Digital Commons Network^™

Personal Exposure To Black Carbon: Impact Of Time-Activity Patterns And Environmental Factors On Exposure Levels, Sai Deepak Pinakana, Johnathan R. Gonzalez, Amit U. Raysoni

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Black carbon (BC) is a critical environmental pollutant with significant implications for human health. This study aims to quantify personal exposure to BC by focusing on the influence of microenvironments and time-activity patterns in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) region of South Texas, USA. Over eight days in March and April 2023, a portable aethalometer and GPS tracking instruments were used to measure BC exposure among a study participant, alongside recording the time spent in various microenvironments. The BC measurements were correlated to the time activity patterns to calculate BC inhaled dosage values thereby elucidating its impact on human health. …

Take The Cherry From My Ice Cream, Cause You Know I Won't Eat It, Jenna Reynolds

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

Jenna Reynolds is a Senior English Writing major. She has written for AMWR in the past and has also written for the Depauw stage (Romeo and Juliet at Bridgerton).

16(5) Special Issue 2024, Rosalind Raby

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

The JCIHE 16(5) 2024 Special Issue Conceptualizing Micro-Level Narratives in Thematic Constructs of Internationalization with Special Guest editors: Fakunle Omolabake & Fiona Hunter. The articles in this issue examine the micro-level dimension in the internationalization of higher education (IHE), that is situated at the individual level. While of importance, the micro level of IHE has been under-studied.

Global South Sisterhood In A Virtual Exchange: A Critical Autoethnography, Bhavika Sicka, Arzu Atajanova

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Academic Voices: Continuing Professional Development For Teaching In Internationalized Classrooms, Lucie Weissova, Jeanine Gregersen-Hermans, Darko Pantelic

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Troubling Paradise: Exploring The Experiences Of National Student Exchange Participants To The University Of HawaiʻI At Mānoa, Allison Yap

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Conceptualizing Micro-Level Internationalization From Empirical And Conceptual Constructs: Adding The Human Dimension, Omolabake Fakunle, Fiona Hunter

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Investigating Challenges Of Converting Cad Models To Game Ready Assets, Vathsa Pawar

All Theses

This thesis explores the challenges associated with converting detailed CAD models into game-ready assets optimized for use in virtual reality (VR) environments using game engines, focusing on enhancing using mechanical engineering models. The primary goal is to establish a toolchain that allows the integration of CAD models into game engines for immersive applications, enabling engineers and stakeholders to interact with 3D models in a synthetic environment. The study employs several test cases ranging from simple door models to complex automotive vehicle prototypes, elaborating the process of exporting CAD models through intermediate formats (such as STEP, STL, GLB) using tools like …

Unlocking Lean Construction: Decoding The Root Causes Of Initial Implementation Failures, Adam Hoots

All Theses

In recent years, the construction industry has increasingly adopted lean construction methodologies, with the aim of enhancing project efficiencies, eliminating waste, and delivering projects that exceed all project owner expectations. With this as the industry’s focus, many projects struggle with the initial implementation of lean principles, leading to disrespect of people and resources, cost overruns, schedule delays, stakeholder misalignment, and compromised quality. This research investigates the reasons behind initial failures and how they influence the broader industry's perception of lean construction.

Drawing from a comprehensive case study of a higher education dormitory and dining facility project, this research study explores …

Sustainable Agriculture Practices And Economic Outcomes: Selected Ipm In Tomato And Cover Crop Inter-Seeding In Organic Corn In South Carolina, Rohini Sonti

All Theses

This two-chapter thesis focuses on the economic evaluation of integrating a combination of sustainable agricultural practices aimed at improving environmental resilience and farm profitability across both conventional and organic farming systems in South Carolina. The research study lays emphasis on two key areas: the use of Integrated Pest Management practices, specifically grafting and Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) in tomato production and the inter- seeding of cover crops under different tillage systems in organic corn production.

The first chapter assesses the economic feasibility of two IPM practices: grafting and anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) in tomato production. Following the phase-out of methyl …

Life Cycle Assessment Approach For Energy Usage In Animal Rendering Plants, Abel Binoy Mathew

All Theses

The animal rendering industry plays a crucial role in transforming waste products from livestock production and meat processing facilities into valuable and economically beneficial products, promoting both resource efficiency and sustainability. This study uses a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to evaluate energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions in animal rendering plants, focusing on electricity and natural gas as the main energy inputs for plant operation. This research examines three distinct rendering facilities, each processing different raw materials, to quantify the environmental impacts of rendering operations. Site visits, data collection, and real-time monitoring were used to capture energy use across …

Environmental Storytelling In Video Games Through The Lens Of Film Noir, Samuel Hagen

