Digital Commons Network^™

Sex Disparities In Prescription Opioids Associated Cardiovascular Adverse Events, Li Ma

Theses and Dissertations

The opioid crisis in the United States has evolved from a medical response to pain into a nationwide public health emergency. The prescription opioids (POs) – associated cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) remain insufficiently studied, especially in relation to sex disparities. This dissertation investigates sex disparities in PO-associated cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) through an analytic framework integrating artificial-intelligence-assisted literature mining and real-world pharmacovigilance analytics. In the analytic framework, first, AI powered topic modeling was employed to uncover POs-associated CVAEs risks with a focus on sex differences. A total of 1,837 PubMed abstracts were analyzed using two methods, Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) …

Musculoskeletal Disorders In Dentistry: An Insight Into Dental Techniques And Practices, Mehwash Kashif, Aman Ashar, Amna Rehman, Abdul Aleem, Sidra-Tul-Muntaha Hashmi, Muhammad Yousuf Ali

Journal of Dentistry Indonesia

Objective: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common workplace hazards in dentistry resulting from poor ergonomics and static postures, which lead to back, neck, and upper limb (shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand) problems among dentists, resulting in harm to their health, productivity, and career. This study aimed to assess the frequency of MSDs, risk factors related to MSDs, and awareness of ergonomics among clinicians. Methods: Data were collected from 400 dental professionals, including house officers, postgraduate trainees, general dentists, and teachers/consultants, each with at least 12 months of practice. Data were collected using a structured, closed-ended questionnaire. Before data collection, ethical approval …

Pavements And The Urban Heat Island Effect: A Network Analysis Of Research Trends And Knowledge Structure, Fouzieh Rouzmehr, Saman Jamshidi

Architecture Faculty Research

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is one of the most pressing challenges associated with rapid urbanization. It arises primarily from the replacement of natural vegetation with impervious surfaces, alterations in surface energy balance, and heat emissions from human activity. Mitigating these drivers has become a global priority, particularly in fast-growing cities. Pavements play a central role in UHI intensification due to their large surface coverage, low albedo, and capacity to retain heat. This study adopts a bibliometric approach to systematically map the knowledge structure and research trends in pavement-related UHI studies. A dataset of 834 publications from Web of …

Stakeholder Criteria For Trust In Artificial Intelligence-Based Computer Perception Tools In Health Care: Qualitative Interview Study, Ansh Rai, Meghan E Hurley, John Herrington, Eric A Storch, Casey J Zampella, Julia Parrish-Morris, Anika Sonig, Gabriel Lázaro-Muñoz, Kristin Kostick-Quenet

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Computer perception (CP) technologies hold significant promise for advancing precision mental health care systems, given their ability to leverage algorithmic analysis of continuous, passive sensing data from wearables and smartphones (eg, behavioral activity, geolocation, vocal features, and ambient environmental data) to infer clinically meaningful behavioral and physiological states. However, successful implementation critically depends on cultivating well-founded stakeholder trust.

Objective: This study aims to investigate, across adolescents, caregivers, clinicians, and developers, the contingencies under which CP technologies are deemed trustworthy in health care.

Methods: We conducted 80 semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of adolescents (n=20) diagnosed with autism, Tourette …

An Axe To The Funny Bone: Curated Instability And Horror-Comedy Intersections In American Storytelling, Samantha Box

Masters Theses

Funny. Terrifying. Subversive.

Horror-Comedy twists and bites at the intersection of two incredibly reactive genres— with both Horror and Comedy being well known for the political and social discourses they embody and reinvent through story. While prevalent in American popular culture, scholarly analysis of this hybrid space barely exists beyond a small number of Film Studies investigations. Despite this lack, Horror-Comedy works continue to be successfully produced. This thesis unpacks the vibrant relationship between fear and laughter in contemporary American storytelling through Horror-Comedy, maintaining a focus on structural dynamics and the audience-disarming results of simultaneously applying horror and humor to …

