Digital Commons Network^™

Development Of Advanced Simulator-Based Metrics For Suturing Skills Assessment And Feedback, Simar Singh

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Vascular surgery demands highly skilled suturing to manipulate and connect delicate vasculature. However, inadequate methods for open suturing skills training necessitate efficient and objective methods to develop skills. To address this need, medical training simulators for objective surgical skills training are gaining popularity for their formative assessment.

This research details the development of a system to classify suturing performance and provide feedback on a suturing skills measurement and feedback platform (called the SutureCoach). The SutureCoach simulator offers a comprehensive assessment of skill through sensors measuring needle driver motions, membrane forces and torques, subcutaneous suture needle movement, and hand motions. We …

Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Response To Degenerated Intervertebral Disc-Like Ph, Kyle Cannon

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Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) has become increasingly prevalent and is a common contributing factor to low back pain. There are currently no clinical treatment options for IVDD that alleviate the symptoms of IVDD while simultaneously promoting repair of IVD tissue. One treatment option being explored is intradiscal administration of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). However, the microenvironment of the degenerating IVD places significant stress on both native IVD cells and implanted cells. There are several questions that need to be addressed which may help further inform the development of efficacious intradiscal MSC therapies for IVDD. These questions include: 1) Do MSCs …

Development Of Earthquake Hazard Prediction Software For South Carolina And Its Applications, Vishnu Saketh Jella

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This dissertation presents the development of earthquake hazard generation software, CarolinaShake and CarolinaADRS, for the state of South Carolina and its applications in the field of earthquake engineering. South Carolina is a seismically active state in the eastern United States, and there is a need to accurately quantify the earthquake hazard and incorporate it into the design of infrastructure systems. To achieve this objective, the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is actively supporting the initiatives to update its seismic design policies and procedures of civil infrastructure systems. As part of those initiatives, first, CarolinaShake, a Windows-based graphical user interface …

Loss Of Tsc2 Results In Abnormal Postnatal Neurogenesis And Striatal Hamartomas, Victoria Riley

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Billions of years of evolution have culminated in the most complex organ in all of biology: the brain. Its capacity to sense, store, and predict information uniquely bestows humans with the capability to generate art, music, language, and math and sets humans apart from other species. It is therefore prudent and worthwhile to study the brain and its development. A critical aspect of brain development is neurogenesis, or the production of neurons. Neurogenesis is facilitated by neural stem cells (NSCs) and is influenced by the mTORC1 signaling pathway. For NSCs to differentiate and become committed to a neuronal cell fate, …

The Relationship Between Wisdom As Self-Transcendence And Employee Adaptive Performance: The Mediating Role Of Openness, Saeed Andaji Garmaroudi

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This dissertation delves into the exploration of wisdom as self-transcendence within organizational contexts. Self-transcendence is characterized by qualities such as a sense of connectedness with others and the world, moral maturity, the experience of emotions such as peace and awe, and a sense of life's meaningfulness. While self-transcendence is shown to be generally associated with positive outcomes, this dissertation takes a specific focus, aiming to empirically investigate whether these positive consequences of self-transcendence extend to organizational settings to positively impact organizationally-desired outcomes. Specifically, the study seeks to investigate the relationship between employees’ wisdom as self-transcendence and their adaptive performance. Given …

Crystalline Colloidal Arrays: Exploring Light-Matter Interactions, Haley W. Jones

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Understanding and manipulating quantum light-matter interactions, especially in the context of nanostructured environments, is highly critical for technological progress and inventive solutions in the fields of telecommunications, energy-efficient lighting, and cutting-edge quantum computing technologies. The fundamental interactions of photons with a surrounding environment directly impact the performance and efficiency of devices such as lasers, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and quantum computing elements, which leverage the unique properties of confined structured environments. Since the late 1980s, the connection between a structured environment and the decay kinetics of an embedded fluorophore has been a highly debated and unresolved topic in the literature. More …

Identifying Temporomandibular Disorder Morphological Risk Factors Via Explainable Deep Learning And Multiscale Biomechanical Modeling, Shuchun Sun

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Clarifying multifactorial musculoskeletal disorder etiologies supports risk analysis and development of targeted prevention and treatment modalities. Deep learning enables comprehensive risk factor identification through systematic analysis of disease datasets but does not provide sufficient context for mechanistic understanding, limiting clinical applicability for etiological investigations. Conversely, multiscale biomechanical modeling can evaluate mechanistic etiology within the relevant biomechanical and physiological context. We propose a hybrid approach combining 3D explainable deep learning and multiscale biomechanical modeling; we applied this approach to investigate temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder etiology by systematically identifying risk factors and elucidating mechanistic relationships between risk factors and TMJ biomechanics and …

Models Of Functional Redundancy In Ecological Communities, Sandra Annie Tsiorintsoa

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Functional redundancy is the number of taxa that perform a given function within a given community. In most systems, high levels of functional redundancy are important, because they contribute to ecosystem stability. However, we currently have very little understanding of why functional redundancy varies among communities. One possible factor that could affect functional redundancy is environmental complexity. Many studies show that simplified ecosystems harbor communities with lower taxon diversity. What is less clear is if this simplicity and lower taxon diversity also affects functional redundancy. To answer this question, we use metacommunity models to explore the connection between environmental complexity …

Equipping Educational Leaders To Lead Data Democracies: A Case Study, Diane Sigmon

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Educational policy, technology, and data now converge to establish a new educational leadership concept, data democracies. The movement away from a few technically skilled staff as gatekeepers of all things data is quickly accelerating. The emergence of data democracies represents a significant paradigm shift in education, necessitating a corresponding response from educational leaders and their training systems. Leaders must possess high data literacy to effectively interact with data and derive meaningful insights. Additionally, systemic changes are required to foster a cultural shift towards viewing data as a tool for growth rather than punishment. However, the existing body of research in …

Design, Fabrication, And Characterization Of Advanced High-Power Single-Mode 9xxnm Semiconductor Lasers, Xiaolei Zhao

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This thesis presents the comprehensive design, fabrication, and demonstration of advanced high-power, high-efficiency single-mode semiconductor lasers operating at a wavelength of 9xxnm. We begin with the design of the laser epitaxial structure, serving as the cornerstone for achieving high-power high-efficiency lasers. Our methodology integrates a semi-analytical calculation model, which accounts for Longitudinal Spatial Hole Burning (LSHB) and Two-Photon Absorption (TPA) effects, facilitating a thorough exploration of how design parameters influence output power and conversion efficiency. This approach offers an effective and time-efficient epitaxial structure optimization strategy compared to conventional full 3D simulation models.

Subsequently, we demonstrate high-power, high-efficiency ridge waveguide …

Novel Nucleus Pulposus Biomaterial Development And Low Field Mri Assessment For Intervertebral Disc Degeneration, Mario Krussig

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Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a prominent pathology in the modern world that causes debilitating pain for many patients. The onset of IVDD occurs in the nucleus pulposus (NP). NP biomaterials will play a vital role in mitigating the progression of IVDD. Within this work, we sought to synthesize a solubilized extracellular matrix (ECM)-based NP biomaterial. Utilizing pepsin or urea extraction, bovine NP ECM was successfully solubilized (SBNPs). SBNP formulations were characterized biochemically, evaluated for cytotoxicity, and down-selected for front-running formulations. Leading candidate SBNPs were incorporated into an alginate bead biomaterial model to determine the potential bioactivity with human adipose-derived …

Optimizing Laying Hen Behavior, Bone Health, And Welfare Through Environmental And Nutritional Enrichments, Mallory Anderson

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The objective of this dissertation was to evaluate the impact of environmental and nutritional enrichments on the behavior, bone health, and welfare of Hy-line brown and Hy-line W-36 laying hens. Laying hens are prone to experiencing a progressive increase in bone fragility due to the ongoing mobilization of calcium from the bones for eggshell formation. Over time, this increases their susceptibility for bone fracture, which is a welfare concern. Prior research suggests that exercise, especially during the developmental stage, can aid in minimizing bone fractures by strengthening muscles and increasing bone mass. Furthermore, nutrition plays an integral role in laying …

Development And Application Of Discrete Element Models For Granular Materials - From Rigid Spheres To Complex-Shaped Flexible Particles With Breakage, Zakia Tasnim

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Granular materials, which can range from nanometers to centimeters, are widely encountered as particles or powders in nature and in engineered systems. Some examples of granular materials include sands, gravels, biomass feedstocks, rice grains, pharmaceutical pills, glass beads, and lunar or martian regolith simulants. The attributes of and the interactions between constituent particles dictate the bulk mechanical properties and behavior of granular materials. The discrete element method (DEM), a particle-based modeling technique, has become a useful numerical tool for modeling the bulk behavior (such as mechanical, flow, and breakage behavior) of granular materials, where interactions between the granular materials' individual …

Process-Structure-Property-Performance Modeling For Semicrystalline Thermoplastics And Composites, Tatiana Stepanova

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With a growing focus on reducing the adverse effects of transportation on the environment, industries are seeking fuel-efficient and sustainable solutions. Fuel efficiency can be improved in several ways, but structural lightweighting has demonstrated overall effectiveness. In this regard, thermoplastic composites and additive manufacturing (AM) thermoplastics have become viable candidates for use in the automotive industry, given the need for weight reduction and efficiency improvement.

The advantages of AM include simplifying supply chains, simplifying part geometry, and enabling mass customization. In order to design high-performance AM structures, extensive modeling and simulation are required. AM thermoplastics are similar to conventional manufacturing …

Engineering Multifunctional Silicon Nanostructures From Biorenewable Cellulose Nanocrystals, Nancy Chen

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The imperative search for alternative materials to address the pressing demand for advance energy storage is underscored by the escalating environmental predicaments. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with graphite anodes have become the benchmark in energy storage; however, they are approaching a saturation point in terms of energy density. Silicon emerges as a promising contender to supplant graphite, owing to its profuse availability, cost-effectiveness, and impressive specific capacity of 4200 mAh g^-1. By integrating silicon anodes, LIBs stand to undergo a radical transformation, markedly diminishing in weight and size, thus heralding a novel wave of compact, lightweight energy storage systems. …

The Impact Of Mixed-Reality Simulation On The Knowledge And Practice Of Collaboration Skills Of Preservice Special Education Teachers, Samantha Scott

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Collaboration is an essential skill for a special education teacher's (SETs) success in developing individualized education programs (IEPs) to ensure that students with disabilities have access to equal educational opportunities. Collaboration occurs when members of an inclusive learning community work together as equals to meet a student’s individual needs. Unfortunately, preservice SETs are often provided with little instruction during their coursework and are not given the opportunity to attend IEP meetings in field placements. Many teacher education programs provide only a select number of opportunities for preservice SETs to practice and apply collaboration skills, leaving teacher candidates feeling underprepared to …

The Influence Of Feed Additives On Laying Hen Health, Welfare, And Egg Quality, Alexa Johnson

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Natural feed additives like oregano essential oil and synbiotic (prebiotic and probiotic) are options with great potential for increasing the health and welfare of laying hens. The first two studies explored the effects of dietary oregano essential oil (EOO) on performance, gastrointestinal traits (GIT), blood lipids, antioxidant capacity, and egg quality in laying hens from 0 to 40 weeks of age. The third study was conducted to examine dietary EOO on layers on the shelf life and fatty acid profile of eggs. The final study aimed to examine the effects of a dietary synbiotic on agonistic behavior, plasma and brain …

A Manufacturing-To-Response Pathway For Manufacturing Optimization Of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite Structures, Madhura Limaye

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Over the past decade, there has been an increased adoption of thermoplastic and thermoset based continuous carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites for structural applications in several industries. Among the different manufacturing methods, thermoforming process for thermoplastic based continuous CFRP’s offer a major advantage in reducing cycle times for large scale productions. Similarly, out-of-autoclave curing process for thermoset based continuous CFRP’s using heated tooling enables production of large composite structures. However, these manufacturing processes can have a significant impact on the structural performance of parts by inducing undesirable effects. These effects include inhomogeneous fiber orientations, thickness variations, and residual stresses …

