Digital Commons Network^™

Nucleocytoplasmic Regulation Of Epithelial Transitions, Carly Krull

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Nucleocytoplasmic transport fundamentally regulates cellular phenotype and function across tissues in the body. In epithelial tissues, various processes—including embryogenesis, tissue repair, and cancer invasion—require cells to go from a homeostatic, mostly stationary and solid group to a fluidlike migratory collective. Underlying this tissue destabilization are two physical transitions: the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the unjamming transition (UJT). EMT comprises the loss of cell-cell junctions, front-back cell repolarization, and elevated migration. In contrast, UJT preserves cell-cell junctions, but cell elongation and migration fluidity more significantly increase. While nucleocytoplasmic transport forms the basis of EMT, UJT has only recently gained recognition, and …

Witch Aesthetics In Film Music & Sound, 1927-2024: A Queer Feminist Analysis, Lisa Pollock Mumme

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The witch persists across long spans of time and location. She is an unruly archetype, existing to trouble boundaries and power. However, the witch also emerges as a character with whom people identify, emphasizing her incredible flexibility as a signifier. I establish my intervention in the study of the witch as a cultural figure from the standpoint of sound and music studies. Based on my study of more than 140 films between 1927-2024, I argue that the witch is a profoundly musical and sonic creature, particularly as markers of her presence and power. I build on Carol Clover's work on …

Analysis Of Workplace Behaviors And Demeanors: Understanding Lasting Employee Relationships, Sabrina Fatima Adhami

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Orbital Trajectory Simulation Of A Mission To Titan, Preston Hancock Beesley

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

A Model-Based Systems Engineering Approach To Developing A Mission To Titan, Alana Elizabeth Meara

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Sunlight On Traffic Crashes: A Case Study Of Interstate 565, Sidnie Erin Ross

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Echoes Of Emotions Through Mindful Music: Impacting Older Adults One Song At A Time, Elisabeth Baende

Honors Projects

Music has been researched to be a positive impact on older adults with memory loss like dementia. Technology has also made a positive impact for increasing older adult functioning with tasks and communication styles. The paper provides an idea to combat memory decline and cognitive functioning with an app called Mindful Music. The paper describes what Mindful Music is and how it could be beneficial for older adults with dementia. The paper also brings the conversation on stress and struggles throughout memory loss. How music makes the impact on emotions is supplied in the methods and results section. The paper …

Entanglement-Enhanced Metrology With Superconducting Circuits, Xingrui Song

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Circuit quantum electrodynamics provides a unique platform for investigating fundamental physics and practical quantum applications. In this thesis, I introduce the superconducting circuit platform from a foundational perspective. Drawing inspiration from quantum electrodynamics and utilizing the analog of closed time-like curves, this work achieves quantum enhancement over classical strategies. Specifically, I investigate agnostic phase estimation protocol and the associated approaches that leverage quantum entanglement to optimally estimate an unknown rotation angle without requiring prior knowledge of the rotation axis. This work not only demonstrates a proof of concept for a type of entanglement-assisted metrology but also highlights intriguing quantum effects. …

Selection Of Therapeutically Effective T-Cell Receptors From The Diverse Tumor-Bearing Repertoire, Leonie Rosenberger, Naresha Saligrama, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: The development of T-cell receptor (TCR)-based T-cell therapies is hampered by the difficulties in identifying therapeutically effective tumor-specific TCRs from the natural repertoire of a patient's cancer-specific T cells.

METHODS: Here, we mimic experimentally near-patient conditions to analyze the T-cell repertoire in euthymic tumor-bearing mice responding to the H-2K

RESULTS: We found that mp68-specific TCRs isolated from either tumor-infiltrating T cells or spleens of mice immunized with mp68-expressing cancer cells are diverse and not inherently therapeutic when introduced into peripheral T cells and used for adoptive therapy of established tumors. While measuring short-term T-cell responses in vitro was unreliable …

Joe Biden Victory In The 2020 United States Presidential Election: Literature Review, Amril Hanif Zaki

Jurnal Wacana Politik

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the 2020 US presidential election is worth watching. Also, who wins the US presidential election will influence US foreign and international policy. This research aims to examine the 2020 US Presidential Election, focusing on Joe Biden’s victory. The author uses Scopus sources, which are analyzed using VOS viewer, NVivo, SWOT, Literature Review, and political communication theory, resulting in the peak of Joe Biden’s research in Scopus in 2023 experiencing a decline. The author also finds the involvement of Russian researchers who analyze Joe Biden, where these two countries have been rivals for a …

Deconstructing The Threat Of Technology: A Critique Of Surveillance Capitalism And Its Implications For E-Democracy, Rafif Sakti Utama, Mudiyati Rahmatunnisa, Ratnia Solihah

Jurnal Wacana Politik

This study critiques the phenomenon of surveillance capitalism in the digital era, focusing on its impact on digital democracy or e-democracy in Indonesia. Drawing from Shoshana Zuboff’s framework, surveillance capitalism leverages human behavioural data as raw material for commercial predictions, threatening privacy, fostering polarization, and weakening the digital public sphere. Using a qualitative literature-based approach and semi-structured interviews with experts and practitioners, the research validates its findings through data triangulation across journal articles, policy reports, and interview insights. The results indicate that social media algorithms contribute to the spread of disinformation, political polarization, and the manipulation of public opinion. For …

Creative Coastal Futures: Developing Cultural And Creative Industries, Katharine Willis, Chris Bennewith, Kasper De Graaf

School of Art, Design and Architecture

The UK is a coastal country, no one lives more than 80 miles from the coast, and indeed when you get down to into Cornwall and Devon this reduces to just 20 miles. Our coasts are a rich source of natural and cultural assets replete with places people value, visit and choose to live in. Yet our coastal communities are some of the most overlooked, challenged and deprived in the country. The strengths that exist in our coastal areas – around natural resources and pockets of specialised skills – are compromised by low levels of economic capacity and activity, aggravated …

Artificial Intelligence-Based Virtual Staining Platform For Identifying Tumor-Associated Macrophages From Hematoxylin And Eosin-Stained Images, Arpit Aggarwal, Mayukhmala Jana, Amritpal Singh, Tanmoy Dam, Himanshu Maurya, Tilak Pathak, Sandra Orsulic, Kailin Yang, Deborah Chute, Justin A Bishop, Farhoud Faraji, Wade M Thorstad, Shlomo Koyfman, Scott Steward, Qiuying Shi, Vlad Sandulache, Nabil F Saba, James S Lewis, Germán Corredor, Anant Madabhushi

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Virtual staining is an artificial intelligence-based approach that transforms pathology images between stain types, such as hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to immunohistochemistry (IHC), providing a tissue-preserving and efficient alternative to traditional IHC staining. However, existing methods for translating H&E to virtual IHC often fail to generate images of sufficient quality for accurately delineating cell nuclei and IHC+ regions. To address these limitations, we introduce VISTA, an artificial intelligence-based virtual staining platform designed to translate H&E into virtual IHC.

Methods: We applied VISTA to identify M2-subtype tumor-associated macrophages (M2-TAMs) in H&E images from 968 patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell …

Ts-Ratgnn: Two-Stage Spectral Graph Neural Network With Explicitly Optimized Rational Filters

Defensive Publications Series

Approximation-based spectral graph neural networks, which construct graph filters via function approximation, have demonstrated significant success in graph learning tasks. While existing methods predominantly rely on polynomial approximations for filter construction, rational approximation, a potentially superior alternative, remains largely underexplored. Previous attempts to utilize rational approximations have faced challenges, including high computational costs or reliance on polynomial intermediaries, limiting their full potential. This paper introduces TS-RatGNN, a novel spectral GNN featuring an explicitly-optimized rational filter. TS-RatGNN employs a distinctive two-stage framework: it sequentially applies numerator and denominator filters to the input signal. This streamlines the model architecture, facilitates efficient implementation, …

Leveraging Spectral Graph Properties For Unsupervised Cross-Domain Graph Classification

Defensive Publications Series

Unsupervised graph domain adaptation (UGDA) aims to transfer knowledge learned from labeled source graph datasets to unlabeled target graph datasets originating from a different distribution. Existing approaches often rely on spatial message-passing mechanisms, potentially overlooking the valuable information encoded in the spectral domain specific to UGDA tasks. This work begins with an empirical investigation revealing that low-frequency components of the graph spectrum tend to capture shared features across domains, whereas high-frequency components often represent domain-specific characteristics. Addressing the challenge of effectively utilizing these spectral insights, we introduce the Spectral Synergy Network (SSN), a novel framework for UGDA. SSN explicitly disentangles …

Evolving Ontology And The Case Against Predictive Algorithms In The U.S. Justice System, Eryn Reyes Leong

Graduate Library Research Awards

No abstract provided.