The Diamond, December 12, 2025, Dordt University

Dordt Diamond

• Front Page: Dordt TPUSA Chapter Stuck in Approval Process; The Future of Christian Colleges in Light of Trinity's Closure; Hoyt Reinalda - A Life of Dedication and Improbability
• Feature: "Rivers in the Desert" - Dordt Student Releases Creation Care Podcast; The Dordt Barber Boom - Student Hair Cuts Surge; Dordt Places Second in Esteemed National Finance Competition; The Church and the Crescent - Understanding Islam; Student Visas - How Proposed Legislation May Affect International Students at Dordt; The Word Became Flesh - Music Department Presents "Historic" Choral Christmas Concert
• News: Celebrating the Retirement of Librarian Tricia Kok; …

Modern Technology Addiction: Developer Duty Of Care, Jonah Hampton

Honors College Theses

Technology addiction includes any frequent use of technology which interferes in the user’s life. The subject continues growth as an epidemic and research field, yet prior literature does not often analyze the role of technology developers. This study performs a literature and legal synthesis to evaluate user and company responsibility, implications of responsibility, and promising solutions. Post 2020 literature was selected for coverage on context, addictive features, effects, solutions, or perspectives on law. Legal examples from different addiction industries were also selected for analysis to understand previous precedents. The study found a pattern of addictive traits, persuasive design, and recurring …

The Effects Of Nanobubble Fertigation And Soil Conditioners To Improve Nutrient Dynamics, Soil Microbial Activity, And Chili Productivity, Betty Natalie Fitriatin, Euis Ahah Rokayah, Elsa Naila Elmyra, Tualar Simarmata, Nicky Oktav Fauziah, Hanif Fakhrurroja

Jurnal Kultivasi

Drip fertigation is a fertilization method that integrates nutrient delivery with an irrigation system, which is capable of optimizing the direct delivery of nutrients to the root zone. This experiment aims to investigate the effect of drip fertigation with nanobubble technology, and soil conditioners on the population of Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) and Azotobacter spp., available phosphorus, total nitrogen, growth, and yield of red chili. The study used a Strip Plot Design with two factors and three replications. The first factor was nutrient application (solid NPK fertilizing as control; drip fertigation; and drip fertigation with nanobubble technology), and the second factor …

Effect Of Nano Edible Coating, Storage Temperature, And Packaging On Water Content, Weight Loss, And Color On Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus Ostreatus), Inneke Amalia, Warid Ali Qosim, Kusumiyati

Jurnal Kultivasi

Oyster mushrooms are one of the most commonly consumed mushrooms due to their high nutritional content, including protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, as well as their antioxidant properties. However, these mushrooms are easily damaged by microbes and poor post-harvest handling, which affects their quality. The combination of nano-edible coating, packaging, and storage temperature offers a solution to these issues. This study aims to evaluate the effects of nano-edible coating, packaging, and storage temperature on water content, weight loss, and the color (L*, a*, and b*) of oyster mushrooms. The study was conducted at the Horticulture Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas …

Board Of Trustees Agenda, Dec. 12 2025, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

Board Of Trustees Minutes, Dec. 12, 2025, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

Indiana State University Board of Trustees meeting minutes

Lifetime Prediction Of Electrolytic Capacitors Under Variable Loadings In Electric Vehicles For Prognostics And Health Management Applications, Jaewon Lee

Electronic Dissertations and Theses, 2010-current

Aluminum electrolytic capacitors (AECs) are widely used in electric vehicles (EVs) power electronics but are also a primary source of wear-out failures. Most previously proposed lifetime models were derived under constant loading conditions and therefore cannot capture variable loading arising from seasonal or diurnal temperature swings and user-dependent driving profiles in EVs. This study develops a variable-loading lifetime prediction framework for AECs, which can be further extended to prognostics and health management (PHM). Collectively, the results of the study demonstrate a framework suitable for PHM application, in which SoD-based lifetime prediction yields reliable predictions under variable loadings. An appropriate lifetime …

Understanding Acceptance Capacity And Intentions Of Mississippians To Participate In The Conservation And Management Of Black Bears In Mississippi, Basant Pant

