Digital Commons Network^™

Cavity Optomechanics Via Mechanically Induced Coupling Of Optical Modes, Satyam S. Jha

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis introduces a transverse, symmetry-breaking mode of optomechanical coupling that departs from the conventional dispersive and dissipative interactions, taking its motivating platform from whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) resonators, where a mechanical displacement lifts the near-degeneracy of azimuthal mode pairs and couples them. After reviewing the standard optomechanical model and the sideband-cooling phenomenology it underlies, we derive the Hamiltonian for the transverse-coupling system and first study its Hamiltonian dynamics, without drive or dissipation. Recast in terms of Schwinger pseudospin operators, the model exhibits a Hamiltonian Hopf bifurcation separating stable and unstable dynamical regimes. In the stable regime, the mechanical nonlinearity permits controlled …

A Study Of Bengali Grapheme-To-Phoneme Conversion, Arundhati Sengupta

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Grapheme-to-phoneme (G2P) conversion is a foundational component of speech technology, yet the languages for which it has been carefully studied remain a small fraction of the world's languages. Bengali is spoken by over 230 million people, making it one of the world's most widely used languages, but it remains comparatively understudied in natural language processing, and G2P for Bengali in particular has received less attention.

In this dissertation, we use neural architecture comparison, error analysis, and explicit correction techniques to identify and address the sources of G2P error in Bengali. First, we train and compare four neural G2P architectures, including …

Assessing The Relationship Between Housing Provision And State Legitimacy Through The Vision 2030 Plan In Saudi Arabia, Shovan Bala

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Scholars have long evaluated the politicization of housing by examining the relationship between housing provision and legitimacy across democratic and authoritarian states. This thesis contributes to the scholarship on housing provision and state legitimacy by examining the Saudi state’s recent housing development efforts, and its role in shaping citizens’ housing aspirations and informing their understanding of housing as a state responsibility. Using the Vision 2030 Plan’s Sakani and Ejar initiatives, I examine the nexus between Saudi government’s housing development efforts and provision of financial incentives and citizens’ perceived reliance on the state for housing. I evaluate these housing initiatives through …

Lingual Articulatory Configuration Of Japanese Devoiced Vowels, Rion Iwasaki

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In Tokyo Japanese, high vowels /i/ and /u/ are devoiced with high frequency between two voiceless obstruents. There is an ongoing outstanding debate in the literature on whether devoiced vowels maintain their lingual articulation or are deleted. To contribute to this debate from a lingual articulatory perspective, the current study uses ultrasound imaging of the tongue and various acoustic measurements. Data from 11 native speakers of Tokyo Japanese are analyzed. This is the first lingual articulatory study to examine both devoiced /i/ and /u/ from more than three speakers. All speakers provide articulatory and acoustic evidence that devoiced /i/ and …

Skipping Town: An Examination Of Fugitive Travel Patterns, Flight Duration, And "Journey-From-Crime", Shun Q. Feng

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Purpose: Existing research on fugitive mobility has largely examined fugitive travel patterns and flight duration as separate phenomena, often relying on limited geographic areas or a cross-section of the fugitive population. This dissertation addresses these gaps by examining where fugitives travel relative to their originating county, and how long they avoid apprehension. Utilizing a national sample of fugitives with data provided by the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the study investigates how individual characteristics, situational warrant factors, and county-level characteristics influence fugitive travel patterns across a broader, more comprehensive scope.

