Digital Commons Network^™

Consumer Reaction To The Use Of Artificial Intelligence Chatbot On Distribution Of General Insurance In Singapore, Lai Hing Tan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As technology rapidly permeates all aspects of our lives, it is not unusual to question and even challenge the rationale on why certain industries are slower to adapt to the new digital age. Insurance is a business that is under scrutiny given its traditional ways of selling and legacy challenges. Why is technology investment in insurance companies lagging others? One emerging technological disruption is artificial intelligence (AI). It is the science of designing and building intelligent systems that can complete tasks traditionally performed by humans. AI is expected to fundamentally transform today’s marketplace, for businesses and consumers alike. However, because …

Directed Trusts And The Conflict Of Laws, Jeffrey Schoenblum

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

Directed trusts are an extremely important development in trust law, indeed truly transformative, because they challenge what was presumed to be the "irreducible core" of the trust.' That is, the trustee owes certain nonwaivable fiduciary obligations to the beneficiaries with regard to the management of the trust estate and also with respect to distributions.

The directed trust in its radical format, as found to a greater or lesser degree in Tennessee, Nevada, South Dakota, and Delaware, represents a fundamental assault on this irreducible core of trust law because, with respect to investments and distributions, new actors, known as trust advisers …

Markov Chain Analysis Comparison, Thomas Robert Prouty

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

This Honors Capstone was proposed as a method to develop a greater understanding of modern model-checking tools. To do this the student chose to analyze and compare the results of the tools Prism, Storm, and Stamina. To evaluate the effectiveness of each tool, comparisons were made of the results for running each tool on a simplified communication network.

The simplified communication network model used was a CTMC (Continuous-Time Markov Chain) model that employed correct signal transitions and erroneous bit flipping transitions. This was done in an effort to simulate possible errors and faults that can occur between a provider and …

Imposter Syndrome [Poster], Tristan Snell

Graduation with Distinction Posters

Shows how peer mentors can help other students deal with feeling like an imposter in higher education.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, March 2023, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Investigating Effect Of Seed Source And Developing Germination Protocols To Improve Success In Restoration Of Arkansas Tallgrass Prairies, Rhiannon Spencerosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

American tallgrass prairie has faced losses estimated at 87-98% of original land area since European settlement. Native seeds are often used to supplement struggling or extinct plant populations in tallgrass prairie restoration and establishment sites. Two main considerations in restoration and establishment are from where to source seed and how to obtain high germination rates. In order to determine the effect of seed source, a common garden experiment was performed in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2022 with five prairie species: Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem), Bouteloua curtipendula (sideoats grama), Panicum virgatum (switchgrass), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), and Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass). Seed was …

Health-Oriented Nonprofit Organizations: The Influence Of Framing And Altruism On Intention To Donate, Abbey Dilatush

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the influence of framing and altruism on individuals' intentions to donate to a health-oriented nonprofit organization. One hundred ninety-three participants were recruited from social media to complete an experiment online. Participants reviewed fundraising messages using either a statistical frame or a narrative frame. Following the presentation of a fundraising message participants completed close-ended self-report scales to evaluate their perceptions of the ad, their intentions to donate, and their personal altruism. Results demonstrated there was a correlation between intention to donate and ad evaluation. Next, there was no relationship between altruism and intention to donate and neither frame …

The Origins And Development Of The Cuban Danzas For The Piano In The Works Of Manuel Saumell, Ignacio Cervantes, Ernesto Lecuona And Gisela Hernandez, Yanet Bermudez Ortiz

Dissertations, 2020-current

This document aims to trace the evolution of the Cuban danza for the piano as seen in the works by Manuel Saumell, Ignacio Cervantes, Ernesto Lecuona, and Gisela Hernandez. The first chapter describes the history and origins of the Cuban danza, ending with Ignacio Cervantes’ compositions. In the following chapters, these composers’ lives and works are contrasted and analyzed in chronological order. Chapter two is dedicated to Manuel Saumell’s compositions, which are framed as the best representative examples of the roots of the Cuban danzas for the piano. Chapter three is centered on Ignacio Cervantes’ compositions and is analyzed …

