Digital Commons Network^™

Contract Quality Feature Extraction Using Llm, Aaron C. Washington

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the potential insights generated from linguistic complexity measurements and large language model (LLM) based assessments on the quality of contract documents. By combining structured True/False prompts with log-probability analysis and ambiguity scoring, the study introduced novel contract-quality assessment methods. Results support a feature-driven approach to contract evaluation, one that offers automated, scalable insights for triaging risk and improving drafting practices. These assessment methods contribute to the growing field of legal natural language processing by offering modular tools for effective contract analysis.

Fused-Silica Microelectromechanical Systems For Relative Gravimetry, Ethan Doerstling

Theses and Dissertations

Gravimeters are devices that measure gravitational acceleration which can be used by the United States Air Force (USAF) in the areas of navigation and remote sensing. Fused-silica microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices offer capabilities to make inexpensive relative gravimeters with higher thermal stability than common silicon devices while maintaining good gravitational sensitivity. The fused-silica devices in this research were designed, simulated, fabricated, and tested to observe their performance as gravimeters. The devices exhibit properties of highly sensitive accelerometers but the current designs do not qualify as gravimeters. This study provides information to improve the sensitivity and stability of these fused-silica MEMS …

Leveraging Large Language Models (Llms) For Automated Generation Of Sysml V2 State Machines In Guidance, Navigation, And Control (Gnc) Systems, Andrea Louise Ames

Theses and Dissertations

Modern defense systems continue to grow in complexity, placing increasing pressure on engineering workflows to be faster and more adaptable. While Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) with the emerging SysML v2 standard provides a framework for capturing system behavior, its practical use is often limited by the expertise and time required for manual modeling. This research investigates whether large language models (LLMs) can help overcome that barrier by automatically generating SysML v2 state machines from Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) textual inputs. Three LLM Flowise-based models were developed and evaluated: the Structured Transformation Model (STM), which uses a structured extraction and …

Infrastructure From Below: Mediasi Dan Politik Pembangunan Infrastruktur Air Di Kota Balikpapan, Muhammad Althaf Nandiati Yusfid

Antropologi Indonesia

The city of Balikpapan is experiencing a water crisis. The discrepancy between the city's water supply and Balikpapan's demography put pressure towards the city's capability of supporting its own citizens. This issue is exacerbated by the development of Indonesia's New Capital (IKN) which is located just outside Balikpapan. Therefore, the development of water infrastructure is imperative for the city. Yet, there's no recent visible development of water infrastructure in the city. However, I argue that water infrastructure development actually exists, though in a subtle form. The informal water suppliers that are prevalent in the city is tied with how the …

A Controlled-Source Physical Model For Long Period Seismic Events, Sananda Ray, Gregory P. Waite, Radwin Askari

Michigan Tech Publications

Long-period seismic events (LPs) are observed within active volcanoes, hydrothermal systems and hydraulic fracturing. The prevailing model for LP seismic events suggests that they result from pressure disturbances in fluid-filled cracks that generate slow, dispersive waves known as Krauklis waves. These waves oscillate within the crack, causing it to act as a seismic resonator whose far-field radiations are known as LP events. Since these events are generated from fluid-filled cracks, they have been used to analyse fluid transport and fracturing in geological settings. Additionally, they are deemed precursors to volcanic eruptions. However, other mechanisms have been proposed to explain LP …

Optimized Electrocoagulation Pre-Treatment For Fouling Reduction During Nanofiltration Of Lake Water Containing Microcystin-Lr, Thomas Mckean, Chidambaram Tharmaraiselvan, Sarah Do, S. Ranil Wickramasinghe

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Microcystin-LR (MCLR) is a toxin produced by harmful algal blooms that is emerging as a threat to drinking and recreational water systems worldwide. Nanofiltration (NF) is an effective technique for purifying contaminated water sources; however, membrane fouling caused by coexisting organic matter limits the practicality of the process. This research studies the use of an electrocoagulation (EC) pretreatment to limit fouling during the NF process. Water for this study was taken from Lake Fayetteville, a local body of water where MCLR concentrations have been recorded to be >15 µg/L. EC was performed using polyaluminum chloride as a background electrolyte at …

A Nonparametric Estimator Of The Reliability Function For A Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Under Cyclical Stress, Haider K. Raheem, Alaa H. Jalob

