Digital Commons Network^™

Numerical Modeling Of Damper Configuration And Arrangements For Analysing Thermal Stratification In Modular Air Handling Units, Rohit Antony Raymonds

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Although air handling units are well established and maturated there are opportunities to optimize and improve the overall thermal and flow performance to reduce the carbon footprint of an air-cooled data center. Airside economization (ASE) arrangement to use cold outdoor air to minimize mechanical cooling energy was substantial progress in minimizing the power usage effectiveness (PUE) for data centers. ASE is an arrangement of ducts and dampers with the necessary controls to meet the cooling requirements. Dampers play a significant role in regulating the mass flow rate of the air and in mixing the two air streams: cold outdoor air, …

Effects Of Metal Organic Frameworks In Polyether Block Amide Elastomer, Joe Alex

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are highly porous materials that find extensive applications in gas absorption and separation in recent years. These hybrid materials can be designed with specific pore sizes and voids to selectively filter gases. PEBAX (MV 1074) is a commercially available polyether block amide copolymer generally used in gas separation applications. In this study, we characterize two different MOFs by means of a dispersion study and create a medium for them to be evenly dispersed into the aforementioned copolymer matrix. Polymer composite fibers are extruded using a twin-screw extruder and a winding unit at pre-determined parameters for winding speed …

Impact Of Immersion Cooling On Thermo-Mechanical Properties Of Non-Halogenated Core, Mohan Sai Ramalingam

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses - Archive

The rise in demand for modern high-power systems, which require fast processing and frequent data storage, has resulted in an exceptional and unprecedented increase in power density and heat generation within data centers. This eventually led to the need for advanced cooling techniques that can address the challenges of managing the heat produced by the data centers. As per Moore's law and Dennard's scaling, the power densities of chips and the heat flux generated by servers are continuously increasing. [1] As a result, the dissipation of heat at the chip level has also increased, posing a significant challenge for thermal …

Investigating The Impact Of International Education On Cultural Understanding, Health Disparities And Collaboration Through Project-Based Learning, Breanna Kilgore

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Global health is an interdisciplinary field emphasizing international health issues, causes, and solutions based on cultural and global understanding. We have all witnessed how crucial global health is with the global COVID-19 crisis that has affected everyone. To effectively work to solve global health issues, people from different backgrounds must work together to complete a common goal. Before problem solving begins, gaining a basic understanding of cultural differences and collaborating with different people is an essential skill to have. Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of study abroad experiences and international service-learning opportunities in promoting collaborations, cultural competency and personal …

Optimizing Three-Dimensional Bioengineered Co-Cultures For The Study Of Fibrotic Spinal Cord Injury, Sarah Aly

Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) have major physical implications on those affected^[1]. There are two main types of scarring that occur after injury; they are known as the glial and fibrotic scar. The injured site causes an altered micro-environment which transforms astrocytes from their normal to reactive state, thus inhibiting axonal regeneration. The effect of reactive astrocytes on fibrotic scarring is not fully understood due to limited study^[2,3]. Using Three-Dimensional (3D) bioengineered co-cultures of astrocytes and neuroblasts the pathological environment can be replicated and manipulated to further the study of fibrotic scarring. Temperature casted co-cultures were successfully …

Study Of Alloy Effect On Electromigration In Sn Solder Alloys, Geng Ni

Material Science and Engineering Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation presents experimental results about the alloy effect on the Electromigration (EM) of Sn in Sn-based binary and ternary alloys. By using cross-stripe configuration, the alloy effect on EM of Sn can be characterized from marker polarity, and the migration of alloy element under EM can be measured from marker front motion. In the dissertation, the mechanism of alloy effect on EM of Sn, “Two-Phase equilibrium”, will be introduced. Electromigration is a phenomenon where metallic atoms are migrated at the direction of electron flow under high current density. In response to the demands for greater speed and smaller size, …

Effect Of Financial Factors On The Postsecondary Participation And Choice For First-Generation Students, Deanna L. Pickney