Methods: Using data from the Justice Detainee Information System (JDIS) …

Modeling Large Language Model Cognition, Eleni Angelou

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This project builds three core directions in a philosophy of cognitive science for large language models (LLMs): 1) interpreting LLM behavior, 2) analyzing the system in terms of Marr’s three levels, and 3) mapping the correspondence between behavioral outputs and the internals of the system. It consists of the following three chapters accordingly:

Dennettian Stances and Large Language Models

The aim of this chapter is to argue that there are convincing grounds for applying Dennett’s framework of stances to LLMs against worries that doing so produces “counterfeit people”. After introducing the intentional and design stances, I take sycophancy as a …

Quaternionic Analogues Of Zagier’S Sums Of Binary Quadratic Forms, Ajmain A. Yamin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Let K be the real numbers R, complex numbers C or quaternions H. Let O ⊂ K be a full rank discrete Euclidean subring of K. We investigate certain functions F_{k,Δ,O} : K → R indexed by positive integers k, Δ with k odd. When K = R or C, these functions recover Zagier’s sums of binary quadratic forms and Karabulut’s sums of binary Hermitian forms respectively. When K = H, the F_{k,Δ,O} functions are new quaternionic analogues of Zagier's sums whose definition involves sums of binary Hamiltonian forms as defined by Parkkonen-Paulin.

We prove that for fixed "weight" k …

From Today's Prices To Tomorrow's Investments: A Guide For Child Care Providers On Why The Market Rate Survey & Narrow Cost Analysis Matter, Jess Carson

New Hampshire Early Care and Education Research Consortium

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of Fe-Doped Porous Carbon Catalyst Derived From Coconut Shell Waste Using Ferric Nitrate Nonahydrate (Fe(No3)3.9h2o) As An Iron Precursor, Ilham Lestadi Putra, Sukarni Sukarni, Heru Suryanto

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Renewable energy from lignocellulosic biomass is a promising alternative to fossil fuels. Coconut shell (CS) waste is a favorable precursor for porous carbon due to its high carbon content, abundance, and non-food nature. However, conventional biochar often has limited surface area and catalytic active sites, hindering its effectiveness as a catalyst. While Fe-based modifications are promising, the use of ferric nitrate-assisted activation of coconut-shell-derived porous carbon remains underexplored. This research focused on developing an Fe-doped porous carbon catalyst from CS via ultrasound-assisted impregnation, followed by activation in a tube furnace. CS biochar was produced through pyrolysis at 550 °C and …

Algorithm Aversion In Academic Libraries: User Resistance To Ai-Enabled Discovery And Search Services, Fenfang Cao, Lvting Bu, Yi Huang, Yu Chi, Hengyi Fu

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Academic libraries increasingly deploy AI-enabled services such as intelligent search, recommendation systems, and chat-based assistance to support scholarly resource discovery. However, some users remain reluctant to rely on these tools. This phenomenon, often described as algorithm aversion, has been widely examined in healthcare and finance but remains underexplored in library contexts. This study investigates the factors associated with algorithm aversion in academic digital libraries and examines how these factors relate to one another. A two-phase mixed-method design was adopted. First, 41 semi-structured interviews with users from Chinese university libraries were analyzed using grounded theory. This stage produced 58 initial concepts, …

Reimagining The Crises Of Extractivism: Towards A Critical Cultural Political Economy Of Extractivism And Beyond, James Alejandro Artiga-Purcell

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Extractivism faces interlocking crises of its own making. Extractive governance has failed to foster democratic, socially just, and ecologically sustainable political economies. The expansion of extractive zones has provoked surging conflicts across the world over access to and control over life-giving resources like land, air, and water. The devastating socio-ecological ramifications inherent in extractivism have gone global, as exemplified by the climate crisis. Despite growing recognition of these crises of extractivism, ideologically diverse governments, corporations, and civil society organizations have consistently doubled down on extractivist solutions. This special issue interrogates the crises of, contradictory solutions for, and potential alternatives to …

From Trees To Treewidth: Inventory Management In Complex Supply Chain Networks, Philippe Blaettchen, Andre Calmon, Georgina Hall, Mohit Tawarmalani

