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Mitral Annular Calcification In Diabetes: Valvular Interstitial Cells, Antioxidant Therapy, And Tissue Engineering Approaches, Raleigh J. Keenan

All Theses

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a chronic, progressive, and degenerative condition that impairs mitral valve function and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The mitral annulus is a saddle-shaped, fibrous structure that is primarily composed of collagen and elastin. The annulus also contains interspersed lipids that are involved in cellular metabolism, as well as inflammatory and osteogenic signaling. These lipids increase the annulus’ susceptibility to calcification, under conditions that increase mechanical stress (hypertension) and promote atherosclerosis (diabetes mellitus). These conditions intensify calcification by promoting the activation of valvular interstitial cells (VICs), increasing fibrosis, and inducing osteogenic differentiation. Although it is …

Optimizing Endothelial Cell Specific Polymersome-Based Atheroprotective Therapies, Ally C. Brawner

All Theses

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and the world. Every year, billions of dollars are spent in the US alone for direct treatments of this disease, especially on prescription medicines like statins. However, these medications have been unable to curtail global mortality rates, partially because they do not target the entirety of atherosclerotic pathophysiology. A key area of this pathophysiology is that atheroprone arteries typically include pro-inflammatory endothelial cells that exhibit decreased levels of apoAI-mediated cholesterol efflux and an increased release of adhesion molecules, such as VCAM-1. The objective of my project …

Effect Of Polymer Contaminants Sourced From Coated Paper On The Performance Of The Resulting Recycled Paper, Ezekiel J. Guevarra

All Theses

The growing demand for sustainable packaging has accelerated the use of paper-based materials as alternatives to plastics. To provide barrier and functional properties, these materials are often modified with polymer coatings. While beneficial during use, such coatings can persist as contaminants during recycling, potentially disrupting fiber bonding and reducing the quality of recycled paper. This study examined the impact of extrusion-coated low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films and two aqueous dispersions (Vapor/Water-Barrier, Acrylic Film (VWAF) and Oil & Grease Barrier (OGBF)) on contaminant distribution and mechanical performance of recycled handsheets. Kraft paper coated at varying levels was repulped and formed into handsheets, …

The Iron Pyramid: Expanding The Iron Triangle To Integrate Safety As A Fundamental Dimension Of Construction Success, Laura Cooley

All Theses

For more than fifty years, construction project success has been judged by staying on schedule, remaining within budget, and completing the planned scope of work—an approach commonly known as the “Iron Triangle” (Barnes, Ph.D., 2006). While these measures are important, they do not capture the full range of factors that determine whether a project truly succeeds.

This study introduces the “Iron Pyramid” (Cooley, 2025), a model that expands the traditional framework by adding a fourth dimension: safety. Safety is understood not simply as regulatory compliance or the absence of injuries, but as a holistic construct encompassing project culture, leadership practices, …

Analysis Of Hysteresis In Poly(3-Hexylthiophene) Based Organic Thin Film Transistors With And Without Interfacial Layers And Effects Of Ion Irradiation On Poly(3-Hexylthiophene) Transistors, Riya George

All Theses

In this study we are investigating and comparing the hysteresis observed in I-V characteristics of Poly(3-hexylthiophene -2, 5-diyl) (P3HT) Organic thin film transistors (OTFT) with and without interfacial layers. We are also investigating how electrical characteristics of P3HT OTFTs is affected by irradiation with Ar⁸⁺ ions.

Hysteresis is an undesired phenomenon that affects transistor reliability and performance. In this study on OTFTs, P3HT was used as the organic semiconductor, with silicon dioxide (SiO_₂) as the Gate dielectric. Two interfacial layers—graphene oxide (GO) and a copolymer, poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate–glycidyl methacrylate–lauryl methacrylate) (POGL)—were introduced between the semiconductor …

Exploring Augmented Reality Non-Driving-Related-Task Locations To Enhance Driver Situation Awareness In Conditionally Automated Vehicles, Tyler Riley

All Theses

With the approval of conditionally automated vehicles, or SAE Level 3 automated vehicles, drivers can now engage in non-driving related tasks (NDRTs) during automation. However, conditionally automated vehicles require drivers to resume vehicle control when the system prompts them, and the decreased situation awareness due to NDRT engagement may impact drivers’ takeover performance. This thesis investigates the prospective use of wearable augmented reality (AR) glasses by conditionally automated vehicle drivers to engage in visual NDRT. Specifically, this study examined how NDRT display location affects drivers’ situation awareness in a driving simulation experiment with 60 participants. Three NDRT display locations were …