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

As first-generation students make the decision to pursue postsecondary education and choose a specific college, they are currently met with the reality of rising tuition costs and a student loan debt crisis. First-generation students come often from low socio-economic backgrounds and their comprehension of the higher education financial system can vary significantly. This quantitative study uses data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 to examine the financial factors that contribute to first-generation students’ postsecondary education participation and choice by age 22. The guiding theoretical framework is Bourdieu's theory of capital that supports the notion that acquisition of college …

Postsecondary Participation And College Choice For Students With Disabilities: Does High School Matter?, Dana J. Kermanian

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Students with disabilities (SWDs) face unique challenges when it comes to the transition from high school to college. There is a lack of research regarding the effectiveness of college preparation for SWDs during their high school years. This quantitative dissertation explored the role of high school-built academic and social capital and other high school specific factors in increasing the likelihood of postsecondary participation and choice of a 4-year college. Bourdieu’s (1986) sociological theory of forms of capital provided the theoretical framework for the study. The study employed the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09; National Center for Education Statistics, …

Analyze The Effect Of Urbanization And Development Over The Flow Regime And River Channel Hydraulics Of The Big Bear Creek Channel, Machiraju Pakasasana Kashyap

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

This thesis focuses on investigating the influence of urbanization and development on flow regime and river channel hydraulics in the Bear Creek watershed, Texas using a comprehensive set of hydrologic and 1D/2D coupled hydraulic model. The Bear Creek watershed, located in North Texas, has experienced rapid urbanization and land development in recent years, raising concerns about the potential impacts on hydrological processes and the hydraulic behavior of the river system. To address these concerns, this research utilizes an integrated modeling approach, combining the HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS software tools, to assess changes in flow rates and simulate their effects on river …

Performance Of Percussion Driven Earth Anchors For Riverbank Slope Stabilization: Comprehensive Laboratory And Field Studies, Natnael Tilahun Asfaw

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

ABSTRACT: The unpredictability of the stability of embankment slopes is a recurring problem that threatens the safety of the traveling public, as it compromises the integrity of the structures built on them. Slopes that undergo seasonal variations of stream flow are of particular concern, as they are usually located under a bridge structure that spans a stream, and the meandering of the stream flow, the seasonal variations of the flow depth, and the velocity in the channel induce scouring and increase the risk of the bridge failing. Departments of transportation have long attempted to address these concerns by designing systems …

Optimization Of Primary Chemical Feed Rates And Application Points At An Existing Potable Water Treatment Plant, Brently Keith Jordan

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Due to a major upset in the treatment processes for the Dallas County Park Cities Municipal Utility District caused by a required change in treatment techniques, an optimization study was conducted to find the best treatment strategies for the primary coagulation, flocculation, and settled processes for the treatment plant. A methodology for determining how to optimize jar testing while injecting both ferric sulfate and calcium hydroxide in an almost simultaneous manner was developed, and a large number of jar tests were conducted to determine both the best dosages and the best application points of the two chemicals. As a result …

Factors Affecting The Success And Persistence Of Pre-Nursing Students, Leslie Ann Jennings

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

This article-based dissertation consists of two manuscripts related to factors affecting the success and persistence of pre-nursing students. The first manuscript was a matched cohort study that compared selected academic variables between two groups of pre-nursing students admitted to a pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing program via two different routes. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in academic performance between these two groups of students in the first semester of a formal nursing program. Analyses of the data revealed a difference in semester grade point average (GPA), but no significant differences in the RN Fundamentals …

Multidisciplinary Teamwork Perceptions When Mobilizing Ventilated Neurosurgery Patients, Adrianna Vinar

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

This two-manuscript dissertation focuses on mobilization in ventilated neurosurgery patients along with the nursing and multidisciplinary perceptions associated with this patient care task. The first manuscript consists of a published comprehensive literature review based on 20 published articles from the years 2010-2020. This review provides background information on the topic of mobility, nursing and provider perceptions, and teamwork for vulnerable critically ill populations including neurosurgery patients on mechanical ventilation. The evident gaps in knowledge based upon these findings and premise for the second article will also be discussed. The second manuscript submitted for publication focuses on a quasi-experimental pilot study …

