Digital Commons Network^™

Examination Of The Relationship Between Algal And Mussel Populations In Streams, Haarika Hebbur

Honors Projects

Due to the ecological importance of both mussel and algal populations, understanding their interactions is critical for further studies in the field. This literature review will explore the functions of both organisms within stream ecosystems, followed by an observational study. The study is designed to evaluate the potential interactions between algal biomass and mussel populations using chlorophyll a concentration as a tool for algal abundance measurement.

Statistics With Actuarial Emphasis, Zachariah Yonker

Honors Projects

This report presents the findings of a survey conducted among members of the Grand Valley State University Dungeons & Dragons Club, focusing on member age, gender, habits, and game preferences. The survey, administered during the Fall 2024 semester, received 31 responses, with 30 being completed and 1 partially finished, representing approximately 25% of active club members. Key findings via the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) include a diverse range of preferences and opinions about Dungeons & Dragons classes, as well as a consensus on the most difficult challenge of the activity in addition to favorite aspects of Dungeons & Dragons.

Prison Social Climate, Chloe Upton

Honors Projects

This literature synthesis proposes an examination of what social climate is most effective for establishing positive prison culture for inmates. By looking into various research based on various authors, readers are able to learn about what is the most effective methodology for a positive prison climate.

Teachers’ Life Experience Of Trauma And Its Impact In The Classroom, Casey Voelz

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine if teachers’ lived experiences of trauma impact practices, relationships, and responses to student behaviors in the classroom. The common themes could allow colleges, school districts, and school leaders to reflect, develop, or improve access to therapeutic interventions and teacher self-discovery in the areas of self-awareness, self-regulation, and emotional intelligence. This qualitative study involved obtaining data from the Indiana Department of Education. The Indiana Department of Education provided email addresses for superintendents for public schools in Indiana. Superintendents received an email requesting teacher participation. If approved, teachers received the ACE survey. From …

Basic Safety Message Generation Through A Video-Based Analytics For Potential Safety Application, Abyad Enan

All Theses

With the advancement of modern artificial intelligence techniques, computer vision can play a vital role in enhancing roadway safety by reducing the risk of imminent collisions. To do so, a vision-based safety application is required, where a roadside camera can monitor the roadway traffic and predict potential risks of crashes in real-time. If any risky situation or behavior is observed that may lead to a crash, then a safety application can send warnings to the vehicles at risk. For vision-based safety applications on a roadway section, it is important to accurately monitor each vehicle’s location, speed, acceleration, heading direction, etc. …

Prediction Of Dislocation Density During Casting Of 316 Stainless Steel Based Alloys As A Function Of Chromium And Nickel Composition, Abhishek Chitradurga Ranganath

All Theses

By the 1990s, computational methods were beginning to be used to study dislocation density in mental casting. Prior to that time research was based heavily on laboratory studies. This move was encouraged by the need to overcome limitations that experimental approaches had, including high costs and time-consuming processes, and needs of researchers to understand atomic-scale phenomena. Computational techniques allow complex materials to be simulated in cost effective way and can provide insight into behaviour that could never be determined through experimental methods alone.

This work utilized molecular dynamics (MD) simulations along with machine learning approaches to examine the dislocation density …

Hardware Applications Of High-Speed Fault Detection Algorithms, Daniel Zintsmaster

All Theses

The growing need for a sustainable electric energy infrastructure has driven research into control, protection, and optimization of power systems. A key challenge is that the changing grid must operate at increasingly higher speeds, but many current hardware devices cannot meet these demands. This thesis focuses on power system protection, aiming to design a hardware solution that can detect and isolate faults in microseconds, ensuring faster, more reliable grid operations. The first hardware developed was for a low-voltage direct current (LVdc) microgrid, which faces challenges due to a lack of protection schemes and novel speed requirements. This thesis presents protection …

Exploiting Randomness In Secret Sharing, Cailyn Bass

All Theses

Shamir's (k,n)-threshold scheme is a method for sharing a secret among n participants such that any group of k or more participants can recover the secret. Additionally, any group of participants with size less than k should learn nothing about the secret. The scheme works by distributing a share to each participant, where each share is a linear combination of the secret and k-1 random symbols. This allows any group of k or more participants to solve a linear system to compute the secret. Any group of less than k participants does not have enough to determine anything about the …

