Digital Commons Network^™

Stall Detection In Hydraulic Excavator Operations Using Heuristics And Machine Learning: A Case Study, Mateo Fernando Montenegro Defaz, Kwame Awuah-Offei, Yixiang Gao

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This work aims to develop a reliable algorithm for stall detection during excavator digging by analyzing key operational variables such as velocity and angular displacements from machine monitoring data. The work develops and validates a heuristic algorithm to detect stalling events and trains a support vector machine classification algorithm to distinguish between "normal" digging cycles and cycles with stalling. This work is a novel attempt at using a classification algorithm to categorize digging cycles into normal and those with stalling events based on machine monitoring data alone. The developed classification algorithm achieved a sensitivity of 100%, indicating it correctly identified …

Health Regulations For 2026 Nh Fairs And Shows, Hannah Majewski

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Ecosystem Functions And Services - Landscaping For Water Quality (March 25, 2026 Gbnerr), Julia Peterson

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Selecting Plants And Informational Resources, Kat Kelleher

UNH Cooperative Extension

Considerations that go into plant selection on a site when thinking about creating resilient spaces that are able to provide more than one function.

Marketing Water Quality Friendly Services, Julia Peterson

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

2026 Water Quality Considerations In Landscaping, Thomas Swenson

UNH Cooperative Extension

2026 Water Quality Considerations in Landscaping

Estuary, Kelle Loughlin

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Water Resource Protection Principles And Strategies, Julia Peterson

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Assessing And Understanding Soil Characteristics, Amy Papineau

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Nh State Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act (Landscaping For Water Quality Workshop - 2026), Jay Aube

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Nh 4-H Animal Fair Book 2026, Hannah Majewski

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

Eat With Understanding: A Um Student Guide To Food Systems, James Deacon, Cora Johnson, Lucas Dymit, Kaeli Rackham, Elsie Danyo

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

The industrialized food system creates environmental harm, reduces food sovereignty, and contributes to growing food insecurity. These problems oftentimes are overlooked in higher education. To address this gap, our project examines how access to sustainable food education and campus-community partnerships can improve well-being and informed decision-making amongst University of Montana students. This collaborative project connects partners within UM Wellness, PEAS Farm, the Missoula Food Bank and Community Center, and the Big Sky Culinary Institute. Our research includes applied learning with these organizations by hosting a variety of speaker series presentations and coordinating a cooking workshop. We collected quantitative and qualitative …

Non-Pharmacological Interventions For The Management And Prevention Of Hypertensive Disorders In Pregnancy: A Review Of The Literature, Shenelle K. Smith, Laurena E. Lepp

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including preeclampsia (PE), are a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the United States, rates of HDP continue to rise and are associated with preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and long-term cardiovascular disease. Current management focuses only on low-dose aspirin for prevention. Surveillance and timely delivery remain the only definitive treatment for preeclampsia. This highlights a critical gap in prevention. Emerging evidence suggests that non-pharmacological interventions–particularly nutrition, physical activity, and lifestyle modification–may reduce the risk and severity of HDP. These approaches align with midwifery models of care emphasizing prevention, education, …

Fear Of Childbirth As A Perinatal Comorbidity: An Integrative Review, Michelle T. Mcmanus, Ashely N. Payne

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fear of childbirth (FOC) and tokophobia have a significant impact on one in every five pregnant women and is associated with enhanced levels of anxiety, depression, pre-traumatic stress, and has led to increased requests for elective cesarean sections. Given the influence that it has on birth mode and perceived birth experience as well as postpartum wellbeing, it stands to reason that FOC represents an often-overlooked aspect of perinatal mental health.
This capstone reviews cohort, cross-sectional, randomized, and quasi-experimental studies examining prevalence, correlations, and consequences of FOC. It evaluates antenatal education, midwife-led support, and cognitive behavioral therapy as potential interventions. Outcomes …

Paper Or Screen: How Do Digital And Traditional Methods Shape Motivation And Reading Outcomes?, Rachel E. H. Bentley

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Technological advancements occur with such a high frequency that educators and administrators endeavor to offer as many knowledgeable tools as they can deliver. This sentiment, however, leaves teachers and their pupils asking if this is the right avenue to follow. This literature review investigates the question of whether digital devices and applications are beneficial to student success or cause negative effects on students' learning progress. This review specifically focuses on research that examines K-12 and undergraduate students’ reading comprehension and other ELA fundamentals, as well as students' engagement and motivation, by studying the mode of learning through which instruction was …

Integrative Approaches And Data Analysis For Single-Cell Rna Sequencing Data, Teng Long

Computer Science and Engineering Dissertations

The rapid growth of single-cell RNA sequencing and transcriptomic datasets has created major computational challenges in causal discovery, representation learning, and biologically faithful data generation. To address these challenges, this dissertation presents three complementary deep learning frameworks for the analysis and modeling of transcriptomic data. Together, these methods form an integrative computational toolkit for understanding complex biological systems from high-dimensional and heterogeneous gene expression data.

