Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Application Of Digital Twin Technology In The Energy Sector Using Merec And Mairca Methods, Asmaa Elsayed, Bilal Arain, Karam M. Sallam

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Smart city sustainability initiatives prioritize creating environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable urban environments. Digital Twin (DT) technology creates precise digital replicas of physical assets, systems, or processes. These digital twins play a crucial role in advancing the goals of smart city sustainability. This paper explores the development and application of DT technology for integrated regional energy systems in smart cities, emphasizing its potential to optimize energy consumption, reduce costs, and enhance overall system performance. The CloudIEPS platform, an energy internet planning platform based on digital twin technology, is a great example of how digital twin technology can be applied in …

Report On Findings From Household Needs Study, Paulin T. Straughan, Mathew Mathews

ROSA Research Briefs

The Household Needs Study (HNS) aimed to capture public perspectives on essential items and activities that are deemed necessary for a normal life in Singapore and to understand the extent to which Singaporeans are able to access these items and activities. To do so, the study adopted the Living Standards Approach (Saunders, Naidoo & Wong, 2022), which purports that individuals experience relative deprivation and/or social exclusion if they do not have access to items and activities that are deemed to be essential by society. In this study, a survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of around 4,000 respondents …

Bracketed Assessments In Behavioral Gerontology: Evaluating Preference With Present And Absent Stimuli, Flavia Eduarda Del Castillo Troche

Theses and Dissertations

The present study evaluated the use of bracketed assessments to assess the activity preference of three individuals with dementia. The study proposed an alternative method to traditional stimulus preference assessments, to bridge the gap in behavior analytical literature within behavioral gerontology. Thus, bracketed assessments were conducted using two presentation methods, verbal plus visual presentation and verbal-only presentation. Results suggested that while participants showed consistency within low preferred activity selection in the bracketed assessment, variability was observed among participants’ preferences for high and moderate preferred activities. Both presentation methods yield similar selection results for one participant, however, the other two participants …

Cultural Selection Of Ethical Self-Control Toward Sustainability, Michael Jonathan Passage

Theses and Dissertations

This study consisted of three experiments to improve our understanding of the conditions that foster cooperation related to sustainability. In Experiment 1, participants completed a demographic questionnaire and an environmental and social discounting task. Results (a) support the utility of the environmental discounting task; (b) suggest responding to the discounting task is dissimilar; and (c) show that responding to hypothetical consequences on the social discounting task correlates to actual responding. Experiment 2 evaluated whether interlocking behavioral contingencies (by microculture members) associated with sustainable and non-sustainable aggregate products (Condition A & B) could be selected by cultural consequences (i.e., 20¢ toward …

Implementation Of A Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention To Lower Perceived Stress Levels In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Wendy S. Carley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project analyzed the effect of the daily use of a mindfulness-based mobile application on associate degree nursing undergraduate prelicensure students’ perceived stress levels. Nursing students experience elevated stress levels that may be reduced through mindfulness behaviors. Undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students participated in establishing the impact of mindfulness on perceived stress levels in a quantitative pre/postintervention study. The evidenced-based studies chosen for this review consisted of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, pre/posttest designs, systematic reviews, and quantitative and qualitative studies. The investigator collected presearch data using a pre/posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program in reducing …

Parallel Communications In Single-Core Optical Fibers Utilizing Spatial Domain Multiplexing And Wavelength Division Multiplexing, Mingxuan Tu

Theses and Dissertations

This endeavor proposes a hybrid parallel optical communication architecture in single-core fibers combining WDM in O-band (1270 nm, 1310 nm, 1310 nm, and 1330 nm) and two-channel SDM. The proposed architecture applies carefully designed delays in each propagating channel to achieve synchronization and, therefore, realizes parallel transmission in single-core fibers without the help of Serializer/De-serializers (SerDes). A mathematical model of SDM, calculations on delays between each optical channel, simulation of the hybrid architecture, experimental setup, and the testing and analysis of channel performance have been provided. A design of a photonic integrated circuit based on thin film lithium niobate electro-optic …

Translanguaging As Pedagogy And Culturally Relevant Science Instruction: Teaching In A Bilingual Science Classroom, Angelita J. Salinas