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

We propose an exact linear programming (LP)-based solution approach to the Guaranteed Service Model (GSM), one of the most widely applied models for optimizing safety stock placement in supply chain networks. Our approach handles any directed acyclic network and any cost function that depends on a stage’s incoming and outgoing service times. It scales polynomially in the number of nodes n in the network, pseudo-polynomially with respect to the bit size of the maximum replenishment time M, and (for fixed M) exponentially in its treewidth, which quantifies how “tree-like” a network is and can be much smaller …

R&D Consortia In Competitive Supply Chains, Pascale Crama, Gaoyan Lu, Yi Xu

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

R&D consortia, which coordinate R&D activities of their member firms, have been successful in many industries. We study a model with two competing supply chains each consisting of a manufacturer and a supplier. The manufacturers compete in the final product market, and can conduct R&D to reduce unit product costs of their final products. The R&D can be done in three different ways: by the two manufacturers independently, by them jointly in a horizontal R&D consortium, or by the supplier and the manufacturer jointly in each supply chain in two vertical R&D consortia. We find that as compared to independent …

Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Home-Care And Community Nursing: A Scoping Review, Haiying Wang, Grace Y. Wang, Tao Wang, Lori Delaney, Jonathan Bayuo, Mengyuan Li, Jing Yu Tan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being applied across healthcare, but empirical evidence on its use in home-care and community nursing remains fragmented across technologies, clinical contexts, nursing roles, and stages of implementation. This scoping review aimed to map current AI applications in home-care and community nursing and synthesize reported implementation experiences, benefits, challenges, and future considerations.

Methods: Guided by Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported according to PRISMA-ScR, eight databases and grey literature via ProQuest were searched for English-language empirical studies published from 1 January 2020 to 14 May 2026. Retrieved records were screened independently by two reviewers, with …

Comparing User Experiences Of Teleportation, Slide-Walk, And Walk-In-Place Locomotion Across Two Virtual Reality Games, Shane L. Rogers, Brett Ryder, Stephen Palmisano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Virtual reality (VR) locomotion methods differ substantially in their implications for usability, presence, and comfort. Although previous research has compared a range of locomotion techniques, relatively little attention has been given to whether locomotion experiences generalise across different VR experiences. The present study compared user experiences of three locomotion methods (teleportation, slide-walk, and walk-in-place) across two VR applications (Nature Treks VR, an exploration-focused environment, and Ancient Dungeon VR, an action-oriented game). Sixty-three participants were recruited, with analyses based on the forty-five participants who completed all study conditions. During each 10-min condition (comprising a 2-min familiarisation period followed by an 8-min …

Development And Psychometric Validation Of The Multidimensional Measure Of Purpose In Life Ii (Mmop-Ii), Louis Fang, Alfred Allan, Joanne M. Dickson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Purpose in life is a central motivational construct that has a profound influence on wellbeing. However, existing measures lack the breadth and precision needed to accurately capture this complex construct. In the present study, we aimed to develop a new measure rooted in a holistic, systems-based theoretical framework of purpose in life: the 18-item Multidimensional Measure of Purpose in Life II (MMOP-II). In Study 1, our confirmatory factor analyses in a sample of 303 university students (female = 82.5.%, white = 78.5%) supported a strong five-factor higher-order model fit, outperforming the three-factor and unidimensional alternatives. The Study 2 results replicated …

Migrant Background Youth And Hazardous Drinking: Drinking To Fit Into Australian Society?, Caroline Ng Tseung-Wong, Justine Dandy, Amanda M. George

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: In this study, we proposed that migrant youth might have acculturation reasons to drink alcohol and explored the role of acculturative gap conflict and perceived drinking culture in predicting hazardous drinking. We examined proximal acculturation reasons for drinking in terms of drinking to fit into Australian culture and drinking to cope with parental/community expectations.