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the acceptance capacity of Mississippians towards black bears (Ursus Americanus), and their intentions to participate in their conservation and management. It intends to bridge the theory and application of wildlife acceptance capacity among three main objectives. First, a systematic literature review of journal articles employing the Search, Appraisal, Synthesis and Analysis (SALSA) method revealed the development phase of Wildlife Acceptance Capacity (WAC)-conceptual phase (1988 -2000) and applied phase (post 2000), highlighting the strong scholarly collaboration among high human development index (HDI) countries with limited collaboration with the low HDI countries. Second, a mail survey of 4,080 Mississippi …

Quantifying Benefits Of Biochar With Variable Absorption Capacity As A Partial Cement Replacement In Concrete, Benjamin Shannon

Theses and Dissertations

Extensive research has been conducted on biochar-incorporated concrete. However, no concrete mixture design guideline is currently available for implementing biochar incorporation in practice. The objective of this study was to correlate biochar absorption capacity with the compressive strength of biochar-incorporated concrete, to quantify the benefits of biochar and develop mix design guidelines. Biochar with varying absorption capacities was incorporated into concrete at 10%, 20%, and 40%. Strength and moisture loss were recorded over the 90-day curing period of the biochar-incorporated concrete. Results revealed three main findings: (1) in 10%, 20%, and 40% biochar mixes, the normalized strengths ranged from 0.65–0.85, …

‘Cog In The Machine’ Or Social Being? How Digital Communications Affect Social Capital Development In Higher Education Institution Workplaces., Daphne Abigail Knox

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of digital communications on social capital development within the workplace in public institutions of higher education. While previous literature recognizes the potential implications of the internet on areas like social capital (Putnam, 2000; 2020) and formal and informal communications in organizations (Simon, 1997), an in-depth understanding of how modern digital communications impact social capital development is still necessary to address the gap in literature and to analyze the impact of digital communications on the development of organizational social capital. The potential implications of this work on scholarly research include expanding …

Toward Approachable Reinforcement Learning: Using Dataflow Application And Large Language Models For Human-Understandable Policies, Joel Thomas Huber

Theses and Dissertations

Optimal decision-making under uncertainty is a challenge in everything from board games to business scenario planning. With visual programming systems, end-users can utilize reinforcement learning (RL) agents to identify an optimal policy in their own stochastic environments. However, while the RL agent can demonstrate that an optimal policy exists, RL polices tend to be opaque and difficult to interpret. This thesis investigates how Large Reasoning Models (LRMs) can generate human-understandable rules from RL policies. I compare multiple approaches and models, varying the format of the RL policy provided to the LRM as well as the prompting strategy. My results show …

The Impact Of Land Use Types On Pollinator Communities In Upland Oak Forests, John Olanrewaju Omolewa

Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates how land use types influence pollinator communities in upland oak forests, focusing on bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea). The study has four objectives: (1) compare bee species richness and abundance across four land use types; hardwood, pine/mixed pine, open fields/agricultural areas, and scattered hardwood; (2) test whether bee community composition differs among these land uses; (3) assess how land use shapes diversity of both common and rare bee species; and (4) investigate the reproductive output of cavity-nesting communities in upland oak forests. Together, these aims provide a comprehensive understanding of how land use practices affect wild bee communities in …

Development And Validation Of A Machine-Learned Actuator Line Model For Rotors, Joshua L. Bowman

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops and validates a machine‑learned (ML) actuator line model (ALM) as an advancement in rotor modeling that can be applied to diverse engineering applications. The model addresses two standard ALM limitations: dependence on pre‑tabulated lift and drag coefficients and the inability to represent unsteady inflow. The ML‑ALM is trained on a hydrokinetic blade‑resolved simulation database of blade‑element forces under unsteady conditions, and is queried at run time to supply axial, tangential, and spanwise forcing at each actuator element. Validation covers solitary rotor performance and wake predictions against experimental data, and verification in an inline configuration against blade‑resolved simulations …

Lecun-Pso Hybrid Initialization Of Neural Network Using Asymmetric Gait Features For Classification Of Parkinson’S Disease, Michael Joseph Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex condition with a wide range of clinical symptoms. It is a progressive neurological disorder that has afflicted an estimated 1 million people in the US and 10 million worldwide. The diagnosis of PD is typically based on the presence of clinical features, with no specific diagnostic test or biomarker. The methods of assessment for PD are also used, in whole or in part, for similar symptom diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Essential Tremors, Multiple System Atrophy, Supranuclear Palsy, Dementia with Lewy bodies and Huntington’s disease. Many of the current clinical tests have low sensitivity …

