Digital Commons Network^™

Explainable Artificial Intelligence To Interpret Spatially-Explicit Impacts Of Future Climate Change On Species Distribution, Lei Song, Amy E. Frazier, Peter Kedron, Diogo S. A. Araujo, Diyang Cui, Brian J. Enquist, Brian Maitner, Cory Merow, Gabriel M. Moulatlet, Efthymios I. Nikolopoulos, Patrick R. Roehrdanz

I-GUIDE Forum

Biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem balance and functionality, providing vital services such as climate regulation. The rapid decline in biodiversity, driven by habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and climate change, poses significant threats to ecosystems. Climate change, in particular, is fundamentally altering habitats, leading to shifts in species distributions. However, existing research often lacks decomposed contribution analyses, particularly spatially, for a changing individual environmental attributes when modeling species distribution as an aggregate result of all factors and their interactions. Such analyses are crucial for identifying climate refugia and prioritizing conservation efforts. Taking endangered mammal species as an example, this study …

Introduction To The Special Issue On "J.R.R. Tolkien And Medieval Poets", Jane Beal Phd

Journal of Tolkien Research

This is an “Introduction” by Dr. Jane Beal to the Special Issue of the Journal of Tolkien Research on the theme of “J.R.R. Tolkien and Medieval Poets” in honor of Richard C. West.

It begins with an overview of previous scholarly work on the intersections of medieval poetry with Tolkien’s literary corpus. It explains the process of creating this special issue, which is a festschrift in West’s honor, and it gives an overview of the contents of each of the seven academic articles included in it by contributors Dr. Anna Smol, Dr. Christopher Vaccaro, Dr. Kristine Larsen, Dr. Deidre Dawson, …

Undergraduate Data Literacy In Engineering: A Collaborative Approach, Amber Gruszeczka, Nicole Galloway

Libraries Faculty & Staff Presentations

Data literacy is increasingly crucial to research across disciplines, and librarians are diversifying their skills to encourage students’ self-reliance when interacting with data. Two librarians discuss a collaboration across library departments to design instruction and materials to bring the fundamentals of data literacy to a freshman engineering course.

Commonwealth Times 2024-10-16

Commonwealth Times, 1969-

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Parental Regard And Youth Athlete Performance And Contingency Of Self-Worth, Alysia M.K. Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Youth athletic participation is important for the socioemotional development of children, such as lowering the risk of antisocial behaviors, increasing prosocial behaviors, improving physical and mental health, and lowering the risk of obesity. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to explore the relationship between the youth athletes’ perception of how their parents regarded them and their self-worth and perception of their athletic performance, which was explored from the perception of the former youth athlete. The variables were operationalized by utilizing the following instruments: the Parental Conditional Positive Regard Scale (PCPRS), the satisfaction of sporting experience using Turman’s (2006) …

Environmentalism And Antitrust, Albert H. Choi, Daniel A. Crane

Law & Economics Working Papers

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of interest concerning environmental issues and the application of the antitrust laws. Numerous commentators, for instance, have argued that the antitrust enforcement should adjust to reflect the environmental harm (or benefit) that is generated from a competitive condition. In this paper, we take a step back and argue that analysis of the intersection between antitrust and environmentalism should begin with more mundane questions of economics. More specifically, we argue that environmental regulations can inform antitrust analysis by considering (at least) three issues: (1) the impact of environmental regulation on the firms' production …

Coopetition In Heterogeneous Cross-Silo Federated Learning, Chao Huang, Justin Dachille, Xin Liu

School of Computing Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

In cross-silo federated learning (FL), companies collaboratively train a shared global model without sharing heterogeneous data. Prior related work focused on algorithm development to tackle data heterogeneity. However, the dual problem of coopetition, i.e., FL collaboration and market competition, remains under-explored. This paper studies the FL coopetition using a dynamic two-period game model. In period 1, an incumbent company trains a local model and provides model-based services at a chosen price to users. In period 2, an entrant company enters, and both companies decide whether to engage in FL collaboration and then compete in selling model-based services at different prices …

