Digital Commons Network^™

Use Of Modified Z-Domain Peptides To Specifically Label The Constant Region Of Immunoglobulin G And Vegf, Madeline Allen

Department of Chemistry: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Antibodies are increasingly being used in medicinal therapies due to their ability to specifically bind to a target antigen. This fundamental behavior of antibodies has been used as a key component in drug development to address common problems with traditional drug molecules such as off-targeting, fast drug clearance, and low efficacy. This thesis provides some background into how antibodies can be used as potential treatments for a few diseases. Chapter 1 begins with an overview of the human immune system, and the role antibodies play within it. Then, the variety of ways in which antibodies can be used as medicinal …

Ge0.95sn0.05 On Si Avalanche Photodiode With Spectral Response Cutoff At 2.14 Μm, Justin Michael Rudie, Xiaoxin Wang, Rajesh Kumar, Grey Abernathy, Sylvester Amoah, Steven Akwabli, Hryhorii Stanchu, Perry C. Grant, Bao-Hua Li, Wei Du, Jifeng Liu, Shui-Qing Yu

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

GeSn-based avalanche photodiode operating in shortwave infrared wavelength was demonstrated in this work. A separate absorption and charge multiplication structure was employed to take advantage of long wavelength absorption in GeSn and low impact ionization ratio of Si. Due to lattice mismatch between Si and GeSn that would degrade GeSn material quality if with direct growth, a 240-nm-thick Ge buffer was utilized, which simultaneously allows for the transporting photo generated electrons from the GeSn absorber to Si multiplication layer. Spectral response showed the cutoff wavelength beyond 2.1 mu m at room temperature. Dark current and capacitance-voltage measurements indicated a punch-through …

The Adventures Of Pip! The Culex Pipiens: An Educational Mosquito Comic Book For Kids, Victoria Garziano

Department of Entomology: Distance Master of Science Projects

“The Adventures of Pip! The Culex pipiens” is an educational comic book series designed to engage a younger audience (4th grade – 5th grade) while introducing them to key topics related to mosquitoes. Although mosquitoes are often viewed solely as a nuisance, they are also fascinating creatures. A better understanding of their life cycle and behavior can improve our ability to manage them effectively. Early education on these topics can raise long-term awareness and behaviors that continue into adulthood. This comic book series offers an accessible and enjoyable format for a science lesson and can be effectively integrated into a …

Insect-Foundation: A Foundation Model And Large Multimodal Dataset For Vision-Language Insect Understanding, Thanh-Dat Truong, Hoang-Quan Nguyen, Xuan-Bac Nguyen, Ashley Dowling, Xin Li, Khoa Luu

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multimodal conversational generative AI has shown impressive capabilities in various vision and language understanding through learning massive text-image data. However, current conversational models still lack knowledge about visual insects since they are often trained on the general knowledge of vision-language data. Meanwhile, understanding insects is a fundamental problem in precision agriculture, helping to promote sustainable development in agriculture. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel multimodal conversational model, Insect-LLaVA, to promote visual understanding in insect-domain knowledge. In particular, we first introduce a new large-scale Multimodal Insect Dataset with Visual Insect Instruction Data that enables the capability of learning the multimodal foundation …

Impact Of Feature Standardization On Heart Disease Prediction A Comparative Analysis Of Logistic Regression And Support Vector Machine Models, Norsyela Muhammad Noor Mathivanan, Eric Foo Zhi Xian, Debbie Foo Yong, Hiang Kiat Chua

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of global mortality. Heart disease, in particular, remains a major contributor to this burden, highlighting the need for effective predictive models to enable early detection. This study investigates the impact of feature standardization using StandardScaler on the performance of two prominent machine learning models involving Logistic Regression (LR) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) for predicting heart disease. The research utilizes a dataset comprising demographic and clinical attributes of patients, focusing on the role of feature standardization in enhancing model performance. The study compares models trained on raw data and standardized data, applying performance …

Haar Cascade Algorithm For Microsleep Detection, Norkhushaini Awang, Ahmad Mirza Azhar

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

Drowsy driving, particularly due to microsleep episodes, is a significant cause of traffic accidents, with existing solutions being often too costly or limited for widespread adoption. This project addresses this critical gap by developing a cost-effective, real-time Internet of Things (IoT)-based anti-microsleep alarm system. The system's development followed a fourstage process: Planning, Design, Development, and Evaluation. During the development phase, the system was built in Python using OpenCV and dlib for real-time facial analysis and the Haar Cascade algorithm for efficient facial feature detection. Key metrics like the Eye Aspect Ratio (EAR) and lip distance were monitored to identify signs …

Review And Gap Analysis On Mathematical Programming Models For Urban E Grocery Delivery, Nur Hazimah Basir, Adibah Shuib

