Digital Commons Network^™

A Multiple Model Approach To Bridge Deterioration Modeling, Jin A. Collins

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Bridge Management Systems (BMSs) have been used to support decision-making in bridgeprojects, including maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement under financial constraints. These decisions are predicated on the ability to estimate bridgesâ?? future condition states to optimize bridge network systems' performance. Deterioration models are commonly used tools to help transportation agencies make predictions of future condition states of infrastructure facilities, schedule capital investments, and make comparative decisions. Numerous deterioration models have been developed over the last few decades. In particular, Markov chain models utilize bridge data collected from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) database to make predictions. The accuracy of predictions is …

Rising Responsiveness: The Roles And Influence Of U.S-Mexico Borderland Public University Board Leaders On Student Diversity, Daniel Rodriguez Dominguez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study sought to learn how governing boards of public university systems located along the U.S.-Mexico border exercise their roles and influence over matters of student diversity. Traditionally, governing boards have been dominated by older white males and have concentrated their attention on high-level financial issues. In addition, the boards have enacted policies and rules directed to traditional student populations of young white males who earn their bachelor's degrees in four years. This notion is no longer valid and is being challenged by increasingly enrolling diverse communities. Student body composition on campuses nationwide have changed noticeably since the beginning of …

2023-05-01 Retired & Senior Volunteer Program Newsletter, Morehead State University. Alumni Association.

Morehead State Alumni Association Publications

The May 2023 newsletter of the Morehead State University Retired & Senior Volunteer Program.

Decompression And Dynamic Sagittal Tether For Patients With Stenosis And Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: 4 Year Comparative Results To Tlif From The Us Ide Trial, Todd Alamin, Eugene Carragee, Sigurd Berven, Serena Hu, Zack Ray, Elizabeth Yu, Richard Guyer, Calvin Kuo, Matthew Mermer, Mick Perez-Cruet

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Background/Introduction

Introduction. Durable surgical outcome for patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) usually requires decompression and fusion. An FDA IDE study (NCT03115983) compares direct surgical decompression and stabilization with a novel dynamic sagittal tether (Limiflex, Empirical Spine) (DST) to decompression and instrumented TLIF for symptomatic DS. Aim. Compare clinical outcomes of DST and TLIF to 4 years for symptomatic degenerative spondylolisthesis.

Materials/Methods

Patients and Methods. All patients had DS and spinal canal stenosis with ODI≥35 and VAS-leg/hip≥50 (full eligibility criteria at clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03115983). Patients received a decompression and DST or TLIF at the level of DS, with or without an adjacent …

Determinant Factors In Abortion Support Preceding Dobbs: Has Scotus Left Popular Opinion Behind?, Caden Hall

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

The present research analyzed the Wave 52 dataset of the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel to understand public opinions regarding abortion legality and the overturning of Roe v. Wade before the landmark case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Clinic. Previous literature has suggested a dissonance between the decisions of the Supreme Court in constitutional interpretation with respect to reproductive rights and the disposition of most Americans towards the subject. However, due to the recency of the Dobbs decision, the large gap in research is still developing. Regression models were run on key variables in tandem with two dependent …

The Role Of Multiracial Identity On Chronic Health Conditions In The U. S.: Evidence From The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, Anna Ruth Jinlong Wahls

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Racial identity as it informs health disparities has largely been examined using monoracial groups and a binary framework. This study, informed by critical race theory and stress process theory, investigates the relationship between multiracial identity and health. Data from the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, a national telephone survey that collects health data on adult aged respondents, will be analyzed using a set of regression techniques. Specifically, the number of chronic health conditions reported by those identifying with more than one race will be compared to the number of conditions reported by monoracial individuals.

Rapid Response Team Codes Following Transition-Of-Care From The Emergency Department To An Inpatient Medicine Unit, Kerrin Bersani, Brett Todd

Posters

Transitions-of-care from the emergency department (ED) to an inpatient unit have been identified as a high-risk period for medical error due to multiple causes, such as communication mishaps, excessive workload, variability in patient flow, and unclear assignment of responsibility. Patients who experience a diagnostic error are also at increased risk for poor outcomes, including increased length-of-stay and mortality. Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) are frequently utilized by hospitals to address a sudden deterioration in clinical status, often after a transition-of-care. We investigated the occurrence of RRT in patients shortly after a transition-of-care from the ED to a medicine unit. Further, we …

Evaluation Of Online Patient Information Regarding Emergency Center Utilization, Rachel Truland, Steven Joseph

Posters

The decision a patient makes when seeking emergency medical care comes with risks and ambiguity if the right decision is not made. The internet is increasingly accessible to patients, and they often consult an internet search prior to seeking healthcare. The aim of this study is to assess the readability and reliability of online information regarding a patient’s decision to seek emergency care.