October 16, 2024 Blazer Weekly, University Of Alabama At Birmingham

Blazer Weekly (student newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Rootzone Soil Moisture Dynamics Using Terrestrial Water-Energy Coupling, Vinit Sehgal, Binayak P. Mohanty, Rolf H. Reichle

Faculty Publications

A lack of high-density rootzone soil moisture (θRZ) observations limits the estimation of continental-scale, space-time contiguous θRZ dynamics. We derive a proxy of daily θRZ dynamics — active rootzone degree of saturation (SRZ) — by recursive low-pass (LP) filtering of surface soil moisture (θS) within a terrestrial water-energy coupling (WEC) framework. We estimate the LP filter parameters and WEC thresholds for the piecewise-linear coupling between SRZ and evaporative fraction (EF) at remote sensing and field scale over the Contiguous U.S. We use θS from the Soil Moisture Active-Passive (SMAP) satellite and 218 in-situ stations, with EF from the Moderate Resolution …

Exploring The Perceived Effects Of Integrating Unloader Braces And Exercise Therapy Interventions In Orthopedics And Sports Medicine: An Investigation Among Athletes With Knee Osteoarthritis, Lerome D. Pratt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this doctoral applied research project was to examine the perceived effects of integrating unloader braces and exercise therapy interventions within orthopedics and sports medicine, specifically focusing on athletes diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The problem addressed by this study is the limited understanding of how combined treatment modalities can enhance functional abilities, alleviate pain, and improve overall well-being in this population. This research was driven by the rationale that existing conventional treatments often provide limited efficacy, necessitating a more comprehensive and personalized approach. The central research question explored how athletes with knee OA perceive the impact of …

Conforming To The Image Of Christ: Addressing Spiritual Immaturity Utilizing Strategic Bible-Based Pastoral Counseling In A Rural Church Context, Leonard Carpenter Iii

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Strong and healthy churches are made up of strong and healthy disciples. The ministry context for this qualitative action research project was the Saint Mark Missionary Baptist Church, a predominately Black congregation located in the Pea Ridge community of Brewton, Alabama. The problem was some members at Saint Mark engaged in spiritually immature actions that evoked immature reactions which yielded unhealthy relationships. To address the problem, the researcher developed and implemented the “Strategic Bible-Based Pastoral Counseling Program” (SBPCP), a strategic Christian ministry that provided participants one-on-one pastoral counseling opportunities for the purpose of building up spiritually healthier Christians. SBPCP consisted …

Exploring The Barriers Colleges Face Implementing Positive Psychology Interventions To Reduce Depression, Anxiety, Or Stress In College Students, Margaret U. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to understand the barriers that colleges face implementing positive psychology interventions (PPIs) to reduce depression, anxiety, or stress (DAS) in college students. The problem was the lack of utilizing PPIs to reduce DAS in college students, despite increased reports of symptoms among this population. Several research studies have supported the use of PPIs to reduce. DAS in college students. However, no prior research was identified regarding barriers to initiating these interventions. The three research questions that guided this study were fueled by previous empirical studies that revealed three barriers to implementing …

From Perspective To Practice: Investigating Elementary Educators' Insights Into Secondary Traumatic Stress In The Classroom, Cassie Bailey Phillips

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the central phenomenon of elementary educators recognizing their lived experiences of secondary traumatic stress and investigate their self-care techniques. The theories guiding this study were secondary traumatic stress theory and the constructivist self-development theory. Research questions investigated in this study included how elementary educators make meaning of secondary traumatic stress (STS) caused by interactions involving students with traumatic lived experiences. How do educators experiencing secondary traumatic stress perceive the training available to them to mitigate the effects of STS? How do educators experience and interpret their use of self-care in managing …

