Digital Commons Network^™

Mechanistic Roles And Design Criteria For Catalysts In Lithium–Sulfur Batteries, Saheed Lateef, Golareh Jalilvand

Faculty Publications

Catalysis is widely explored in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries to address challenges related to limited capacity and cycle durability. Despite extensive research, catalyst development has often focused on materials without a clear understanding of the mechanistic landscape underlying the complex, multi-step, multi-electron sulfur redox pathway. In fact, our understanding of the thermodynamic, kinetic, and mass transport framework in Li–S systems is still evolving, particularly with respect to the reaction pathways during charge and discharge, and the dynamic evolution of materials in both liquid and solid phases. These evolving insights may fundamentally shift the requirements for catalyst design and future research priorities. …

Targeting Pancreatic Cancer With Rapamycin-Loaded Gold Nanoparticles Conjugated To Egf Peptide: Studies On Cytotoxicity And Uptake Mechanisms Aided By Proteomic Analysis, Adeolu Oluremi

Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies, with a five-year survival rate below 5%. While rapamycin (Rap) has demonstrated therapeutic potential, its clinical utility is hampered by systemic toxicity. To address this limitation, this study developed a targeted nanocarrier system using gold nanospheres (AuNPs) functionalized with the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) peptide GE11 for the specific delivery of Rap to pancreatic cancer cells. It is to note that pancreatic cancer overexpresses EGFR. The AuNP–GE11–Rap conjugates were successfully synthesized and characterized using physico-chemical techniques, which confirmed peptide conjugation and drug loading. In vitro studies using PANC-1 cells demonstrated …

Biotechnology In The Fy 2026 Ndaa: Strategic Implications — And Recommendations — For Joint Force Readiness, James Giordano

Strategic Insights

This commentary analyzes how biotechnology provisions in the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reflect emerging opportunities and challenges for U.S. national security. It explains that key investments in bioindustrial capacity, synthetic biology, bioinformatics, and related research signal a strategic shift toward integrating biological technologies into defense planning. While these advancements can strengthen biodefense, medical readiness, and operational resilience, they also raise policy, ethical, and governance questions about prioritization, oversight, and risk management. Dr. Giordano offers practical recommendations, including the need for enhanced workforce education, robust interdisciplinary coordination, and international collaboration to ensure responsible innovation. Aligning biotechnology investment with …

Student Voices On Trauma And Resilience: A Critical Phenomenological Study Of Gun Violence And College Student Experiences, Lucia Helena Garcia

Dissertations

This study posits that gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis and that colleges and universities must actively collaborate to develop and implement solutions to address and prevent this crisis, which affects communities and students. Gun violence can and does lead to disruptions in educational access, travel and safety, as well as have longstanding impacts on mental health. While extensive research exists that is focused on the impact of community and gun violence exposure on K-12 students, the impact of community violence and gun violence exposure on emerging adults in university settings is limited and remains …

Co-Production Of A Mobile Application For Parents Of Acutely Ill Children Under Five: ‘Ipoorly Child Symptom Checker, Sarah Neill, Amy Rathbone, John Downey, Monica Lakhanpaul, Matt Carey

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Acutely ill children under five years of age are frequent and increasing users of urgent and emergency care services despite there being no increase in acuity of presenting illnesses. This raises concerns about parents’ level of knowledge and confidence in assessing the severity of symptoms of acute illness, despite the abundance of digital information available. MethodBuilding on prior work to co-develop the content for a mobile app for parents of acutely ill children, we co-designed the iPoorly child symptom checker app using an experience based co-design methodology with seven parent and seven health professional patient and public involvement representatives. The …

Unmasking Oral Health Stigma: A Qualitative Scoping Review, J Doughty, J Booth, M Smith, K Saini, M Paisi, A Rodriguez, A Levine, C Bedos, V Muirhead, C Martins De Barros, C Freeborn

Peninsula Dental School

INTRODUCTION: Health-related stigma can limit access to care, impair adherence to treatment, and negatively impact mental health and quality-of-life. Oral health stigma, defined as stigma arising from oral conditions that diverge from sociocultural norms, operates through labelling, stereotyping, othering, and exclusion. Oral health stigma can lead to shame, diminished self-confidence, and avoidance of dental care, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of poor oral health and reinforcing internalised and anticipated stigma. While previous research has explored the social implications of oral appearance, little is known about the broader concept of oral health stigma or strategies to mitigate it.

