Digital Commons Network^™

Predicting Which Genes Will Respond To Transcription Factor Perturbation, Eric L. Jia

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

A fundamental issue in mapping regulatory networks between transcription factors and their target genes is the poor overlap between the set of genes bound by a given transcription factor (TF), and the set of genes that are differentially expressed after knocking out or overexpressing the same TF. We began with the hypothesis that to predict whether a gene will respond to perturbation of a TF, it is important to not only consider whether that TF is bound at the gene’s promoter, but also whether other TFs bind at the same promoter.

In this work, we propose a novel modeling procedure …

A Neuroimmune Circuit Mediates Chemo Brain Pathology, Daniel Ahmadi

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Chemotherapeutic agents, while effective in targeting malignant tumors, often reduce the patients’ quality of life by inducing fatigue, pain, and motivational deficits. These symptoms are collectively referred to as “chemo brain.” The mechanisms underlying these adverse effects, and specifically whether fatigue and motivational impairments share a common etiology, remain poorly understood. The neural–immune substrates of these symptoms remain obscure, in part because standard preclinical regimens either bypass key systemic signals or introduce local toxicity confounds. Here, I establish and validate a three‑day, low‑dose intravenous cisplatin protocol that avoids peritoneal inflammation and severe renal injury yet produces robust, reversible fatigue and …

Reducing Measurement Error In Three-Point Bend Test Using Linear Gradient Correction Model, Juan J. Becerra-Garcia

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Endovascular devices like catheters feature non-uniform flexural rigidity (EI) profiles (flexi- ble tip, stiff shaft) crucial for navigation and pushability. Standard three-point bend analysis (assuming uniform stiffness) yields inaccurate apparent rigidity (B0) for these graded devices, especially in transition zones. This inaccuracy hinders device comparison, clinical selection, and predictive modeling. This thesis develops and validates a correction model for three-point bend tests aimed at improving local flexural rigidity accuracy for devices with varying stiffness, particularly those exhibiting transition zones similar to logistic profiles. The model assumes a linear gradient in rigidity (B(x) = Bm(1 + 2mx/L)) across the test span …

The Little Diagram That Could: Geometric Properties And Statistical Applications Of Persistence Diagrams In Topological Data Analysis, Eugene Kler

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Topological Data Analysis (TDA) is a collection of techniques for data analysis that leverages topological invariants of spaces formed from data points. These methods excel at extracting useful information from noisy or sparse data, making them attractive to many mathematicians, statisticians, and scientists. In this thesis, we explore TDA on three fronts: algebraic foundations, statistical applications, and metric properties. Throughout, the central object of study is the Persistence Diagram (PD), a summary of the changes in homology that occur as one builds simplicial complexes from the data by increasing a parameter.

Stick-Based Approach To Human Rights Protection: Are Unilateral Export Controls The Right Answer?, Alexandr Svetlicinii, Xueji Su

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Teacher Shortage On The Academic Performance Of Elementary School Students, Cori Braun

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project explores the impact of teacher shortage on the academic performance of elementary school students. With the use of literature review, survey and teacher interviews, the results show that teacher shortage plays a major role in the success of our students when it comes to their academic performance. By doing this research project, it has become apparent that it is vital to keep teachers in the classroom in order to provide our students with the best possible education. There are several ways that the school district and principals can find and improve on solutions in order …

The Unseen Wounds: How Non-Utilization Of Va Benefits Contributes To Veteran Incarceration, Peter R. Barragan

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This project addressed the issue of justice-involved veterans who fail to utilize Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits, increasing their risk of incarceration. The project consisted of distributing a VA Resource Handbook aimed at enhancing veterans' awareness and utilization of VA benefits, thus improving their reintegration outcomes. Using convenience sampling, the project administered pre- and post-intervention surveys to measure changes in awareness, barriers, and benefit utilization among 16 justice-involved veterans. Results indicated a significant increase in veterans’ awareness of VA benefits post-intervention, prompting additional benefit claims submissions. Critical barriers identified included long wait times, insufficient staffing at Monterey County Military …

Raising Awareness Of Digital Resources, Astrid Itzel Torres Ochoa

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

There is a lack of access to technology services in Monterey County, specially among low income individuals, marginalized communities, and elderly. This project mission is to increase awareness, inform the community, and increase engagement with Loaves, Fishes & Computers, a non-profit organization located in Monterey County dedicated to bridge the digital divide by providing technology services such as computer classes, tech support, low cost computers and repairs to low income families and individuals. This project was an educational video about Loaves, Fishes, and Computers. Surveys were conducted before and after people watched the video. Results provided valuable insights about how …

The Benefits Of Experiential Outdoor Learning For Elementary School Students, Jillian R. Witt

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project aims to delve deeper into the benefits of experiential outdoor learning that contributes to the growing body of knowledge and practical applications of this dynamic educational approach of elementary school students. Through the use of literature review, interviews with program workers and school administrators and survey with educators and past students, the result findings indicated that experiential outdoor learning benefits elementary school students despite some cost challenges, but provided them with more opportunities to learn from outdoor activities to increase their academic achievement, improve their cognition, and enhance their social skills with a deeper sense …

Enhancing The Safety And Efficacy Of Cell Therapy With Programmed Sense-And-Respond Function, Andrew J Walters, Xiaoyu Yang, Scott D Olson, Caleb J Bashor

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Safety Analysis Of Natural Medicines Strategies Based On Superhypersoft Set: Case Study And Analysis Of Results, Jiaqi Sun, Xuhan Li

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Bridging Ancient Wisdom And Modern Logic: Neutrosophic Perspectives On Body, Mind, Soul And Spirit, Maikel Y. Leyva Vázquez, Florentin Smarandache

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Tree Soft Set And Decision-Making Approaches For Tourist Satisfaction Assessment Of Tourist Attractions, Yuxia Yan

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Prediction Of Sleep Disorders Using Novel Decision Support Neutrosophic Based Machine Learning Models, Nihar Ranjan Panda, Surapati Paramanik, Prasanta Kumar Raut, Ruchi Bhuyan

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

M-Polar Quadripartitioned Neutrosophic Graphs With Applications In Decision-Making For Mobile Network Selection, Basavaraj V Hiremath, Durga Nagarajan, Satham Hussain S, Hossein Rashmanlou, Farshid Mofidnakhaei

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Inverse Gaussian Distribution In Economic Policy Design Under Indeterminacy, Ahmedia Musa M. Ibrahim, Zahid Khan

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

A New Sdimsim Methods With Optimized Region Of Stability And Sustainable Development With Applications On Neutrosophic Data, A. Y. J. Almasoodi, Mohammed Kadhim Mohsin, Sarah A.Al-Ameedee, Mohammed Amer Shanyoor

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Estimating And Testing Augmented Randomized Complete Block Designs: The Neutrosophic Approach, Abdulrahman Alaita, Hooshang Talebi, Yasser Al Zaim

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Uncertainty-Driven Entrepreneurial Career Education Decision-Making In College Incubators: A Neutrosophic Vague N-Soft Set Approach, Bingquan Yin, Yali Hou, Rui Zhao, Xiangge Liu

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Algorithm Based On Hypersoft Set For Civil Litigation Efficiency Evaluation In The Context Of Artificial Intelligence, Feng Xue

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Nourishing The Living Tree: Vincent Macdonald And His Constitutional Thought, Preston Lim

Dalhousie Law Journal

Since the enactment of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian judges have increasingly approached the Constitution through a living constitutionalist lens, adapting the Constitution to contemporary realities and treating the text as but one interpretive modality alongside purpose and context. The Supreme Court has rooted this living constitutionalism in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council’s judgment, Edwards v Attorney General of Canada, wherein Lord Sankey introduced the metaphor of the “living tree.” Justice Robert Sharpe and Professor Patricia McMahon have suggested that the “living tree metaphor remained a forgotten footnote until 1982.” Indeed, more formalist approaches towards …

Thermal Performance Drifts Between The Egg Parasitoid Telenomus Remus And The Fall Armyworm May Threaten The Efficacy Of Biological Control Under Climate Change, Macdonald Mubayiwa, Honest Machekano, Brighton M. Mvumi, Winnifred A. Opio, Bame Segaiso, Frank Chidawanyika, Casper Nyamukondiwa

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith, is a significant global agricultural pest known for its rapid invasion and devastating impact on crops. While pesticides may be effective for controlling the pest in the short-term, they cause several socioeconomic and ecological costs that highlight the need for more sustainable management strategies. Telenomus remus (Nixon) is a promising egg parasitoid for its biological control. For the parasitoid to provide effective ecosystem services, it should be able to survive and coexist within the same ecological niches as its host. However, there is limited information regarding the potential responses of T. remus to …

Harnessing Edna Metabarcoding To Monitor Species Diversity In Restoration Sites: Insights From Laikipia, Kenya, Cornelius Okello, Nina Wambiji, Susana W. Kihia, Nehemiah Ongeso, Samuel Mwakisha Mwamburi, Anthony Wandera, Marie Estelle Demory, Margaret Awuor Owuor

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Restoration of degraded arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) dryland ecosystems gained traction globally with the enactment of the Bonn Challenge and UN Decade of Restoration. This has been domesticated in Kenya's context by The Forest and Landscape Restoration Implementation Plan (FOLAREP). However, effectively monitoring restored ecosystems is crucial but challenging because of data gaps and technical hurdles, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to assess and restore biodiversity. This study aimed to pilot soil environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to detect species compositions rapidly, evaluate population structures and abundances, and characterize taxonomic groups. The results from this study serve as a …

