Digital Commons Network^™

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.

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 …

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. …

Dnp Final Report: Improving Adherence With Cms Sep-1 Sepsis Bundle In The Emergency Department, Emmanuel Bernards

DNP Final Reports

Adherence to the CMS SEP-1 Sepsis bundles is critical to sepsis management and leads to lower sepsis mortality, lower incidence of readmission, reduced length of hospital stay, and improved patient outcomes. This medical center has struggled to meet the required 71% adherence rate set by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare, representing the benchmark of acceptable care of sepsis patients. Therefore, the following PICOT question arises: among the hospitals’ ED physicians and nursing staff (P), how does a multimodal approach consisting of education, visual reminders, and audit and feedback (I) compared to a single approach (education) (C) affect adherence to …

Strategies To Reduce Medicaid Fraud And Abuse In Health Care Billing, Tram-Anh Leeza Nguyen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medicaid fraud and abuse in health care billing is committed by licensed practitioners, patients, or criminal organizations and can pose a serious business problem. Health care managers are particularly concerned because fraudulent claims can result in lost revenue, legal consequences, and diminished resources for legitimate patient care. Grounded in the Complex Adaptive Systems Model, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies some health care managers use to reduce fraud and abuse in health care billing. The participants included four health care managers in California who have successfully implemented strategies to mitigate fraud and financial abuse. …

Mentoring Teacher Identity Development Among Early Childhood Preservice Teachers, Marla Ruth Pankratz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study is that many mentor teachers struggle to support early childhood preservice teachers in developing teacher identity. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand mentor teachers’ challenges and what professional development or support fosters development of teacher identity in early childhood preservice teachers. Guided by Wenger’s communities of practice conceptual framework, data were collected via semistructured interviews with seven participants who had at least 3 years of early childhood teaching experience and had mentored an early childhood preservice teacher from a midwestern regional university in the last 5 years. Data analysis involved …

Challenges Individuals With Mental Illness Encountered With Reasonable Accommodation After The Implementation Of Title I Of The Americans With Disabilities Act, Kristie Demarco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Policy makers often lack information associated with the perspective of those living with mental illness as to whether Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act is working as intended. When considering requests for workplace accommodations, the research literature has focused on the perspective of employers, and the impact on those with physical disabilities, yet few studies considered the impact on individuals with mental illness. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to obtain the perspective of individuals with mental illness who have requested reasonable accommodations. Using a conceptual framework comprised of narrative policy framework and critical disability theory, …

Strategies For Identifying Entrepreneurial Opportunities In Small Business It Consulting, Oluwatosin Ogun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of effective strategies for identifying opportunities threatens the survival and growth of small IT consulting businesses. Without these strategies, owners risk struggling to sustain their businesses in a highly competitive market. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies that IT consulting small business owners use to identify business opportunities for growing their business. The project participants were six IT consulting small business owners in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States who led or significantly contributed to successfully recognizing business opportunities in firms at least 5 years …

How The Code Of The Street Contributes To Incarceration Among Black Women, Jennifer Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rising incarceration rates of Black women in the United States highlight the urgent need to examine factors contributing to this trend. This study investigates how Elijah Anderson’s Code of the Street influences behaviors that lead to incarceration among Black women in low-resource neighborhoods. Via the social disorganization theory, the research explored how economic instability, weakened social institutions, and community disorder contribute to adopting the street code and how adherence to the code contributes to participants’ incarceration. This qualitative study employed thematic analysis of interviews with 11 formerly incarcerated Black women, focusing on their perceptions regarding how the street code shaped …

Cultivating Confidence, Curiosity, And Motivation In The Second Language Classroom, Janelle Carter

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

This portfolio documents the author's journey through the Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT) program at Utah State University, highlighting the evolution of their teaching philosophy and pedagogical practices through theoretical exploration, hands-on classroom experiences, and reflective practice. It details the integration of current research, collaborative learning, and innovative assessment strategies, such as self-created rubrics, to foster student engagement and agency in teaching German as a second language. Additionally, the portfolio includes a co-authored research study that examines the motivational factors influencing university students’ decisions to continue learning Arabic, French, and German. This study explores how personal, academic, and social …

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 …

Artificial Intelligence-Based Virtual Staining Platform For Identifying Tumor-Associated Macrophages From Hematoxylin And Eosin-Stained Images, 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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …