Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of The Impact Education Level Has On Unemployment Rates For Youths In Emerging Market Countries, Alia Aldhaheri

Theses

Economic stress endured by countries globally can be due to numerous socioeconomic factors, including unemployment, measured by the unemployment rate expressed in percentage (%). Various micro and macro socioeconomic variables, including the quality of education and vocational training in the countries and the availability of it, cause high unemployment rates. This study assesses the impact education has on unemployment rates and focuses on youths in emerging market countries to determine the nature of the relationship between the two variables. In addition, the study aims to predict which continents will have increasing unemployment rates for youths in the next five years …

Investigation On The Synthesis And Characterization Of Novel Phase Change Materials For Packaging Application, Sriram Srinivasan

Theses

Phase change material (PCM) is one of the majorly growing techniques used for thermal heat storage in various fields including construction for insulation and packaging industry. PCMs are widely used to increase the shelf life of the produce and prevent from harsh climatic conditions during transportation. In this present investigation, a PCM system was developed in the form of microcapsules using lauric acid (LA) and capric acid (CA) emulsions in melamine formaldehyde (MF) solution and polyurethane foam (PUF) using polytetrahydrofuran, isoprene diisocyanate, and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Acetic acid and triethylamine were used to control the pH during microcapsule preparation. The …

Leveraging Machine Learning For Enhanced Lead Quality Prediction: A Case Study Of Vam Consulting, Huthayfa Nawafleh

Theses

In today's data-driven business landscape, companies are increasingly leveraging data analytics and machine learning to optimize their lead management processes and enhance customer acquisition strategies. This research focuses on the application of data analytics and the CRISP-DM methodology to improve lead quality prediction and streamline the sales funnel for VAM Consulting, a company specializing in marketing and business technology solutions. VAM Consulting has been developing customer acquisition processes and digital marketing strategies since 2016, amassing a diverse portfolio of over 300 client projects. Despite their extensive experience and utilization of various technologies, the company faces challenges in optimizing lead generation …

Predicting Student Attrition In Higher Education Institutions In The Uae Using Machine Learning, Dezzil M. Castelino

Theses

UAE has made significant progress in the field of education, including Higher Education, by attracting students from all around the world to various colleges and universities. Student dropout or attrition is a major issue that is faced by Higher Education Institutions (HEI). Hence, we need effective techniques to identify student data that affects attrition. This research aims to explore the use of machine learning algorithms to predict student attrition at Rochester Institute of Technology- Dubai (RIT Dubai). In this research, the CRISP-DM (Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining) methodology was used as it is widely used in projects based on …

An Analysis Of Machine Learning Hardware From Tenstorrent, Matthew Stephen Doerner

Theses

Machine learning is growing at an exponential rate in industry today, with contemporary machine learning models having parameter counts in the high hundred millions to trillions paired with a huge computing requirement. As the field continues to grow and the models get larger and more computationally expensive, there is a greater need for specialized hardware that can accelerate the inference and training computations that are required of these machine learning models. The design of a custom hardware device specifically made to accelerate machine learning models is very intricate, with software and hardware development that needs to work together at the …

Voltage Total Harmonic Distortion-Based Communication-Free Adaptive Protection Strategy For Microgrids, Mohamed Jaffer Ali

Theses

The microgrid protection strategy encounters major obstacles because of the varying fault current capacities that result from the diverse modes of microgrid operations. The challenges are heightened with the incorporation of large-scale systems. Protecting microgrids has become a complex task due to various factors. This includes 1) increased fault current contribution during grid-connected operation, 2) insufficient current contribution during islanded operation, 3) sympathetic tripping, 4) blinding, and 5) loss of mains. These factors can render existing protection devices ineffective in clearing faults. And thus, current alone cannot be only key factor for detecting a fault among various modes of operation. …

Crime Rate Analysis And E-Crime Prevention In Dubai Using Machine Learning., Mohammad Ahmad Hatam

Theses

Globally increasing criminal activity, such as E Crimes, presents a serious threat to both economic growth and social welfare. Nevertheless, Dubai is a safety haven in the middle of this trend, as seen by the significant decline in major and non-alarming crimes during the first quarter of 2023. This study uses an examination of the large crime dataset (about 34,567 events) from the Dubai Police Department that spans 2019 to 2021. Several main goals are to be achieved by this work by using geospatial methods, predictive modelling, correlation investigations, and exploratory analysis. First of all, it looks for complex trends …

(Virtual) Space: The Final Frontier – Virtual-Reality-Based Identification Of Nearby, Young Stars In Gaia Data, Ryan W. Butler