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This paper introduces a method for measuring the Reliability Function of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) under cyclic stress using nonparametric estimators. The study's goal is to gain a better understanding of material deterioration by combining microscopic and macroscopic approaches while accounting for the uncertainty associated with the data and models. Several statistical techniques were used to estimate the reliability function from failure data generated under cyclic stress, such as Nadaraya-Watson, spline estimation, kernel density estimation, Bayesian estimation, and Gaussian process regression. Real data will be simulated as a result of experiments conducted in Stanford structures and the vehicle laboratory …

Solving Multi-Objective Machine Scheduling Problem Using The Meerkat Clan Algorithm, Tahani Jabbar, Bayda Attia Khalaf, Erum Rehman

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Machine scheduling problems have become increasingly complex and dynamic. The complexity and size of the problems require the development of methods and solutions whose efficiency is measured by their ability to find acceptable results within a reasonable amount of time. Therefore, this paper addresses to propose a new mathematical model for multi objective function based on Single-machine scheduling problems  by minimizing  the discounted total weighted completion time the number of tardy jobs the maximum earliness and the maximum weighted tardiness  with release date denoted   +  which are an NP-hard. To achieve efficient solutions, a metaheuristic method (Meerkat clan algorithm (MCA)) …

Summaries Of Arkansas Cotton Research 2024, Fred M. Bourland

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Series

Planted cotton acreage in Arkansas increased in 2024 to 670,000 planted acres, which was 160,000 acres more than in 2023 when Arkansas producers planted approximately 510,000 acres of cotton. A wet spring, and two hurricanes in three weeks in late summer/early fall led to a slight decrease in harvested acres that culminated in a final number of 640,000 (https://www.nass.usda.gov/Quick_Stats/Ag_Overview/stateOverview.php?state=ARKANSAS). Producers harvested 640,00 acres of cotton, which ranked third nationally, behind Texas and Georgia (https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/files/k3569432s/nk324887m/qn59s0097/cropan25.pdf). The total harvested acreage is the greatest amount since 680,000 acres in 2011. The average cotton yield in Arkansas in 2024 was …

Glutamatergic Regulation Of Mirna-Containing Intraluminal Vesicle Trafficking And Extracellular Vesicle Secretion From Cortical Neurons, Marcela Bertolio, Qiyi Li, Francesca E Mowry, Kathryn E Reynolds, Rashed Alananzeh, Haichao Wei, Kyoeun Keum, Rachel Jarvis, Jiaqian Wu, Yongjie Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Neuronal extracellular vesicles (microvesicles and exosomes) are emerging secreted vesicular signals that play important roles in the CNS. Currently, little is known about how glutamatergic signalling affects the subcellular localisation of exosome precursor intraluminal vesicles (ILVs), microRNA (miR) packaging into ILVs and in vivo spreading of neuronal EVs. By selectively labelling ILVs and exosomes (but not plasma membrane-derived MVs) with GFP-tagged human CD63 (hCD63-GFP) in cortical neurons, we found that glutamate stimulation significantly redistributes subcellular localisation of hCD63-GFP+ ILVs, especially decreasing its co-localisation with multi-vesicular body (MVB) marker Rab7 while substantially promoting EV secretion. Interestingly, glutamate stimulation only modestly alters …

International Multidisciplinary Consensus Recommendations On Clinical Application Of Three-Dimensional Visualization In Precision Surgery For Pediatric Liver Tumors, Qian Dong, Wenli Xiu, Benjie Tang, Eiso Hiyama, Mary T Austin, Yeming Wu, Xiaojun Yuan, Chengzhan Zhu, Chengli Liu, Hiroki Ishibashi, Karthik K Tappa, Huanmin Wang, Chuandong Sun, Yuntao Ma, Hongwei Xi, Jian Wang, Jianghua Zhan, Kyong Ihn, Mitsuo Shimada, Mingman Zhang, Mary E Brindle, Patrick B Thomas, Shigehisa Fumino, Tao Liu, Thom Lobe, Udo Rolle, Shan Wang, Xiaowen Zhai, Yoshinori Koga, Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Yuzuo Bai, Zhaozhu Li, Zhe Wen, Weikang Pan, Krysta M Sutyak, Pier C Giulianotti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Pediatric liver tumors are predominantly primary malignant tumors, and complete tumor resection with sufficient preservation of liver tissue is crucial for improving prognosis. However, due to the delicate anatomical structure of the pediatric liver and the relatively large size of the tumors, especially in difficult cases, the surgical challenges are substantial. While precision liver surgery are widely applied in clinical practice, pediatric cases require more customized approaches. The application of three-dimensional (3D) visualization technology is crucial for enhancing surgical accuracy, allowing for precise preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance.

