Digital Commons Network^™

Bs Data Science & Data Analytics, Ds Engr 2025-26, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

Data Science Engineering Domain

Bs Environmental Science, 2025-26, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.

Bs Biotechnology, 2025-26, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.

Bs Biological Science, Pre-Professional 2025-26, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro

Bachelor of Science and Education

No abstract provided.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Metacognitive Awareness Of Learning, Kara R. Muscha

Theses

The present study examined knowledge updating abilities in individuals with and without ADHD when forced to metacognitively evaluate the effectiveness of different study strategies. Participants with and without ADHD were randomly assigned to either a spontaneous or a forced knowledge updating condition, with those in the latter condition being asked to keep track of encoding strategy-recall outcome results, but no additional instructions for those in the spontaneous condition. I expected that healthy control participants would show greater knowledge updating abilities than those with ADHD, the participants in the forced knowledge updating condition would show greater knowledge updating abilities than participants …

Evaluating Bias In Facial Recognition Datasets : A Study On Representation And Classification Fairness, Milyonta Williams

Theses

Facial recognition technology is widely used in security and identity verification but exhibits biases that disproportionately impact certain demographic groups. This thesis examines racial and skin tone biases in commonly used facial recognition datasets, assessing their influence on classification models. Using manual classification via the Fitzpatrick scale and numerical skin tone representations from LAB color values, we identified significant dataset imbalances, with lighter skin tones (Fitzpatrick Types 1 and 2) overrepresented and darker tones (Types 4-6) underrepresented. Model evaluation using Random Forest, SVM, and XGBoost showed an overall accuracy of 72\%, but classification for Asian individuals was notably weaker (0.45 …

Aviation Weather Forecasting Utilizing An Artificial Neural Network, Joshua Mote

Theses

Weather forecasting is critical to minimize risk and maximize efficiency for flying operations and is challenging due to the uncertainty involved in atmospheric changes. Operational area weather is becoming more critical with the growing reliance on air domain for transportation. This study investigates whether the forecasting accuracy using a Hybrid Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) Artificial Neural Network (ANN) outperforms the San Antonio International Airport (KSAT) Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) by integrating diverse data sources – regional Meteorological Aerodrome Report (METAR), TAF, Avian Advisory System (AHAS) Data and geomagnetic activity K Index Data. When tested on one year of historical data, …

Experimental Evaluation Of Recent Theoretical Real-Time Signal Higher-Order Sliding Mode Differentiators On Noisy Sensors, Jessica Hamer

Theses

This thesis explores the performance of higher-order sliding mode differentiators applied to sensor signals under varying sampling rates and switching functions. Two differentiator designs are evaluated: a hybrid algorithm that combines a super-twisting algorithm with a linear observer, and a fixed-time higher-order sliding mode differentiator. Each was tested on a physical sensor testbed using position data from a servomotor and electronic compass. The differentiators were implemented in a ROS2 environment, and their estimates were evaluated by obtaining the minimum and maximum position and velocity values, as well as analyzing graphs to capture the nature of the algorithms' noise reduction. The …

Utilization Of Artificial Intelligence To Predict Surface Energy Budget, Joseph Bonucchi

Theses

Estimating heat and moisture exchange between the land and atmosphere has several important practical applications, including water resource management, air pollution forecasting, and atmospheric propagation modeling. Turnkey systems for measuring the surface energy budget typically cost between $5,000 and over $50,000. This study explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict sensible heat flux (SHF) and latent heat flux (LHF) using inexpensive surface meteorology data and downwelling solar radiation measurements as inputs. Observations from Amer- iFlux sites were used to train several AI models—Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), One Dimensional Transformers (1D Transformers), Artificial Neural Net- works (ANNs), and Long …

Particle Image Velocimetry (Piv) Measurements Of Flow Characteristics Of An Unsteady Oblique Shock Wave Train, Andrew Girgis

Theses

Presented is the development of a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) apparatus to quantify the velocity field produced by an oblique shock wave and its reflections in a supersonic/transonic wind tunnel. A flow seeding system is developed using mesquite wood smoke generated in a metal vessel heated with a Vevor TDGC-2KVA variable autotransformer. A pressurized K-bottle drives the smoke through a cooled copper coil and moisture trap to remove contaminants before injection. A dual-pulsed class IV Nd:YAG Big Sky laser with Thorlabs optomechanical components, including two cylindrical lenses, is used to create a pulsed light sheet to illuminate tracer particles. Image …