Theses

Nearby Young Moving Groups (NYMGSs) are loose kinematic associations of young (<150 >Myr) stars in the solar neighborhood (distance ≤ 140pc). These groups offer an excellent testbed for the study of pre-main sequence stellar evolution, protoplanetary and evolved disks, and recently formed (or forming) extrasolar systems. To further inform studies of these systems, we can expand the known membership of these NYMGs using the multi-dimensional spatial, kinematic, and photometric data from the Gaia mission. Using a new virtual reality tool known as StarGateVR, we search Gaia Data Release 3 for new candidates of 8 NYMGs and identify ∼ 370 such …

Creating A Unified Brand Identity For United Way Chapters In New York, Sarah Dejoy

Theses

Consistent and effective web design plays a role in enhancing the online presence and supporting the mission of nonprofit organizations (NPOs), which utilize online spaces to provide information to their constituents and the general public. This study centers on the web presence of United Way, presenting an analysis of the official websites of chapters in New York State. Visual rhetoric was used as the conceptual framework orienting the analysis, considering websites typically include written and visual texts intended to appeal to various audiences. The Brand Standards & Guidelines provided by United Way Worldwide were utilized to identify various website characteristics. …

A Comprehensive Study Of Gain Characterization In Mosfets, Elaine Greenfield

Theses

The functionality of MOSFETs makes them a crucial component in modern electrical engineering. These devices play a fundamental role in a wide range of applications. Understanding the behavior and characteristics of MOSFETs is essential for their effective utilization in circuit design. One crucial parameter that significantly impacts MOSFET performance is voltage gain. It represents the ratio of output voltage to input voltage and varies depending on the circuit configuration employed. When selecting a MOSFET for a specific circuit, understanding the parameters and characteristics that influence voltage gain becomes crucial. This research project aims to delve into the realm of MOSFETs, …

Benchmarking Of Matrix Multiplication Acceleration Methods, Ashish Tondwalkar

Theses

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), performance and model runtime feasibility poses a challenge to the advancement of AI technology. Novel methods of accelerating the core mathematical functions of AI applications are being explored. The crux of AI computations that would benefit from hardware acceleration is matrix multiplication. This thesis explores the acceleration of matrix multiplication using systolic arrays and the strassen algorithm, methods known for enhancing computational efficiency through parallel processing. The research focuses on the design, implementation, and comprehensive testing of these architectures to expedite matrix multiplication tasks, crucial for applications in deep learning and signal processing. …

Predictive Analytics: Assessing Air Pollution’S Influence On Real Estate Prices In Dubai, Hani Khalaf

Theses

This study examines the link between air pollution and property prices in Dubai. It aims to find the relationship between environmental and economic factors in Dubai’s rapidly expanding real estate market and concerns about city livability. The research is centered on investigating how differences in air quality between various neighborhoods in Dubai affect property pricing. To achieve this goal, the thesis adopted the Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM) typical for this type of analysis. The Hedonic Pricing Method (HPM) provides insights on the price of a product from its components. The study utilized records of housing transactions and air quality measurements …

(Re)Consider The Walls: Exploring Meaning Potentials Of An Art Classroom’S Contents Through Thing-Powered Illustrations, Dylan Newton Hale

School of Art Graduate Theses

This arts-based self-study aimed to investigate the dynamic interplay of semiotic relationships and art pedagogical praxes through objects within the researcher’s art classroom. Utilizing interdisciplinary perspectives of semiotics, the new materialist concept of thing-power, and art scholarship, this arts-based self-study explores how inanimate objects possess the ability to influence and reflect pedagogical ideologies. The literature review provides an overview of educational semiotics, new materialist theory with a focus on the concept of thing-power, and drawing as a form of scholarship. It examines the communicative ability of the educational environment, elaborating on the role of objects as signs and symbols in …

Adipose Stem Cell Response To Borophosphate Bioactive Glass, Nada A. Abokefa, Bradley A. Bromet, Rebekah L. Blatt, Makenna S. Pickett, Richard K. Brow, Julie A. Semon

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Silicate and Borate Bioactive Glasses Have Been Reported to Create Alkaline Conditions by Rapidly Releasing Ions When Reacting in Aqueous Solution. at Certain Levels, This Alkaline Solution Can Negatively Affect Cell Viability. Adding Phosphate Ions to the Glass Composition Can Control the Degradation Rate of Bioactive Glasses and Create a Neutral PH Environment. This Study Evaluated a Series of Boro phosphate Bioactive Glasses (BPBGs) with Nominal Molar Compositions 16Na₂O_-24CaO-XB₂O₃-(60-X) P₂O₅, Where X = 0, 40, or 60. the Phosphate (X0) Glass (PBG) Produced an Acidic Solution When Dissolved …

Reducing Carbon Emissions With Returned Concrete, John M. Maxwell Jr.