All Theses

My project is an interactable video game experience showcased through the lens of film noir, that focuses on the capabilities and benefits of environmental storytelling in video games. With a heavy focus on immersion, my project forces the player to explore a murder scene and encourages them to formulate their own narrative about what has transpired. My project fuels the player’s ability for self-reflection and self-acceptance through the player’s personalized and unique interpretations experienced while exploring the scene I have created. In my paper, I discuss the aspects of environmental storytelling and immersion in video games and how they have …

Pressureless Sintering Of Sic - Oxide Multiphase Ceramics For Protective Coating Applications, Reilly Boros

All Theses

For hydrogen-fueled combustion, there exists a demand to improve coating materials that are capable of protecting SiC_f/SiC CMC turbine material. Promising coating materials must be able to shield from harsh oxidation while working at extremely high temperatures. The work presented in this thesis aims to expand the understanding of two promising material systems for integrated environmental barrier coating (EBC) – thermal barrier coatings (TBC) by fabricating bulk composite ceramic samples and performing characterization to further understand their sintering behaviors. In this study, a processing procedure to consistently produce dense composite ceramics of PDC SiC – Y₂Si …

Designing And Building An Action Figure Of Alexander The Great To Better Engage Young Learners In History, Patrick Sandoval

All Theses

This paper discusses creating an action figure of Alexander the Great as a means of garnering a child’s interest in a specific setting of human history. Physical mediums have merit as supplemental tools for traditional learning methods for children, with action figures providing an outlet for role-playing and enhanced engagement. Topics include the significance of Alexander the Great, as well as the process of creating an action figure of him using production methods of digital character sculpting and 3D printing. Its design takes inspiration from the Street Fighter series, Classical and Hellenistic Greek sculpture, and professional wrestling action figures.

Unsupervised Moving Object Segmentation With Atmospheric Turbulence, Dehao Qin

All Theses

Moving object segmentation in the presence of atmospheric turbulence is a highly challenging task due to the irregular and time-varying distortions induced by the atmospheric turbulence. This thesis presents an unsupervised approach for segmenting moving objects in videos affected by such atmospheric turbulence. The proposed methodology is grounded in a detect-then-grow scheme: the algorithm begins by identifying a small set of moving object pixels (seed points) with high confidence and progressively expanding a foreground mask from these seed points to segment all moving objects. The proposed approach capitalizes on rigid geometric consistency across video frames to disentangle different types of …

Texas Panicum (Urochloa Texana (Buckley) R.D.Webster) Management In South Carolina Peanut (Arachis Hypogaea L.) Production, Alexis Clobas-Celiz

All Theses

Texas panicum (TP) is a persistent weed in South Carolina peanut fields, challenging growers with its season-long emergence and the limited availability of effective mid- to late-season herbicide options. Residual herbicides typically applied within 40 days of planting, fail to control late-emerging TP cohorts, making postemergence (POST) herbicides like clethodim and imazapic essential for managing this weed. Clethodim efficacy, however, depends on the TP growth stage and environmental conditions during application. To optimize control, this research evaluated clethodim applied at various TP growth stages (5 to 60 cm) and with different adjuvants. Clethodim was applied singly or in sequence, with …

Shifting Perspectives With Procedural Modeling Techniques And Vertex Animated Textures For Real-Time Interactive Morphing, Stephanie Schulze

All Theses

As humans experience reality, they intake external stimuli using sensory receptors to process information, forming a perception. Perceptions are subjective and shape each individual’s reality. Naturally then, by changing one’s perceptions, their experience of reality is altered, for better or worse. To emphasize the idea that perception is malleable and encourage a mindset of questioning alternative ways to look at a situation, an interactive experience in Unreal Engine is developed where a dull cityscape morphs and transforms into a surreal oversized nature scene. Procedural modeling techniques are used to create a variety of morphing assets, while Vertex Animated Textures are …

Plasticity Characterization Of Sheet Metals Using Torsional In-Plane Shear Testing, Matthew Eaton

Master's Theses and Capstones

In the field of sheet metal forming, it is important to accurately model the plastic stress-strain behavior of materials for use in simulations. Various tests are performed to characterize the plastic behavior, such as plastic anisotropy and strain hardening, which is used to identify material parameters of constitutive models. Shear testing in particular is an area of increasing interest in metal forming applications due to significantly larger strain level compared to uniaxial tension. This thesis aims to design a torsional in-plane shear testing fixture, to characterize the strain hardening and plastic anisotropy in shear for DDQ and DP980 steel sheets, …

Carceral Apartheid: Centering State Responsibility For The Racial Order, Ion Meyn

Cardozo Law Review

Racial harms are often attributed to private ordering. But the power of White communities to subordinate communities of color is not a constellation of private acts independent of state violence. When scrutinized, acts of racial exclusion, segregation, and violence persist to the extent they are aligned with the political order and backed by the state’s violent guarantee. The knowledge that any resistance to these acts will be met with state retribution bristles in the background.