Methods: We conducted an online survey with 470 participants (age range 18–25 years). Data from those who reported having tried alcohol (n = 383; 65% female, 71% born in Australia) were analysed. We grouped participants under those who came from similar alcohol consumption environments to …

Modernisation In Artisanal And Small-Scale Mining (Asm): Governance, Technology, Market Integration And Contested Development Pathways, Michael Mayom Ajith

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) is increasingly recognised as a critical source of livelihoods and minerals required for the global energy transition. Yet despite decades of formalisation, the sector remains highly informal, with uneven governance, gender bias and persistent inequality due to a multitude of reasons. Therefore, this systematic integrative review analyses the interplay of governance, technological modernisation and market integration factors in shaping ASM modernisation in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from an interdisciplinary perspective. Sixty-five peer-reviewed studies published between 2006 and 2026 were analysed using a thematic synthesis and Gioia-inspired coding. Six interrelated questions about the drivers behind informality, licensing …

New Zealand Osteopaths And The Management Of Older Adults: Outcomes From A Practice-Based Research Network, Ana Paula Antunes Ferreira, Michael Fleischmann, Lee Muddle, Jack Feehan, Kesava Kovanur Sampath, Brett Vaughan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Older adults represent a growing proportion of healthcare consumers, and yet little is known about the osteopathic practitioners who regularly manage this population. This study set out to understand what characteristics are common among New Zealand osteopaths who regularly treat older adults. This cross-sectional, exploratory study was a secondary analysis of questionnaire data collected through a practice-based research network. The questionnaire captured osteopaths’ demographic characteristics, practice settings, and clinical management approaches. Of the 277 osteopaths who completed the questionnaire, 188 (67.9%) reported frequently treating older adults. Those most likely to do so were based in urban areas, treated wrist and …

Optimization-Based Energy Management Of A Standalone Hybrid Power Plant Using A Hybrid Iheo–Pso Metaheuristic Framework, Muhammad Zeeshan Tariq, Asma Aziz, Barun K. Das

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The current study combines solar photovoltaic (PV) power, energy storage batteries and wind power to propose a novel and effective method for energy management and optimisation of hybrid renewable energy systems. Optimising the management and coordination of many energy sources is becoming essential, as the world moves towards sustainable energy choices. This study seeks to improve system performance, reliability and operating costs, using a unique hybrid control and power management paradigm, the Improved Human Evolutionary Optimisation (IHEO) algorithm, presented as a novel optimisation method that balances energy flow, generation, storage and consumption. This study shows that the proposed model greatly …

Selecting Force Plate Tests And Metrics To Complement Physical Preparation Strategies Prior To Commencing Strenuous Military Training Courses, Peter Ladlow, Nicholas J. Ripley, Damjana V. Cabarkapa, Dimitrije Cabarkapa, Dale W. Chapman, Mary Claire Geneau, G. Gregory Haff, Lachlan P. James, Paul Jones, Jason P. Lake, Christopher J. Sole, Anthony Turner, Marina De Vecchis, Natalie Masters, Charles Coussens, Robyn Holton, Russell J. Coppack, Colin Suffield, Paul Comfort

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The aim of this study was to seek opinion (via an online survey) and gain consensus of which force plate tests and metrics may be considered by military operating/training staff to better screen physical performance characteristics prior to military personnel attending a physically arduous military training course.

Methods: Ten responders with known experience and/or expertise in using force plate technology for the measurement of force production characteristics completed the survey. Responders were asked to select the most important force plate test and metrics to complement a pre-course physical performance battery to assess physical readiness, musculoskeletal injury risk and likelihood …

