Digital Commons Network^™

Pressure And Force Dynamics In Artificial Muscle Actuators: A State-Space And Optimization-Based Approach, Mohammad Elzein

Dissertations and Theses

This two-part investigation explores the dynamic behavior of braided pneumatic actuators (BPAs) under bio-inspired pulse modulation, with the aim of improving their biomimetic force output and control. The first study examines the effect of pulse length and inter-pulse timing on BPA performance, revealing that force output is highly sensitive to the temporal structure of input pulses mirroring biological muscle behavior. Using dual-pulse actuation schemes, the results demonstrate that force responses exceed the additive contributions of individual pulses, with peak amplification occurring consistently at a 27 ms inter-pulse gap. Shorter pulse lengths (10–20 ms) yielded the highest normalized force increases, up …

Hydrosocial Ocean Commons: Offshore Wind Energy In Oregon, Bryce Ashlyn Sprauer

Dissertations and Theses

The ocean has been culturally and legally conceptualized as a commons, a space of subsistence inherited by all. Enclosure or privatization creates overlapping jurisdictions of ocean space. The ocean is also the world's most significant carbon capture, absorbing billions of tons of anthropogenic carbon dioxide since the Industrial Revolution. Now, the ocean offers an additional opportunity to decarbonize energy production and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through 'new frontiers' of offshore wind technology; however, this potential is entangled within neoliberalism. Offshore wind is entering a fragmented legal landscape where the social-legal process of ocean jurisdiction remains contested. As the "new frontier" …

Effect Of Saccharin On Crystallization Behavior Of Electroless Cobalt Plating, Yu-Xin Luo, Jing-Jing Wang, Lu Wang, Zi-Yi Yan, Yi Ma, Xin Bo, Jing-Shuang Dang, Zeng-Lin Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

In the process of electroless cobalt plating, the saccharin additive can significantly change the surface morphology, texture orientation, and conductivity of the cobalt coating layer. When the amount of saccharin was 3 mg·L^–1, the cobalt coating transformed from disordered large grains to a honeycomb structure, with a preferred orientation of (002) facet on hexagonal close-packed (HCP) cobalt crystals. The resistivity of the cobalt film decreased to 14.4 μΩ·cm, and further decreased to 10.7 μΩ·cm after the annealing treatment. When the concentration of saccharin was increased, the grain size was gradually refined and a “stone forest” structure was observed, …

Usa V. Jason Dunlap

2025 Decisions

USDC for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Caredx Inc V. Natera Inc

2025 Decisions

USDC for the District of Delaware

Predicting The Response Of Tendon-Driven Prosthetic Finger With Hyperelastic Joints, Lucas Gallup, Mohamed Trabia, Brendan O'Toole

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Properly designed prosthetics hands can enhance the quality of life for those suffering from limb loss. Recently, 3D-printed prosthetic hands are becoming common. In these prostheses, fingers flex through the tendons that are activated by motion of the wrist. To provide spring action, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hyperelastic joints are used to connect digits to each other as well as to the wrist. While these designs are common, no model for the relationship between tendon tension and joint flexion is available. This work has developed a quasi-static virtual work-based model to predict the relationship between tendon forces and the flexion of …

Superhydrophilic Porous Coooh Nano-Architecture With Abundant Oxygen Vacancies For Enhanced Urea Electrooxidation At Ampere-Level Current Densities, Wen-Jing Lv, Xiao-Man Tang, Xue-Tong Wang, Wen-Cai Liu, Jian-Wen Zhu, Guo-Jing Wang, Yuan-Zhi Zhu

Journal of Electrochemistry

The conversion of urea-containing wastewater into clean hydrogen energy has gained increasing attention. However, challenges remain, particularly with sluggish catalytic kinetics and limited long-term stability of urea oxidation reaction (UOR). Herein, we report the loosely porous CoOOH nano-architecture (CoOOH LPNAs) with hydrophilic surface and abundant oxygen vacancies (O_v) on carbon fiber paper (CFP) by electrochemical reconstruction of the CoP nanoneedles precursor. The resulting three-dimensional electrode exhibited an impressively low potential of 1.38 V at 1000 mA·cm⁻² and excellent durability for UOR. Furthermore, when tested in an anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer, it required only 1.53 V at …

Evolution Of Industrial Structure And Economic Growth In Hebei Province, China, Jianguang Hou, Danlin Yu, Hao Song

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Over the past several decades, old industrialized regions worldwide have faced immense pressure to adapt to global economic shifts. Using one of China’s major industrial provinces, Hebei, as a representative case study, this study examines how the evolution of one of China’s old industrial provinces, Hebei’s industrial structure has influenced its economic growth from 1990 to 2023. Drawing on theories of structural transformation and endogenous growth, we argue that the reallocation of resources from lower-productivity sectors (e.g., agriculture) to higher-productivity sectors (manufacturing and services) can act as an engine of growth. We employ a shift-share analysis (SSA) to decompose Hebei’s …