The Private Libraries Of Charleston, 1780-1860, Winter Hein

All Theses

The scope of this thesis examines the private libraries inventoried in Charleston, South Carolina. The thesis answers the question about the prevalence of private book collections and rooms called the “Library” between 1780 and 1860, as seen in probate inventories. Additionally, this thesis explores the character of the private collections during this study period in a case study manner. This includes the size of the collections, location (urban vs. rural), where collections are stored, and in which rooms they are found. Of the 4,476 Charleston County probate inventories between 1780 and 1860 available through FamilySearch online, a total of 903 …

Informing Management Of American Shad (Alosa Sapidissima) In The Carolinas: Evaluating Novel Fish Passage Approaches And Acoustic Tracking Methods, Margaret Gaither

All Theses

Acoustic telemetry is a valuable tool for fisheries scientists to study the movements and migratory behaviors of aquatic organisms. A critical assumption of this method is that tagged fish exhibit similar behaviors and survival rates as their untagged counterparts. To investigate this, we conducted a 12-week laboratory study on adult American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) using gastroesophageal insertion of acoustic transmitters. We implanted 80 fish with dummy transmitters and monitored tag retention and survival. Our analysis, employing a mixed effects Cox’s proportional hazards model, revealed no significant differences in survival between tagged and control fish, regardless of sex. Additionally, …

Multiple Cut Systems Of Cannabis Sativa L. For Micropropagation Without The Use Of Cytokinins, Molly Mckay

All Theses

Micropropagation is a technique used to propagate clean, high-quality clonal stock plants using plant growth regulators (PGR) in a single harvest batch system. This two-part study uses an in vitro multiple harvest system “hedging” combined with the fed- batch media process, to observe (1) the effects of modified physical state and (2) LED light quality to improve shoot production and quality. In Experiment 1, four genotypes of Cannabis sativa (‘Cherry 1’,‘BaOx’,‘T1’,‘Peach’) were observed in three different physical states: stationary agar (A), stationary Oasis® infused with liquid (OIL_s) and agitated Oasis® infused with liquid (OIL_a). Fifteen …

The Effect Of Packaging On The Acceptance Of Natural Peanut Butter, Perian M. Reese

All Theses

The aim was to determine the effect of packaging on the acceptance of natural peanut butter, especially concerning the acceptance of the undesirable oil layer. The jars of peanut butter differed by color, label size, and inclusion of qualifying statements. 119 participants across two groups completed this study. Both groups completed an eye-tracking study in a mock grocery setting. The first group rated all five jars in appearance, expected quality, and overall rating. They were given one sample cup of peanut butter and gave hedonic liking values for color, oiliness, peanut flavor, smoothness, sweetness, and overall liking. The second group …

On Humans, Hogs, And Habitat: How Landscape Features And Vegetation Influence Wild Hog (Sus Scrofa) Detection On Private Lands And Using Existing Wild Hog Outreach Websites To Create An Effective Website For South Carolina, Andrew Jamison

All Theses

Invasive species are a source of human conflict with wildlife on a global scale and exist to the detriment of native wildlife species. Invasive species often possess the ability to respond rapidly to change and they often exist alongside humans. Wild hogs (Sus scrofa) are perhaps one of the most infamous examples of an invasive species. The spread of wild hogs necessitates effective communication with the public being impacted by them, as well as a continuation of research to learn more about wild hog behavior to promote effective management. Chapter 1 focuses on how we created a website …

Get Outside: The Moderating Effects Of Exposure To Nature On The Work Stress-Burnout Relationship, Meredith Pool

All Theses

This study explores the relatively uncharted territory of nature exposure within the workplace and its influence on mitigating burnout. While prior research has linked access to nature with enhanced well-being, a gap persists in understanding how exposure to nature moderates the relationship between work stress and burnout. Employing a cross-sectional design with 724 working individuals in the United States, a survey was conducted to assess burnout, work stress, nature exposure, and climate data. The present study explores how green workplaces, which involve the presence of physical and artificial greenery in the work environment, and the employees’ perceptions that the organization …

Suicidality: The Role Of The Workplace, Hailey Carroll

All Theses

Suicide is a major issue in the world today. Complex reasons explain why some people have higher levels of suicidal ideation or attempts than others. One theory that posits answers to why people die by suicide is the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide (IPTS). This theory states that thwarted belongingness (TB) and perceived burdensomeness (PB) work together to lead to suicidal ideation. The relationship between suicidal ideation and suicide attempts is moderated by the capacity for suicide. The current study sought to expand upon this theory, questioning what role the workplace plays in one’s suicidality. Specifically, the study looked at mattering …

Developing Holistic And Reduced Fertilization Guidelines For Southeastern Peach (Prunus Persica (L.) Batsch) Orchards, Richardson Bien-Aime