A New Ecosystem Model For Arctic Phytoplankton Phenology From Ice-Covered To Open-Water Periods: Implications For Future Sea Ice Retreat Scenarios, Jang Geun Choi, Atsushi Matsuoka, Manfredi Manizza, Dustin Carroll, Stephanie Dutkiewicz, Thomas Lippmann

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

To predict ecosystem change in the Arctic Ocean, understanding Arctic phytoplankton phenology is essential. We develop a marine ecosystem model focusing on phytoplankton dynamics and the competition for multiple resources based on knowledge from in situ data obtained in the Chukchi Sea. The model is designed to include the unique ecological characteristics of the Arctic Ocean. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first model successfully simulating the current paradigm for Arctic phytoplankton phenology, including both under-ice blooms and succession of phytoplankton groups. Sensitivity experiments show that the dominance of diatoms can be sustained by lateral transport of …

The Lived Experience Of African American Female Veterans With Mental Health Service Utilization Following Active Duty Discharge, Martha Woodley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although extensive research has explored mental health, transitional barriers, and trauma-related experiences of women veterans, little research has focused on the utilization of mental health services by African American female veterans following active duty discharge. Minority female veterans tend to face gender treatment differences and racial biases, encounter trauma-related stressors, and experience the societal absence of military cultural competency when transitioning from active duty. The overall purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American female veterans with mental health service utilization following active duty discharge. A phenomenological research design was used to explore the experiences …

Communism And Socialism: Their Influences On Wisconsin's Political, Economic, And Cultural Foundations, With A Special Focus On Milwaukee, 1890-1950, Jean Marie Froelich

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

In the United States of America, both Socialism and Communism were present without the volatility of what occurred in the Soviet Union, China, and other nations. Wisconsin and many other states had a powerful Communist and Socialist framework. Wisconsin also had other parties like the Progressives, Populists, and Greenbacks, though not as significant as the main ones. Many Wisconsin leaders were willing participants in exercising these ideologies on their constituents. Immigrants played a crucial role in shaping the political system based on what they had learned in their native countries and social, cultural, and economic inputs. Milwaukee was a vital …

Numerically Efficient Coherent Mode Representations For Partially Coherent Beams With Separable Phases, Milo W. Hyde, Carolina Rickenstorff

Faculty Publications

We present a method to numerically compute the coherent mode representations (CMRs) for partially coherent beams with separable phases. This special class of random light field has the ability to self-focus and is resistant to turbulence-induced degradation, making it potentially useful in applications such as optical communications. We validate our method by generating (in simulation) two such sources from the literature using their computed CMRs. Lastly, we conclude with a summary of our approach and a discussion of potential applications.

Teacher Experience With Ai In Middle School Education: A Qualitative Research Study, Aimee Lintner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the case study was to understand the use of technology, particularly AI, for public middle school teachers in Michigan. The theory that guided this study is Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory. Self-efficacy is relevant in that it relates to self-achievement and the belief in the desired goal —Bandura's view of social cognition keys to self-efficacy, incorporating self-evaluation and focusing on goal orientation. Consistent with the case study, the focus was on teachers' structure for teaching, the potential to use AI in the classroom, and the increased use of technology. The central question is to determine if AI …

Tackling Selfish Clients In Federated Learning, Andrea Augello, Ashish Gupta, Giuseppe Lo Re, Sajal K. Das

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Federated Learning (FL) is a distributed machine learning paradigm facilitating participants to collaboratively train a model without revealing their local data. However, when FL is deployed into the wild, some intelligent clients can deliberately deviate from the standard training process to make the global model inclined toward their local model, thereby prioritizing their local data distribution. We refer to this novel category of misbehaving clients as selfish. in this paper, we propose a Robust aggregation strategy for the FL server to mitigate the effect of Selfishness (in short RFL-Self). RFL-Self incorporates an innovative method to recover (or estimate) the true …