Safe Reinforcement Learning For Trajectory Tracking Of Mobile Robots With Minimal Intermittent Observations, Mahtab Noor Shaan

Theses

Autonomous wheeled mobile robots (WMRs) are widely used for safe operation in safety-critical systems, such as robotic visual inspection of confined spaces in energy infrastructure, warehouse automation, delivery robots, and autonomous vehicles. The operating environments for these safety-critical systems are often uncertain. Therefore, in such environments, it is essential for WMRs to reliably follow predetermined paths while effectively maintaining lane position and avoiding collisions. However, frequent observations required for control execution to account for environmental uncertainty result in increased sensing, computation, and energy costs. This necessity drives the research for safe and resource-aware trajectory-tracking control methods. Although several state-of-the-art trajectory …

Information Capacity For Time-Varying Adversarial Networks, Raphael Thorp

Theses

This thesis investigates the capacity of time-varying adversarial networks where intelligent adversaries can corrupt transmissions on restricted subsets of network edges that change availability over time. Building upon the work of Beemer et al. on adversarial network coding with restricted adversaries, we analyze networks whose topology evolves temporally, motivated by applications in space networking and delay-tolerant systems. We introduce different adversarial modes that capture different temporal aspects of corruption behavior and establish their hierarchical relationship with respect to network capacity. The analysis employs time-expanded graph representations and develops recursive counting methods for computing expected network capacity under random time assignments, …

A Study On The Nocturnal Evolution During Perils 2023 Iop3’S Supercells To Qlcs Development, Meredith Bean

Theses

The Propagation Evolution and Rotation of Linear Storms (PERiLS) field campaign deployed mobile facilities on 24 March 2023 to the Mississippi Delta region. During the intensive operational period, a storm system passed over the PERiLS network that later produced multiple tornadoes in Mississippi and North Alabama. This mesoscale convective system evolved from supercells and merged into a QLCS. This study aimed to document and understand the changes in environmental parameters and associated convective-scale structures as the system moved from initiation over the PERiLS network to North Alabama. The analysis methodology utilizes ground-based assets to ascertain if the MCS was surface …

Comparing Funders' Altruism Versus Self-Interest: Leveraging The Context Of Crisis, Dan Liu, Guangzhi Shang, Cynthia Fan Yang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

While reward-based crowdfunding has widespread popularity, the motivations driving funders, balancing self-interest and altruism, have remained puzzling. Prior research has been constrained by examination methods and produced mixed findings regarding the weight of altruism versus self-interest among funders. Our study takes a fresh perspective, delving into funder behavior amid a major crisis—the tumultuous backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings reveal that funders not only display an increased willingness to contribute but also significantly amplify their contributions, particularly to projects in crisis-affected regions, irrespective of external incentives like rewards. This underscores the prevalence of altruistic motives among funders in challenging …

Artificial Intelligence And Environmental Sustainability: Review And Research Directions, Troy Strader, Yu-Hsiang (John) Huang, Yu-Ju Tu

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Environmental sustainability is one of the most important and complex issues currently facing our global society. One solution to some aspects of this problem could come from artificially intelligent systems and data analytics methods. The objective for this study is to identify the range of recently published research that addresses issues involving the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and environmental sustainability. A systematic literature review produced a sample of 62 journal articles from 2018-2024 that were each categorized into one of six research themes that included studies of AI and the ways in which it impacted natural resources, energy and …

Comparing Vr And Tv In Nigeria And The U.S.: Impacts On Empathy, Engagement, And Enjoyment, Jinhee Yoo, Eugene A. Ohu, Radosław Mącik

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

This study (N = 170), involving participants from Nigeria and the U.S., investigated how different technologies (TV and VR) affect users' empathy (α = .93), engagement (α = .93), enjoyment (α = .93), preferences, and likelihood of technology use. Participants watched an animated documentary titled “Is Anna OK?” at two different time points, utilizing VR (Oculus Rift S) and TV, following which they completed measuring empathy, engagement, enjoyment, device preference, and usage likelihood. Analysis via one-way ANOVA and chi-square tests revealed that VR users reported significantly higher empathy and enjoyment compared to TV viewers, particularly on second viewing. Combining both …

The University Of Texas Permian Basin 2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog 2025-2026, The University Of Texas Permian Basin

Course Catalogs

No abstract provided.