Dairy And Food Science Student Newsletter, August 28, 2025, Department Of Dairy And Food Science

Dairy and Food Science Student Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Low Head Dam Fatalities Data 1900 To August 2025, Rollin H. Hotchkiss, Edward William Kern, John Guymon, Paige A. Gordichuk

ScholarsArchive Data

This dataset documents fatalities at low head dams in the United States between 1900 and August 2025. The records were compiled between 2012 and 2025 by research assistants at Brigham Young University under the direction of Dr. Rollin Hotchkiss. Data were incorporated into the database from Dr. Bruce Tschantz, Charlie Walbridge of the American Whitewater Association, public submissions through a “Report an Incident” form, and publicly available sources, including newspaper archives and public records. Originally stored in a MySQL database and later transferred to Google Sheets, the August 2025 version was exported to Excel. The purpose of the dataset is …

The Effect Of Group Counseling On Hope With Diverse Undergraduates During Sustainability-Focused Internship, Hailey Spinks, Michael D. Hannon, Matthew Murray, Nina M. Goodey, Lora Billings, Amy Tuininga

PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies Publications

Many adolescents report feeling overwhelmed, depressed, anxious, and hopeless in the face of global climate change. These feelings are both valid and antithetical to the necessary hope and courage it takes to address real-world environmental crises and contribute to meaningful societal impact. The Green Teams Program, an internship-based experiential learning initiative, prepares young professionals with skills and knowledge needed to address these challenges and provides an intentionally inclusive and safe environment for students from all backgrounds to do so. This structured environment includes psychoeducational group counseling among other supports. Intern self-assessments revealed significant gains in measures of Hope, Agency, …

Social Media Vetting Governance And The Impact On Hiring Capacity, Jimmy Lampkin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human resource managers are concerned with weak social media vetting governance, as it is the number one predictor of reduced organizational capacity to hire candidates. Grounded in Lewin’s Situational Strength Theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational project was to examine the relationship between social media vetting governance and organizational capacity to hire. The participants were 500 human resource leaders and hiring managers from organizations in the southwestern United States who completed the Job-Related Situational Strength Questionnaire and the Decision to Hire Scale. Although a priori power analysis required a minimum of 103 participants to detect a medium effect size, …

An Antioxidant Approach To Ameliorate The Effects Of Radiation And Chemotherapy On Cognition, Raymond Anan Otoo

Theses and Dissertations

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is a hematologic malignancy that primarily affects children and young adults. While advancements in treatment—including chemotherapy and cranial irradiation—have significantly improved 5-year survival rates in children to nearly 90%, radiation-induced cognitive impairment (RICI) remains a persistent and debilitating side effect. The brain, particularly the hippocampus, is highly susceptible to radiation-induced oxidative stress and inflammation. In the treatment of ALL, the combined use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy contributes to a heightened oxidative burden, exacerbating the risk of cognitive dysfunction. Although previous studies have linked radiation exposure to neurocognitive decline, the molecular mechanisms underlying RICI and chemotherapy-induced cognitive …

Structure Regulation Engineering For Biomass-Derived Carbon Anodes Enabling High-Rate Dual-Ion Batteries, Rui Zhou, Rui Liu, Yun-Nuo Li, Si-Jie Jiang, Tian-Tian Jing, Yan-Song Xu, Fei-Fei Cao

Journal of Electrochemistry

Dual-ion batteries (DIBs) usually use carbon-based materials as electrodes, showing advantages in high operating voltage, potential low cost, and environmental friendliness. Different from conventional “rocking chair” type secondary batteries, DIBs perform a unique working mechanism, which employ both cation and anion taking part in capacity contribution at an anode and a cathode, respectively, during electrochemical reactions. Graphite has been identified as a suitable cathode material for anion intercalation at high voltages (> 4.8 V) with fast reaction kinetics. However, the development of DIBs is being hindered by dynamic mismatch between a cathode and an anode due to sluggish Li^{+ …}

Instructional Leadership Practices To Advance Secondary Student Mathematics Achievement In A British Commonwealth Country, Dawn Agdomar-Jean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that school leaders are challenged in providing instructional leadership to teachers to advance secondary students' mathematics achievement in a British Commonwealth Country (BCC). The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate secondary school leaders’ perceptions of the challenges to providing instructional leadership practices found to be effective to support teachers to advance secondary students' mathematics achievement in a BCC. The conceptual framework for this study was Hallinger and Murphy's model of instructional leadership. A self-designed semistructured interview protocol with open-ended questions was used to interview participants. Purposive sampling was used to …

Spartan Daily, August 28, 2025, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2025

Volume 165, Issue 4

Transparency And Openness In Scientific Publishing Among Malaysian Social Science Researchers, Noor Masliana Razlan