Data-Assimilation-Enabled Fast Convergence Of The Uzawa Scheme For Navier-Stokes Equations With Large Reynolds Numbers, Jessica C. Franklin

All Theses

This work studies efficient techniques utilized to solve the Navier-Stokes equations that model incompressible Newtonian flow in the setting where partial solution data is available. First, we analyze the Picard iteration and Picard with continuous data assimilation applied and test convergence. Then, we analyze the Arrow-Hurwicz (AH) and Uzawa iterative procedures and test convergence. Finally, we apply continuous data assimilation to Uzawa, and analytical and numerical results show that CDA improves Uzawa convergence for the NSE, similar to CDA-Picard but it is much more efficient.

Editable 4d Gaussian Splatting: Scalable And Consistent Video Editing Via Uv-Texture Decomposition, Shuai Lyu

All Theses

Dynamic 3D videos are now widely used in VR, AR, and telepresence, where users often want to change the style or appearance of objects such as clothing over a whole sequence. However, editing such dynamic 3D content is still hard, because appearance, geometry, and motion are tightly coupled, so even a simple color change must stay consistent in all views and at all time steps. Existing editing methods based on 4D Gaussian Splatting often work in a frame-by-frame way, which is slow and makes it difficult to keep temporal and multi-view consistency.

This thesis proposes Editable-4DGS, a representation-centric framework that …

Experimental Determination Of Modulus Of Rupture For Concrete Masonry Beams And Implications For The Tms 402/602 Code, Shreedhar K C

All Theses

Currently, the experimental database for Modulus of Rupture (MOR) of masonry beams is limited, and current provisions in TMS 402/602-22 use the MOR values from wallette tests. The primary goal of this research is to experimentally determine the parameters that influence MOR. The secondary goal of this work is to compare the MOR values from beam and bond wrench tests obtained in this study with each other as well as with values published in the literature. The standard ASTM E518 test was used for determining MOR values for beams, and a modified approach to ASTM C1072 that nullifies the eccentricity …

Locomotion And Balance Control In A Biped Robot With Continuum Legs And A Kangaroo-Inspired Tail, Gavin A. Platt

All Theses

This thesis work presents the design, testing, and validation of a continuum-legged biped robot equipped with a kangaroo inspired tail for enhanced stability and adaptability. Unlike traditional rigid link robots, this one expands on soft-legged robots and utilizes tendon-driven continuum robots to mimic octopus and kangaroo behavior for locomotion. The robot uses a hierarchical hybrid control framework to implement walking, obstacle avoidance, vaulting, and push recovery behaviors. To test the performance of the robot four sets of experiments were conducted to validate these systems and evaluate how they performed. The results demonstrate stable walking with rhythmic tail load transfer, effective …

Barriers To Modernizing Aviation Maintenance Technician Education To Meet Emerging Industry Needs, Durwa Chavan

All Theses

Modernizing aviation maintenance education is essential to keep pace with emerging technologies, including electric propulsion systems and advanced avionics. As aircraft systems become more digitized and interconnected, there is a growing demand for qualified technicians who can conduct advanced diagnostics and maintenance. However, training programs have not kept pace with these technological shifts, creating a gap between workforce preparation and industry needs.

Using a qualitative research approach, this study conducted semi-structured interviews with industry professionals, educators, and regulatory personnel to identify gaps in existing training programs and Airman Certification Standards (ACS). This study addresses the disconnect between current aviation maintenance …

Predicting Long-Term Creep Behavior Using Short-Term Stress Relaxation Data In Expanded Polyethylene Foam, Andrew M. Seelig

All Theses

Closed cell expanded polyethylene (EPE) foams are widely used for protective packaging due to their high energy absorption properties and recyclability. However, these foams can be subjected to sustained compressive stresses (13.78 - 36.20 kPa), depending on density and application, leading to time-dependent deformation (creep). Creep reduces cushioning performance, making its understanding critical for effective protective packaging. Two standards, ASTM D3575 and ASTM D2221, define methods for conducting compressive creep tests on foam materials, with test durations extending up to 1000 hours. Accelerated methods such as Time Temperature Superposition (TTS) and the Stepped Isostress Method (SSM) have been explored for …