No More Empty Stadiums: A Meta Analysis Of Mega Sporting Events And Their Economic Impact, Tayte O. Gleason

Honors Thesis

Mega sporting events have faced increased scrutiny in recent decades for their negative economic impacts, externalities, and environmental effects. As multimillion dollar stadiums lay abandoned and future host city bids are withdrawn as public opinion on mega sporting events worsens with time, economists, governing bodies, and sports fans worry about the future locations of these massive sports festivals. In my thesis, I will conduct a meta analysis of articles measuring the various impacts and effects of hosting a mega sporting event. I will begin by performing an extensive literature review of the various factors contributing to a mega sporting event’s …

Childhood Obesity In The United States, Emma Stohl

Ballard Brief

Childhood obesity has been a problem in the United States for decades. The rate of childhood obesity has tripled since the 1970s. As of 2023, 1 in 5 children in the US are obese, with this number rising yearly. Childhood obesity is exacerbated by the lifestyle of children, where their attention is consumed by technology use at the expense of consuming nutritious foods and participating in physical activities. The lack of physical education in schools influences children’s health education and is partly responsible for childhood obesity. Genetics also play a role in childhood obesity depending on the characteristics of a …

Impacts Of Climate Change In The United States, Nathan Thompson

Ballard Brief

While every country both contributes to and feels the effects of climate change, the United States' heavy influence and high rates of contribution make this problem even more acute domestically. Climate change is primarily driven by human emission of greenhouse gases through the burning of fossil fuels and from mass-scale agriculture. Because climate change can be a polarizing issue, passing legislation to slow the harmful contributing factors has proven difficult. The effects of climate change have worsened in the past few decades, with increased instances of wildfires and extreme shifts in weather patterns. These negative consequences disproportionately affect vulnerable people …

Examining The Acculturation, Acculturative Stress, And Ethnic Identity Of Venezuelan Immigrants, Sabrina Estefany Cuauro Cuauro

Modern Languages & Literatures Honors Theses

The number of Venezuelan immigrants living in the U.S. reached 545,000 in 2021, with Venezuelans becoming one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the U.S. Many Venezuelan immigrants have been driven to leave their country due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, economic collapse, and political instability. This study explores the experiences of Venezuelan immigrants living in the U.S. Data from an online survey and semi-structured interviews was collected from 113 Venezuelan immigrants. The quantitative data was analyzed using systematic methods while the qualitative data was analyzed by identifying key themes and providing sample quotes. Participants were recruited through various …

The Underreporting And Dismissal Of Sexual Assault Cases Against Women In The United States, Jacey Passmore

Ballard Brief

Sexual assault is a highly prevalent yet rarely addressed issue within the United States. It is considered the most underreported and dismissed crime. There are a plethora of variables contributing to the underreporting and dismissal of sexual assault cases. The most prevalent factor appears to be the various understandings of sexual assault. The United States has no standard definition of rape or consent due to rape myths, victim blaming, disproportionately high perceptions of baseless allegations, and high-profile cases that are unrepresentative of the more common details of sexual assault. Other major contributing factors include knowing the perpetrator, victims’ pre-existing and …

Ms 33. De Beer/De Boer Family Collection, 1849 - 2000. 7.2 L Linear Ft., Archives

Manuscripts & Personal Papers

The De Beer/De Boer Family Collection spans 130 years of family history in Sioux County, Iowa. The De Beer/De Boer family are descendants of the pioneer E. J. G. Bloemendaal. The collection highlights Christian educational material both in school and church, includes a scrapbook about a serviceman’s military career in World War II, and also shows the progression of landowning by farmers in Sioux County. Family photographs depict day-to-day 19th-century farm life, especially children playing outdoors. There are also 18 personal letters written by Gerhard and Ann Scholten (in Dutch) from Chicago in 1883.

