optoretinograms (iORGs) from rod photoreceptors using an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope. We explore the necessity of both individual rod identification …

Severity And Duration-Dependent Aortic Stiffening In A Rabbit Coarctation Model Identifies Constitutive Material Parameters As Promising Regional Biomarkers For Hypertension Progression, Arash Ghorbannia, Jamasp Azarnoosh, John F. Ladisa Jr.

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) alters hemodynamics and drives regional remodeling, yet the influence of severity and duration on constitutive properties is undefined. We quantified mechanical responses from CoA to identify constitutive parameters capturing stiffening across clinical severities and durations. Mild (≤ 12 mmHg), intermediate (13–20 mmHg), and severe (> 20 mmHg) CoA was created in rabbits for short, long, and prolonged durations (~ 1, 3, or 22 weeks, respectively). Stress–stretch curves from proximal and distal regions were fit with multiple constitutive models (Linear Elastic, Neo-Hookean, Yeoh, Ogden, Mooney–Rivlin, Holzapfel). Model performance was evaluated by normalized RMSE and R², with …

Development And Acceptability Of A Patient Decision Aid For People With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: An International Mixed-Methods Study, Andrew R. Gamble, David B. Anderson, Marnee J. Mckay, Benjamin M. Davies, Sophie Macpherson, James Van Gelder, Tammy Hoffmann, Kirsten Mccaffery, Samuel X. Stevens, Carlo Ammendolia, Rohil V. Chauhan, Carl M. Zipser, Timothy F. Boerger, Lindsay A. Tetreault, Michael G. Fehlings, Elanor Dustan, Carolyn Nugent, Helen Holmgren, Andreas K. Demetriades, Justin M. Lantz, Rana Dhillon, Chris G. Maher, Joshua R. Zadro

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives To develop and user-test a patient decision aid for people diagnosed with degenerative cervical myelopathy and who are considering surgery.

Design Mixed-methods study describing the development of a patient decision aid.

Setting A draft decision aid was developed by a multidisciplinary steering group (including study authors with degenerative cervical myelopathy, health professionals and researchers) informed by the best available evidence, authorship consensus and existing patient decision aids.

Participants Patient-participants and health professional-participants who manage people with degenerative cervical myelopathy were recruited through social media and the steering group’s research and practice network. Quantitative questionnaires were used to gather baseline …

Midweek Memo, Georgia Southern University

Midweek Memo

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• Around the Nest

Research And Innovation Update, April 1, 2026, Office Of The Vice President For Research And Innovation

Office of Research, Economic Engagement and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Variation In Corneal Biomechanical Properties Following Continuous Cross-Linking Treatment, Chenhao Zhao, Xinyu Yao, Yewei Zhao, Hongjiang Wu, Xuanya Tong, Daniela Oehring, Lan Yang, Xiaofei Zhou, Ying Li, Yanjie Shen, Yufeng Ye, Shihao Chen, Jia Qu, Qinmei Wang, Ahmed Elsheikh, Fangjun Bao

School of Health Professions

Background: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of transepithelial accelerated corneal cross-linking (transEpi ACXL) when applied separately or combined with phototherapeutic keratectomy (transPTK ACXL) in keratoconic eyes using biomechanical parameters. Methods: The study included eyes with progressive keratoconus treated with either continuous transEpi ACXL or transPTK ACXL with 6 months follow-up. The following parameters were assessed preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively: biomechanically corrected intraocular pressure (bIOP), maximum and mean keratometry (K _max and K _m), minimum and central corneal thickness (MCT and CCT), corneal coma, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), deformation amplitude ratio at 2 mm nasal/temporal (DAR2), …

Development, Performance Analysis And Application Of Polymer Inclusion Membranes: A Critical Review, Shayan Abrishami, Mahsa Golmohammadi, Matthew Myers, Masoumeh Zargar, Antonia Pérez De Los Ríos, Francisco José Hernández-Fernández, Amir Razmjou

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Polymer Inclusion Membranes (PIMs) have emerged as sustainable separation platforms that integrate carrier-mediated selectivity within stable polymeric matrices, eliminating drawbacks of conventional solvent extraction such as solvent loss and emulsion formation. This review examines the fundamental principles, recent developments, and performance characteristics of PIMs, emphasizing design, fabrication, and operational optimization. The three essential components, base polymers, plasticizers, and carriers are systematically analysed alongside their synergistic effects on membrane stability, selectivity, and transport efficiency. Emerging materials including ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents as dual-function plasticizers/carriers receive particular attention. Preparation methods are critically evaluated, including solution casting, phase inversion, and thermal …

The Impact Of Corporate Venture Capital On Financing And Innovation In Academic Entrepreneurial Firms, Tingting Luo

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Amid the ongoing advancement of China’s innovation-driven development strategy, the effective transformation of scientific research into industrial impact has become a central concern. Corporate Venture Capital (CVC), as a strategic investment mechanism connecting industrial capital with entrepreneurial ventures, is increasingly viewed as a critical external resource for high-technology start-ups. At the same time, Academic Entrepreneurship Firms (AEFs), characterized by their deep research capabilities and original technological trajectories, play a distinctive role as knowledge suppliers in uncertain, emerging industries. However, whether AEFs can effectively attract CVC support and convert it into innovation performance remains an open empirical and theoretical question.