Impact Of Rendering Wastewater Variability On Electrocoagulation - Electroflotation, Katie L. Hardison

All Theses

Rendering is a resource recovery technique commonly utilized to recover fats and proteins from unused animal parts discarded during meat processing and slaughter. Resource recovery involves converting waste products into valuable products. Rendering generates large volumes of heavily polluted wastewater. Pollutant concentrations can vary significantly, although rendering wastewater (RW) has extremely high concentrations of fats, oils, and greases (FOG). To remove pollutants, first chemicals called coagulants are added to RW to encourage pollutants to clump together to form flocs. The flocs are then floated to the surface and removed through the addition of air in a process called dissolved air …

Protocol For Visual-Acoustic Intervention With Service Delivery In-Person And Via Telepractice (Visit) Non-Inferiority Trial For Residual Speech Sound Disorder, Tara Mcallister, Jonathan L. Preston, Elaine R. Hitchcock, Nina R. Benway, Jennifer Hill

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Background: Residual speech sound disorder (RSSD) is a high-prevalence condition that negatively impacts social and academic participation. Telepractice service delivery has the potential to expand access to technology-enhanced intervention methods that can help remediate RSSD, but it is not known whether remote service delivery is associated with a reduction in the efficacy of these methods. This project will systematically measure the outcomes of visual-acoustic biofeedback intervention when delivered in-person or online. Methods/design: This project, Visual-acoustic Intervention with Service delivery In-person and via Telepractice (VISIT), aims to treat 76 children in a parallel randomized controlled clinical trial in which children with …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Fully Immersive Esol Elementary Program: A Mixed-Methods Study, Equitia D. Armour

Dissertations

With the enrollment of students who are English Language Learners (ELL) steadily rising across the United States, this research sought to understand how immersive models support both language acquisition and academic achievement. This study examined the effectiveness of a fully immersive English Speaker of Other Languages (ESOL) program in one elementary school. The purpose was to identify the qualities of successful ESOL programming, and the conditions needed for sustained growth. The primary research question for this study was: What are the qualities of a successful fully immersive ELL elementary program? Using a mixed-methods design, data were drawn from surveys, interviews, …

An Assessment Of The Viva Callesj September 2025 Event In San José, Richard Kos, Adam Cohen

Mineta Transportation Institute

Viva CalleSJ is an open-streets initiative where several miles of the City of San José’s streets are closed to vehicular traffic, allowing residents to walk, bike, scooter, and skate freely. This report evaluates the Viva CalleSJ event held in San José on September 7, 2025, which attracted more than 150,000 participants. Using a mixed-methods approach, this evaluation examines aspects such as attendance, activities, modal access, and economic impacts, utilizing data from participant surveys (in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese), interviews, and observational analysis. The findings indicate that the Viva CalleSJ September 2025 event was largely successful in achieving its objectives, including …

What Do Americans Think About Federal Tax Options To Support Transportation? Results From Year Sixteen Of A National Survey, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Hilary Nixon

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report summarizes the results from the sixteenth year of a national public opinion survey asking U.S. adults questions related to their views on federal transportation taxes. A nationally representative sample of 2,539 respondents completed the online survey from February 3 to February 27, 2025. The questions test public opinions about raising the federal gas tax rate, replacing the federal gas tax with a new mileage fee, and imposing a mileage fee just on commercial travel. In addition to asking directly about support for these tax options, the survey collected data on respondents’ views on the quality of their local …

Sciteuq: Toward Uncertainty-Aware Complex Scientific Table Data Extraction And Understanding, Kehinde Ajayi

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Scientific tables report critical research insights, data, and findings for scientific progress. Because Portable Document Format (PDF) is the de facto standard format for scientific paper publishing, there has been an emerging need for an automatic method to extract data from PDF files. A significant fraction of scientific tables exhibit complex structure and content, making it challenging for machine learning tools to accurately extract the content directly from PDF files. Despite the advancements in Table Structure Recognition (TSR), automated extraction of data from complex scientific tables remains a challenge due to variations in table structures and contents. In this dissertation, …

Exploring Student Confidence And Calibration Accuracy In College Algebra: A Mixed-Methods Explanatory Sequential Study, Courtney T. Hill