METHODS: This scoping review …

Enhancing Aerosol Scattering Measurements: Performance Evaluation And Quality Assurance Of Airphoton Integrating Nephelometers In The Surface Particulate Matter Network, Kamlendra Singh Pathak

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Integrating nephelometers are key instruments for quantifying aerosol light scattering, a fundamental parameter governing the direct radiative effect of aerosols on climate and visibility, and for interpreting satellite observations of aerosol optical depth. The AirPhoton integrating nephelometer quantifies aerosol light scattering by measuring total scattering from the sample air and subtracting a clean-air reference that represents Rayleigh scattering, instrument wall scattering, and detector background noise. Measurement accuracy depends on rigorous calibration and regular performance evaluation to account for instrumental drift and environmental influences. This study presents a field performance evaluation of the AirPhoton integrating nephelometer within the global Surface Particulate …

Integrating Large Language Models And Single-Cell Omics Analysis For Target Discovery In Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, Zixi Xu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The elucidation of cell-type–specific signaling networks is central to understanding pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and to nominating mechanistically grounded therapeutic targets. We present a Text-to-Target framework that integrates large language models (LLMs) with single-cell omics to couple literature-derived hypotheses to cell-type–resolved expression evidence. Using publicly available datasets, we construct malignant ductal epithelial and lineage-matched acinar meta-cell cohorts from PDAC and perform differential expression analysis to obtain a robust catalogue of disease-associated transcriptional changes. In parallel, an ensemble of LLMs is prompted in a schema-constrained manner to retrieve cell-type–specific targets, pathways, and mechanistic annotations from the biomedical literature. After normalization and …

Preliminary Investigation Of Cecal Microbiota In Experimental Broilers Reared Under The Aerosol Transmission Lameness Induction Model, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Khawla Alharbi, Ruvindu Perera, Andi Asnayanti, Adnan Alrubaye

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), and its associated lameness, is one of the most common and devastating issues the poultry industry constantly faces, both globally and domestically. Leveraging the currently accepted "leaky gut" model of pathogenesis, this study aims to evaluate the cecal community of broilers reared under the aerosol transmission BCO induction model. A trial involving 1320 Cobb 500 broilers was conducted using the same induction model for 56 d with the following treatments: (1) positive control (PC)-untreated birds on wire-flooring pens; (2) negative control (NC)-untreated birds on litter-flooring pens; (3) LOW-birds treated with probiotic Enterococcus faecium spray on …

Behavior Analytic Food Reinforcement Use And Guidelines In Interventions For Children With Autism, Christopher Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Reinforcers create opportunities to increase behaviors in applied behavioral analysis, with healthy and unhealthy foods offering high reinforcing value. The use of food raises ethical and health concerns, so researchers and behavior analysts often avoid food reinforcement altogether. Kronfli et al. (2024) indicate healthy food alternatives bring about similar rates of responding as snack foods, potentially reducing ethical and health concerns. This research presents the question: To what degree are food reinforcers used in behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder? This review analyzes behavioral research articles containing the words “food,” “edible,” “autism,” and “children” in the context of …

Discourse, Power, And Pedagogy In Ai And Human-Designed Efl Lesson Plans: A Clil And Systemic Functional Linguistic Perspective, Christian D. Libunao, Vincent A. Morales

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) into English language teaching (ELT) raises important questions about how AI-generated lesson plans shape pedagogy, interaction, and ideology compared to human-designed materials. This study examines how ChatGPT-generated lesson plans converge with or diverge from those published by the British Council, with particular attention to teacher and learner roles, classroom power dynamics, and pedagogical scaffolding. A triadic framework combining systemic functional linguistics (SFL), critical discourse analysis (CDA), and content and language integrated learning (CLIL) was applied to three British Council lesson plans and three thematically matched ChatGPT outputs. Findings reveal that both sets of …

A Review Of Global Tidal Stream Energy Resources, Daniel S. Coles, Thomas A.A. Adcock, Andrew Cornett, Kevin Haas, Chul H. Jo, Hongwei Liu, Jon Miles, Patxi Garcia Novo, Jérôme Thiébot

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This review identifies 426 candidate sites with potentially suitable characteristics for tidal stream energy development, across 19 countries in Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australasia. The most common site assessment quantifies the theoretical resource, which is the maximum amount of total energy that can be extracted. The aggregated theoretical resource estimate, of 1000 TWh/year, from 262 sites (62% of those identified), across 6 countries, is equivalent to 115 GW of continuous annual power. A more informative, albeit less common assessment, considers technical, environmental and economic constraints on energy extraction. New data from UK assessments is presented that indicates relationships between …