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

Online grocery shopping or e-grocery has becoming more relevant nowadays when consumers' shopping habit changed due to pandemic COVID-19 while e-Commerce rapidly transformed consumers’ lifestyle and buying behaviour in recent years, Consumers’ expectation for faster, better and cheaper delivery put e-grocers under rising pressure to improve delivery speed, achieving environmentally friendly delivery methods and addressing issues of making profit. There have been studies worldwide on development of more efficient e-grocery delivery system. However, studies concerning e-grocery delivery in Malaysia are still lacking especially on those utilizing mathematical programming models for delivery optimization. Our study focuses on the formulation of mixed …

E-Commerce Requirement Analysis And Design With Fogg Behavior Model Fbm, Fauziah Ahmad, Syafiyana Elysha Asmadi, Norjansalika Janom

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

E-commerce platforms often struggle to convert user visits into meaningful actions, and this paper explores how the Fogg Behavior Model (FBM) can be used to design a more effective e-commerce (EC) platform. FBM focuses on three key factors that influence user behavior: motivation, ability, and triggers. It offers a structured framework for designing systems that not only meet functional needs but also enhance user engagement and actions. The Web Development Life Cycle (WDLC) method was employed to develop an EC platform for Carro Empire, a small business enterprise that wanted to improve its EC platform to attract and expand its …

Hamming Distance Of Generalised L-R Intuitionistic Fuzzy Number And Its Application, Muhammad Asyran Shafie, Nor Hanimah Kamis, Daud Mohamad, Seripah Awang Kechil

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

This paper proposes a distance measure for generalised L-R intuitionistic fuzzy number (GLRIFN) which is Hamming distance, aiming to enhance the theoretical and practical tools available for decision-making under uncertainty. The properties of the Hamming distance of generalised L-R intuitionistic fuzzy number are also discussed in this study. GLRIFN extends traditional L-R intuitionistic fuzzy number by incorporating confidence level for both membership and non-membership functions, making them more reliable in the evaluation process. To demonstrate the practical utility of the proposed measure, it is applied within the Generalised L-R Intuitionistic Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal …

Prevalence Of Risk Factors And Severity Level Of Diabetic Retinopathy In Uitm Medical Specialist Centre:An Ordinal Analysis, Aniza Ayuna Che Jani, Zuraida Khairudin, Nornadiah Mohd Razali, Nor Azimah Abd Aziz, Hezlin Aryani Abd Rahman, Nur Syamimi Haji Abu Bakar

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) has become a major concern as the number of diabetic patients who are diagnosed with DR has been on the rise each year. Hence, the adoption of a strategic approach is needed to determine the factors that contribute to the level of severity in DR patients. This research aims to determine the significant risk factors influencing the severity level of DR as well as to evaluate the classification rate between the severity level of 157 patients at UiTM Private Specialist Centre by employing the Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR) analysis. The study revealed that there were 60 (38%) …

Utilizing Mathematical Software For The Teaching And Learning Of Mathematics In Malaysia, Naiim Fatimi Che Mansor, Saufianim Jana Aksah, Nor Aziyatul Izni, Khairul Huda Yusof, M. N. Mohammed

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

The paper examines the effects of mathematical software on the academic performance of secondary school students, along with its roles in facilitating technological adaptation among the students in mathematics education. The study is motivated by persistent challenges in students’ mathematics achievement and the limited integration of technology in classroom practices, despite the increasing availability of digital tools in schools. Two main objectives guided the research are to evaluate the effectiveness of mathematical software in improving students’ comprehension of mathematics, and to measure the extent of technology integration among students in mathematics learning. A quantitative research design was employed, involving 100 …

Modified Hungarian Method For Lecturer To Course Assignment A Multi Objective Mathematical Programming Model, Nur Syahirah Ibrahim, Adibah Shuib, Zati Aqmar Zaharudin

Malaysian Journal of Computing (MJoC)

Efficient lecturer-to-course assignment is crucial for ensuring both faculty satisfaction and optimal teaching outcomes in higher education institutions. This study presents an advanced optimization model based on the Modified Hungarian Method (MHM) to address this challenge by integrating lecturers' preference levels and competency scores. While previous research has primarily focused on the traditional Hungarian Method (HM), limited attention has been given to its modified version. Moreover, the incorporation of preference-competency-based criteria in lecturer assignments is still lacking. To bridge these gaps, this study develops a mathematical programming approach to refine the MHM framework. The proposed model, called the Preference-Competency Multi-Objective …

Law Enforcement, Reproductive Health Information, And The Hipaa Privacy Rule, Stacey A. Tovino

Faculty Articles

On April 26, 2024, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promulgated a final rule (Final Rule) amending the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule. The Final Rule prohibits HIPAA covered entities and business associates from using and disclosing protected health information (PHI) to conduct criminal, civil, or administrative investigations into an individual for the mere act of seeking, obtaining, providing, or facilitating lawful reproductive health care. The Final Rule also prohibits HIPAA covered entities and business associates from using and disclosing PHI to impose criminal, civil, and administrative liability on any individual, or to …

Governance In The Absence Of Government, Tracy Hresko Pearl

Faculty Articles

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing at an unprecedented pace, with generative systems exerting growing influence over social, economic, and political life. While Al offers opportunities for innovation and efficiency, it also poses risks ranging from misinformation and job displacement to existential threats if highly autonomous systems evade human control. Across industry, government, and civil society, there is broad consensus that Al requires oversight.