Delaware Supreme Court Rules That Both Of Mfw’S Dual Protections Are Required To Obtain Business Judgment Review Of Any Conflicted Transaction Involving Control Stockholders, Robert S. Reder, Lukas F. Merrill

Vanderbilt Law Review En Banc

In In Re Match Group, Inc. Derivative Litigation, 315 A.3d 446 (Del. 2024) (“Match”), the Supreme Court of Delaware (“Supreme Court” or “Match Court”) considered whether both independent committee approval and an unaffiliated stockholder vote are required to obtain business judgment review of transactions––in addition to so-called freeze-out mergers––in which a controlling stockholder receives a “nonratable benefit” at the expense of public stockholders. Given the gravity of the issues presented, Match ranks as one of the most highly anticipated Supreme Court decisions of recent years.

Regional Cooperation In Southern Africa: Strategies For The 1990s, Michael Niemann

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Unequal Interdependence: Towards A Theory Of North-South Relations, Ali A. Mazrui

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Exploring Metacognitive Interventions To Enhance Pre-Licensure Nursing Student Academic Performance: A Mixed-Methods Perspective, Angela Christian, Kara Delafosse

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

rigorous demands of nursing school and the high expectations for critical thinking. Situating students for success requires implementing effective study strategies. Metacognition is the ability of students to manage their studying and learning tactics, while recognizing how and when to employ various strategies to master content (Chang et al., 2021). Metacognition directly correlates with enhanced critical thinking, clinical judgment, effective communication skills, and problem-solving capabilities which are critical in the nursing profession (Chang et al., 2021). Incorporating these skills to assist students as they matriculate through their academic journey situates them for success in the nursing profession. Using metacognitive awareness …

Are Large Language Models Conscious?, Judah Hays

Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium

This work evaluates the possibility of a conscious large language model (LLM) under the parameters of Integrated Information Theory (IIT). First, we examine the methodology behind IIT as a scientific theory of consciousness. Second, we detail the system requirements for consciousness under IIT. Third, we examine the basic architecture of modern LLMs. Finally, we subject the network architecture of current LLMs to the system requirements of IIT, evaluating each “physical postulate” IIT espouses individually. We conclude that LLMs meet none of IIT’s requirements for a physical system to be conscious, and briefly discuss the implications for future research.

Utilizing Uae Date Palm Leaf Ash In Removing Ammoniated Compounds From Reject Brine After The Solvay Process, Hend Mohammed Alsheryani

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This study addresses the critical challenge of managing ammonia-laden reject brine from desalination plants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where desalination is the primary freshwater source. The environmental impact of brine disposal, particularly ammonia contamination, necessitates the development of sustainable treatment solutions. This research explores the potential of date palm leaf ash (DPLA), an agricultural byproduct, as a low-cost and eco-friendly adsorbent for ammonia removal, aligning with the UAE’s sustainability and circular economy goals. The study evaluates the ammonia adsorption capacity of DPLA and optimizes its performance through thermal ashing at 750°C and chemical activation using calcium oxide (CaO), …

The Impact Of Inbound Marketing Methods On Business Performance, Stephen G. Garner

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Inbound marketing has become an essential strategy for businesses aiming to build customer relationships before selling their product or service. Inbound marketing methods, as opposed to traditional marketing methods, aim to create value for the customer through various digital strategies before selling a product or service. Inbound marketing methods typically include digital tactics such as social media marketing, search engine optimization, and content marketing; however, limited research examines the impact of these inbound marketing methods on overall business performance metrics. To address these gaps, this paper examines the relations between inbound marketing methods, human resource allocation, and operational performance. Results, …