Procedural Content Generation In 3 Dimensions Using Wave Function Collapse In Minecraft, Gabriel Gavin Manners

Computer Science Honors Theses

This investigation into the effectiveness of Wave Function Collapse as a Procedural Content Generation Technique (PCG) in Minecraft sets out to determine whether this method can be used easily by players and game designers to generate content that mimics the original content. We also set out to determine whether this technique can be implemented by game designers or community modders easily enough to improve the default generation of settlements in Minecraft. We grade the effectiveness of our output using metrics provided by the Generative Design in Minecraft Competition in order to test whether generated content is effective. Tests were conducted …

Stegocraft: Information Hiding In Minecraft, Nathaniel Joseph Kleffner

Computer Science Honors Theses

In this thesis, we explore the use of Minecraft as a platform for steganography, which is the practice of hiding a secret message within another, outwardly plain message. Specifically, we investigate how different Minecraft systems, such as textures, in-game user interfaces, and buildings, can be used as a cover for hiding secret messages. To demonstrate these techniques, we created a custom adventure map that showcases various methods for distributing secret information within Minecraft. Our research highlights the potential of Minecraft as a powerful tool for steganography, offering a unique platform for securely exchanging secret messages in an environment where regular …

Returning For A Better Life: The Habitus Of Temporary Senegalese Male Migrants, Sophia Margaret Patterson

Sociology and Anthropology Honors Theses

In this thesis, I study the narratives and practices which maintain Senegal’s temporary migration regime. This form of migration functions not as an individual endeavor, but rather as a family and community project which provides its participants—migrants and others—with cultural capital and prestige. I consider how the cultural imaginary of Senegalese male migration encourages young men to migrate in search of masculine social adulthood. I ultimately examine the habitus of temporary Senegalese male migrants in order to understand how their migration projects are oriented towards return to Senegal.

Jinn Discourses In America, Gwen Kaliszewski

Sociology and Anthropology Honors Theses

The scholarly literature shows that jinn are important in the analysis of the formation of Islam in Muslim diasporas in the West. Jinn discourses in America reveal how American Muslims negotiate their religious beliefs in relation to American conceptions of modernity and secularism, as well as highlights competing Islamic epistemologies that result from these negotiations. Imams emphasize the Qur’an and the Sunnah as the only sources of legitimate knowledge, while lay American Muslims and scholars of Islam see personal experience as a way to approach Islam.

Archival Search For X-Ray Emission From Type Ib/C Supernovae, Michael Dixon

Physics & Astronomy Honors Theses

We present results from an ongoing archival search for X-ray emission from all known Type Ib/c supernovae using data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory. For each supernova, we search all possible observations to find those with coverage in X-rays. For those observations with coverage of a supernova, we extract an X-ray spectrum at the location of the supernova and create response files. We model those spectra with an absorbed hot plasma model in order to determine luminosities or set upper limits. These results are then used to determine or set limits on the mass-loss history of the pre-supernova stars, thus …

Thinking Of Publishing An Academic Ejournal? Consider Including A Doi, Alice Sherwood

TMC Library Newsletter (2015-)

Are you considering publishing an ejournal on a specific topic but are not sure how or where to get it published?

Digital Commons@TMC, an online repository sponsored by The TMC Library, currently hosts 8 ejournals and peer-reviewed series. We can help with the design, setup, and training on how to manage your publication site at no additional cost to you.

Showcase Your Project, Alice Sherwood

TMC Library Newsletter (2015-)

With summer coming, what are your plans? If you are working on projects this summer, did you know submitting your work to Digital Commons@TMC allows you to showcase your work, also giving a visible and lasting home for your accomplishments?

The Lighting Design Of This Bitch! Esta Sangre Quiero, Zackary Mcjunkins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis serves to document the script analysis, lighting design process, and execution of the lighting design for the University of Arkansas’s Fall 2022 production of This Bitch! Esta Sangre Quiero, an original work by M.F.A. playwriting candidate Adrienne Dawes. Special care will be taken to address the unique challenges faced throughout the design process and implementation of the lighting design. This document contains all necessary paperwork to implement a lighting design, including a light plot, section, magic sheet, and other paperwork, as well as research imagery and photographs of the production.

Blood In A Wine Glass: Dionysian Vampires In Modern Horror, Margaret Mcdonald

Classical Studies Honors Theses

In this paper I argue that Dionysus, as depicted in Euripides's Bacchae, has structural similarities and shared features with modern vampires, as depicted in works by Le Fanu, Stoker, and Rice.