Physics-Informed Neural Network For Maximum Detectable Distance Estimation In Mobile Gamma Spectrometry, Nancy A. Ibrahim

Theses and Dissertations

Accurate estimation of the Maximum Detectable Distance (MDD) is critical for environmental remediation, nuclear incident response, and public safety. Conventional approaches assume stationary detectors and rely on computationally intensive simulations, limiting their applicability for mobile, real-time surveys. Mobile gamma spectrometry introduces additional complexities due to detector motion, variable acquisition times, and heterogeneous backgrounds. This study addresses the central question of how effectively a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) can estimate MDD for mobile gamma spectrometry, while maintaining both accuracy and computational efficiency under dynamically changing environmental conditions. A multi-phase approach was employed, combining field data collection, computational modeling, and operational tool …

Nanocarbons For Electrodes And Electrolytes Of Sustainable And Solid-State Energy Storage Systems: Materials, Electrochemical Characterization, And Lifecycle Analysis, Ridwan Tobi Ayinla

Theses and Dissertations

The growing global demand for clean, efficient, and scalable energy storage technologies has intensified the search for sustainable alternatives to conventional battery and supercapacitor systems. Traditional electrochemical energy storage devices often rely on finite and environmentally harmful materials, toxic electrolytes, and rigid architectures that limit their applicability in emerging domains such as flexible electronics and wearable technologies. Additionally, the leakage of liquid electrolytes poses a persistent safety and reliability challenge, particularly for long-term and real-world applications. This research addresses these pressing challenges by developing a new class of green, flexible, and high-performance electrochemical energy storage systems using bio-derived materials. The …

A Case Study On Redesigning Classroom Activities And Assessments For Generation Z Students, Sushma Shrinivasan

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the dynamic interplay between pedagogical strategies, learner diversity, and emerging educational technologies through three interconnected studies. Study 1 compares Traditional instruction, Problem-Based Learning (PBL), and Simulation-Based Learning (SBL), revealing that while PBL and SBL enhance student performance—particularly PBL—their impact on perceived learning varies. Notably, SBL reduced perceived learning despite strong outcomes, underscoring the affective and metacognitive complexities of active learning. Study 2 examines the role of demographic factors such as gender, ethnicity, employment, and first-generation status, finding no significant main effects but identifying a key two-way and three-way interactions, suggesting that instructional effectiveness is influenced by the …

Your Information Zodiac: An Information Evaluation Framework For The Age Of Generative Ai, Kevin J. Reagan, Kay Coates, Jessica Swaringen

University Libraries: Faculty Publications

Building on information evaluation mnemonics like the CRAAP Test, SIFT, and ACT UP, among others, the authors propose the ZODIAC of information evaluation for an AI-dominated information environment: Zooming in, Other opinions, Dataset, Intent, Authenticity, and Consistency. Each letter introduces students to considerations unique to the critical thinking considerations of AI-generated information, such as datasets and their large language models, evaluating the purpose of a given generative AI, and questioning the authenticity and consistency of generative AI output. Additionally, as an introductory framework geared toward first-year students, the ZODIAC evaluation method does not fully address all aspects of information literacy; …

Development And Evaluation Of Wireless Monitoring Systems For Touchless Respiratory Monitor Validation, Dustin Marquardt

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Touchless Respiratory Monitor (TRM) is a non-invasive system that uses contactless methods to measure respiratory rate and tidal volume. The main technologies employed are LiDAR for tidal volume measurement and a thermal camera for respiratory rate monitoring. These novel methods require validation against established techniques such as capnometry and respiratory inductance plethysmography. Commercial respiratory monitoring equipment is often expensive and dependent on proprietary software, creating barriers to widespread use. To address this, a custom, modular, and low-cost evaluation system was developed to streamline the validation of the TRM. The prototype system integrates a pulse oximeter, capnometer, spirometer, and respiratory …