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Calibration, or students’ ability to predict and postdict their performance on an academic task, has important implications for academic performance. It can influence students' decision making processes concerning learning activities, as well as their levels of motivation and self-regulation (Kolovelonis, 2023). The literature on calibration is clear, often indicating that students are not great at these judgements (Lin et. al, 2001). While this phenomenon is well documented, it is not an easy one to explain. Therefore, a two-phase explanatory-sequential mixed method design was used to examine undergraduate students’ calibration judgements on a college algebra exam. To further contribute to the …

Design And Assessment Of A Single-Blade Rotary Wing For Use In Vertical Takeoff And Landing (Vtol) Aircraft, William C. Mcmasters

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A single-bladed propeller was designed to determine its efficacy in increasing efficiency of quadplane aircraft in the cruise configuration while still providing sufficient vertical lift for the vertical takeoff portion of flight. Aerodynamic theory predicts higher efficiency for single-blade propellers, resulting in a lower power requirement. A counter-weighted single-blade was modeled after a 10x5 model aircraft propeller used in small unmanned vehicles with a steel counterweight to balance centrifugal forces. The propeller was tested in the ODU wind tunnel to determine performance at various Advance Ratios (J). The research suggests that single-blade propellers show comparable performance compared to two-bladed propellers …

Making Explanations Make Sense: Xai For Smishing Detection, Eleni Alexandra Katsarakes

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) is a key component of effective human-AI collaboration, particularly in high-stakes domains such as cybersecurity. While AI tools hold promise for mitigating threats such as SMS-based phishing (SMiShing), their real-world effectiveness may hinge not just on detection accuracy, but on whether users can make sense of the system’s outputs. As SMiShing attacks grow in both frequency and sophistication, so does the urgency of designing human-centered AI systems that support user decision-making under uncertainty. This study examined how four distinct AI explanation types - Normative (rule-based), Attributive (feature-based), Exemplar (case-based), and Recommendation-Only - influence user performance, confidence, …

Comparative Analysis Of Emergent Behaviors Of Three Drone Swarm System Models For Targeting Using Agent-Based Modeling And Simulation, Arsenio T. Gumahad Ii

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation introduces a novel computational simulation framework for evaluating the emergent behaviors of three swarm drone models using Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS). The three swarm models are a Leader-Follower swarm model based on Bruckstein's antline theory, a Flocking model based on a simplified Reynolds 'Boids’ model, and a Stigmergic model with pheromone-based coordination. The primary objective of the simulation is to evaluate the performance of these models in delivering a user-defined number of drones of each type to a target area of interest in four separate scenarios, resulting in 50,000 separate simulation trials. Each scenario was structured to …

A Reformation Of The Status Quo: An Examination Of The Relationship Between Organizational Structure And Social Justice Reform In American Public Schools, Jaielle Manning

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

This study explores the correlation between organizational structure and social justice reform in American public schools. The study specifically aims to answer the following research questions: What are the lived experiences of school leaders as they navigate and enact social justice reform? How do school leaders experience the ways organizational structures shape their opportunities and challenges in implementing social justice reform? How do school leaders experience and make sense of the influence of local, state, and national policy on their efforts toward social justice reform in American public schools? The literature review examined organizational structure through the lens of Ecological …

Component Model Development Of Heat Exchangers, Expanders, And Control Valves For Autonomous Cryogenics Plant Cool-Down, William Harris Buhrig Iv

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The traditional method of cryogenic plant cool-down involves having continuous on-call staff to head into the office at any time to modify the existing multi-layered PID control systems if the on-call staff member detects a significant deviation from the cool-down plan. This thesis aims to outline an effective method for modeling the structure of systems with performance characteristics that deviate from design requirements and from ideal inlet-outlet correspondence, enabling the adjustment and modification of existing control structures across all Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) cryogenic refrigeration plants. Analytical Modeling and Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) are applied to model the …

Automated Design Of Scaffold-Free Dna Wireframe Nanostructures, Wen Wang, Abdulmelik Mohammed, Rong Chen, Antti Elonen, Silian Chen, Mengfan Tian, Junhao Yang, Ye Xiang, Pekka Orponen, Bryan Wei