Selected Topics On Sequential Designs For Decision Making, Caroline Kerfonta

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This dissertation is comprised of three parts. The first proposes a sequential approach to determine the experimental setting with the minimum variance (Kerfonta et al., 2024). Two acquisition functions are developed to assist developing the approach. Theoretical results along with a case study using data from crystallization experiments is conducted to show the ability of the proposed method to correctly select the experiment with the minimum variance. The second and third parts propose adaptations to the Bayesian optimization algorithm using transformed additive Gaussian processes (TAG) as the surrogate model. The goal of using the TAG framework is to decompose the …

Leaders In Science Education Communities, Jennifer Bateman

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This three paper dissertation investigates the role of the District Science Coordinator (DSC). Due to the lack of research, District Science Coordinators (DSCs) are frequently misidentified as Science Teacher Leaders (STLs). It is important to establish a clear distinction between the roles. This first paper explores the salient similarities and differences between STLs and DSCs, while also attending to their individual roles, responsibilities, and professional support.

This second paper examines how a synchronous, online professional learning (PL) experience resulted in the creation of a community of practice (CoP) among two different groups of participating district science coordinators (DSCs) and how …

Efficient Fully Bayesian Approaches To Brain Activity Mapping With Complex-Valued Fmri Data: Analysis Of Real And Imaginary Components In A Cartesian Model And Extension To Magnitude And Phase In A Polar Model, Zhengxin Wang

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Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) plays a crucial role in neuroimaging, enabling the exploration of brain activity through complex-valued signals. Traditional fMRI analyses have largely focused on magnitude information, often overlooking the potential insights offered by phase data, and therefore, lead to underutilization of available data and flawed statistical assumptions. This dissertation proposes two efficient, fully Bayesian approaches for the analysis of complex-valued functional magnetic resonance imaging (cv-fMRI) time series.

Chapter 2 introduces the model, referred to as CV-sSGLMM, using the real and imaginary components of cv-fMRI data and sparse spatial generalized linear mixed model prior. This model extends the …

Oscillations Of Capillary Surfaces With Volume And Edge Effects, Dingqian Ding

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Capillary surfaces are defined by an interface endowed with surface tension that is partially supported by a solid substrate and are susceptible to oscillations reflecting a balance between fluid inertia and the restorative force of surface tension. The wave dynamics strongly depend upon volume change within the domain and edge effects through the boundary conditions applied at the contact-line formed at the liquid-gas-solid interface, while the spatial wave structure conforms to the geometry of the capillary surface. This dissertation develops mathematical models to address these effects for several canonical capillary surfaces, which are organized into two parts that are focused …

Understanding The Experiences Of Para-Collegiate Student- Athletes: A Mixed Methods Study, Derek Whaley

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Experiences are the impressions developed through gaining, using, fostering, and sometimes disposing of a service or product. Recent years have shown an ongoing emphasis placed on experiences and their impacts; one of particular interest for this study are the experiences of para-collegiate student-athletes. Using the Experience Type Framework (ETF) and the Extraordinary Impact Scale (EIS), the purpose of this study was to understand the experience of involvement in intercollegiate sports among adaptive student-athletes. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design, using quantitative and qualitative data to understand the adaptive student-athlete experience. Phase I (n = 30) used the …

Restoring Student Behavior: A Culturally Responsive Evaluation Of Restorative Practices On Disproportionate Referral Data, Meredith Strmac

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Male students of color often receive harsher disciplinary consequences than their same age White peers. Disproportionate discipline practices have existed within the education system for years, primarily due to a historical systemic issue of implicit bias due to race. One intervention used to quell some of these disparities is Restorative Practices. This program evaluation study used Restorative Practices as an intervention to determine the extent that it could close the discipline gap in one South Carolina high school. Using a concurrent nested mixed method design, I analyzed and synthesized historical agency data to answer the first research question regarding the …

Structure-Property Relationship Studies Of Electrically Conductive Metal-Organic Framework Materials, Shiyu Zhang

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Electrically conductive metal-organic frameworks (EC-MOFs) are among the most promising materials due to their tunable structures, properties, and diverse functions. However, the lack of comprehensive understanding of their structure-property relationship hinders the development of EC-MOFs. My dissertation focuses on the design, construction, and structure-property relationship studies of EC-MOFs.