Construction Management

The concrete industry is one of the most energy-intensive sectors of construction. Specifically, the cement production aspect is the most energy intensive, and produces the most carbon emissions. Concrete, a material ubiquitous with nearly every facet of construction; certain types of structures are composed of nearly all concrete. Production of cement is one of the biggest contributors to emissions within the industry. There have been initiatives to reduce or offset emissions from this process, through things like carbon capture, and the purchase of carbon or emissions credits. The objective of this paper was to investigate a new method of carbon …

Little Free Library Project, Baylor Rembrandt

Construction Management

Little Free Library is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting reading and literacy through community involvement by providing free book exchanges all over the world. The project was comprised of three phases, including design, construction, and installation. I began by identifying potential homeowners interested in hosting a library so that together we could come up with acceptable designs. This required close collaboration with the homeowners and resulted in unique, personalized designs for each library. Next came the construction phase, during which each library presented with its own challenges: the first library tested me with fundamental construction techniques; the second on …

Diuretic Dose Ratio Is Associated With Reduced Hospital Length Of Stay In Acute Heart Failure, Sarah Galla, Yuying Xing, Lihua Qu, David A. Berger

Conference Presentation Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Lactate Expression, Mortality, And Length Of Stay In Emergency Department Patients With Sepsis And Intubation, Heaveen Ahdi, Nadine Talia, Ray Lee, Lili Zhao, Ronny Otero, David A. Berger

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background and Objectives: Studies demonstrate that patients in septic shock with a lactate < 2 have a mortality between 20% to 46%. Our prior work reported that in emergency department (ED) patients with a second lactate ≥2 (lac), there is a two-fold increase in 30-day mortality when compared to patients with a second lactate < 2 (alac). On secondary analysis, we found that intubated patients with a second lactate ≤2 had a longer hospital length of stay (LOS). Our objective is to further scrutinize this 30-day mortality and LOS. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of an eight-hospital health system using data from the electronic medical record. Inclusion criteria consisted of patients ≥18 years of age who presented to the ED from 1/1/2017 to 11/30/2022 with ≥2 lactate levels measured in the ED, were diagnosed with sepsis, and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) within 24 h. We excluded lactate auto-expressors, pregnant patients, transfers, and those taken for a surgical procedure within 72 h of presentation. Patients were classified based on initial and second lactate as < 2 (alac) or ≥2 (lac). Multivariable regression analysis was performed for 30-day mortality and LOS, adjusting for vitals, BMI, DNR status, and intubation timing. Results: Of the 3100 patients who met inclusion criteria, 1285 patients were intubated and categorized based on their lactate expression: alac -> alac (reference; 111/1285, 8.9%), alac -> lac (28/1285, 2.2%), lac -> alac (259/1285, 20.2%), and lac -> lac (887/1285, 69.0%). Lac -> lac had a significantly higher 30-day mortality (OR = 2.058, 95% CI = [1.353–3.154]) compared to alac -> alac. Lac -> alac had a significantly increased LOS (OR = 1.133 (95% CI = [1.003–1.280]) compared to alac -> alac. Other group comparisons for 30-day mortality and LOS were not significant. Conclusion: Intubated sepsis and septic shock patients in the lac -> lac group had a …

Diuretic Dose Ratio Is Associated With Reduced Hospital Length Of Stay In Acute Heart Failure, Sarah Galla, Yuying Xing, Lihua Qu, David A. Berger

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background and Objectives: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is anticipated to affect eight million Americans by 2030. Treatment for CHF exacerbation is centered around IV diuretics. There are no current studies indicating an optimal initial diuretic dose in the Emergency Department (ED), and our objective is to test our hypothesis that higher diuretic dose ratio may shorten hospital length of stay (LOS). Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of a large health system from 2016 to 2022. We included patients admitted from the ED with a primary diagnosis of “CHF exacerbation” with a history of CHF and prescribed diuretics. Exclusions …

Screen Positives For Potential St-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Door To Electrocardiogram By Sex And Race, Sarah Galla, Gautam Pathak, Dalia Owda, Amit Bahl, James Ziadeh, Susan Bork, Robert Swor, Karen Childers, Maya Yiadom, David A. Berger

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background and Objectives: Detection of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMI) are dependent on early acquisition of an ECG. American Heart Association guidelines require performing an ECG within 10 min for patients presenting with symptoms warranting STEMI screening. A delay in ECG acquisition causes delays in diagnosis and treatment, which is associated with worsened outcomes. However, previous work has shown there is limited success at achieving a door to ECG (D2E) time of Methods: This is a retrospective chart review study in which D2E time was measured for patients positive for STEMI ECG screening criteria in a large health system with …

Atascadero Little League - Snack Shack Window Renovation, Anthony J. Catania

Construction Management

Atascadero Little League is an essential part of the local community. It brings families together and provides youth with a place to develop their social skills, sportsmanship, and discipline all while getting outside and exercising. Little leagues are non-profit organizations, managed and operated by volunteers, who sacrifice personal time to give back to their local community. Paloma Creek Park is where Atascadero Little League hosts most of their games. The snack shack’s service window does not face the baseball field, forcing volunteers to rely on a small window in the side of the structure to view their child’s game. The …

Relation Between Cognitive Assessment And Clinical Physical Performance Measures After Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Prokopios Antonellis, Margaret M. Weightman, Peter C. Fino, Siting Chen, Mark E. Lester, Carrie W. Hoppes, Leland E. Dibble, Laurie A. King

Physical Therapy Faculty Publications

Objectives

To investigate the relation between cognitive and motor performance in individuals with mild traumatic brain injury(mTBI) and examine differences in both cognitive and motor performance between adults after mTBI and healthy controls.