User Experience, Motivation And Self-Efficacy Comparisons Between Virtual Reality And Conventional Pc-Based Flight Simulation Training, Tianxin Zhang, Christina Frederick, Andrew Dattel, Elizabeth Blickensderfer, Barbara Chaparro

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

The current project investigated the effect of utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) technologies for flight training by comparing user experience, motivation, and self-efficacy when using conventional desktop flight simulation versus VR flight simulation. This research employed a quasi-transfer of training experiment with 48 participants. Findings showed that VR flight simulation could provide a better user experience and generate a higher level of training motivation than traditional training technologies, while maintaining trainees’ perceptions of self-efficacy. This work contributed positive evidence that VR flight simulation has great potential to be an effective means of flight training and provided a foundation for future research …

Real-Time Detection Of Sea Turtles Using Uav And Neural Networks On Edge Devices, Jose A. Gonzalez Nunez, Jose G. Gonzalez Nunez, Mustafa I. Akbas, Patrick Currier, Nickolas D. Macchiarella

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Sea turtle populations continue to diminish around the globe for various reasons. Therefore, the need for innovative solutions to monitor sea turtles has been increasing. This research paper focuses on an innovative application of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) together with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to improve sea turtle conservation efforts. We outline the design, implementation, and evaluation of a system that deploys UAVs equipped with high-resolution cameras, coupled with a purpose-built neural network to recognize, classify, and monitor sea turtles. This project thus serves as a platform for understanding the wider applicability and limitations of this technology …

Three-Dimensional Outdoor Object Detection In Quadrupedal Robots For Surveillance Navigations, Muhammad Hassan Tanveer, Zainab Fatima, Hira Mariam, Tanazzah Rehman, Razvan Cristian Voicu

Faculty Articles

Quadrupedal robots are confronted with the intricate challenge of navigating dynamic environments fraught with diverse and unpredictable scenarios. Effectively identifying and responding to obstacles is paramount for ensuring safe and reliable navigation. This paper introduces a pioneering method for 3D object detection, termed viewpoint feature histograms, which leverages the established paradigm of 2D detection in projection. By translating 2D bounding boxes into 3D object proposals, this approach not only enables the reuse of existing 2D detectors but also significantly increases the performance with less computation required, allowing for real-time detection. Our method is versatile, targeting both bird’s eye view objects …

Searching For The Radical Constitution, Robert L. Tsai

Faculty Scholarship

Due to its length and richness, The Constitutional Bind could be considered several books in one. It is a socialist critique of American political development that highlights the tradeoffs from incremental rather than transformational progress. It is also a partial intellectual history of radical and alternative constitutional theories marginalized by the set of ideas that came to rule. Finally, the book serves as an urgent plea for fellow citizens to give up the mesmerizing, yet frustratingly confining rhetoric of twentieth-century liberal constitutionalism.

Given Rana’s central objective of investigating the rise of the “creedal” approach to American constitutionalism, I believe it …

The Impact Of Global Recession On The Cost Of Construction Materials And Project Budgeting And Possible Solutions, Chinchil Chandramohan Bincy

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

The construction sector is essential in the global economy, contributing significantly to economic stability and development. Obtaining of the construction materials has been a severe challenge due to the massive economic crisis that has been witnessed globally. Despite efforts to mitigate the issue, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and a sharp increase in the cost of construction materials are occurring. Projects have been adversely affected by the changes in prices where some have stalled and others failed to meet the set deadlines. These factors are increasing construction problems that have negatively affected the project owners because the cost increase leads to …

Problem Of Rolling Over Of The Stories In Agile It Projects, Ashish Dangwal

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Agile teams had the problem of rolling over of the stories in the IT projects. The spillover of the stories was happening despite of already having the commitment from the skillful team to finish the work in a Sprint. The reason of inefficiency was lack of Agile best practices like communication, collaboration, trust, teamwork, and self-organization in the Agile teams. Even though the team was skillful, the configuration was not proper. T-shaped team members have generic skill as well as diverse skill set. The T-shaped team members were lacking in the Agile teams and that’s why the spillover was happening. …