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Computer-aided design has become common practice in DNA nanotechnology, and many programs are available that make the sophisticated design processes accessible to both the core research community and curious scientists in other fields. However, most of the design tools are committed to the scaffolded DNA origami method. Here we present an automated design pipeline for creating DNA wireframe nanostructures based on a scaffold-free molecular self-assembly approach. Unlike in the DNA origami method, scaffold-free designs are not built around a global backbone strand but are constituted entirely of short, locally intertwined oligonucleotides. This overcomes many limitations inherent in scaffolded nanostructure designs, …

Training Aba Service Providers To Use Phonemic Transcription: A Comparison Of Two Alphabets, Kristin Marie Albert

Theses and Dissertations

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) service providers regularly develop speech and shape articulation when working with minimally vocal children with autism. However, these providers usually have not received training in related subject areas as part of their certification coursework. This results in a gap between their scopes of competence and practice. The present study aimed to lessen this gap by training ABA service providers to take phonemic transcription. The author, in consultation with a speech-language pathologist, developed and implemented a computer-based programmed instruction training package. Studies 1 and 2 employed a concurrent multiple-probe design with an embedded adapted alternating treatments design …

Examining The Relationship Between Title 14 Code Of Federal Regulations (Cfr) Part 147 Maintenance School Aviation Maintenance Technician (Amt) Instructor Experience And Instructor Pass Rates For Airmen Certification Standards (Acs) Element Subject Areas, Richard Lyman Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative, correlational study examined the relationship between Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) instructor experience and student pass rates in 14 CFR Part 147 maintenance schools. Data were collected from February to August 2025 using purposive and snowball sampling, which yielded 67 complete responses. Instructor experience, measured in months of A&P-rated maintenance work prior to teaching, ranged from 1 to 684 months (M = 253.54, SD = 197.97). Student pass rates, defined as the proportion of students passing ACS element subject area courses, ranged from .52 to 1.00 (M = .95, SD = .07). Most instructors were male, White, over 50 …

Effect Of Capillary And Viscous Forces On Carbon Dioxide Desorption In Porous Adsorbent Layers, Caroline Isabel Mcclung

Theses and Dissertations

Temperature swing adsorption-based (TSA) carbon dioxide (CO₂) separation processes, which involve an alternating flow of gases and liquids in adsorbent-coated microchannels, have been shown to yield superior and environmentally friendly performance than the existing processes. This technique begins by sending the impure gas mixture through hydrophobic silicalite adsorbent-coated microchannels, which results in the adsorption of CO₂. Subsequently, hot water heat transfer fluid (HTF) flows through the same channels, displaces the purified gas stream, heats the adsorbent, desorbs the CO₂, and removes that desorbed CO₂ from the channel. This stage is followed by cooling …

Qualitative Stereo Vision Using Distributed Extended Waltz Filtering, Ben Mathew

Theses and Dissertations

Stereo vision is a fundamental problem in computer vision, aimed at reconstructing three-dimensional scene structure from two or more two-dimensional images. Traditional stereo algorithms rely on quantitative disparity estimation, often constrained by calibration precision, lighting variations, and surface texture. In contrast, our proposed Qualitative Stereo Vision seeks to understand depth relationships and spatial configurations from multiple planar views through symbolic reasoning and constraint satisfaction, offering a more flexible and cognitively plausible approach to scene interpretation.

This dissertation presents a novel framework called Distributed Extended Waltz Filtering, designed to provide qualitative stereo vision, particularly in the presence of occlusions—a persistent challenge …

Molecular Pathway Dysregulation In Chronic Liver Disease: Metabolic And Mechanotransductive Drivers Of Hepatic Pathophysiology, Samantha Harvat

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents a rapidly growing cause of chronic liver injury, yet the molecular interactions linking metabolic stress, inflammation, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain incompletely defined. This thesis integrates transcriptomic analyses across multiple GEO datasets to identify coordinated metabolic, inflammatory, and mechanotransductive pathways that collectively drive disease progression.

Analysis of human liver biopsy datasets (GSE126848 and GSE89632) revealed consistent suppression of glycolysis, β-oxidation, and oxidative phosphorylation across MASLD and MASH samples, accompanied by modest compensatory TCA cycle activation. These alterations reflect impaired metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial stress, and increased ROS susceptibility. Concurrently, cytokine-network enrichment demonstrated activation …