Design

Multi-center, cross-sectional study.

Setting

Three institutional sites (Courage Kenny Research Center, Minneapolis, MN, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, and University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT).

Participants

Data were collected from 110 participants (N=110), including those with mTBI and healthy controls, who completed cognitive and physical performance assessments.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Outcome Measures

Cognitive assessments involved the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics to evaluate …

Philosophy & Purpose, The Philosophical Discussion Group

The Philosopher's Stone

No abstract provided.

How Monitoring Food Is Protecting People, Grace Sugden

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

While the issue of food safety has always been a concern for humanity, what that looks like has changed drastically over time. Instead of trying to judge if a stream has safe drinking water, consumers are now faced with deciding which preservatives and pesticides they expose themselves to. With the multitude of United States agencies tasked with protecting the public, standards and quality control processes should be transparent and efficient. Since the creation of the Bureau of Chemistry, numerous acts have been passed that regulate ingredients, processing procedures, and minimize contamination risks. When a spoiled product enters the food web, …

"Say What You Can't" By Nick Oliveri, Nicholas Oliveri

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

As a writer, Yeorbin both benefited from and competed against artificial intelligence. He shivered a bit but maintained a painful interest in what the video had to say. He thought it ironic that computer scientists were some of the first ones to suffer from artificial intelligence’s jet sweep of human labor. They’re supposed to be the anointed ones. Software engineers are supposed to be the ones with the guaranteed jobs. What’s happening?

Journalistic Quality In The Digital Age Relating To Newsroom Diversity, Max Guerrera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Traditionally, journalistic quality is determined by the integrity of a piece, along with its contribution to public knowledge. High quality, ethical journalism serves the purpose of holding those in power accountable and ensuring transparency in government actions through factual reporting. Objectivity is a highly emphasized element of American journalism because it allows the audience to form their own opinions and evaluate facts individually. However, as the distribution of media has changed with technological advancements, so have news writing trends. The theory of agenda setting, the concept that the media have the power to shift public opinions and perceptions of the …

Parenting A Child Who Has An Autistic Sibling: Effects On Adjustment And Mental Health, Jess Del Mundo

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project focuses on informing parents about the challenges and needs of siblings of children with autism. Parenting is a profound and meaningful responsibility, and having children with special needs adds to this daunting job. It is imperative for parents to nurture the development and awareness of all of their children, both neurodivergent and neurotypical. This workshop will give parents the tools to navigate this responsibility. I developed a workshop that first informs parents about the positive outcomes for children who have siblings with autism, such as higher levels of empathy and compassion. Second, I will address the challenges …

Voices From The Inside: Enhancing Co-Teaching Experiences Through Student Perspectives At 'Small University', Nina Cruz

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this Capstone Project, the researchers investigated how students in the credential program at ‘Small University’ on the coast of California viewed their co- teaching credential experience and what they think could be done to improve it. An evidence based argument is offered that co-teaching be improved to be more equitable for students. Considerations of the issue should include the perspectives of credential program students. Expected benefits included an opportunity for participants to reflect on the co-teaching credential program at “Small University” and provide concrete suggestions for improvement that may be translated into action. Three themes emerged from an analysis …

Sonidos De Aztlán: A Historical Analysis Of Chicano Music, Alejandro Gomez

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This paper analyzes music made primarily by Chicanos in the U.S. and social movements that the music was a part of. Case studies include the Zoot Suit Riots, the Delano Grape Strike, The Chicano Movement, Tejano/Conjunto and Tex-Mex, Narcocorridos, and the Chicanx Renaissance.

Voices From The Inside: Enhancing Co-Teaching Experiences Through Student Perspectives At 'Small University', Hope Brightman

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

For this capstone project, the researchers investigated how students in the credential program at ‘Small University’ on the coast of California viewed their co- teaching credential experience and what they think could be done to improve it. An evidence based argument is offered that co-teaching be improved to be more equitable for students. Considerations of the issue should include the perspectives of credential program students. Expected benefits included an opportunity for participants to reflect on the co-teaching credential program at “Small University” and provide concrete suggestions for improvement that may be translated into action. Three themes emerged from an analysis …