A Retrospective Review Of Catheter-Directed Therapy For Patients With Intermediate Risk Pulmonary Embolisms, Austin Lehew, Michael Tucciarone

Posters

Each year, hundreds of patients present to the William Beaumont hospital system with intermediate risk pulmonary embolisms (IRPE) with common symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, and hypoxia. Conventional treatments include anticoagulants alone, or a more aggressive approach with systemic thrombolytics which come with a higher risk of major bleeding and death. However, in the last few years, catheter-directed therapies (CDT) have been developed to mechanically remove clots in a minimally invasive fashion. The goal of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of novel CDT at Beaumont Troy and Royal Oak.

Changes In Electrocardiographic And Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Parameters Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement, Elizabeth Seeley, Luai Madanat, Nishaki Mehta

Posters

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is known to cause conduction abnormalities leading to the need for permanent pacemaker implantation. However, the impact of TAVR-related conduction abnormalities on cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) parameters in patients with preexisting devices is not known. We sought to investigate and describe changes in EKG and CIED parameters following TAVR in patients with preexisting CIEDs.

Pillow Cpr: Using A Low Resource Method To Teach Hands-Only Cpr To Hispanic Adolescents In A Community Setting, Benjamin Goldstein, Ekaterina Clark, Alan Silverman, Virginia Uhley

Posters

Hands-only Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for adolescents in community settings is often limited by training device availability. This pilot study’s objective was to investigate the feasibility, participant knowledge gains, and attitude changes through hands-only CPR training using a pillow for skill development.

Medical Student Knowledge Of Physician Involvement In The Holocaust And The Importance Of Incorporating Holocaust Studies And Ethics Into Medical School Curricula, Megan Bricely, Jason Wasserman

Posters

A 2019 Claims Conference study demonstrated an alarming lack of knowledge about the Holocaust in the United States general population. There is currently no specific data on medical student knowledge of the Holocaust and the role that the medical community played. The goal of this study was to gather baseline data on medical student knowledge of the Holocaust and medicine’s involvement to demonstrate the need for Holocaust teaching in medical school.

Arming Development: Measuring The Effects Of Development Aid On Armed Conflict. An Analysis On West Africa, 1990-2020, Alyk Collins

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Did the securitization of the development aid to West Africa lead to an increase in armed conflict and one-sided violence? The goal of this research is to provide evidence that development aid allocation following the September 11th terror attacks had undergone securitization that led to an increase in casualties from armed conflict and one-sided violence in West Africa. I argue the Global War on Terror shifted development aid allocation from development projects to security projects in countries that were geostrategic partners. My approach is based on the Security Complex theory conceptualization of development aid in West African countries. Using both …

Multi-Objective Optimization Framework For Electrified Vehicle Penetration Based On Life Cycle Assessment And Life Cycle Cost., Eva Alondra Diaz Lozano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research proposed a novel framework for creating optimal transportation scenarios that consider multiple objectives such as minimum greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutant levels, and cost of ownership. The thesis approach is a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm coupled with the AFEET tool, allowing us to efficiently explore the complex trade-offs between these objectives and identify a diverse set of optimal solutions. Through several case studies and a design of experiments, this demonstrates the effectiveness and practicality in different scenarios. This approach has significant implications for policymakers and industry professionals seeking to make sustainable and cost-effective decisions in the transportation sector.

Ethics-Related Cheap Talk In 10-Ks, Sedat Erdogan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this study, I investigate the existence of direct ethics-related cheap talk in 10-Ks. Firms can utilize ethics-related language in 10-Ks to emphasize the importance of ethics or ethical behaviors. Direct ethics-related language in corporate financial disclosures may increase the stakeholdersâ?? expectation that firms act ethically. However, ethics-related language in 10-Ks shows cheap talk characteristics since it is qualitative, unaudited, not binding, and not costly to generate. As a result, firms may increase the extent of direct ethics-related language in 10-Ks to obfuscate corporate financial disclosures to confuse stakeholders. I focus on regulatory and financial pressure sources to understand ethics-related …