Theses and Dissertations

The continuous underrepresentation of the Latinx population in STEM fields and careers requires urgent attention. This study addresses this issue by designing and implementing a science curriculum based on culturally relevant and translanguaging pedagogies. Focusing on chemical and physical reactions, the curriculum was implemented in two 8th-grade science classes. Using an ethnographic case study methodology, this research employed classroom observations, field notes, student work analysis, and reflective interviews to gather data. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key patterns and themes. The analysis revealed how instructional strategies were designed to ensure the relevance of instruction to students' cultural and community …

Enhancement Of Polytetrafluoroethylene-Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers Triboelectric Effect With Carboxylic Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Coating, Fernando Viesca

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, we fabricated a TENG using Forcespinning® (FS) Polytetrafluoroethylene microfibers (FS-PTFE-MFs) and Electrospun (ES) Polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers (ES-PVA-NFs). The FS-PTFE-MFs were physically linked with functionalized carboxylic multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) employing water dispersions. MWCNTs-COOH were dispersed using three different surfactants: Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS), Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS), and Triton X-100 (TX-100). Coated FS-PTFE-MFs were then characterized using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) attachment and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). While no significant difference in performance was observed with different surfactants, electrical results of the TENG recorded a notable enhancement of …

Delphifl: An Investigation Into A More Robust Federated Learning Model Using Method Chaining And Zero-Trust, Jonathan Flores, Hailey Whipple

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Technology has had a significant influence on the lives of today’s generation. However, over the years, protecting private information while maintaining its utility has become a major concern for both users and developers. As a way to address this concern, Federated Learning (FL), a Machine Learning model, has been proposed. FL is the process where each client maintains their own local model that learns from their own data, which afterwards is sent over the network to a centralized server to be aggregated into a global model. Despite that, this model, being dependent on user contributions, is not without its flaws …

Privacy-Preserving Ai-Based Age Verification Using Low Quality Facial Images, Damon Wargo

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

As younger generations gain easier access to the internet, the need for effective online age verification becomes increasingly critical to ensure age-restricted activities remain accessible only to those who meet legal requirements. Modern online age verification often suffers from either intrusive personal data collection or ineffective blockage. Accurate age verification requires government ID or sensitive information to be exposed, while methods that don’t collect any information from users aren’t suitable for preventing access. This research aims to find an online age verification method that is both accurate and respectful of user privacy using AI and machine learning. The most commonly …

Lilrb4 On Multiple Myeloma Cells Promotes Bone Lesion By P-Shp2/Nf-Κb/Relt Signal Pathway, Hongying Wang, Lei Wang, Huiwen Luan, Jing Xiao, Zhiling Zhao, Pengfei Yu, Mi Deng, Yifan Liu, Shuhao Ji, Junjie Ma, Yan Zhou, Jiashen Zhang, Xianhui Meng, Juan Zhang, Xinyu Zhao, Chunling Li, Fangmin Li, Dapeng Wang, Shujuan Wei, Lijun Hui, Siman Nie, Changzhu Jin, Zhiqiang An, Ningyan Zhang, Yaopeng Wang, Cheng Cheng Zhang, Zunling Li

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Background: Leukocyte Ig-like receptor B family 4 (LILRB4) as an immune checkpoint on myeloid cells is a potential target for tumor therapy. Extensive osteolytic bone lesion is the most characteristic feature of multiple myeloma. It is unclear whether ectopic LILRB4 on multiple myeloma regulates bone lesion.

Methods: The conditioned medium (CM) from LILRB4-WT and -KO cells was used to analyze the effects of LILRB4 on osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Xenograft, syngeneic and patient derived xenograft models were constructed, and micro-CT, H&E staining were used to observe the bone lesion. RNA-seq, cytokine array, qPCR, the activity of luciferase, Co-IP and western blotting …

Generating Bessel Beams With An Elastomeric Replica Of A Weevil Carapace, Paz Victoria T. Ramos, Michie Vianca D. De Vera, Raphael Guerrero

Physics Faculty Publications

We generate a zero-order Bessel beam with a laser beam focused onto an elastomeric replica of a weevil carapace scale. Carapace surface structures are imprinted on an elastomeric cast via soft lithography. The output Bessel beam exhibits the expected properties of non-diffraction over a propagation range of 30 cm. The width of the central spot at a propagation distance of 25 cm is 296:8 μm, corresponding to a replicated weevil scale with a diameter of 64.3 μm acting as an annular slit. Self-healing of the beam after encountering a wire obstruction is also observed.