Judicial Economy In The Age Of Ai, Yonathan A. Arbel

Articles

Individuals do not vindicate the majority of their legal claims because of access to justice barriers. This entrenched state of affairs is now facing a disruption. Lawyers and non-lawyers alike are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) tools to perform legal tasks tools that sharply reduce the costs of generating legal materials. There is finally hope that AI might allow many more to access justice.

Paradoxically, what we gain in access to justice we might lose in the delivery of justice. The problem is not that AI tools are ineffective. Indeed, they are even more effective than most realize affecting every stage …

Simplified Soil-Based Approach For Maximum Pressure Prediction In Horizontal Directional Drilling Operations, India Clark

Theses

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is a trenchless pipeline installation method used in areas where traditional trenching is not feasible due to environmental concerns, existing infrastructure, or other constraints. However, HDD presents significant engineering challenges, with design failures often resulting from excessive installation stresses and Hydro Fracture. Hydro Fracture occurs when the pressure of drilling fluid exceeds the soil’s bearing capacity, leading to unintended subsurface fractures. To mitigate this risk, researchers have relied on the Delft Equation to estimate the maximum allowable mud pressure for borehole stability. However, this equation does have notable limitations and assumptions, which may not accurately reflect …

Multiscale Finite Element Analysis Of Cylindrical Jellyroll Based Energy Storage Devices, Wesley James Knee

Theses

Lithium batteries are an ever-expanding solution for energy storage; however, their internal chemistry is highly prone to combustion. Any severe mechanical failure can lead to this scenario, which is problematic as their use in electric vehicles increases. As such, finite element modeling efforts need to improve in order to properly define the failure mechanics of these batteries. Efforts have already been made to create an accurate model of the battery as a whole, but this generalized model does not capture the short-circuiting phenomena within the internal components. To solve this problem, a representative volume model that generates input data and …

Average Heat Flux Measurements In An Additively Manufactured Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine Calorimeter, Matthew Aaron Maybee

Theses

Rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs) offer benefits over traditional deflagrative engines, including increased engine performance, compact combustion and negligible detrimental thermoacoustic instabilities due to mode-locking. Realizing the benefits of a detonation-based propulsion system will be accompanied by increased thermal loads due to a combination of heat release at elevated pressure and temperature, as well as compact heat release due to detonation. Managing these heat loads necessitates the development of thermal management strategies. As a first step towards establishing the requirements for detonation-based engine thermal management strategies, this work develops an additively manufactured (AM) water-based, axially resolved calorimeter for integration in …

Ammonium Perchlorate Manufacturing Effects On Propellant Burning Rate, Erin Faith Wallace

Theses

This thesis investigates the effect of ingredient variations on the burning rate of reduced smoke, low burning rate composite solid propellant. The effort focused on identical propellant formulations which presented significant burning rate differences correlated with the ammonium perchlorate (AP) source. A series of 1-gallon propellant mixes were prepared and tested utilizing both Manufacturer A and Manufacturer B ammonium perchlorate to investigate the propellant burning rate and pressure exponent shift anomaly and correlate those findings to the differing ingredient properties between the two AP lots. Each propellant mix was evaluated for burning rate utilizing subscale test motors and a scanning …

Near-Field Analysis Of Horn Antennas For Electromagnetic Compatibility Testing, Landon Riley Carroll

Theses

Standard gain horn antennas are widely used in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing and antenna measurements. In EMC testing, it is often required to generate high electric field intensities across a wide frequency range within the near-field region. However, the focusing properties of antennas are deteriorated in the radiating near-field region. In order to increase engineering confidence in EMC testing, it is desirable to understand the root causes of the aforementioned radiation degradation. In this thesis, the near-field characteristics of three different pyramidal standard gain horns are investigated using full-wave analysis, analytical methods, and measurement. The causes of near-field gain reduction …

Factors Affecting Freshwater Fish Communities In Two North Alabama Counties, Joshua Fitts

Theses

This study examined how physical habitat characteristics influence freshwater fish diversity in streams of Madison and Limestone Counties, Alabama. Ten 150-meter stream reaches were sampled using backpack electrofishing and seining, with habitat variables measured at fixed transects. Principal component analysis identified four main habitat gradients representing flow and substrate, channel size, gravel dominance, and canopy–bedrock conditions. Although overall species richness and Shannon diversity were not significantly related to these gradients, species-specific correlations revealed clear ecological preferences. Regression models showed that root wads, herbaceous vegetation, and riprap modestly increased richness, emphasizing the role of structural diversity. These findings highlight the importance …

Openevidence V. Pathway Medical, District Of Massachusetts

Historical and Topical Legal Documents

No abstract provided.