Methods: This consensus was collaboratively developed by 36 experts from eight …

Building Open Finance, Douglas W. Arner, Ross P. Buckley, Christine M. Wang, Dirk A. Zetzsche

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

As one of the most digitalized sectors of the economy, finance is increasingly dependent on data. Over the past decade, the implementation of Open Banking and Open Finance in an increasing number of major jurisdictions around the world, including the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), seeks to break down data silos, empower consumers, and increase competition among financial service providers, aiming to maximize the value of financial data for innovation, growth, and competitiveness. In addition to mandatory requirements, other governance approaches to Open Finance, including collaborative arrangements and voluntary initiatives, …

United Seas For Resilient Reefs: A Blueprint For Coral Conservation Through International Cooperation, John J. Bohorquez, Maoz Fine, Dana I. Grieco, David A. Gill, Ali Al-Swalimih, Jacqueline Padilla-Gamino, Isaiah W. Bolden, Margaux Hein, Callum Backstrom, Melanie Mcfield, Raphael Martinez, Benjamin Midberry, Fahd Al-Guthmy, Ellen K. Pikitch, Natalia Benejam, Chen Azulay, Britt Ronen, Oren Levy, Anne Mcelroy, Karine Kleinhaus

School of Marine & Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Publications

Coral reefs are one of Earth’s most vital and threatened ecosystems. They protect coastlines, generate billions of dollars of tourism revenue, support valuable fisheries, and contribute to the development of vital medicines. Yet half of the world's coral reefs have been lost in the last 50 years, and 90% of remaining reefs are projected to die off by the middle of this century, mainly due to warming seas from climate change.

Despite these challenges there is reason for hope. Some coral reefs – such as in the northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba – have demonstrated remarkable resilience to …

2025 June, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications & Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for June of 2025.

The Moderating Effect Of Its Working Capital Management Policy On The Relationship Between Dividend Policy And Stock Price: A Case Study On The Manufacturing Sector On The Kuwait Stock Exchange For The Years 2019-2023, Barham Hassan, Shakhawan Sangawi, Hadi Ahmed

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

This study aims to examine the moderating effect of working capital management policies on the relationship between dividend policy and stock prices in the manufacturing sector of the Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE) from 2019 to 2023. Grounded in signaling theory and agency theory, the research investigates how dividend decisions affect market valuation and how investment and financing strategies, particularly aggressive or conservative working capital approaches, influence this relationship. To achieve this, panel data from 21 manufacturing firms listed on the KSE were analyzed using panel regression techniques method in EViews software. The market price per share (MPS) was used as …

Higher Education Is Under Siege: It Needs To Reinvent Itself, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In an op-ed for The Straits Times, SMU President Professor Lily Kong reflects on the urgent need for universities to respond to the growing convergence of pressures facing higher education – including political scrutiny, funding constraints, technological disruption, and public scepticism. She calls for a reimagining of the university’s purpose: one that moves beyond knowledge acquisition and employment outcomes to embrace holistic student development, lifelong learning, and social relevance. Highlighting the importance of resilience, self-awareness, and adaptability, Prof Kong emphasises that learning happens as much outside the classroom as within it – through mentoring, community engagement, reflection, and lived experience. …

Epidemiology Of Hip Dislocations In The United States From 1990 To 2019: A Temporal Study Using The Global Burden Of Disease Database., Ambrose Loc T Ngo, Gabrielle Dykhouse, Taylor J Manes, Phillip C Mckegg, Cameron J Sabet, Brett Barthman, Robert Golden

Trauma and Acute Care Articles

Introduction Hip dislocations are devastating injuries that require urgent intervention to minimize the development of severe complications. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of hip dislocations in the United States (U.S.) from 1990 to 2019. Methods This study is a descriptive retrospective epidemiological study. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database was used to collect epidemiological data on hip dislocation in the U.S. from 1990 to 2019. Data included years lived with disability (YLDs), prevalence, and incidence rates per 100,000 people. Data were regionally stratified into Northeast, Midwest, South, and West by the U.S. Census definition. Bartlett's test was …

Evolution Of The Family Medicine Clerkship: A Cera Secondary Analysis., Bryce A Ringwald, David Banas, Allison Macerollo, Ericka Bruce, Matthew Farrell

Medical Education Articles

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The family medicine clerkship has been found to influence medical students' decision-making regarding specialty choice. Understanding how the family medicine clerkship has changed over the past decade may assist in recruitment efforts. Our study explored trends in family medicine clerkship design, length, and format and correlated these characteristics with high proportions of medical school graduates choosing family medicine.

METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance annual family medicine clerkship director surveys from 2012 to 2023. We analyzed standard family medicine clerkship structure questions that were asked in each …

Investigation Of Retention And Dehydration Of Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control In Fractured Carbonates, Abdulaziz A. Almakimi, Abdullah O. Almansour, Junchen Liu, Baojun Bai, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Preformed particle gel (PPG) treatment has proved to be among the most effective methods to reduce excessive water production in fractured reservoirs. The blocking ability of PPGs to fractures or fracture-like features is highly dependent on injected gel properties and volume. Gel dehydration during extrusion through fracture is common and has a considerable effect on gel properties, transport, and plugging efficiency. As the gel particles propagate through the fracture, continuous dehydration is often associated and causes the gel to concentrate and require high-pressure gradients to move. Dehydration might be desirable to a certain limit because it can help to form …

Co-Designing Health-Related Digital Tools With Children: A Scoping Review Of Current Practice, Pauline Roberts, Fiona Boylan, Patricia Collins, Lennie Barblett

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

An increased focus on research with rather than on or of participants provides challenges with the implementation of such research with children. This extends to participatory practices in which co-design is implemented towards developing a technology-based product or solving a problem particularly in the domain of health literacy. This systematic scoping review aimed to examine the practices of co-design with children to inform an interdisciplinary research team as they embarked on the development of a digital health literacy tool for young learners. While there were limited sources identified in the review (n = 11), it was ascertained the process of …

Water Quality Assessment: Endotoxin Brings Real-Time Measurements And Non-Faecally Transmitted Bacteria To The Table, Christian Good, João Brandão, Christopher Seymour, Simon K. Jackson

School of Biomedical Sciences

We have used a rapid, portable assay (Bacterisk) to determine the bacterial water quality along several inland waters in SW England. Water samples were compared by a conventional membrane filter and culture methods for faecal indicator bacteria (FIB; E. coli and enterococci) and endotoxin measurement by Bacterisk. The Bacterisk data, measured in near-real-time, correlate well with both E. coli and enterococci, but also allow the presence of potential pathogens of a non-faecal origin to be detected. The sensitivity was calculated to be 92.96% with a specificity of 46.3% for E. coli with an expanded uncertainty of 22.07% and an Endotoxin …

Research Into Job Classifications For Kentucky Department Of Vehicle Regulation Employees, Mallory Brown, Andrew Martin, Jeeyen Koo, Jennifer Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Department of Vehicle Regulation (DVR) faces persistent challenges with employee recruitment, retention, and workforce alignment due to outdated job classifications and compensation structures. This study investigates if DVR’s reliance on the general Administrative Specialist job series is warranted given the duties performed by its staff. Through a job task analysis, financial modeling, and personnel data review, researchers assessed the feasibility of introducing a new DVR-specific job series based on the Vehicle Regulation Specialist (VRS) position currently being used by the Division of Motor Carriers. The proposed VRS series includes two levels — VRS I (Grade 13) and VRS …

Comparative Genotoxicological Analysis Of Occupational Pesticide Exposures: An Experimental Approach And Systematic Review, Moustafa Samy Sherif

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of pesticide exposure through three complementary research components: a systematic review of occupational pesticide exposure in Arab countries (AraSys), a systematic review on encapsulated versus conventional pesticide formulations (Encap-Sys), and experimental toxicological assessments of various pesticide formulations in human cell lines (Pyr-Ex). This experimental component includes cytotoxicity assays using propidium iodide and DNA damage assessments via alkaline comet assays in HL60 and HepG2 cell lines exposed to pyrethroid insecticides and glyphosate-based formulations.