All Theses

Peach production in the southeastern United States requires optimizing fertilization practices to balance economic sustainability and environmental health. Current guidelines may overlook rootstock-specific nutrient requirements and fail to align with orchard-specific conditions, often resulting in overfertilization, increased costs, and environmental risks. This study, conducted at Clemson University’s Musser Fruit Research Center during 2023 and 2024, aimed to refine fertilization practices through two complementary experiments. The first experiment investigated how three rootstocks, ’MP-29’, Lovell, and Guardian, influence nutrient dynamics of ‘Carored’ peach trees. Nutrient concentrations were measured in various tree organs, including leaves, pruned wood, thinned fruitlets, and harvested fruits, along …

A Drosophila Model Of Mucopolysacchridosis Iiia, Rebecca Bishop

All Theses

Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA (MPS IIIA) is a rare lysosomal storage disorder that arises from inability to break down heparan sulfate (HS) because of mutations in the N-sulfoglucosamine sulfohydrolase (SGSH) gene. We used a deletion mutant of the Drosophila melanogaster Sgsh gene along with three point mutations analogous to mutations observed in patients (S64W, L89P, S301P) to show an increase in the average percent of area with lysosomal puncta in the fly brains of our mutants using Lysotracker. RNA sequencing of brains of mutant and control flies showed 441 (Knockout), 337 (S64W), 155 (L89P), and 96 (S301P) differentially expressed …

Influence Of Hygrothermal Conditions Of The Bistability Of Asymmetric Carbon Fiber Laminate Composites, Celia Hill

All Theses

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates have widespread use in many industries because of their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. Carbon fiber laminates following an asymmetric layup orientation can exhibit bistability meaning the laminate can exist at two stable geometric configurations. The morphing characteristics of bistable CRFP has a growing level of interest because of its potential in various applications including space aircraft structures for easy repair, automotive structures for energy dissipation and ergonomics, robotics for flexible motion and energy harvesting. Existing research shows that both moisture and temperature affect the material properties and behavior of CFRP laminates, however, the influence of moisture …

Bounding The Convex Hull Relaxation Of The Unit Commitment Problem With The Shapley-Folkman Theorem, Lauren Henderson

All Theses

The Unit Commitment (UC) problem finds an optimal schedule for a set of generators by minimizing the total operation cost subject to demand and operational constraints. The UC problem is often modeled with a mixed-integer linear program (MILP). We employ the Shapley-Folkman Theorem to provide a bound on the size of fractional solutions of its convex hull relaxation. This result is used to obtain a bound on the optimality gap between the MILP and the convex hull relaxation, which is further tightened using several problem-specific properties of UC. We conduct extensive numerical experiments to study the tightness of this threshold, …

The Relationship Between Aging Perceptions And Cognition Among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study Using The Enact And Efit Studies, Ava Mcvey

All Theses

Maintaining cognition is critical to overall health and independence. While lifestyle predictors (e.g., cognitive engagement, social engagement, physical activity) of cognition have been established in current research, the relationship of one’s perceptions of aging and cognition have been less thoroughly investigated. This thesis cross-sectionally explores the relationships between self-perceptions of aging (SPA; including awareness of age-related change and expectations regarding aging) and cognition, including performance-based measures of executive function (Matrix Reasoning, Letter/Number Switching, Digit Symbol, Trails A & B, Visual Paired Associates) and self-reported cognition (Cognitive Self Report Questionnaire). Participants include community dwelling older adults from two studies: the Elucidating …

Comparing The Effects Of Traffic Speed And Driver Assistance On Different Age Groups: Mixed Methods User Testing, Alan Mintz

All Theses

Although much research exists investigating preferences towards transportation and driver assistance technologies, there is a gap in the literature related to taking a mixed methods approach investigating age-related differences in traffic management behaviors. Previous studies have established that older adults tend to avoid higher risk traffic situations more often than younger adults. This research builds on existing work that compares different aged participants simulated driving behaviors, self-reported workload, and interview responses. Benefits from this study include adding to our understanding of gap maintenance behavior, perceived workload at varying traffic speeds, and preferences among younger and older drivers towards offloading driving …

An Analysis Of The Properties Of Polar Codes, Luke Szramowski

All Theses

Polar Codes have risen to the forefront of practical coding theory, due to their incredible efficiency and ease of construction. Originally introduced by Arikan in his 2009 paper, they are the first code defined with an explicit construction that achieved channel capacity. Moreover, polar codes possess some physically practical properties that make their implementation alluring. In the same paper as mentioned above, Arikan elaborated on his construction and noted that the construction given was one specific instance of a polar code and that there is a family of polar codes that can be produced by the same method. Since this …