Ecolinguistic Analysis Of Princess Mononoke: Boosting Environmental Literacy, Aditya Alam Soeta Bangsa, George M. Jacobs, Ingrid A. Gavilán Tatin

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

The Anthropocene is a term some scientists use for the current geological age, during which human activities profoundly and often negatively impact Earth’s systems, including environmental change. Despite widespread recognition of this global crisis, a gap persists between awareness and meaningful action, underscoring a critical deficit in environmental literacy. This study aims to address this gap by conducting an ecolinguistic analysis of Hayao Miyazaki’s (1997) film, Princess Mononoke. Stibbe’s (2020) Stories We Live By, particularly the story of ideology, was used to analyze the film and its five principal human characters, examining their attitudes and behavior, and connecting …

Beliefs And Practices Of Filipino Bilingual Senior High School Students On Language Learner Autonomy, Japhet E. Manzano, Zachi Einna R. Orquijo, Giovanni C. Duran

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

The concept of learner autonomy (LA) has been investigated mostly from the perspective of language teachers, whereas students’ views regarding this notion have received less attention in recent decades. In line with this, the present study aimed to examine the beliefs and practices of Filipino bilingual senior high school students enrolled in the Humanities and Social Sciences (HumSS) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strands. A total of 148 students from two Philippine public schools in Metro Manila participated in an adapted survey questionnaire containing Likert-scale items on beliefs, desirability, and feasibility of LA, along with an open-ended question …

Alcohol As Food Or Drug? A Comparative Review Of Islamic And Medical Evidence, M. Diaa El-Din H. Farag, Ahmed A. Rawwash, Emad Hussein Ahmed Fathy, Mohamed F.F Bayomy Et.Al.

Saudi Toxicology Journal

Background: This study conducts a comparative analysis of alcohol classification, health effects, and social consequences within Islamic teachings and modern medical science. Objective: To conduct a comparative analysis of Islamic teachings and modern medical approaches regarding alcohol classification, health effects, and social consequences. Methodology: Using a comparative review following PRISMA guidelines, 50 high-quality sources were selected from an initial 892 records for analysis. Results: The findings demonstrate a convergent classification: both paradigms definitively classify alcohol as a harmful substance rather than a food. Islamic law has prohibited alcohol for over 1400 years on the grounds of it impairs cognitive judgment …

Tests Without Borders: A Global Approach To Measuring Visualization Literacy, Olivia A. Guess

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Visualization literacy assessments shape how we understand people's ability to interpret data, yet most existing instruments embed Western datasets and assumptions that limit their relevance for global audiences. This thesis argues that because data is personal, assessments must also be culturally grounded. We introduce a unified framework for adapting the Mini-VLAT into 22 regionally responsive short-form assessments, each retaining the structure of the original test while incorporating datasets and scenarios tailored to specific regions around the world. To demonstrate how such adaptations can be customized and validated, we present a detailed case study of a Ghana-adapted Mini-VLAT, developed in collaboration …

Fpga-Accelerated Computational Photon Counting, Chibueze Onyeador

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is a powerful tool for biomedical re- search. It leverages fluorescence of biological samples to visualize and characterize biological dynamics and molecular interactions. FLIM utilizes fluorescence lifetime, the average time a molecule stays in its excited state after absorbing a photon, to investigate the dynamics of biological samples.

Ultra-fast and precise (ps-ns) timing fluorescence acquisition techniques suffer from different trade-offs. Some methods suffer from high dead times, decreased accuracy in fluorescence lifetime calculations, and high data volumes and transfers. Finding a new method that can provide the best performance while experiencing low dead times, adequate …

Expansion Limits Of Meshed Split-Thickness Skin Grafts, Haomin Yu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Split-thickness skin grafts are widely used to treat chronic wounds. Procedure design requires surgeons to predict how much a patch of the patient's own skin expands when it is meshed with rows of slits and stretched over a larger wound area. Accurate prediction of graft expansion remains a challenge, with current models overestimating the actual expansion, leading to suboptimal outcomes. Inspired by the principles of mechanical metamaterials, we developed a model that distinguishes between the kinematic rearrangement of structural elements and their stretching, providing a more accurate prediction of skin graft expansion. Our model was validated against extensive data …