Production Of Rare Earth Elements By Molten-Salt Electrolysis, Mohammed Moro

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Rare earth elements (REEs) are indispensable, high-value resources that play a crucial role in renewable energy, defense systems and advanced technological systems. REEs are commonly extracted from natural ores or recycled materials such as permanent magnets using hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical techniques. In hydrometallurgy, the REE source is leached with acid, followed by solvent extraction and precipitation steps to obtain rare earth compounds like oxides and fluorides. Pyrometallurgy involves dissolving rare earth compounds in a molten halide bath, followed by high-temperature electrolysis to convert them into metals, which are then recovered at the cathode. This process typically includes melting, refining, and …

Design, Development, And Validation Of An Automated Hole-Punching System For Precision Irrigation In Lay-Flat Poly Pipe Tubing, Micah James Foster

Theses and Dissertations

Increasing pressure on water resources in agricultural regions, particularly the Mississippi Delta, demands innovative irrigation technologies to optimize water usage while maintaining crop productivity. This research presents the design, development, and validation of an automated hole-punching system for lay-flat poly pipe tubing used in precision irrigation applications. The system ensures accurate and consistent hole placement through an integrated rotary cutting die, a PLC-based control architecture, stepper motor actuation, and distance-sensing and position-synchronization. The software logic maintains precise hole spacing despite variations in tubing speed. System performance was evaluated through extensive testing and statistical analysis of hole-spacing accuracy, repeatability, and sagitta-based …

Novel Experimental Techniques For Pressure Transients, Luliang Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation introduces novel experimental techniques for analyzing pressure transients, focusing on dynamic strain and pressure measurements to advance the understanding and application of Pulse Pressure Amplification in percussive devices. The research evaluates a high-speed linescan extensometer utilizing linescan Digital Image Correlation (DIC) on a Kolsky Bar to obtain strain data at high strain rates. This data is critical for accurate material characterization and simulations to model dynamic behavior. Additionally, a novel method for measuring dynamic pressure waves in pipe systems has been developed, enabling direct assessments of pressure amplification in devices such as tapered pipe systems. The findings contribute …

The Social In The Spiritual: Non-Theistic Spirituality In 12-Step Addiction Recovery, Steph Jacobs

Theses and Dissertations

To investigate whether Western-raised Narcotics Anonymous (NA) members engage in non-theistic spirituality and non-humanist modes of sociality with non-human beings, I conducted six qualitative interviews and a small-scale survey within a Vancouver NA community. The majority of participants practice non-theist spirituality, and three interviewees relate to non-humans in ways not accounted for by Western humanism. Findings suggest that connection and sociality are intrinsically woven into recovery and well-being. This research opens conversations about non-theistic spirituality in NA recovery, non-human sociality and healing, processes of ontological negotiation, and the entanglement of spirituality, sociality, and well-being. Through daily practices of exploration and …

Improving Artificial Intelligence Literacy Among Middle School Students Using Tangible Objects, Sayantani Dutta

Theses and Dissertations

Given the rapid advancement of Computer Science (CS) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), introducing these disciplines early and effectively in education is essential. Many middle school students, however, struggle to understand these subjects when taught with traditional, abstract, and screen-based methods, which often fail to engage students or build deep conceptual understanding. This study argues that tangible, hands-on learning tools and interactive activities make AI and CS concepts more accessible, concrete, and engaging for students. The findings show that, compared to traditional lectures, hands-on activities lead to substantially improved comprehension, retention, and enjoyment. While the sample size poses limitations, the evidence …

Using Quantum Annealing For Sampling And Pattern Generation In Generative Machine Learning And Catastrophic Forgetting Mitigation, Abdelmoula El Yazizi

Theses and Dissertations

The first goal of this dissertation was to understand the reasons for the absence in previous investigations of significant and consistent improvements in the trainability of Restricted Boltzmann Machines (RBM) when the Quantum Annealer (QA) was used for sampling from the RBM probability distribution. The second goal was to address the shortcomings of those previous investigations, explore possibilities of improving RBM training, and identify other machine learning applications that could benefit from sampling or from generating patterns by the QA. The first part of this dissertation focused on a Local-Valley (LV) centered approach to assessing the quality of sampling. QA-based …