First, this dissertation introduces DAG-VAERL, a causal discovery framework that integrates variational autoencoders, graph neural networks, reinforcement learning, and attention mechanisms to infer directed acyclic graphs for gene regulatory network analysis. DAG-VAERL improves causal structure …

Data-Driven Climate Damage Functions For Capital Formation: Estimating The Climate Penalty Using Maching Learning, Pramudya Wicaksono

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Traditional integrated assessment models assume parametric climate damage functions that may miss nonlinearities, heterogeneity, and dynamic effects on investment. This thesis develops a data-driven climate damage function for capital formation by estimating the predictive relationship between climate conditions and future gross fixed capital formation (% GDP) across 125 countries over 1982–2019. We construct a panel dataset by combining daily ERA5 climate reanalysis data (accessed via the Copernicus Climate Data Store API and aggregated to yearly country-level variables including temperature anomalies, extreme heat days, frost days, precipitation, and solar radiation) with economic indicators from the World Bank World Development Indicators and …

Independent Animal Chiropractic Practice: An Evidence-Based Argument For Autonomy Beyond Veterinary Supervision, Montana Adams

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Animal chiropractic is a growing form of conservative care used to improve mobility, reduce pain, and support neuromusculoskeletal function in animals. Despite evidence suggesting it is both effective and low risk, access remains limited due to inconsistent state regulations. Many jurisdictions require chiropractors to obtain veterinary supervision, referral, or licensure, even when they have completed specialized training and certification in animal chiropractic. This paper evaluates the effectiveness and safety of animal chiropractic while analyzing the impact of current regulatory policies. Research indicates that chiropractic care can improve mobility and reduce spinal conditions in animals when performed by trained professionals. However, …

What Does The Quality Of Life For Congenital Heart Defect Patients Look Like Across The Lifespan?, Kaylee F. Maynor

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Throughout history, birth defects have left a mark on patients and families across the world. From an infant's first few breaths to an elderly person's last breath, congenital heart birth defects play a major role in that person's life. There are many different types of birth defects that effect the heart. Each defect is unique and has different outcomes on the body. Some congenital heart diseases have multiple defects causing more than one complication. The treatment options for many of the common congenital heart birth defects have come a long way throughout decades of research. By diving into what heart …

Judging What Jurors Know: Expert Testimony After Voir Dire, Chris Cox

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Tele-Psychiatry Adoption And Its Effect On Rural Mental Health Service Availability, Anna Heineman, Kaylee Canterbury, Taylor Carpenter

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Purpose of study: This study examined the association between tele-psychiatry implementation and mental health service availability in rural healthcare settings. The analysis compared tele-psychiatry to traditional in-person psychiatric care among rural populations, focusing on access and utilization outcomes, including time to first psychiatric appointment, number of completed visits, and appointment no-show rates.

Methods: A qualitative literature review following a systematic approach was conducted using peer-reviewed articles published between 2016-2026. Databases included PubMed, ProQuest Health, CINAHL, Journal of Medical Internet Research, and the National Library of Medicine, with Google Scholar used as a supplemental source. The review followed PRISMA …

Mitochondria As Primary Cause Of Neurodegeneration: Evaluating Causality Across Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als), Alzheimer's, And Parkinson’S Diseases, Makenzie G. Johnson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) have historically been explained through alternate hypotheses despite shared clinical hallmarks that lead to neuron loss. However, these varying explanations could not account for how disease onset begins among other individual issues. This thesis aims to show that mitochondrial dysfunction is a primary driver of neurodegeneration as well as a unifying mechanism shared between the three diseases. Evidence presented in this thesis will show that many issues can arise in mitochondria including issues with energy production, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), apoptosis activation, and calcium regulation. These issues …

Dental Implantology: A Literature Review, Kylie Taylor

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Dental implant therapy is the process of replacing teeth as a form of treatment to improve quality of life, function, and esthetics. The success of the implant depends on the surgical technique, type of prosthetic, and factors related to individual patients. The most important factor for implant success is osseointegration. Osseointegration is a process in which success is determined by the bone quality, the surface characteristics of the implant and the surgical approach. Some approaches to improve the osseointegration of the implant are low-speed drilling, guided surgery, and reduced surgical trauma at the site. The impact of systemic conditions, health …

Acute Responses To Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercise With Continuous And Intermittent Blood Flow Restriction, James Brown, Jakob D. Lauver, Timothy R. Rotarius, Justin P. Guilkey

Kinesiology

Introduction: This study examined muscular and cardiovascular responses to light-intensity aerobic exercise with different blood flow restriction (BFR) protocols. Methods: Ten males performed four protocols on the cycle ergometer: low-intensity exercise with no BFR (LIE), LIE with continuous BFR (CONT-BFR), LIE with intermittent BFR (INT-BFR), and high-intensity exercise (HIE). Each protocol consisted of five 2-min work intervals (INT) at 35% of peak work rate for LIE, CONT-BFR, and INT-BFR and 70% of peak work rate for HIE. During CONT-BFR, cuffs were inflated to 60% of arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) at the start of INT 1 and remained inflated until the …