Development Of A Multispectral Collagen Detection Dermatology Device For Delineation Of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers, Anmol Jarang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

To diagnose and manage skin disease, clinicians primarily use visual inspection aided with dermatoscopes, which are cross-polarized magnifiers. In recent years, digital cross polarized multispectral imaging systems have been developed to quantitatively assess skin disease. For example, systems like the one developed by Yaroslavsky et al., which utilize red and blue filters, can non-invasively assess the collagen network in the dermis(Yaroslavsky et al., 2003). Visualization of collagen network disruption can make it easier to visualize the boundaries of skin cancers like keratinocyte carcinoma, and therefore easier to excise completely. Current systems use external bandpass filters in front of cameras to …

Recent Advancements Of Applied Robotics In Construction Project Management: A Life Cycle Perspective, Yifan Wang, Xiaoyu Hou, Tan Chen, Bo Xiao

Michigan Tech Publications

Robotic applications in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation (AEC/O) industry have advanced rapidly, driven by innovations in sensing, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation. Yet, despite notable progress, existing studies are often confined to isolated systems, specific technologies, or individual project phases. This fragmentation has resulted in a diverse but disjointed body of knowledge, underscoring the need for a comprehensive synthesis that connects emerging practices into a holistic perspective. This study presents a systematic review of 315 peer-reviewed publications from 2016 to 2025, examined through a life cycle lens. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis with qualitative discussion is employed …

Enhancing English Literacy Through Task-Based Learning In A Technology-Integrated Classroom, Yueh-Tzu Chiang

Journal of English and Applied Linguistics

This study explored the impact of task-based teaching in a technology-enhanced environment, following the blended ladder model (Gravel et al., 2014), on second language (L2) learners’ English reading and writing skills. The study aimed to promote reading habits through extensive reading (ER), improve language skills via technology-assisted platforms (e.g., ZUVIO and Classdojo), and reduce writing anxiety. Two classes of 40 students each were divided into higher proficiency (HP) and lower proficiency (LP) groups for an eight-week intervention. Both classes participated in two interventions: self-selected reading materials with reading journals and task-based learning involving grammar, sentence structure, and authentic writing tasks …

Trauma-Informed Training And Practices For Elementary School Lunchroom Supervisors, Heather C. Kostohryz

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

School lunchrooms often see behavior disruptions at a higher rate than other areas within a school. Of the numerous reasons as to why, the inadequate training of those who supervise the lunchroom can be remedied easier than other factors (Wheatley et al., 2009). Over the past ten years a growing recommendation is for all staff to be included in school-wide behavior management and training, and that the training be focused on trauma-informed practices as a way to aid all students (Nealy-Oparah & Scruggs-Hussein, 2018). As 68% of children will experience some form of trauma during childhood, it stands to reason …

Using Overcoming Obstacles Curriculum To Improve Social Emotional Skills In Elementary Students, Tessa Lynne Large

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

Social emotional learning (SEL) skills are important for children for success in schools as they have been shown to improve academics, and success in life. Children can struggle with SEL skills for a variety of reasons. SEL programs in schools are designed to help improve skills such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of a SEL curriculum, Overcoming Obstacles, to improve SEL skills in three 1^st grade students. These students were identified as needing extra support with following schoolwide expectations. This intervention was implemented …

Determination Of The Cecal Microbiota Profile Of Anadolu-T Broiler Breeder Chickens Using 16s Metagenomic Sequencing, Kürşat Teti̇k, İsmai̇l Özkan, Serpi̇l Kahya Demi̇rbi̇lek

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The gut microbiota has significant effects on the performance, health status, and immune systems of chickens. The complex microbial community structure begins to form after chicks hatch with the intake of feed, water, and air into the digestive system. Disrupting the balance of this system can lead to the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. Until recently, studies on microbiota relied on traditional microbiological techniques that cultured only a small fraction of the microbial diversity. However, significant advancements in DNA sequencing and bioinformatics have enabled the identification of diverse bacterial populations in environmental samples. In this study, a total of 2000 broiler …

Determination Of Serum Cortisol Levels As A Stress Marker In Hospitalized Dogs, Emre Tüfekçi̇, Gencay Eki̇nci̇, İlknur Karaca Bekdi̇k, Ali̇ Cesur Onmaz, Öznur Aslan, Vehbi̇ Güneş, İhsan Keleş, Mehmet Çi̇ti̇l