Student Works (2020-2029)

The global movement toward transparency and openness in scientific publishing (TOSP) has become integral in strengthening research integrity, accessibility, and reproducibility. While TOSP practices are increasingly embedded in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, their uptake remains limited and fragmented in the social sciences, especially within the Malaysian context. This study investigates how Malaysian social science researchers interpret, adopt, and implement TOSP practices, and how these are influenced by demographic variables such as age, gender, academic position, discipline, and research experience. Using a sequential mixedmethods approach, the study draws on qualitative interviews with 20 participants and survey responses from …

Mantle Flow And Fault Zone Related Seismic Anisotropy Revealed By A Dense Linear Broadband Array In Southeast Tibet, Jing Wu, Yinshuang Ai, Stephen S. Gao, Peixi Huang, Fansheng Kong, Deke Xu, Jianguo Song, Xinyu Gao, Mengyi Wei, Long Li, Jien Zhang, Yanbin Zhang, Yingying Zhang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Southeast Tibet, a key region for the southeastward extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau, remains debated in terms of its tectonic deformation in response to the ongoing collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. In this study, we applied shear-wave splitting analysis of core-refracted phases recorded by a newly deployed dense seismic array and six permanent stations to delineate crustal and mantle deformation processes. The observed fast polarization directions are predominantly aligned NNW–SSE, while the splitting delay times vary across four sub-blocks. The anisotropy pattern suggests a dominantly asthenospheric origin, consistent with southeastward-directed mantle flow associated with the extrusion of the …

Industry Perspectives On Engineering Communication Skills For The Green Transition, Una Beagon, Stephen Harper, Paul Talbot

Irish Journal of Academic Practice

Effective communication skills are crucial in complex multidisciplinary, multistakeholder engineering projects, where engineers must articulate ideas, negotiate solutions and convey technical information across diverse audiences. However, despite their importance, communication skills are often undervalued in engineering curricula, as students and faculty may view them as peripheral to technical training. Through focus groups and interviews with practicing engineers in Ireland, the study explores communication’s role in professional tasks and stakeholder interactions. The study provides a flowchart outlining each stage of a civil and structural project. This was then used to identify key communication activities which are presented using the who, why …

Faculty Senate Minutes, Georgia Southern University, Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Minutes

No abstract provided.

Design And Optimization Of Anode Catalysts For Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells: Advances And Challenges In C-C Bond Activation And Selective Modulation Of The C1 Pathway, Kai-Chi Qin, Meng-Tian Huo, Yu Liang, Si-Yuan Zhu, Zi-Hao Xing, Jin-Fa Chang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) are a promising alternative to conventional energy sources, offering high energy density, environmental sustainability, and operational safety. Compared to methanol fuel cells, DEFCs exhibit lower toxicity and a more mature preparation process. Unlike hydrogen fuel cells, DEFCs provide superior storage and transport feasibility, as well as cost-effectiveness, significantly enhancing their commercial viability. However, the stable C–C bond in ethanol creates a high activation energy barrier, often resulting in incomplete electrooxidation. Current commercial platinum (Pt)- and palladium (Pd)-based catalysts demonstrate low C–C bond cleavage efficiency (

Time Ticks Slowly For Kidney Transplant Reform: Eskd Patient Challenges And Opportunities, Gregory P. Hess

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

Strategies To Improve Project Portfolio Management In The Pharmaceutical Industry, Emely Nhi Thi Ai Nguyen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor management of pharmaceutical project portfolios can negatively impact a pharmaceutical company’s product development and profitability. Project portfolio managers must ensure the successful development of new products in the pharmaceutical pipeline as the financial investment in new product development is significant and if not managed effectively can negatively impact profitability and prevent launch of new treatment therapies. Grounded in the project portfolio management framework, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study was to explore successful project portfolio management (PPM) strategies that drug project portfolio managers use to contribute to business success. The participants were six employees that managed portfolios …

First Principles Materials Discovery And Design For Photovoltaic And Solar Thermal Alloys Using High Throughput Methods, Andrew Pike

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Materials selection has been a challenge since the dawn of time. With the advent of computational methods and high throughput databases, materials can be discovered and assessed before they are even synthesized. In this thesis I will discuss my work towards designing new materials for clean energy uses, especially alloys which have been underexplored from computational methods. To begin, I present a case study explaining the synthesis of the Yb₁₄ZnSb₁₁ thermoelectric material. Next, I explore the class of AM₂Pn₂ Zintl materials. From the previously identified BaCd₂P₂, it is suspected that …

Evolving Paradigms In Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Personalized Approaches To Therapy Across Age And Risk Groups, Sumeet Yadav, Utsav Joshi, Guleid Hussein, Mohamed Warsame, Bolun Liu, Abhash Shrestha, Peter Krastev, Hariprasad Reddy Korsapati, Amrit Singh