Influence Of Colony And Hive Attributes, Landscape, And Seasonality On Occurrence Of Large Hive Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) In Taita Taveta County, Kenya, Mbatha B. Wambua, Ayuka T. Fombong, Kiatoko Nkoba, Gladys K. Onyambu, Helen Lydiah Kutima, Sevgan Subramanian, Beatrice T. Nganso

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Recently, an unexpectedly large number of large hive beetles, Oplostomus haroldi (Witte), was observed in Taita Taveta County (TTC), Kenya, suggesting a potential threat to the apicultural industry. This study investigated the influence of colony and hive attributes, landscape characteristics, and seasonality on the occurrence of O. haroldi within beehives in TTC. Field surveys assessed beetle populations alongside colony strength parameters, environmental variables, and hive types using standard protocols. Our findings revealed significant positive correlations between beetle occurrence and colony phenotypes, such as capped brood, pollen, and honey quantities. Higher beetle populations were also observed in areas with tree cover …

Definitively Unfinished: Abraham Cruzvillegas’ Autoconstrucción, Disability Aesthetics, And Crip Materiality, Benjamin Brobst-Renaud

Theses

Abraham Cruzvillegas’ Autoconstrucción project is the sculptural manifestation of an approach to artmaking rooted in the self-built and continually evolving forms of the neighborhood where Cruzvillegas grew up (Colonia Ajusco near Mexico City). While it might seem surprising to draw a comparison between the forms of Autoconstrucción and Disability Studies, and while Cruzvillegas does not literally depict the disabled human form, Autoconstrucción resonates deeply with this critical space. Disability Aesthetics, in Tobin Siebers’ formulation, is “an attempt to theorize the representation of disability in modern art and visual culture.” Similarly, Jessica Cooley’s Crip Materiality is a methodology that “locates disability …

Summit Disease: The Ecological Horror Of Empire, Nicholas Moore

Theses

This project focuses on the use of insect imagery in art and media and the theories and concepts that have been instrumental in understanding the cultural and political significance of insect species extinction and decline. I center my work on the concept of ecohorror and highlight several artists whose work depicts insect species and conveys anxieties over ecoprecarity and climate dysfunction. I argue that depictions of insects in art and media can be interpreted in two ways - insects as destructive, monstrous contaminants and insects as constructive, beneficial terraformers - and I rely on Hayao Miyazaki’s Nausicaa of the Valley …

The Transformative Impact Of User-Created Mods Within Fallout: New Vegas, Tanner Webb

Theses

Video game modding is one of the fastest growing trends in the gaming industry and it is changing how players interact with games. Review of current literature and research shows that these modders are an integral part of the gaming market. Using the principles of participatory culture and digital aesthetics, this research investigates how modding practices serve as both a form of creative expression and an inspiration for technological innovation within the video game industry. Video game modifications serve as catalysts for creative expression, foster the development of innovative user communities, prolong the life of game titles, cultivate a pool …

Nextgen Humanities: A Digital Art History Pedagogical Revolution, Analisa Soverns-Reed

Theses

In response to the urgent need for more accessible, inclusive, and technologically relevant humanities education, the NextGen Humanities project was conceived as a digital initiative to reimagine pedagogical practices within art history and the broader humanities. Traditional perceptions of humanities disciplines as elite and static have contributed to declining engagement, necessitating innovative solutions that integrate open-access resources, digital tools, and inclusive frameworks. This project developed a publicly accessible platform curating free, vetted resources grounded in artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and open educational resources (OER), emphasizing critical engagement, cultural inclusivity, and technological adaptability. Methodologically, NextGen Humanities combined extensive literature …

A Systematic Literature Review Of Behavior Analysis In Psychiatric Inpatient Settings, Stephanie Henry, Robbie Hanson

Theses

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) may be best known for the treatment of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, such as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, ABA also has a long history of effective outcomes with other populations, such as with individuals who are admitted to inpatient psychiatric facilities (Dougher, 2004; Harvey et al., 2009). In 2018, 187,877 individuals in the United States were reported as receiving treatment for mental health disorders (Lutterman, 2022). Given behavior analysis’ success implementing operant procedures with these populations, an updated review of the literature on the use of behavior analysis within these settings …

What Is Wrong With Workism?, Matthew Hammerton

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Workism is the phenomenon of people making their work the primary source of meaning and identity in their life. Recent critics of workism have argued that there is a growing trend towards it in many societies and that this is a bad thing. This article brings a philosophical perspective to the debate on workism. It develops a precise account of what workism is and evaluates the main objections raised against it by examining their underlying philosophical assumptions. Ultimately, it is argued that workism, as a way of life, is not as objectionable as its critics suggest.