Soil Organic Carbon Stocks And Sequestration Rates In Western Australia’S Mangroves, Enric Gomis, Cristian Salinas, Madison Williams-Hoffman, Nicole E. Said, Marta Sánchez Alarcón, Connor Gorham, Axel Werner, Paul S. Lavery, Karina Inostroza, Tegan Davies, Pauline F. Grierson, Sharyn Hickey, Ben Radford, Enrique Ballesteros, Jeffrey J. Kelleway, Pere Masqué, Eduard Serrano, Peter I. Macreadie, Catherine E. Lovelock, Anna Lafratta, Micheli Duarte De Paula Costa, Ruth Reef, Vladimir Levchenko, Fiona Doessel, Matthew A. Hayes, Stacey M. Trevathan-Tackett, I. Noyan Yilmaz, Pawel Waryszak, Rory Crofts, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Mangroves are widely recognized for their contribution to climate change mitigation. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of top 1-m and 30-cm soil organic carbon (OC) stocks and accumulation rates across Western Australia’s mangroves, spanning multiple bioregions, geomorphological settings, and intertidal positions. The results revealed (mean ± SE) 236 ± 13 Mg and 83 ± 4 Mg OC ha−1 in top 1-m and 30-cm soils, respectively, accumulated at 443 ± 83 and 215 ± 22 kg OC ha−1 yr−1 over the past 100 and 500 years, respectively. Mangroves across Western Australia exhibited up to 3-fold differences in top 1-m …

Vicarious Trauma: The Psychological Impact On Counsellors And Psychotherapists Working With Survivors Of Sexual Abuse., Deborah Down, Alison Bacon

School of Psychology

Background: Vicarious trauma (VT), the psychological distress that occurs from exposure to the trauma of others, is prevalent among therapists, but has not previously been explored in those working specifically with survivors of sexual trauma. This qualitative study explores counsellors‘ and psychotherapists‘ experiences of VT when working with survivors of sexual abuse. Method: Semi-structured interviews uncovered complex emotional and psychological impacts, highlighting how exposure to traumatic sexual abuse narratives can affect counsellors‘ and psychotherapists‘ wellbeing, and professional and personal identity. A reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Four key themes were identified. (1) The Impact of VT reveals the emotional …

Discomfort Avoidance And Desire For Normality Are Decision-Making Drivers Of Footwear Choice In Underserved Communities At Risk Of Diabetic Foot Ulcer, Krithika Anil, Neeraj Sharma, Sonal Patel, Jess Bailey, Catherine Smith, Sally Abey, Kayce Allcock, Richard Collings, Joanne Paton

School of Health Professions

BackgroundDiabetes-related foot ulceration (DFU) is a serious complication that can lead to lower limb amputation or death. Custom-made footwear is a key preventative strategy, yet adherence to use is often low. The factors influencing decision-making for footwear use remain unclear, particularly among underserved groups such as people from low socioeconomic and South Asian backgrounds. This study aimed to identify the psychological mechanisms underlying footwear choice and adherence in people with diabetes from low socioeconomic and South Asian populations.MethodsThis study used a qualitative approach conducted in two parts. Part 1 explored footwear-related experiences using one-to-one interviews informed by the COM-B model …

Exploring Factors Affecting The Use Of Blended Diets For Children And Young People In Health, Education And Social Care Settings In The Uk: The Protocol For A Realist Mixed Methods Study, Gemma Phillips, Jane Coad, Mary Hickson, Joseph C. Manning

School of Health Professions

Background Enteral tube feeding provides supplementary or alternative nutrition for individuals who cannot meet their nutritional needs orally and remains essential for a number of children and young people with complex health needs. Commercial formula remains standard practice in the UK, although increasing numbers of children and their families are choosing a blended diet and reporting significant physical and social benefits. However, support for families in using blended diets varies across health, education and social settings in the UK. Aim To explore factors affecting the use of blended diets in health, education and social care settings. Methods This sequential mixed …

Neighbourhoods And Data: Workshop Report, Katharine Willis, Nicky Marsh, Joseph Owen

School of Art, Design and Architecture

1. Executive summaryWhat: This report is taken from a workshop: titled: Neighbourhoods and Data, held on May 8, 2026, Participants included a cross-sector representation of individuals from organisations that work with communities and across local and national datasets. It focused on emerging practices and needs around quantitative and qualitative data (Marsh, Ashton, and Owen, 2025), particularly regarding the Pride in Place Neighbourhood Boards that are being established in 2026, as well as the broader neighbourhood approach currently favoured in UK place-based policy (ICON, 2026). Who and how: The workshop aimed to understand the processes of understanding, defining, and measuring people’s …