Student Publications

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy characterized by the clonal proliferation of myeloid precursors and rapid progression. Historically consisting of intensive chemotherapy, AML management has evolved significantly due to advances in molecular diagnostics and risk stratification. This review discusses current therapeutic paradigms in AML, emphasizing the growing role of personalized medicine across age and risk groups. For younger, fit patients, intensive regimens such as the "7 + 3" protocol remain the standard, often enhanced by targeted agents like FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) and IDH inhibitors. Older or unfit individuals benefit from low-intensity treatments such as hypomethylating …

Feasibility Evaluation Of Secure Offline Large Language Models With Retrieval-Augmented Generation For Cpu-Only Inference, Erick Tyndall, Torrey J. Wagner, Colleen Gayheart, Alexandre Some, Brent T. Langhals

Faculty Publications

Recent advances in large language models and retrieval-augmented generation, a method that enhances language models by integrating retrieved external documents, have created opportunities to deploy AI in secure, offline environments. This study explores the feasibility of using locally hosted, open-weight large language models with integrated retrieval-augmented generation capabilities on CPU-only hardware for tasks such as question answering and summarization. The evaluation reflects typical constraints in environments like government offices, where internet access and GPU acceleration may be restricted. Four models were tested using LocalGPT, a privacy-focused retrieval-augmented generation framework, on two consumer-grade systems: a laptop and a workstation. A technical …

Peptide-Based Inorganic Nanoparticles As Efficient Intracellular Delivery Systems, Amir Nasrolahi Shirazi, Rajesh Vadlapatla, Ajoy Koomer, Anthony Nguyen, Vian Khoury, Keykavous Parang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

Background/Objectives: Peptide-based inorganic nanoparticles (PINPs) have emerged as promising candidates for intracellular delivery due to their unique structural and functional attributes. These hybrid nanostructures combine the high surface area and tunable optical/magnetic properties of metal cores (e.g., Au, Ag, Fe3O4) with the biocompatibility, targeting specificity, and responsive behavior of peptides. In particular, peptides with amphipathic or cell-penetrating features could facilitate efficient transport of molecular cargos across cellular membranes while enabling stimulus-responsive drug release in target tissues. Methods: We review key synthesis methods (especially green, peptide-mediated one-pot approaches), functionalization strategies (e.g., thiol-gold bonds, click chemistries), and characterization techniques (TEM, …

Methane Partial Oxidation With Ni-Mg-Al Hydrotalcites: Impact Of Magnesium On Catalyst Performance, Dalia A. Ali Dr.

Chemical Engineering

The partial oxidation of methane (POM) is a promising route for hydrogen-rich syngas production with lower energy requirements compared to steam reforming. Herein, Ni-incorporated Mg-Al hydrotalcite- derived mixed oxide catalysts (5Ni-HT-x, x = 60, 65, 70, 75 wt.% Mg) were synthesized via co-precipitation and evaluated for CH₄ conversion and H₂ yield. Characterization techniques, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), BET, H₂-TPR, TEM, FTIR, TGA, and Raman spectroscopy, were employed to investigate catalyst structure, active site stability, and carbon deposition. As a constituent of hydrotalcite-derived mixed oxides (HT), Ni2+ is strongly bound within the hydrotalcite- derived mixed oxides structure, …

Peer-Led Sexual And Reproductive Healtheducation Programs At Universities, Madison Michelle Patrick

Silicon Valley Sociological Review

This applied research explores the accessibility, visibility, and comprehensiveness of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and services at universities, with a specific focus on contraceptive risk awareness. Recognizing college students as particularly vulnerable to misinformation regarding hormonal contraceptives, unintended pregnancy, and STI exposure, the study examines the role of university-provided SRH resources in mitigating these risks.

A mixed-methods content analysis was conducted on the SRH publicly-available web pages of four Northern California universities—Stanford University, San Francisco State University, Santa Clara University, and the University of California, Berkeley, chosen for their diversity in institutional identity. The research assessed each university’s …

‘Immigrant Invaders,’ ‘Arab Terrorists,’ And ‘Leftist Subversives’:Surveillance State From Palestine To Mexico, Alexis Figueroa

Silicon Valley Sociological Review

Immigrants in the US exist under a very strict regime of surveillance. This regime is characterized by authentication systems, check-in points, registration, forms of mobility tracking, interoperable databases, and, at the militarized US-Mexico border, the scrutiny of facial-recognition technology, automatic watchtowers, and drones. However, this didn’t come about spontaneously. This paper attempts to outline the development of the immigration surveillance state as a generations-long bipartisan project. From the evolution of the military-industrial complex and technologies like the internet innovated to spy on national independence movements, to the proliferation of data collection made for global finance, the immigration surveillance state reveals …