There are different ways in which state violence produces and reproduces the racial order: (1) direct violence; (2) a violent guarantee backing communal acts of …

Preparation And Study Of The Optical Properties Of Recycled Materials Of Polymethyl Methacryalate Doped With Different Ratios Of 4-(2- Pyridylazo) Resorcinol Monosodium Salt Hydrate, Zainab J. Sweah, Fatima H. Malk, Muhsen Chelab Muhsen, Baheya Abdulbaqi

Baghdad Science Journal

This paper presents an incoming method of developing a novel optical sensor using polymethylmethacrylate was reused with the presence of the ethanol-derived resin from Frankincense (1:1) (wt:wt%-(2-Pyridylazo) Resorcinol Monosodium Salt Hydrate) (azo dye) by solution casting technique. The prepared samples were Scanning Electron Microscopes(SEM),and studied by UV-VIS spectrophotometer for wavelengths 400-800nm, the absorbance increased; however, when it exceeded 7%, the absorbance value decreased, and the behavior was identical to that of the transmittance. The absorption coefficient and Extinction coefficient and optical energy gap at 5% is the best value. were also computed. Based on the results obtained the study was …

Synthesizing And Characterizing Some Pharmaceutical Resins Using Mannich Bases And Studying Their Biological Activity, Tamador Ali Mahmood

Baghdad Science Journal

Mannich bases functional groups were used, which is considered an inventive phenol formaldehyde resin was created in this study. The project was divided into two phases. The first portion involves creating a monomer of Mannich bases through a condensation reaction. The reaction occurs between aromatic aldehyde (P-hydroxy benzaldehyde) and primary amines like (Metoclopramide, trimethoprim, 2-aminobenzothiazoly, sulfamethoxazole, and 4-amino antipyrine) and with minor amines such as Carbazol. By condensing Mannich bases made in part one with formaldehyde and phenol, the second stage included making phenol formaldehyde resin with Mannich bases. The synthesized resins (Phenol-formaldehyde) have been characterized. The characterization was done …

An Object Detection Model Based On Augmented Reality For Iraqi Archaeology, Suha Dh. Athab, Abdulamir Abdullah Karim

Baghdad Science Journal

The culture of Iraq, which boasts a rich history, serves as evidence of the magnificence of human civilization. Nonetheless, safeguarding and highlighting this valuable cultural legacy has become a significant worry in a time characterized by technological progress. Augmented Reality (AR) offers a powerful tool for preserving and presenting historical sites. The aim of this research is to leverage AR technology as a means to ensure the continued preservation and dynamic presentation of Iraq's cultural heritage. This study explores the capabilities of CNNs as the basis of AR's development. CNN is used as an essential initial step in constructing AR …

Lung Ct Image Segmentation Using Vgg-16 Network With Image Enhancement Based On Bounded Turning Mittag-Leffler Function, Ali M. Hasan, Mohammed Khalaf, Bayan M. Sabbar, Rabha W. Ibrahim, Hamid A. Jalab, Farid Meziane

Baghdad Science Journal

Automated segmentation of diseases considered a necessary initial step in routine diagnosis. Lung diseases that affect the lungs, such as pneumonia or lung collapse can result in areas of consolidation or atelectasis, where lung tissue becomes denser or collapses. It can be challenging to accurately segment such areas, as they may exhibit similar characteristics to adjacent structures. This study proposes a lung CT image segmentation method which includes two steps: (1) a new image enhancement model that uses the bounded turning Mittag-Leffler function to improve the CT images for better segmentation outcomes. (2) a new modified VGG-16 for infection of …

Syntheses, Characterisation, Thermal Analysis And Theoretical Studies Of Some Imino Ethanone Metal Complexes, Safaa H. Ali, Saad S. Mohammed, Hadi T. Obaid, Sanjeewa Gamagedara

Baghdad Science Journal

The current study is designed to synthesize four new bidentate metal complexes [MCl2L1] M = Co, Cu and L1 = 1,2-Diphenyl-2-(phenylimino)-1-ethanone or [MCl2L2] M = Co, Cu and L2 = 1,2-Diphenyl-2-(p-tolylimino)-1-ethanone. In addition, theoretical study preforms to predict the chemical reactivity and stability of the prepared complexes. Thus, the density function theory (DFT) studies, quantum chemical descriptors like chemical hardness (η), electronic chemical potential (μ), and electronegativity (χ) are considered. Complexes were synthesized in a simple one-pot reaction and chemical structures confirmed by different analysis techniques such as Mass spectra, FT-IR, UV-Vis spectroscopies and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The prepared …