Clinical Presentation And Outcomes Of Care In Adults With Diabetic Ketoacidosis Pre-Covid-19 And During-Covid-19 At A Tertiary, Referral Hospital In Nairobi, Kenya, Sairabanu Sokwalla, Jasmit Shah, Sangeeta Chauhan, Reena Shah, Salim Surani, Eric Njenga, Nancy Kunyiha

Internal Medicine, East Africa

Background: Prognosis of DKA has improved over time with the availability of evidence-based protocols and resources. However, in Kenya, there are limited resources for the appropriate diagnosis and management of DKA, mostly limited to tertiary-level referral facilities. This study aimed to review the clinical presentation, management, and outcomes of adult patients admitted with DKA and assess differences in these parameters before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of DKA admissions from January 2017 to December 2021. Patient data were retrieved from the medical records department using ICD-10 codes, and individual details were abstracted on clinical …

Disrupting Niceness In Literacy Teacher Education: Non-Linear Trajectories Toward Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, Amy Tondreau, Wendy L. Gardiner, Tierney B. Hinman, Tess M. Dussling, Elizabeth Y. Stevens, Kristin L. White, Nance L. Wilson

Journal Articles

Many teacher educators seek to implement culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) in their courses. However, enactment is often mediated by our socialization into whiteness and niceness. This study investigates how our self-study community of practice (SSCoP) of eight White female literacy teacher educators at different institutions collaborated to narrow the gap between our aspirations for implementing CRP and enacted practice. Through analysis of collaborative journal entries, we interpret tensions between what niceness and whiteness demand of us and what enactment of CRP requires: (a) between centering equity in our courses and addressing equity on the margins, (b) between enactment of critical …

Open-Label, Dose-Escalation Fight-101 Study Of Pemigatinib Combined With Targeted Therapy, Chemotherapy, Or Immunotherapy In Patients With Advanced Malignancies, Mansoor Saleh, Minal Barve, Vivek Subbiah, Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Daniel Morgensztern, Niharika Mettu, Sameek Roychowdhury, Iben Spanggaard, Maria Luisa Veronese, Chenwei Tian

Haematology and Oncology, East Africa

Background Pemigatinib is an oral, potent, selective fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 1-3 inhibitor. FIGHT-101, a three-part, open-label, first-in-human, phase I/II study (NCT02393248), evaluated pemigatinib in patients with advanced solid tumors. In parts 1 and 2, pemigatinib monotherapy had a manageable safety profile and antitumor activity in FGFR-altered tumors. Part 3 (pemigatinib combination therapies) results are presented here.

Patients and methods Patients received 9, 13.5, or 20 mg oral once-daily pemigatinib on continuous or intermittent schedules with gemcitabine and cisplatin (pemi/gem/cis), docetaxel (pemi/doc), trastuzumab (pemi/tras), pembrolizumab (pemi/pembro), or retifanlimab (pemi/reti) irrespective of whether the tumor was confirmed as FGFR altered. …

Factors Influencing Parental Emotion Of An Autism Diagnosis: Preliminary Results, Ciara Gaches, Robert D. Rieske

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

Parental dissatisfaction and negative emotions are frequent during the autism diagnostic process of their child. Understanding parental emotions and the factors which influence those emotions are crucial to aiding diagnosing clinicians to best support parents and their children. Currently, there are mixed results within the literature as to whether parental characteristics- income, education level, and age at diagnosis- or child characteristics- age of symptom onset, count of symptoms, and regression in skills- influence parental emotions when receiving the diagnosis during the feedback session. The present study aims to clarify the discrepancies within the literature regarding which factors impact parental emotions. …

Authentication Of Food Products Using A Standard Normal Based Consensus One-Class Classifier, Hyrum Redd, John H. Kalivas

Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research

The ability to determine whether a sample belongs to a given class or not has a large variety of applications within analytical chemistry fields. Specifically, one-class classification (OCC) is essential in many areas of study including counterfeit detection or product authentication. There are many widely accepted methods for OCC problems, such as soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) being among the most popular, all of which involve optimizing tuning parameters (number of principal components (PCs)). This poster presents an application of a new autonomous rigorous OCC named consensus OCC (Con OCC), based on a standard normal distribution of Z …

Speaking Up: A Narrative Inquiry Of International Students' Active Verbal Engagement In Classrooms At A Southeastern American University, Sabrina Xiaoyan Liu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

This qualitative narrative research investigated successful cases of international students who actively verbally participate and speak up during academic or coursework discussions in the classrooms. More specifically, the aim of this narrative inquiry was to capture the lived and living experiences of English language learners (ELLs) navigating American mainstream classrooms. Moreover, this qualitative study explored how they perceive the impact of their English language proficiency on their verbal engagement during class. I recruited participants through the international office at a southeastern university in the United States. After an initial phone screening session to verify that each interested participant met the …

Representations Of Violence Against Native American Women, Christine York

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

It is the aim of this study to provide detailed attention to the representation of violence against Native American women throughout American films and literature. Native American women have been persecuted against since the times of colonization; however, there has been a recent uptake in this crime. This crime has been seen throughout many forms of art, but has not often been a focal point to these artforms. In order to argue that the violence these women experience needs to be central to the texts they are seen in, a comparison between three different texts is imperative. These texts are …

New Insights On Hybridization In Potamogeton Floridanus (The Florida Pondweed), Kaitlyn R. Sampson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Freshwater ecosystems are some of the most important and highest threatened habitats in the world, and aquatic plants play an important, but often-overlooked, role in maintaining them. Potamogeton is a diverse and ecologically important aquatic plant genus well known for taxonomic difficulty and rampant hybridization. lbis study aimed to 1) test the hypothesis that Potamogeton jloridanus (Florida pondweed) is a hybrid between P. oakesianus and P. pulcher, and 2) to investigate correlations in ecological conditions for the focal species. This study revealed the discovery of a new population of P. jloridanus in Big Coldwater Creek in Santa Rosa Co., FL, …

Performance Evaluation Of Asphalt Binder Modified With Recycled Plastics, Abeeb G. Oyelere

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

The surge in the production of plastic waste has become a pressing global environmental issue. To address this, repurposing plastic waste to modify asphalt binders in asphalt pavement is being explored This study investigates the potential of recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) and recycled polypropylene (rPP) as asphalt binder modifies to improve pavement performance and sustainability while mitigating plastic waste's adverse environmental impacts. Laboratory investigations were conducted to assess the rheological performances as well as the compatibility of rHDPE and rPP-modified asphalt. Additionally, the impact of aging and mixing temperature on rheological performance was investigated. Experimental results indicated that adding these …

Optimizing Attention Bias Training For Depression, Bridget R. Kennedy

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Depression has been associated with a negative attention bias. Attention bias modification (ABM) interventions among individuals with depression have demonstrated promising but inconsistent findings in reducing negative attention bias and decreasing depression symptoms. These inconsistent results may be partly due to impaired attention functioning that is common in depression. Mindfulness has demonstrated attention benefits, which may enhance the ability for individuals with depression to benefit from ABM interventions. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of a train-positive dot-probe task ABM intervention when compared to a placebo dot-probe task, both preceded by a series of brief mindfulness activities, among a …

July 2024, Swosu Bulldog Wellness Committee

SWOSU BULLDOG WELLNESS

UV Safety Awareness & Parks and Recreation Month

As many of us are enjoying those warm rays this summer, we must remember to protect our skin and eyes from the damaging effects of the sun.