Toward Electrochemical Detection Of Salmonella Enterica Serovar Enteritidis On Hydroponically Grown Green Onions (Allium Fistulosum L.), Lisseth Casso-Hartmann

All Theses

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established standards during the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption as part of implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). One of the main requirements for farmers is to detect environmental pathogens such as Salmonella enterica species in water and sprout samples. S. enterica is a bacterium of significant concern due to its pathogenicity and ability to survive and persist in diverse environmental conditions. S. enterica has been associated with recalls in ready-to-eat foods. Traditional detection methods include Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and plate counting, which …

Microbial-Chemical Degradation Of Styrene In Co-Mingled Plumes With Ethylbenzene, Benzene, And Carbon Tetrachloride, Marcela C. Flórez-García

All Theses

Industrial sites contaminated with a complex matrix of chemicals represent a problem for the ecosystem and a high risk for the health of all individuals. That is why remediation strategies are needed to mitigate this environmental impact. The latex zone, located at the Corteva industrial site in San Lorenzo, Argentina, is the subject of this research. The environmental impacts in this area are a consequence of petrochemical operations carried out for many years.

Monoaromatic hydrocarbons such as styrene, ethylbenzene, and benzene, and chlorinated methanes like carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, dichloromethane, and chloromethane are among the contaminants identified at the site that …

Genetic Analysis Of A Novel Population Of Southern Flying Squirrels (Glaucomys Volans) Found In Lincoln, Ne, Jennifer Wettschreck

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

In 2018 a novel population of southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) was discovered in Lincoln, Nebraska, 80 km outside of their known range. Southern flying squirrels are designated as a “Tier-1” species of concern within Nebraska and the origin of this new population is of interest to state biologists. This study will provide insight into the probable origin of this new population by comparing genetic samples from known populations of southern flying squirrels. Museum specimens were collected from two well-established populations in Florida and Texas, as well as samples from individuals native to Nebraska (Indian Cave State Park) to compare …

Indigenous Ecocinema: Decolonizing Media Environments, Salma Monani

Gettysburg College Faculty Books

Introducing the concepts of d-ecocinema and d-ecocinema criticism, Monani expands the purview of ecocinema studies and not only brings attention to a thriving Indigenous cinema archive but also argues for a methodological approach that ushers Indigenous intellectual voices front and center in how we theorize this archive. Its case-study focus on Canada, particularly the work emanating from the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival in Toronto--a nationally and internationally recognized hub in Indigenous cinema networks--provides insights into pan-Indigenous and Nation-specific contexts of Indigenous ecocinema.

This absorbing text is the first book-length exploration foregrounding the environmental dimensions of cinema made by …

New Approaches And Challenges Regarding Trade, Climate Action, And The Wto, Sunayana Sasmal

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

This report considers how the WTO, as an institution and its rules, can and should be a game-changer in undertaking climate action and the green energy transition globally. By leveraging its toolkit, the WTO has the potential to drive climate action, from regulating border carbon adjustments to promoting trade in green products, green electricity, and dissemination of climate technologies. However, unlocking this potential requires legal reforms, a proactive institutional role, and strong political will from WTO members.

Navigating Legal Currents: The Constitutional Quandary Of Redefining “Navigable”, Brodi Voight

University of Dayton Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Fitness Influencers In Shaping Hegemonic Masculinity Among Young Men, Ali Al Zamle

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This study analyzes how fitness influencers on social media shape perceptions of hegemonic masculinity among young men. By examining content from influencers like Jay Cutler and Noel Dyzel, as well as insights from interviews, this research investigates the psychological and physical effects of adhering to idealized masculine body standards. The findings reveal that influencers reinforce traditional masculine norms but also offer alternative, more inclusive representations of strength and vulnerability. This analysis contributes to our understanding of how digital fitness culture influences young men's body image and mental health.

Impact Of Mental Health On The Academic Success Of Middle School Students, Kelsey Alcantara

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This senior capstone research project examines the impact of mental health on the academic performance of middle school students. Mental health, such as anxiety and depression, has become a pivotal topic and more common among middle school students today. This research highlights the importance and the need for mental health support in schools and how it impacts students' focus, engagement, and academic performance. In addition, it further discusses how teachers identify and handle mental health issues in the classroom through the use of literature review and interview with middle school teachers, principals, and counselors. In order to improve academic performance …