Describing And Understanding The Use Of Coaches For Eating Disorder Recovery: A Mixed Methods Study, Taylor E. Penwell

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Individuals with eating disorders (EDs) experience high rates of relapse and delays in accessing treatment. Considering these factors, individuals with EDs may seek out non-traditional support, such as coaching services (e.g., an unlicensed individual providing support). However, there is currently no research on individuals with EDs’ experiences with using coaching services for ED recovery. The current study aimed to a) describe who is utilizing coaching support, b) describe coaching services received, c) evaluate the motivations for seeking coach support, and d) evaluate the perceived impact of coach support on an individual’s ED recovery. Participants included 86 adults with a self-reported …

Legal Writing Manual (4th Ed.), Jean Mangan, Dylan Cohen, Frank Easterlin, Brittany Goad, Gabrielle Gravel, Chase Lyndale, George "Max" Miseyko, Emily Whitest

Books

This manual provides you with an overview of first-year legal writing topics and provides checkpoints during your writing process. On the other hand, this manual does not answer every question you have ever had on any legal writing concept and it is certainly not a spellbook that will make you instantly awesome at legal writing. Writing as a skill is a lifelong development process. Everyone can be an effective legal writer. Put in the time to study the concepts and then to practice using those concepts in your writing. Seek feedback on your writing and implement the feedback you receive. …

Linkage To Treatment And Recovery Support Services For Patients With A Substance Use Disorder, Seif Atyia, Terry Bunn, Dana Quesinberry, Timothy Prince

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective The purpose of this study was to survey current physicians in Kentucky to evaluate their management of patients with substance use disorder (SUD), with a focus on the identification of their referral methods for linkage to SUD treatment and recovery support services. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed through a developed survey that was administered by e-mail to all 12,152 in-state physicians licensed in Kentucky; 524 responded. Addiction specialists, emergency physicians, and psychiatrists were categorized separately; family medicine and internal medicine (FM/IM) physicians were combined into one category; all of the other specialties were grouped into an "Other"category. The …

Serious Bacterial Infections And Hepatitis C Virus Among People Who Inject Drugs, Thomas J. Stopka, Robin M. Nance, L. Sarah Mixson, Hunter Spencer, Judith I. Tsui, Judith M. Leahy, Mai T. Pho, Jean Dejace, Judith Feinberg, April M. Young, Wei Teng Yang, Amelia Baltes, Eric Romo, Randall T. Brown, Kerry Nolte, William C. Miller, William A. Zule, Wiley D. Jenkins, Joseph A. Delaney, Peter D. Friedmann

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Limited research has examined the possible synergistic interrelationships between serious bacterial infections (SBIs) of the heart (i.e., endocarditis), bone, spine, brain, or joints (e.g., osteomylelitis) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. We examined whether syndemic interactions existed between SBI, HCV, and substance-use-related factors in rural communities, hypothesizing that injection-mediated risks elevated the likelihood for both SBIs and HCV infections, which could be exacerbated by synergistic biological–biological or biological and social interactions. We calculated the prevalence ratios (PRs) of past-year SBI associated with each risk factor in separate models. Effect modification among significant risk factors was assessed using multiplicative interaction. Among …

Education About, In, And For Wetlands: Practices, Premises, Possibilities, And Challenges, Tom Marcinkowski

Mathematics and System Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to review areas of educational theory, research, and practice relevant to wetlands education, notably education about, in, and for wetlands. Five key areas are reviewed: (a) from the Report of the Intergovernmental Conference on Environmental Education, goals and objectives for wetlands education; (b) from the literature, major curricular and instructional approaches in and elements of wetlands education; (c) from the literature, broad instructional strategies available to and commonly used in wetlands education; (d) from websites of federal agencies in the U.S., education, outreach, and training programs that focus on education about, in, and for …