Exploring Negotiated Autonomy In The Physician–Physician Assistant Collaborative Dyad, Stephen Robie

Doctor of Philosophy in Translational Health Sciences Dissertations

Physician Assistants (PAs) are integral members of multidisciplinary medical care teams who practice medicine legally under the supervision of physicians. During medical care, supervision is a dynamic process of collaboration wherein a PA who displays competence is granted increasing independence by the supervising physician. This process has been referred to as negotiated autonomy. Despite being noted in work-force literature, the mechanics of how negotiated autonomy operates in real-time have not been described. As organizations increasingly work to integrate PAs into practice, new-hire training programs called ‘on-boarding’ have been implemented to accelerate PA professional development with a goal of increased efficiency …

Large Monochromatic Components In Expansive Hypergraphs, Deepak Bal, Louis Debiasio

Department of Mathematics Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

A result of Gyárfás [12] exactly determines the size of a largest monochromatic component in an arbitrary r-colouring of the complete k-uniform hypergraph Kn^k when k ≥ 2 and k ∈ {r − 1, r}. We prove a result which says that if one replaces Kn^k in Gyárfás’ theorem by any ‘expansive’ k-uniform hypergraph on n vertices (that is, a k-uniform hypergraph G on n vertices in which e(V1, . . . , Vk) > 0 for all disjoint sets V1, . . . , Vk ⊆ V(G) with |Vi| > α for all i ∈ [k]), then one gets …

Music By Agnes Tyrrell, Agnes Tyrrell, Riley R. Dunbar, Jocelyn Swigger

Student Publications

Typesetting for open-source publication of music by Czech composer Agnes Tyrrell (1846-1883) from her original manuscripts.

Pieces (in alphabetical order by title):

• “Abendfeier” (lyrics by Felix Dahn)
• “An den Mond” – lyrics by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• “Ländler” (possibly part of a set of short dances)
• “Marsch” (possibly part of a set of short dances)
• “Mazurka” (possibly part of a set of short dances)
• “Meg”
• “Nur du” – lyrics by Emil Ritterhaus
• “Rondo”
• “Song” (When Time, Who Steals) – lyrics by Thomas Moore
• “Völglein im Walde” – lyrics by Dilia Helena
• “Walzer” (possibly part of a set of short dances) …

The Colorado Wolf Reintroduction Portrayal In News Media, Megan K. Mcarthur, Monica V. Ogra

Student Publications

The Colorado gray wolf (Canis lupus) reintroduction began in December 2023 in the hope of restoring this once native population to the area, and it has received mixed responses from the media. By answering the research question of 'How has the wolf reintroduction in Colorado been framed in news media?', this research poster looks at the portrayal of the reintroduction in news articles from six months before and after the first wolves were released. Media is an influential factor in people's opinions and it is important to be aware of the information being shared and any bias within them.

Advancing Understanding Of Opinions, Perceptions, And Knowledge In Underrepresented Communities In The El Paso Region To Promote Electric Vehicles And Electrified Infrastructure Use To Reduce Environmental Impacts, Liliana Lozada-Medellin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

As the transportation and automotive industries continue growing, environmental and human health impacts remain a growing concern for planners, policy-makers, constructors, and the public as well (Krause et al., 2013; Larson et al., 2014). Although Electric Vehicles (EVs) are entering the market as a green technology solution to counteract greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), there are still barriers that need to be overcome for widespread diffusion and adoption as the best solution. These include disseminating basic information about the technology for public awareness, considering equity concerns, and ensuring equitable access to infrastructure for all (L. …

Staff Matters: Supporting Working Parents As A Recruitment And Retention Strategy, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Supporting employees who are parents is essential. Harvard data shows 73% of employees have caregiving responsibilities, highlighting the need for proactive strategies. First, communicate with employees to understand their needs for flexibility. Consider offering flexible schedules, part-time roles, and on-call staff to manage absences. Partnering with local childcare providers for sick coverage and allowing children at work occasionally can also help. Clear communication and defined parameters for flexibility are crucial. Implementing these strategies can build a supportive culture, enhancing employee retention and commitment.

Diversifying The ‘Hsi Bubble’: Black And Asian Women Faculty At Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Elena M. Venegas, Jacqueline B. Koonce, Lorenza Lancaster, Julissa Bazan, Adriana Garza

Bilingual and Literacy Studies Faculty Publications

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of seven Black and Asian women faculty at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The unique experience of each woman is shared in this paper. Three themes highlight the interconnectedness of participant experiences. The first theme indicated that these Black and Asian women faculty operated in unsupportive microclimates within their HSIs. Secondly, participants communicated a need for representation within the ‘HSI bubble.’ Finally, our participants felt as though their HSIs needed to exercise greater intentionality in terms of truly serving their student populations. Amongst the implications of this research is a better understanding of the experiences …