Chapter 1 describes how MOFs' structural features and compositions affect the electronic properties and demonstrates conductive mechanisms and the corresponding design strategies to develop EC-MOFs.

Chapter 2 describes the synthesis, characterization, electronic and optical properties of four novel alkali-metal-based (Na, K, Rb, and Cs) 3D-MOFs with continuous tetrathiafulvalene tetracarboxylate (TTFTC) π-stacks, systematicly …

Robust And Trustworthy Deep Learning: Attacks, Defenses And Designs, Bingyin Zhao

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Deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved unprecedented success in many fields. However, robustness and trustworthiness have become emerging concerns since DNNs are vulnerable to various attacks and susceptible to data distributional shifts. Attacks such as data poisoning and out-of-distribution scenarios such as natural corruption significantly undermine the performance and robustness of DNNs in model training and inference and impose uncertainty and insecurity on the deployment in real-world applications. Thus, it is crucial to investigate threats and challenges against deep neural networks, develop corresponding countermeasures, and dig into design tactics to secure their safety and reliability. The works investigated in this …

Structure And Dynamics Of Complex Fluids Formed By Ionomers: Experimental-Computational Insight, Chathurika Kosgallana

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The current study focuses on understanding the effect of clustering on the structure, dynamics, and response of ionomers in melts and solutions using neutron scattering methods combined with atomistic large-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations.

Ionizable polymers are used in a wide range of applications, such as in clean energy and biotechnology, where ion transport is integral to the application. Ionizable groups drive cluster formation and often become the dominating force in determining the structure and dynamics of these polymers.

The work consists of five studies. The first study probes the structure of sulfonated polystyrene in toluene solutions tweaked by the …

Experimental Analyses Of Emission Lines In The Uv/Vis/Nir Range For Astrophysically-Important Elements: From The Iron Group To R-Process Elements, Brynna Neff

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Analysis of astrophysical phenomena requires an understanding of the electronic

structure and transition probabilities of the elements present in that environment,

yet there are still many charge states of heavy elements whose electronic

structures and spectroscopic properties are not yet well understood. To address this,

we investigated the spectroscopic properties of three different elements through an

analysis of spectra collected from three different experimental apparatuses.

In order to better understand the spectroscopic properties of Ni I and II, we

analyzed spectra collected from the Compact Toroidal Hybrid (CTH) apparatus at

Auburn University. In this experiment, a nickel sample was inserted …

Connecting Genotype And Phenotype: Investigating The Functional Morphology And Molecular Architecture That Influences Craniofacial Divergence Using Lake Malawi Cichlid Fishes, Leah Delorenzo

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Connecting genotype and phenotype to better understand how species evolve has been a goal of evolutionary developmental biologists over the last 50 years. This dissertation aims to connect genotype and phenotype of the craniofacial skeleton within the adaptive radiation of Lake Malawi cichlids to fortify our understanding of the functional, genetic, and epigenetic factors that contribute to craniofacial divergence. I start with a functional approach using 2D geometric morphometrics to assess craniofacial shape across the Lake Malawi cichlid radiation to bolster our knowledge of the bone phenotypes that are important to niche specialization and are functionally relevant. Next, I use …

Domain Decomposition Methods For Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems Involving Elastic, Porous, Or Poroelastic Structures, Hemanta Kunwar

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We introduce two global-in-time domain decomposition methods, namely the Steklov-Poincare method and Schwarz waveform relaxation (SWR) method using Robin transmission conditions (or the Robin method), for solving fluid-structure interaction systems involving elastic, porous, or poroelastic structure. These methods allow us to formulate the coupled system as a space-time interface problem and apply iterative algorithms directly to the evolutionary problem. Each time-dependent fluid and the structure subdomain problem is solved independently, which enables the use of different time discretization schemes and time step sizes in the subsystems. This leads to an efficient way of simulating time-dependent multiphysics phenomena. For the fluid-porous …