Combining Chiral Chromatographic Stationary Phases And N-Derivatization Strategies For The Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis Of D-Amino Acids, D-Amino Acid Containing Peptides And D-Amino Acid Related Secondary Metabolites Using Liquid Chromatography, Sam Sung

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations - Archive

Amino acids are essential building blocks in all life on Earth. It was first mistakenly believed that only L-amino acids were of biological relevance in higher organisms, and D-amino acids were laboratory artifacts or biologically irrelevant. It is well accepted today that various D-amino acids exist in different organisms, including humans, and some even play critical roles in biological pathways and processes. In addition, aberrant levels of certain D-amino acids have been reported in patients with varying diseases. It has been proposed that the aberrant variations in the levels of D-amino acids in biological fluids may serve as biomarkers for …

Analysis Of Isotopic Isomers By Gas Chromatography And Molecular Rotational Resonance Spectroscopy And Enantioselective Method Development By Liquid Chromatography, Saba Aslani

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation focuses on developing improved methods and a better understanding of gas and liquid chromatographic separation of isotopic isomers and enantiomers. The second and third chapters of this thesis discuss analytical determination of isotopic isomers using gas chromatography. Deuterated compounds have found applications in many fields. They are used in drug discovery due to increased stability and bioavailability and reduced toxicity of the deuterated drug molecules. Also, deuterated compounds are used to investigate reaction mechanisms and rate determining steps. One of the methods of synthesizing deuterated compounds is starting from lower molecular weight deuterated building blocks. Therefore, analysis and …

Epimeric Peptides In Alzheimer’S Disease: Implications For Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry And Immunotherapies, Elizabeth Readel

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations - Archive

Evidence has shown that the extracellular deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide is a contributing factor of Alzheimer’s disease. Further, modifications to Aβ peptides may enhance the deposition of Aβ plaques and/or contribute to the neurodegeneration in AD patients. These aberrations include the isomerization and epimerization of L-Asp and D-Ser residues to form D-Asp, L/D-iso-Asp, and D-Ser residues, respectively. Therefore, considerable effort has been expended to create effective methods to distinguish such aberrant Aβ peptides from wild type. A useful technique to extract aberrant Aβ peptides in AD patients is by immunotherapies, or antibodies. A few immunotherapies are thought to provide …

Investigation Of The Evolution And Structural Basis Of Caspases: Insights Into Conformational Dynamics, Stability And Allostery, Isha Joglekar

Biology Dissertations - Archive

Caspases, a class of cysteinyl proteases, are well known for their roles in apoptosis or programmed cell death. However, at lower levels of activation in the body, they also play other non-apoptotic roles in cell proliferation, cell differentiation, neuronal development, cell migration and motility, and embryonic development, all of which are poorly understood. Caspases provide an excellent model to study protein evolution since, they evolved from a common ancestral state into two subfamilies having different oligomeric properties: initiators, which exist as monomers, and effectors, which exist as dimers, under physiological conditions in a cell. However, the evolutionary basis for the …

Invoking La Llorona: Abjection As A Site Of Power In Jovita González, Cherrie Moraga, And Jayro Bustamante, Samantha Donoso

English Theses - Archive

This thesis seeks to analyze how La Llorona’s abjection allows her and those who call on her to exist as specters, haunting the space of their personal, cultural, or historical trauma to make sense of their abuses and gain power to combat the oppressive structures that allowed for abuse to occur. I include both Historical and Literary contexts to locate La Llorona as a transcultural and hemispheric conduit that provides a space for the feminine collective to find the familiar in the grotesque and carve out a space for themselves in a society that would otherwise force them into silence. …

Hippie House, Jim Waters

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Detours Of Intention, Tom Montgomery Fate

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Seeking By Bicycle, Mardelle Fortier

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Creative Mind, Richard Gallegos

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Cod's Creative Writing Certificate

The Prairie Light Review

No abstract provided.