El Que No Tranza, No Avanza: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Mexican American Community College Students On The U.S.-Mexico Border In Becoming Philosophers, Manuela Alejandra Gomez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the lived experiences of seven Mexican American community college philosophy students in their journeys to becoming philosophers in the U.S.-Mexico border, between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Philosophy is one of the least diverse academic fields in the United States (Jones, 2020) and often excludes women and people of color (Alcoff, 2013; Ferrer, 2012; Galea, 2017; Haslanger, 2013 Hutchinson & Jenkins, 2013; Leuschner, 2015; Saul, 2012; Wilson, 2012). Therefore, I examine what it means to be a philosopher to these seven Mexican American students and their processes of …

I Lie Awake, Pauline Juliet Ku

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Maggie Kim is a Korean American girl coming of age in Chicago and San Jose before moving to Pasadena, CA to study Biology at Caltech. Her struggles with her own sexuality, immediate family, growing up in an abusive church, traumatic memories and hallucinations and delusions make for a riveting read that validates her personal experience through trauma, stigma, and mental illness in the first-person point of view.

Additive Manufacturing Of Binary And Ternary Shape Memory Polyester Blends As A Pathway Towards High Entropy Polymer Systems., Luis Eduardo Lares Carrillo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this work is to incorporate additive manufacturing technology (AM) in the development of shape memory polymer blends. Two polyester blend systems were developed, one binary and the other ternary. The binary blend consisted of polycaprolactone (PCL) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and the ternary blend was composed of PCL, TPU and polylactic acid (PLA). Test specimens were fabricated with the AM technology of fused filament fabrication (FFF). Several tests were performed to characterize the mechanical and shape memory properties. A dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) was first used to establish the shape recovery temperature. Tensile testing was carried out …

Generalized Additive Model Using Marginal Integration Estimation Techniques With Interactions, Tahiru Mahama

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Marginal Integration (MI) is a statistical method that is extensively employed to estimatecomponent functions of the nonparametric additive models. The shortcoming of the purely additive model is that interaction between predictor variables is often ignored, and it may produce poor performance in some real applications. As a result, this research considers the second-order interactions in the regression models. The primary objective is to use marginal integration techniques to estimate the nonparametric additive functions. We compare this model with other models/estimators such as the Generalized Additive Model (GAM), Generalized Additive Model with Selection (GAMSEL), Robust Marginal Integration (RMI), Ordinary Least Squares …

Linking Decomposition Reactions In Arctic Soils To Microbial Enzyme Production, Jane Karen Martinez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Microbial processes such as soil enzyme production are a major driver of decomposition and a current topic of interest in arctic soils due to the effects of climate warming. Despite the advances in understanding soil enzymes, there are still knowledge gaps regarding the role of enzymes in decomposition. In this dissertation, I addressed three of those gaps in the following chapters: (Ch.2) to explore the location of enzymes within the soil matrix, (Ch.3) to identify peptides matched to soil enzymes produced by microorganisms for organic matter decomposition, and (Ch.4) understand the longevity of enzymes in the soil after microbial production. …

Sensing Optimization Of Thermoplastics And Ceramics Fabricated Through Additive Manufacturing, Cory Marquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this research is to fabricate and optimize thermoplastic and ceramic materials that can be fabricated for Laser Sintering (LS), Direct Ink Write (DIW), and Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing. The fabrication of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) thermoplastic particles into spherical allow for better flowability and packing density for LS printing which results in better printability and an increase in mechanical properties. The fabrication of clay ceramic allows the printability application for DIW with the implementation of an embedded wireless temperature and relative humidity sensor. The use of FFF multi-material printing allowed the capabilities of 3D printing a …

Essays On Reit Founder Ceos, Michael Mcgonigle

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

I explore how founder CEOs influence the firm. In my first chapter I examine how founderCEO risk-aversion affects firm capital structure. Using book and market leverage ratios to proxy for risk aversion, I show that REITs with founder CEOs have less leverage than other REITs. This result holds when controlling for firm size, firm age, tangibility, profitability, growth potential, diversification strategy, property-type fixed effects and year fixed effects. I use a propensity score matching methodology to examine whether the reduced leverage is due to factors other than a CEO's founder status. The results do not support that notion. I use …

Carbon Quantum Dots' Effects On The Structure And Function Of Neurodegenerative And Non-Neurodegenerative Associated Proteins, Shima Masoudi Asil