Yet traditional U.S. regulatory approaches face six significant barriers: (1) technology outpacing legislation, (2) limited Al expertise among policymakers, (3) regulatory capture, (4) political gridlock, (5) outdated governance structures, and (6) the inherent complexity of Al. Combined …

Contempt Power In The Province Of Maryland, Joshua T. Carback

University of Baltimore Law Forum

No abstract provided.

Air Traffic–Collegiate Training Initiative Program Feasibility In Kentucky, Gayle Marks, Bryan Gibson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Each day, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control specialists (ATCSs) handle over 44,000 flights and oversee 29 million square miles of the United States National Airspace System. However, staffing shortages have grown more acute over the past 10 years, which has led to delayed and cancelled flights, a higher number of close misses over a short period of time, and frustrating air travel experiences. While the FAA has redoubled its efforts to recruit more ATCSs, it has limited training capacity. To expand training options available to prospective ATCSs, the FAA is working with postsecondary educational institutions to expand its …

Robust Hashing For Improved Cnn Performance In Image-Based Malware Detection, Sanket Shekhar Kulkarni, Fabio Di Troia

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This paper presents a comparative study on the impact of robust hashing in enhancing image-based malware classification. While Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have shown promise when working with image-based malware samples, their performance degrades significantly when obfuscation techniques are taken into consideration to hamper the malware classification or detection. To address this, we apply a robust hashing technique that generates invariant visual representations of malware samples, enabling improved generalization under obfuscation implemented as image salting. Using a custom obfuscation method to simulate polymorphic variants, we evaluate MobileNet, ResNet, and DenseNet architectures across five salting conditions (0% to 40%). The results …

Barriers And Best Practices In Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion (Dei) Initiatives: A Case Study From The United States Aerospace And Defense Industry, Jeremy A. Bailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The main objective of this study was to unpack the barriers around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and then provide best practices to improve DEI efforts in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry. There has been a multitude of research conducted on DEI in the past few years. However, very little research has focused on DEI practices in the A&D industry. This case study focused on one large company in this industry to explore and understand various aspects of DEI initiative implementation. As organizations strive to meet industry and client objectives, as well as address employee needs, two research …

Resilience Engineering Via Bifurcation And Ecological Network Analysis: Demonstrated In An Electric Power Case Study, Rogelio Gracia Otalvaro

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Modern systems are increasingly complex, interconnected cyber-physical systems that combine digital controls with physical infrastructure. This integration, along with the constant introduction of new technologies and actors into the network, enables reliable operation but introduces vulnerabilities to unexpected and varied disruptions and cascading failures, making resilience a critical concern. Traditional risk management and resilience assessment methods often struggle with the nonlinearity and dynamic behavior of these systems. This dissertation proposes a novel approach combining Bifurcation Analysis (BA) and Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) to enhance the understanding and improvement of system resilience. BA, a mathematical method from dynamical systems theory, is …

Shsp Dean's Newsletter, Fall 2025, Robert W. Amler

SHSP Dean’s Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Portfolio And Appendix Chris M. Larson, Chris M. Larson

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Abstract:

This is a collection of assignments and reflections of my work throughout the course of the Masters in Social Work program at the University of Montana. Included are assignments reflecting on the Indian Child Welfare Act, housing, barriers to care for Non-White and female veterans within the VA clinic, the quality of care in nursing homes, American Drug policy, confidentiality in the YWCA, training on interventions based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, cost benefit analysis of in home care programs, and a proposal for my practicum site Missoula Aging Services. It has reflections on the five elements of advanced practice, …

Control And Cuckoldry In “Calypso” And “Circe”, Corinne Lafont , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

Sex, femininity, and dirt in James Joyce’s Ulysses form what Julie Kristeva calls “abjection.” The abject is "the border where exact limits between same and other, subject and object, and even beyond these, between inside and outside, and disappearing—hence an Object of fear and fascination,” (Kristeva 1980, 185) evident by Leopold Bloom’s identity as a cuckold. Alternately approached with loss, disconnection, and anxiety, the text reveals that Leopold Bloom craves his abject to distance himself from physical and emotional rejection. “Calypso” establishes how his abject operates as a defense mechanism to self-defile before others can approach any realized sexual bond. …