Pull-Out Performance Of Multiple Glued-In Rods In Sustainable Inorganic-Bonded Bamboo Composite Under Perpendicular-To-Grain Loading, Jing Ru Yao, Shaohua Yu, Qingxia Yue, Hanshu Zhang, Ernian Zhao

Physics and Engineering Science

As a sustainable bio-based material derived from bamboo crops, inorganic-bonded bamboo composite (InorgBam) exhibits excellent environmental sustainability, fire resistance, and long-term durability. To enable its broader adoption in structural applications, robust and efficient connection methods are essential. Glued-in rod (GiR) connections, characterized by high strength, stiffness, and superior fire performance, are especially well-suited for modern engineered bamboo and timber connections. The pull-out behavior of multiple GiRs in InorgBam material under perpendicular-to-grain loading was experimentally investigated using double-, triple-, and quadruple-rod specimens. The influence of anchorage length and spacing on failure modes and load-carrying capacity was systematically analyzed. Results demonstrate that …

A Novel Simulation Framework To Estimate Dynamic Response Of A Solar Panel Array Under Stationary Stochastic Wind Loads, Hanshu Zhang, You Jia Li, Matthew J. Dejong

Physics and Engineering Science

This paper presents a novel simulation framework for estimating the dynamic response of a full-scale ground-mounted solar panel array under stationary wind loads that are spatially correlated across the length of the solar panel array. Specifically, the framework uses mean pressure coefficient distributions along the length of a 1:10 prototype scale of the solar panel array from smooth inflow derived using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation software The Wind Engineering with Uncertainty Quantification (WE-UQ). Note that for the CFD simulation, the input wind field across the length of the solar panel array is uniform along the horizontal direction, and …

Dose-Dependent Developmental Toxicity Of Cisplatin In Zebrafish Embryos, Reagan D. Sellers, Katherine T. Doucet, Jinhee Park, Andrea Florian

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Cisplatin is a widely used chemotherapy drug for treating various types of cancer. Although cisplatin is effective in killing cancer, it can also cause toxic side effects in normal tissues. Because cisplatin can cross the placental barrier, its use during pregnancy is generally avoided, particularly during early embryonic stages of fetal development. Exposure to cytotoxic drugs during embryogenesis may lead to developmental abnormalities, birth defects, or pregnancy complications. Understanding how cisplatin affects early development is therefore important.          
       Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are an established model for studying developmental toxicity due to their rapid external development, transparent embryos, and genetic similarity to …

Staging Emotion: Visual Rhetoric In Fleetwood Mac’S “Silver Springs” Performance, Ashley Deker

SPARK Symposium Presentations

My chosen artifact is a live performance of Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac. The performance originally took place at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, in May 1997, and the video was later published to Fleetwood Mac’s official YouTube account in September 2018.

My chosen critical lens is visual criticism, specifically analyzing visual escalation as a rhetorical strategy. This approach is appropriate because the emotional intensity of the performance extends beyond the lyrics, adding another persuasive layer through the deliberate use of camera angles and the physical actions of both Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.

In the 1997 live performance …

Due Process And Press Credentialing, Nicole J. Ligon

Scholarly Works

Government-issued press credentials increasingly determine which journalists may access public officials, attend government events, and report from restricted spaces. Yet the legal frameworks governing these credentials remain underdeveloped, discretionary, and structurally vulnerable to abuse. This Article examines the constitutional dimensions of press credentialing through the lens of procedural due process. It is the first law review article to consider whether press credentials give rise to protected liberty or property interests under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, such that denial or revocation requires due process.

Drawing on analogies to professional licensing regimes and recent litigation involving credentialing disputes, this Article maps …

The Lithic Assemblage From The 700,000 Year-Old Butchery Site Of Kalinga (Luzon Island, Philippines): New Insights Into Technological Variability In The Early Palaeolithic In Island Southeast Asia, Alfred F. Pawlik, Justin Guilbert, Jean-Baptiste Lambard, Gerald Palaya, Jackie Despriee, Xavier Gallet, John De Vos, Andrea Dominique Cosalan, Maria G. Chacon

Archaeology

Despite a long history of archaeological and paleoanthropological research, our understanding of the Early Palaeolithic in Island Southeast Asia remains limited, as only a few sites with clear stratigraphic contexts - Mata Menge (Flores Island), Ngebung 2 (Java Island), Calio and Talepu (Sulawesi Island) - have been documented. This scarcity of well-stratified assemblages has led to a poor characterisation of technological variability and cultural sequences, which mainly rely on surface collections and early typological classifications/facies (e.g., Pacitanian, Cabengian, Cabalwanian, Liwanian, Arubian, etc). These classifications mostly based on a handful of cobble artefacts, have long obscured the technological diversity of early …