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Protein folding is an important physical process in which the sequences of polypeptides fold into a three-dimensional biological active structure. Misfolding is the conversion of a protein molecule into a structure unlike the native form, and therefore misfolded proteins have a strong tendency to aggregate and make fibrils. Amyloid aggregation is constituted by misfolded amyloidogenic proteins. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), stem from the abnormal accumulation of harmful proteins, including Amyloid-ß peptides, tau protein, and the presynaptic protein α-synuclein in the nervous system. Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder that causes memory and learning deficits and …

Characterizing Spatial Variability In Soil Co2 Fluxes In The Chihuahuan Desert Using Geostatistical Techniques, Viridiana Orona

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Spatial variability in soil CO2 efflux across landscapes is an important feature of the â??Critical Zoneâ?? within dryland ecosystems. In dryland critical zones, resources are often distributed in patches or resource islands. Although this is particularly true in natural settings, the significance of spatial variability in CO2 efflux and its patterns also extends to dryland agriculture. In both irrigated and unirrigated systems, human management practices can significantly impact both organic and inorganic carbon cycling processes, highlighting the importance of studying CO2 efflux in these systems. We examined the spatial patterns of soil CO2 efflux and quantified the magnitude and scale …

The Intersection Of Urban Heat Islands And The Cdc Social Vulnerability Index In Two Border Cities, Ileana Morales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Temporal Trends In Dryland Soil Carbon Fluxes In Response To Artificial And Natural Pulsed Moisture Events, Briana Alyce Salcido

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Critical zone processes in drylands play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle, and one of the most important processes is soil CO2 efflux at the interface between soils and the atmosphere, which represents a main pathway for loss of carbon. Predicting the carbon dynamics at this interface is challenging due to the complexity of belowground processes, which include both biotic (soil respiration) and abiotic (calcite precipitation) production of CO2, as well as transport processes that include both diffusive and advective components. In this study, we aimed to investigate the contribution of soil air displacement to soil CO2 efflux …

Assessing How Bilingual Experience Impacts Performance In Stimulus-Stimulus And Stimulus-Response Conflict Tasks, Christian Ruiz-Ortiz

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Numerous studies have revealed that bilingual individuals outperform monolinguals in tasks requiring executive control. However, the exact impact of bilingualism on executive functions remains unclear due to inconsistent findings in the literature. These discrepancies may stem from factors such as participant demographics, variations in definitions and operationalizations of bilingualism, and task selection. To address these issues, we investigated the link between degree of balance and contextual use with the ability to address conflict across sensory modalities (auditory and visual) at different stages of processing. Rather than focusing on mean performance, this study investigated performance stability (coefficient of variation) over time …

A Framework To Build Secure Microservice Architecture, Wai Yan Elsa Tai Ramirez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Microservice architecture has become a popular architecture style in recent years. According to a series of surveys conducted by IBM Market Development & amp; Insights in 2021, microservices are heavily used in many industries worldwide. With an increase in the adoption of microservice architecture in the development of applications, such as Netflix, Amazon, Uber, Ebay, Twitter, DoorDash, Capital One, and Monzo, and the increase in security breaches in microservice based systems (e.g., the DoorDash data breaches in 2019 and 2022, Twitter data breach in 2022, and compromises to Netflixâ??s infrastructure), there is a need to examine and understand security issues …

The Impact Of Rule Of Law And Property Rights On Development And Economic Growth: A Comparative Analysis Of Cameroon And Côte D'Ivoire, Raoul Tayou Tayou

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The issues of economic growth and development occupy a central place in the studies of underdeveloped or developing countries. Many solutions have been proposed, including foreign aid or institutional reforms. This last aspect is the subject of this research, particularly the rule of law and the property rights.Analyzing what is the impact of these two institutions on economic growth and development is at the center of my dynamic. Over a period from 1960 to 2022, I carry out a comparative study of the growth, and development trajectories of two countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which share the same demographics: Cameroon, and …

Modeling And Predicting Emerging Threats Using Disparate Data, Ismael Villanueva Miranda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Early detection is crucial to mitigate the impact of emerging threats. This work proposes four innovative frameworks that build machine learning and deterministic epidemiological models using multiple domain-specific datasets to detect the onset of emerging threats in two domains: infectious diseases and cybersecurity. Our models are designed to detect infectious disease outbreaks, model their spread, detect malware activity, and analyze the relationship between software/hardware weaknesses and attack techniques.

First, we present a novel framework to detect multiple infectious disease outbreaks by integrating standardized disease-specific domain knowledge and public search trend data. Our framework showed high performance in identifying infectious disease …