Mama, Appa, And Titi: What Makes Words Sound Parental? A Phonological Exploration Of Parental Terms In And Beyond The Gender Binary, Madeleine C. S. Kruckemeye , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

This paper addresses the following research question: What phonological components make a word sound ‘parental’ cross-linguistically and (how) do those components relate to the social genders associated with the word? The goal in answering this question is to extend Jakobson (1960) and Murdock’s (1959) work to be inclusive of our current understanding of gender and gender roles, and to create more options for queer parents and other families that are recognizable as parental terms, an important factor as found by Frank et al. (2017). The research consists of a literature review, an analysis of cross-linguistic parental terms, and an online …

“He’S Here, He’S Not Queer”: The Indexical Potential Of Pronoun Use On American Drag Reality Television, Finn Verdonk , '26

Senior Theses, Projects, and Awards

When English speakers talk about drag performers, what factors impact the pronoun that is used? Pulling data from two seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 4 and Season 14) and one season of Dragula (Season 5), this thesis attempts to understand the ways in which drag performers use pronouns in discourse about fellow drag performers. Building from Myers’s 2018 proposal that using he/him pronouns for drag queens can index shadiness or criticism, I expand her sample to see if her findings hold up over time and across franchises. I find that he/him pronouns on RPDR no longer index shadiness and …

Syllabus: Gen140 Gender, Activism, And Social Change, Ellie Bell

Open Educational Resources

This course introduces students to general topics in activism, gender studies, and justice. The course will draw connections between gender, race, sexuality and grassroots, community and organizational activism and social justice and change. Students will be expected to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to observational and documentation projects focusing on the activism occurring on the college campus and in the larger community. The course will introduce key terms in the interdisciplinary fields of gender and activist studies and some of the important debates in these fields. It will then focus on a specific form of activism toward social …

General Music Pedagogies Through The Lens Of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, David Dockan, Carla Aguilar, Martina Vasil, Brent M. Gault, Jason D. Jones, Robin Giebelhausen, Sandra Sanchez Adorno

School of Music Faculty Publications

Common general music pedagogies include Orff-Keetman, Kodály, Dalcroze, Music Learning Theory, and World Music Pedagogy. These approaches engage learners through moving to music, playing instruments, and developing aural skills with repertoire from around the globe. As we look toward the future, general music classroom teachers are working to create engaging and relevant learning spaces. To help make the music classroom relevant for their students, music educators might consider incorporating culturally relevant pedagogy into general music pedagogies. The framework of culturally relevant pedagogy uses academic success, cultural competence, and critical consciousness as pillars for practice. In this article, authors share their …

Legal Models For Public-Private City Greening Partnerships, Daniel J. Metzger

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Cities are significantly hotter than their surrounding areas. That difference, known as the “urban heat island” effect, is driven in significant part by the dark-colored buildings, sidewalks, roadways, and similar surfaces that dominate urban spaces, absorbing solar energy and later radiating it outward as thermal energy that heats the nearby air. This Comment suggests and describes one avenue through which cities and local community-based organizations (CBOs) could tackle extreme heat: partnering with one another to transform paved surfaces into green or reflective ones. Partnerships of this kind could combine the resources and desire to create green spaces that nongovernmental groups …

Safe Sex In The Age Of Big Tech Feminism, Brenda Dvoskin, Thomas E. Kadri

Articles

Lawmakers and technology companies are regulating online sexuality in the name of feminism. Whereas libertarian ideals dominated early debates about internet governance, "safety" has become the rallying cry to regulate online activity in the age of Big Tech. Legislators across the political spectrum and companies around the world are devising interventions meant to keep people - and especially women safe from the risks of online sexuality. Through law and technology, they target everything from privacy invasions to unwanted messages to sexual deepfakes. We call this regulatory and ideological trend Big Tech feminism.

This Article interrogates the feminist strands animating Big …

Antitransgender Legislation And Needs Of Transgender Floridians, 2018–2024, Callan Hummel, Kim-Phuong Truong-Vu, Kathryn Nowotny, Ashley Mayfaire, Beaux Ramos, Jasmine Mckenzie, Charlton C. Copeland, Tiffany R. Glynn

Articles

Objectives. To document transgender Floridians’ service needs before and after antitransgender state legislation.

Methods. We conducted descriptive and change point analyses of intake survey data collected by a transgender-led community-based organization in Florida from 701 clients who requested services between 2018 and 2024.

Results. Findings show enrollment for services increased during the rise in antitransgender legislation, with pressing needs for legal and financial support for name changes and gender-affirming health care. The percentage of clients requesting sexual health resources increased, especially among Black clients.

Conclusions. Findings underscore the urgency of (1) understanding the impact of antitransgender legislation on service needs, …

Approaches To Reduce The Impact Of Stroke In Gulf Cooperation Council Nations, Muath A. Alammar

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.