Discipling College Students Through Scripture Engagement: A Philosophy Of Ministry, Keegan Matheson

Christian Ministries Senior Capstone

Within the Church today, there is a concerning lack of Bible prioritization. College students are also leaving the Church and saying farewell to the Christian faith at an unprecedented rate. Discipleship with college students has become something that is sadly overlooked. Therefore, this paper presents a philosophy for Instill Ministries which is a college ministry that strives to disciple college students through Scripture Engagement. The goal of this paper is to provide a ministry paradigm that helps local churches in college towns to intentionally disciple the students in the area. This paper describes the theological and anthropological premises that will …

Integrating Artificial Intelligence Into Creativity Education: Developing A Creative Problem-Solving Course For Higher Education, Selma Dawani

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project aims to develop an introductory college course that integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the Creative Problem Solving (CPS) process. Drawing on best practices for teaching CPS and the latest research of AI, the project outcomes are prototypes of a Master Course Development Document, Student Syllabus, and Lesson Plan with accompanying PowerPoint slides. The course will equip students with the knowledge and skills to apply AI techniques to the CPS process. This project aims to begin to bridge the gap between AI and CPS education, preparing students for the demands of the modern workforce while fostering interdisciplinary thinking.

Smells Like Team Spirit: How To Foster Psychological Safety And Enhance Team Creativity, Shannon S. Burrows

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Creativity is one of the most sought-after skills of the 21^st century, yet team members may be reticent to contribute to creative problem-solving out of fear of ridicule, retribution, or because of rigid hierarchical team structures. However, psychological safety is the underpinning of creativity; without it a culture of silence prevails, mistakes go unreported, and team creativity languishes. But how do leaders cultivate psychological safety in their teams? This project seeks to answer that question. Although the term “psychological safety” has become common in the corporate lexicon, misconceptions abound. Through the creation of a short, animated video, this project …

The Utility Of Deep Divergence In Applied Creativity, Kevin Molesworth

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

If applied creativity seeks the generation of novel and useful ideas for a real-world goal, wish, or challenge, then my concept of theoretical creativity can best be described as the generation of ideas that are novel and not yet useful. I assert that the employment of deep divergence is the best tool for producing ideas within a theoretical creativity framework. Deep divergence is defined as divergent thinking to its most extreme levels, far beyond what is probable, beyond what is possible, and into an unplumbed realm of what is currently impossible and unknowable. However, for this project, my aim was …

Project Cps: Curriculum Content + Creative Problem Solving = Successful Integration, Kathleen C. Frazier

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The goal of my master’s project is to empower teachers to unlock the Creative Problem Solving potential in their students and open the door to a world of possibilities by providing strategies, resources, and support to integrate CPS into their teaching practice.

To achieve this, I have designed a book that presents an original and engaging

imaginative characters to foster an immersive and interactive learning experience that will capture the imagination of both students and teachers.

Meet the Spirit of Creativity, represented as E. Paul Torrance, along with four Creative Problem Solving Characters who will guide teachers and students through …

The Ethical And Validity Conundrum In Epilepsy Research In Lmic Settings, Pauline Samia, Adeel Shah, Archana Patel, Philip Olielo, Lionel Mudave, Samson Gwer

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

In the last few decades, research in epilepsy has significantly improved understanding of risk factors and etiologies associated with epilepsy, promoting greater access to interventions and medications that have improved health-related outcomes for patients. However, these advances and benefits are not being felt evenly on a global scale due to significant inequalities in access to and utilization of research resources and expertise in Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

To promote effective research output, and advance evidence-based practices; the context, disease burden, and challenges that hinder good research need to be re-defined and addressed. This is key in facilitating implementation of coherent …

Applying The Student-Athlete Success Wheel: Examining The Academic And Social Experiences Of Intercollegiate Student-Athletes, Noah Roerig

Honors Capstone Projects

The present study investigated how different elements of the Student-Athlete Success Wheel play a role in helping intercollegiate athletes at a Midwestern Division I university to be successful in both their roles: student and athlete. Student-athlete participants (n=63) were asked to rate the influence of the 10 ‘spokes’ of the Student-Athlete Success Wheel on their daily lives. Additionally, respondents provided qualitative feedback about the most beneficial aspect of the Student-Athlete Success Wheel and made suggestions on how to improve the student-athlete experience. After analyzing the data, the results indicated that the three elements most valuable to student-athletes were motivation, relationship …