Social Prescribing For People In Vulnerable Situations In Europe: Protocol For A Process Evaluation Of An Rct In Eight Countries, Kerryn Husk, Elizabeth Gilmour, Stephanie Tierney, Debra Westlake, Anuschka Arni, Hendrik Napierala, Farhad Rezvani, Marius Dierks, Wolfram J. Herrmann

Peninsula Medical School

Objective Social prescribing is a pathway that connects individuals to non-clinical services. It supports and addresses social needs, such as those related to loneliness, housing instability and mental health. Social Prescribing Europe (SP-EU), a European Union funded project, seeks to co-create an adaptation of the social prescribing pathway based on the needs of the following target groups: LGBTIQ+ people, refugees and first-generation immigrants, older people living alone. This adapted social prescribing pathway will be tested in a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT) in ten hubs, covering eight countries, across Europe. The aim of this process evaluation is to explore the …

How Conditions Within Immigration Removal Centres In The United Kingdom Affect The Mental Wellbeing Of Detainees: A Scoping Review, Niamh Gallagher, Tristan Price, Matthew Griggs

Peninsula Medical School

BackgroundImmigration Removal Centres (IRCs) are used to detain people for immigration control by the UK government. This scoping review aims to examine the experiences of detainees within UK IRCs, specifically how conditions within them, including the regime, affect their mental wellbeing.MethodsThe Joanna Briggs Institute guideline for scoping reviews was followed. Six bibliographic databases and additional grey literature sources were searched for quantitative and qualitative evidence. Descriptive analyses and quality assessments were conducted.ResultsFifteen research studies and nine pieces of grey literature were included, comprising a total of 1353 participants and 11 IRCs. The majority of data was qualitative in methodology and …

Microbial Risk Assessment And Mitigation For Underground Hydrogen Energy Storage In Salt Caverns: A Multidisciplinary Investigation, Adnan Aftab, Silvia J. Salgar Chaparro, Muhammad Ali, Quan Xie, Ali Saeedi, Alireza Keshavarz, Mohammad Sarmadivaleh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in salt caverns is a promising solution for large-scale renewable energy storage, but its long-term stability may be compromised by hydrogenotrophic microorganisms such as sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). This study integrates global salt basin analysis, numerical modelling, and laboratory experiments to assess microbial risks associated with the hydrogen storage. We evaluated salt deposits across six continents, reviewed microbial communities in seawater sources commonly used for the leaching, and simulated SRB behaviour under varying hydrogen concentrations. Experiments using both commercial SRB strains and indigenous consortia from Western Australia revealed minimal microbial activity under hypersaline, low-carbon conditions. These findings …

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence And Cancer Risk In Two Large European Prospective Cohorts, Emma Fontvieille, Vivian Viallon, Laia Peruchet-Noray, Quan Gan, N. Charlotte Onland-Moret, Yvonne Koop, Anne Tjønneland, Nicola Bondonno, Verena Katzke, Rudolf Kaaks, Matthias B. Schulze, Catarina Schiborn, Calogero Saieva, Vittorio Simeon, Claudia Agnoli, Rosario Tumino, Fulvio Ricceri, Leila Luján-Barroso, Maria José Sánchez, Conchi Moreno-Iribas, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Marc J. Gunter, Adam Butterworth, Elio Riboli, Heinz Freisling, Pietro Ferrari

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Our study investigated the association between incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and subsequent cancer risk in two large European prospective cohorts. We included 568,926 adults from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition and United Kingdom Biobank, all of whom were free of CVD, cancer and type 2 diabetes at baseline. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate cancer hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in relation to incident CVD events. CVD was treated as a time-varying exposure, and models accounted for time since CVD diagnosis and other lifestyle factors. Study-specific estimates were pooled using …