This …

The Impact Of De-Familization Of Governance Structures On Corporate Performance During The Intergenerational Succession Of Family Businesses, Jing Qiao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Intergenerational succession poses a vital challenge for family firms, with only 10% of global family businesses surviving to the third generation. Chinese family firms, growing alongside reform and opening-up, now face a critical succession period as founders average over 60 years old.

Based on 1932 A-share listed family firms from 2007 to 2024, this study theoretically and empirically examines how intergenerational succession affects corporate performance, investigates the mediating role of governance de-familization (management, ownership, control rights), and tests the moderating effect of intergenerational differences.

First, succession significantly harms financial and market performance: ROE falls by 1.330% and Tobin’s Q drops …

A Study On The Capital Market Valuation Effects Of Corporate Ai Adoption: An Empirical Analysis Of Manufacturing Firms In China's A-Share Market, Libin Ma

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation examines whether and how corporate adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) affects capital market valuation in manufacturing firms. As AI is increasingly embedded in R&D design, production organization, supply chain coordination, and operational management, its value implications depend not only on whether firms adopt AI, but also on how AI is deployed within business processes. Existing research has mainly focused on productivity, innovation, labor substitution, and digital transformation, while the enterprise value consequences of differentiated AI application strategies remain insufficiently examined.

Using Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2015 to 2024 as the sample, this study identifies firm-level AI …

From Ancient Harmony To Modern Sustainability: Assessing The Coupling Of Taoist “Harmony Between Humanity And Nature” With Esg And Its Impact On Firm Innovation And Performance, Biyi Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Against the backdrop of intensifying global ecological crises, the ESG evaluation system has become a core metric for corporate sustainable development worldwide. However, the Western-dominated ESG system lacks crucial cultural dimensions in its application within Chinese corporate practices. The ecological wisdom embedded in the Taoist concept of “Harmony between Humanity and Nature” offers a significant philosophical foundation for the ESG localization. Extant research has focused on the influence of Confucian culture on ESG, with insufficient exploration of the modern managerial value of “Harmony between Humanity and Nature”. A scientific coupling framework linking this concept with ESG indicators has yet to …

Compliance Supervision And Firm Performance: An Empirical Study On Digital Transformation Of The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry, Jun Ma

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The biopharmaceutical industry, characterized by stringent global regulatory oversight, faces a pivotal theoretical tension regarding the nexus between regulatory compliance and corporate performance. The traditional perspectives often frame compliance as an “operational burden”, while the emerging viewpoints posit it as a “strategic asset”. Grounded in an integrated framework of the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Dynamic Capability (DC), this study investigates the moderating role of digital transformation in the relationship between Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance and corporate performance.

Employing a mixed-method design, this paper conducted two complementary studies. Study 1 adopted a grounded theory based on interviews with nine industry …

Rethinking Artifact Evaluation For Software Engineering In The Age Of Generative Ai, Christoph Treude, Christopher M. Poskitt, Rashina Hoda

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Peer review in software engineering research operates under tight time constraints, while generative AI has substantially reduced the human effort required to produce polished research narratives. Reviewer attention is often spent on aspects of submissions such as writing quality or literature positioning that have become relatively less effort-intensive to address, rather than on evaluating the scientific substance of a paper. At the same time, assessing whether methods are implemented correctly, analyses are sound, and claims are supported by evidence remains effort-intensive and dependent on human expertise. In software engineering research, this substance is frequently embodied in artifacts, including code, data, …

Additive Manufacturing Of Ti-Ni Based Ternary Shape Memory Alloys, Yitao Chen, Frank Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Metal additive manufacturing has become a powerful tool to develop customized metal alloys and to discover more advanced properties for novel extended applications. Ti-Ni based shape memory alloy is a group of intriguing smart functional materials, and adding a small amount of a third element can promote and induce more attractive functions. Due to the difficulty in traditional processing and the unique feature of material flexibility of in-situ alloying in additive manufacturing processes, not only Ti-Ni binary shape memory alloys but also Ti-Ni-X ternary shape memory alloys can be developed, manufactured, and investigated in-depth by additive manufacturing. This paper provides …