The AraSys systematic review revealed a critical positive association between occupational pesticide exposure and DNA damage in agricultural workers in …

Experimental And Computational Study Of Slow Crack Growth Of High Density Polyethylene, Abdulla Fawzi Almomani

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the slow crack growth (SCG) behavior of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) under various mechanical and environmental conditions. The study combines experimental analysis and computational modeling to enhance the understanding of SCG mechanisms in HDPE, particularly in pressurized pipes and under the exposure to hydrocarbons. A novel Crack Layer (CL) theory-based SCG model is developed and validated through experimental data, offering a predictive framework for HDPE failure assessment. The main objective of this dissertation is to quantify and model the viscoelastic-viscoplastic behavior of HDPE under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions while addressing SCG kinetics in structural applications. The study …

Design And Development Of Hip Implants For Longevity Through Integrating Advanced Groove Structures And Additive Manufacturing, Asarudheen Abdudeen

Dissertations

This doctoral research concerns the design and optimization of hip implants (HIs) to enhance performance, durability, and improve patient outcomes by addressing the key issues of wear, deformation, and stress distribution. Innovative surface groove designs have been introduced to both a solid and a hollow femoral head with the aim of reducing friction and wear. The addition of grooves, with both a hemispherical and rectangular cross-section, onto the femoral head reduced friction, as debris produced by the inner liner was trapped within the grooves, significantly reducing adhesive wear. A numerical simulation study compared the effects of surface modifications both grooves …

Multi-Point And Multi-Station Orbit Propagation For Non-Functional Drifting Geo Satellites, Hritik Mitra

Theses

Currently, there are thousands of man-made space objects that are orbiting the Earth. These satellites serve a host of essential purposes (scientific research, technical applications, services) and they are all required to remain within their mission parameters. Most critical for them is to maintain the orbital parameters that are specified to achieve a particular mission’s objectives. If a satellite deviates beyond a certain limit, there is not only a risk of mission failure but there is a major hazard for possible collisions with other objects such as active satellites, space debris and even natural objects in some cases. There is …

Investigation And Prediction Of Excessive Water Production In Bottom Water-Drive Naturally Fractured Reservoirs Using Machine And Deep Learning, Sami Abderraouf Belkhir

Theses

Naturally Fractured Reservoirs (NFRs) are characterized by dual-porosity and dual-permeability systems, posing significant challenges in managing water production due to highly conductive fracture networks that facilitate rapid water migration from bottom aquifers, often bypassing oil stored in the matrix, thus resulting in early water breakthrough and water channeling phenomena. The main objective of this thesis is to develop and validate deep learning and machine learning models to predict water production, water breakthrough time (tbt), and ultimate water cut (WCult) in NFRs, thereby enabling more effective reservoir management strategies. This work also aims to evaluate the sensitivity of water behavior to …

Data-Driven Machine Learning Applications For Predictive Modeling Of Petrochemical And Ecofriendly Systems, Noora Saleh Al Mansoori

Theses

Traditional experimental approaches in industrial processes, such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and well-drilling operations, are often constrained by time, cost, and operational limitations. This research explores the application of data-driven Machine Learning (ML)-based predictive modeling to improve efficiency and reduce dependency on resource-intensive experimentation. The study develops ML models for three distinct processes: FTIR intensity prediction of bitumen thermal cracking products, thermal degradation of Medium-Density Fibreboard (MDF) using TGA data, and Rate of Penetration (ROP) prediction in petrochemical industry. Six algorithms: Linear Regression (LinReg), Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Gradient …

Design Of A Deployable Rolled Antenna System For Satellite Applications, Ashwaq Abdulla Alkaabi

Theses

This project presents the development of a deployable Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) antenna designed for a 16U CubeSat platform. The primary challenge in SAR satellite design lies in the need for large antennas to achieve high-resolution imaging, which traditionally results in increased satellite size and cost. To address this, the proposed solution employs a scalable 4 × 21 patch antenna array operating at 1.275 GHz, fabricated on a flexible Polyimide-based Printed Circuit Board (PCB). This flexible PCB allows the antenna to safely roll during deployment, avoiding damage and facilitating compact storage. However, Polyimide poses challenges due to higher losses and …

Numerical Methods For Approximating Line Integrals Over Implicitly Defined Curves, Raghd Alsaadawi

Theses

In this thesis, we develop and investigate a predictor-corrector method for the numerical tracing of implicitly defined curves. The study begins with the introduction of modified numerical integration techniques — specifically, the modified trapezoidal and modified midpoint rules — for evaluating the line integral of a vector field along an implicitly defined curve. Furthermore, we explore higher-order methods aimed at improving the accuracy of such integrals. Theoretical and numerical results, including asymptotic error expansions, are presented to support the analysis. In addition, several numerical experiments are carried out to illustrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approaches.