Bridging Big Data In The Enigma Consortium To Combine Non-Equivalent Cognitive Measures, Eamonn Kennedy, Shashank Vadlamani, Hannah M Lindsey, Pui-Wa Lei, Mary Jo-Pugh, Paul M Thompson, David F Tate, Frank G Hillary, Emily L Dennis, Elisabeth A Wilde, Enigma Clinical Endpoints Working Group Collaborators

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Investigators in neuroscience have turned to Big Data to address replication and reliability issues by increasing sample size. These efforts unveil new questions about how to integrate data across distinct sources and instruments. The goal of this study was to link scores across common auditory verbal learning tasks (AVLTs). This international secondary analysis aggregated multisite raw data for AVLTs across 53 studies totaling 10,505 individuals. Using the ComBat-GAM algorithm, we isolated and removed the component of memory scores associated with site effects while preserving instrumental effects. After adjustment, a continuous item response theory model used multiple memory items of varying …

Immuneapp For Hla-I Epitope Prediction And Immunopeptidome Analysis, Haodong Xu, Ruifeng Hu, Xianjun Dong, Lan Kuang, Wenchao Zhang, Chao Tu, Zhihong Li, Zhongming Zhao

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Advances in mass spectrometry accelerates the characterization of HLA ligandome, necessitating the development of efficient methods for immunopeptidomics analysis and (neo)antigen prediction. We develop ImmuneApp, an interpretable deep learning framework trained on extensive HLA ligand datasets, which improves the prediction of HLA-I epitopes, prioritizes neoepitopes, and enhances immunopeptidomics deconvolution. ImmuneApp extracts informative embeddings and identifies key residues for pHLA binding. We also present a more accurate model-based deconvolution approach and systematically analyzed 216 multi-allelic immunopeptidomics samples, identifying 835,551 ligands restricted to over 100 HLA-I alleles. Our investigation reveals the effectiveness of the composite model, denoted as ImmuneApp-MA, which integrates mono- …

Educators' Perceptions For Low Performance On Mathematics State Assessment Among High School Algebra Students With Learning Disabilities In An Alternative Education Program In California: An Explanatory Case Study, D. Sung Choe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This case study addressed educators' perceptions regarding the low performance on state mathematics assessments among high school algebra students with learning disabilities in an alternative education program in a California school district. Vygotsky's theory on the zone of proximal development served as the overarching framework for mathematics content that students with learning disabilities in the alternative education environment should learn at various stages of chronological age. The central research question was: What are educators' perceptions of low performance on mathematics state assessments among high school algebra students with learning disabilities in an alternative education program in California? The methodology used …

Blended Learning Usage Within High School Gifted And Talented Chemistry Classrooms: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Hena Shami

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand gifted and talented homeschooled high school level students' experiences with engagement, motivation, and academic achievement in a blended learning chemistry course in the East coast of the United States. Technology can be a wonderful addition to the education world, but often the problem is that GT chemistry students learning through a blended learning model are struggling to maintain effective student engagement, motivation, and academic achievement. The theory that guided this study was Bandura’s social learning theory as it identifies the roles that social factors play on the thought processes involved …

Multi-Criteria Analysis Of Municipal Solid Wastes Treatment Scenarios: The Case Of Arusha City, Tanzania, Edwin N. Richard

Tanzania Journal of Science

Selection of the most effective municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment option is crucial for sustainable MSW management, but it remains a challenge in most cities of developing countries. More often, the decision-makers make the selection of the treatment options without economic (ECs), and environmental (ENCs) cost evaluations. Consequently, the selected technologies fail to suit the local conditions of the concerned areas and they become a high burden activity to manage. Therefore, this study aimed to use the multi-criteria analysis approach based on the ELECTRE method to analyse the most effective MSW treatment option in terms of ECs and ENCs costs …