Seedling Growth Of Primed Seed Under Drought Stress In Sorghum, Mohammad Omar Shihab, Jalal Hameed Hamza, William Serson, Andre Amakobo Diatta, Martin Battaglia, Maythem Al-Amery, Hail Z Rihan

Baghdad Science Journal

Drought stress is considered a limiting factor during the early growth stages of sorghum. An experiment was conducted under field conditions during the fall seasons of 2017 and 2018. The objective was to improve the growth of sorghum seedlings and their chemical properties to tolerate drought stress. Three variables were investigated: first factor cultivars (Inqath, Rabeh, and Buhoth70), second factor seed priming (primed and unprimed seed). Seeds were primed by soaking for 12 hours in a solution containing 300 mg L−1 + 70 mg L−1 of gibberellic (GA3) and salicylic (SA) acids, respectively, and third factor drought stress represented by …

Synthesis, Characterization And Antioxidant Study Of Some Metal Ion Complexes With Azo 1-(2,4,6-Trihydroxy-3-((3-Hydroxyphenyl) Diazenyl) Phenyl) Ethan-1-One., Areeg Malek Fadhel, Abbas Ali Salih Al Hamdani, Saad G. Mohamed

Baghdad Science Journal

During a diazotization coupling reaction, an azo dye-ligand (H4L) was formed by combining 3-aminophenol and 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone. This ligand was then allowed to react with several different metal ions (Mo (VI), Fe (III), Co (II), Cr (III), Ru (III) and Rh (III)), forming stable metal complexes with various geometries. The binding of the azo-dye group to the metal ions was detected through the M-N and M-O absorption bands in Fourier-transform-infrared, which indicated the involvement of nitrogen and oxygen. LC-MS spectra confirmed the molecular weights of the ligand and its complexes, and elemental analysis was also conducted. Electronic spectra were used to …

Some Outcomes Involving A Specific Class Of Functions Over Differential Subordination And Superordination, Mustafa I. Hameed, Shaheed Jameel Al-Dulaimi, Kayode Oshinubi, Hussaini Joshua, Ali F. Jameel, Israa A. Ibrahim

Baghdad Science Journal

This work investigates several aspects of differential subordination and superordination, leading to the inclusion of a specific class within the domain of univalent meromorphic functions in a perforated open unit disc and deriving a few sandwich theorems. The purpose of this article is to look into a few of the characteristics of variation subordination for analytic univalent functions over a perforated unit disc. It additionally aims to shed insight into geometric characteristics like coefficient inequality, Hadamard product characteristics, and the Komatu integral operator. A few interesting findings have been discovered for variations in subordination as well as superordination in analytic …

The Role Of Virtuous Leadership In Reducing Organizational Deviation: An Analytical Study Of A Sample Of Al-Rafidin In Bank Employees In Anbar, Hind Fouad Zabar, Mohsin Rashed Musaheb

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Purpose: This research works to achieve several goals, perhaps the most prominent of which is identifying the role of virtuous leadership in reducing organizational deviation. Theoretical Framework: Based on what the researchers reported (G. Wang & Hackett, 2016), (Bashir et al., 2012) this study deals with providing practical guidance to improve the virtuous leadership process and enhance its effectiveness in reducing deviations and achieving sustainable development. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study analyzed the data of Rafidain Bank employees in Anbar (2023-2024) using the virtuous leadership model and through its dimensions (courage, wisdom, justice, moderation, and humanity) in reducing organizational deviation through the …

The Economic Viability Of Associated Gas Investment In Iraq During The Period (2012-2021), Maysam Abbas Mohsen, Thaer Mahmoud Rashid Al-Ani

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Purpose: Examine the feasibility of investing in and processing associated gas and the impact of increased investment in flaring associated gas on the Iraqi economy, in addition to knowing the quantities of gas produced, invested and burned in Iraq Also calculating the costs that Iraq loses due to gas flaring During the research period (2012-2021). Theoretical framework: The research addresses the feasibility of investing in associated gas from oil and its impact on the Iraqi economy, given its abundant availability. The research problem revolves around whether Iraq can achieve self-sufficiency in gas production and whether it can reach the status …

Possibility Of Benefiting From The Egyptian Experience In Implementing Agricultural Policies To Enhance Food Security In Iraq For The Period (2000-2018), Duaa Ali Abdul Husssein, Sabah Nema Ali

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Purpose: The research aims to identify the challenges facing the agricultural sector in Egypt in light of the global food crisis and the role of agricultural policies in confronting them considering the available resources and the extent of benefiting from the banking experience in implementing agricultural policies to enhance food security in Iraq. Theoretical framework: The research dealt with the study of agricultural policies and their role in enhancing food security in Iraq by benefiting from the Egyptian experience. The research problem revolves around the fact that the agricultural sector in Egypt faces several challenges, including weak government support for …