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In veterinary medicine, various diseases and surgical procedures may require the isolation and hospitalization of dogs, allowing for more effective individual patient monitoring and increasing the chance of successful treatment by preventing unnecessary drug use. However, this process can be stressful. Our study aimed to determine the changes in cortisol levels, one of the primary stress hormones responsible for stress responses, in individually hospitalized dogs. In addition, epinephrine (EPN) levels, another stress marker, as well as hematological and some biochemical values were measured and vital signs were recorded. The dogs included in the study were divided into 3 groups: healthy, …

Parametric Control And Amplification In Superconducting Quantum Systems: From Entanglement Probes To Pt-Symmetric Architectures, Chandrashekhar Rao Gaikwad

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

The precise control, entanglement, and measurement of quantum systems are central challenges in realizing scalable quantum information processing. This dissertation investigates how parametric modulation and engineered nonlinearity can be harnessed to both manipulate and measure superconducting qubits with high fidelity. In one part, controlled parametric drives are used to generate entanglement between qubit pairs and employ their joint states as probes of environmental dynamics. This approach enables the exploration of the non-Markovian nature of quantum environments, revealing how memory effects influence qubit coherence and energy relaxation. In a separate but conceptually related study, the same principle of parametric driving is …

Programmable Acoustofluidic Engineering For Creating Gradient Biomaterials, Jujing Lu, Ye He, Jianping Xia, Mingyuan Liu, Joseph Rich, Ke Jin, Ruoyu Zhong, Kaichun Yang, Jiao Qian, Ying Chen, Ke Li, Zhiteng Ma, Tony Jun Huang

Faculty Publications

Gradient biomaterials that exhibit spatially varying physical, chemical, or biological properties can be used in various applications such as tissue engineering, organoid development, mechanobiology, and spatially controlled drug delivery. However, current fabrication methods often suffer from limited gradient precision, restricted material compatibility, and poor reproducibility. Here, we introduced gradient regulation via acoustofluidic dynamic engineering (GRADE), a programmable system to generate high-fidelity gradient biomaterials across different material systems. By incorporating focused interdigital transducers with the pulsed surface acoustic wave actuation, GRADE can achieve tunable and directional acoustic streaming (0 to 22 millimeters per second), which allows accurate regulation of the gradient …

Dnp Final Report: Hypertension Education In The Primary Care Setting, Michelle L. Sanders

DNP Final Reports

Background: Hypertension is a significant concern at the global, national, and local levels. If left untreated or improperly managed, it can result in severe health issues. Many patients in primary care settings have difficulty controlling their hypertension, which can lead to significant complications.

Practice question: What strategies can be implemented to help patients in primary care manage their hypertension more effectively?

PICOT: For patients age 18+ in a rural primary care clinic (P), how does the use of an education pamphlet (I) compared to no pamphlet use (C) affect patient management of hypertension(O) in three months? (T)

Body of …

Ratio Quantification Of Geranium And Rose Essential Oil Mixtures Via Leep Learning Analysis Of Complex Raman Spectra, Jia Wei Tang, Yong Xuan Hong, Jie Chen, Yun Yun Xie, Zhang Wen Ma, Qing Hua Liu, Liang Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Due to their high economic value, essential oils (EOs) are increasingly subject to adulteration, posing significant challenges for quality assessment and control. Owing to its excellent molecular specificity, Raman spectroscopy has been widely employed for the analysis and evaluation of EO products. In this study, we collected a total of 2700 Raman spectra comprising rose essential oil (REO, n = 900), geranium essential oil (GEO, n = 900), and their mixtures (n = 900). We first constructed a conventional convolutional neural network to distinguish spectra corresponding to varying EO mixing ratios. Interpretability analysis revealed that spectral peaks at 800, 1000, …

Invisible No More: National Solutions For Protecting Unaccompanied And Separated Migrant Children In Egypt, Enas Abdel Azim, Noran Khorsheed, Raghda Bahy Elessawy, Tharwat Abaza

Papers, Posters, and Presentations

Egypt has a strategic geographical position as a significant destination and transit country for unaccompanied and separated migrant children (UASC). With a substantial and rapidly increasing migrant population, exacerbated by recent regional influxes, the country’s public infrastructure and resources are experiencing considerable strain. While Egypt has demonstrated its commitment to child rights through the ratification of key international instruments like the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), UASC in the country nonetheless face complex protection challenges, including legal visibility concerns, risk for exploitation, and barriers …