Table Of Contents (V. 64, No. 6)

William & Mary Law Review

No abstract provided.

There's No Such Thing As Independent Creation, And It's A Good Thing, Too, Christopher Buccafusco

William & Mary Law Review

Independent creation is the foundation of U.S. copyright law. A work is only original and, thus, copyrightable to the extent that it is independently created by its author and not copied from another source. And a work can be deemed infringing only if it is not independently created. Moreover, independent creation provides the grounding for all major theoretical justifications for copyright law. Unfortunately, the doctrine cannot bear the substantial weight that has been foisted upon it. This Article argues that copyright law’s independent creation doctrine rests on a set of discarded psychological assumptions about memory, copying, and creativity. When those …

Monopolizing Digital Commerce, Herbert Hovenkamp

William & Mary Law Review

Section 2 of the Sherman Act condemns firms who “monopolize,” “attempt to monopolize,” or “combine or conspire” to monopolize—all without explanation. Section 2 is the antitrust law’s only provision that reaches entirely unilateral conduct, although it has often been used to reach collaborative conduct as well. In general, § 2 requires greater amounts of individually held market power than do the other antitrust statutes, but it is less categorical about conduct. With one exception, however, the statute reads so broadly that criticisms of the nature that it is outdated cannot be based on faithful readings of the text.

The one …

Which Came First: The Chicken Or The Chick'n? An Fda Amendment Proposal To Reconcile Conflicting Interests In Plant-Based Meat Labeling, Katie Justison

William & Mary Law Review

“The issue is, what is chicken?” As the market for plant-based meats grows, state legislators are left with the question of what the words “chicken” and “burger” mean on food labels. In response to lobbying from the traditional meat industries, states followed suit with the dairy industry and created regulations and restrictions that carve out a meat industry monopoly on meat-related terms. Commercial speech restrictions such as these are guided by the Central Hudson test. Using that test, this Note will argue that while certain state regulations pass constitutional muster, others impose unconstitutional speech restrictions. This Note will draw particularly …

Deep Learning-Based Turkish Spelling Error Detection With A Multi-Class False Positive Reduction Model, Burak Aytan, Cemal Okan Şakar

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Spell checking and correction is an important step in the text normalization process. These tasks are more challenging in agglutinative languages such as Turkish since many words can be derived from the root word by combining many suffixes. In this study, we propose a two-step deep learning-based model for misspelled word detection in the Turkish language. A false positive reduction model is integrated into the system to reduce the false positive predictions originating from the use of foreign words and abbreviations that are commonly used in Internet sharing platforms. For this purpose, we create a multi-class dataset by developing a …

Seems Fishy: Environmental Dna Impacts On Sketa22 Quality Control In Salmonidae Dominated Waterbodies Using Qpcr And Ddpcr, John J. Hart

Open Access Publishing Support Funded Articles

Globally, water resources used for recreation and drinking water are threatened by fecal pollution. These pollutants can cause gastrointestinal illness and environmental degradation. Additionally, most sources of fecal pollution are non-point sources stemming from multiple species. Identifying these sources is vital to categorizing the exposure risk from contact and improving remediation efforts. A common technique to provide species-specific information for fecal source identification is microbial source tracking (MST). MST quantifies DNA of host or host-associated microorganisms through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technologies such as quantitative PCR (qPCR) or droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). MST techniques have been implemented globally and are …

Higher Well-Being Individuals Are More Receptive To Cultivated Meat: An Investigation Of Their Reasoning For Consuming Cultivated Meat, Angela K. Y. Leung, Mark Chong, Tricia Marjorie Fernandez, Shu Tian Ng

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

It is evident that over-consumption of meat can contribute to the emission of hazardous greenhouse gases. One viable way to address such climate impact is to make people become more aware of more sustainable diet options, such as cultivated meat. However, it is challenging to instigate change in people's meat-eating habit, and empirical works have been examining the psychological factors that are related to consumers' willingness to consume cultivated meat. Research has suggested that psychological well-being can play a role in the meaning-making of food consumption, with higher well-being individuals showing more recognition of other sociocultural benefits of consuming food …