Lost Out At Sea On “Floating Palaces”: Examining The Overlooked Tale Of The Ocean Liner Stewardess, 1890–1919, Pierce Greer

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper examines the lives and experiences of women working aboard ocean liners during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During this era of “floating palaces,” women went to work at sea as stewardesses and nurses. By relying on the testimonies of stewardess Violet Jessop and other unnamed working women aboard ocean liners from 1890 to 1919, I argue how these women had more freedom and opportunities than their land counterparts and challenged the notion of the sea as a male-dominated space. Glossing over their stories undermines their efforts and reduces them to a secondary role in the transatlantic …

Media Portrayals Of Environmental Harms Committed In The Iraq War, Will Hoffman

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

In the context of contemporary climate debates, the accessibility of valid, relevant, and appropriate information to the public beyond the academic community is important. War and conflict are often overlooked contributors to environmental harm and climate change broadly. Given this, the present study seeks to understand how environmental harms are portrayed in newspaper articles covering war, to gain some insight on how this public opinion may have been shaped. I examine coverage of the Iraq War via a content analysis. Articles were gathered and analyzed using inductive coding, which allowed me to identify mentions of environmental harms, oil, and economic …

Repairing Activist-Academic Relationships: Defining Methods To Improve Reciprocity And Movement Building In Degrowth, Xiomara N. Jean-Louis

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

The degrowth movement, advocating for an eco-socialist restructuring of world economies, has failed to find a political foothold in American politics. This is despite growing support in Europe and positive, yet limited, reception in Canada. Previous literature diagnoses the American degrowth movement with confused and ineffective rhetoric, inhospitable intramovement politics, and too little scholarly support. In this article, I argue differently. I focus on the relationships between academics and activists within American degrowth, understanding academic-activist relationships to be historically extractive but also generative and didactic. Using semistructured interviews with academics and activists, and discourse analysis of the press coverage of …

Cutlasses And Crucifixes: The Christian Denominational Conflict’S Influence On Seventeenth-Century Buccaneers, Donavon P. Millington

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

This article examines how the political and religious context of seventeenth-century Europe influenced the actions of state officials and sea raiders who worked with the state. It argues that the tensions between Catholic and Protestant Christians between and within states influenced the mostly Protestant buccaneers to be more violent against the clergy and symbols of Catholic worship. Additionally, the religious affiliation of state officials influenced the perception of the buccaneers and the subsequent policies pursued concerning piracy. It tracks how religious conflict affected the buccaneers from the arrival of French Huguenots to Tortuga, to Cromwell’s Western Design and the restoration …

Grey’S Anatomy College Of Medicine: How Modern Medical Dramas Have Contributed To Patient Healthcare Anxiety, Haylee R. Tilley

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

Having run for nearly 20 seasons averaging over 37 million viewers, it is no surprise that Grey’s Anatomy has been a captivating medical melodrama, one that has sustained popularity in an ever-changing society during its nearly two decades in production. Modern medical dramas have sparked popularity because of their captivating themes of suffering and healing: the modern happy ending or, in this case, cure. With a comprehensible mix of medical jargon and lighthearted drama, audiences around the globe are claiming an MD-level proficiency due to their dedication and engagement in this Shonda Rhimes award-winning series. The increase in patients made …

Table Of Contents And Front Matter, Bjur Staff

Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research

No abstract provided.

A Modern Look At Tampa's Museums: Sustainability, Evening Socials, And Exploring The Gulf Islands National Seashore, Ozlem Kucuk

International Visiting Researcher Showcase

This study focuses on enhancing sustainability and expanding the reach of selected museums in Tampa amidst a competitive landscape. It emphasizes the need for transformative changes and effective marketing strategies to maintain relevance and financial viability. The research promotes the adoption of self-sustaining social marketing techniques to generate economic returns and foster deeper community engagement. Central to this investigation is a novel museum concept aimed at promoting environmental stewardship and cultural awareness while facilitating social interactions among diverse populations. By doing so, it seeks to attract a broader audience to Tampa, known for its rich history, vibrant culture, and stunning …