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Showcase Concert, Andrews University

Concerts and Event Programs 2022-2023

Showcase Concert held during the Andrews University Choir & Orchestra Music Festival 2023

Encoding Permanent Records Of Transcription In The Genome, Francesco Ettore Emiliani

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Current approaches to study cellular transcriptional states offer only a single frame in the life of a cell, often in a destructive fashion. This means that our state snapshot neither has the context of the past, nor the ability to be traced into the future. To overcome this, we present a technology that can permanently encode gene expression for later recovery. Our technology uses transcriptional responses to guide CRISPR/AsCas12a to ‘write’ information into the cell’s own genome, creating a permanent and heritable record of this response. By placing a set of AsCas12a guides under the control of a Wnt-responsive TCF/LEF …

Automated Combustion Model Classification For Char Particle Distributions Using 3-D Morphology Analysis And Pore-Resolving Cfd Simulations, Dongyu Liang, Simcha L. Singer

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Combustion of pulverized coal involves millions of particles with a distribution of morphologies. A workflow is presented to characterize, classify, and model distributions of highly porous coal char particles. To understand the impacts of morphology, 3-D pore-resolving combustion simulations for 150 particles imaged with micro-CT are first performed. To facilitate modeling distributions of morphology in reactor-scale CFD, a machine learning algorithm is then trained to classify particles according to their expected combustion behavior and to select an accurate, computationally efficient 1-D particle-scale combustion model. Whereas existing approaches classify particles solely according to morphology and use 2-D measurements, the present approach …

Igtiben V. Eighth Jud. Dist. Ct., 140 Nev. Adv. Rep. 9 (Feb. 22, 2024), Laura Lomeli

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Nevada Court of Appeals held that the district court failed to dismiss Plaintiff’s complaint for professional negligence and wrongful death because the claims were untimely under NRS 41A.097(2) since they were filed two years and ten months from date on which real party in interest received the relevant medical records. The Court highlighted the lack of dispute surrounding the receipt of the medical records—noting that an only an impediment such as concealment of records would prevent inquiry notice tolling to begin, which was not the case here. The Court noted that receipt of all relevant records will constitute inquiry …

Reinforcement Learning Framework For The Unreal Engine, Justin B. Wheeler

Master's Theses

This dissertation addresses the need for using machine learning-based methods rather than traditional rule-based methods for controlling non-playable characters (NPCs). The goal of the Reinforcement Learning Framework for the Unreal Engine is to enable game development studios to create, train, and more easily implement smarter, more compelling AI characters in major video game releases. The framework contains three distinct software libraries: an Unreal Engine reinforcement learning library whose purpose is to enable Unreal Engine levels to act as reinforcement learning environments, a python library which provides convenient abstractions and implementations to the reinforcement learning process, and a flexible connection system …

Racketframes: A Dataframe Implementation For The Racket Programming Language, Shubham Kahal

Master's Theses

The DataFrame is a powerful table-like data structure used frequently in Data Science, the in-demand and innovative field focused on the extraction of valuable insights from data. Typically, datasets are not perfect upon collection and need to be prepared so that the resulting dataset is useful for statistical analysis. A DataFrame API supports optimized methods such as, selecting, aggregating and filtering rows, columns, and cells as well as renaming row and column labels. It also supports methods for normalizing data, merging data, adding new columns and labelling missing data among numerous other features. An API to work with tabular data …

Modeling Daily Fantasy Basketball, Martin Jiang

Master's Theses

Daily fantasy basketball presents interesting problems to researchers due to the extensive amounts of data that needs to be explored when trying to predict player performance. A large amount of this data can be noisy due to the variance within the sport of basketball. Because of this, a high degree of skill is required to consistently win in daily fantasy basketball contests. On any given day, users are challenged to predict how players will perform and create a lineup of the eight best players under fixed salary and positional requirements. In this thesis, we present a tool to assist daily …

Exploration Of Semi-Supervised Learning For Convolutional Neural Networks, Nicholas Sheffler

Master's Theses

Training a neural network requires a large amount of labeled data that has to be created by either human annotation or by very specifically created methods. Currently, there is a vast abundance of unlabeled data that is neglected sitting on servers, hard drives, websites, etc. These untapped data sources serve as the inspiration for this paper.

The goal of this thesis is to explore and test various methods of semi-supervised learning (SSL) for convolutional neural networks (CNN). These methods will be analyzed and evaluated based on their accuracy on a test set of data. Since this particular neural network will …

Psf Sampling In Fluorescence Image Deconvolution, Eric A. Inman

Master's Theses

All microscope imaging is largely affected by inherent resolution limitations because of out-of-focus light and diffraction effects. The traditional approach to restoring the image resolution is to use a deconvolution algorithm to “invert” the effect of convolving the volume with the point spread function. However, these algorithms fall short in several areas such as noise amplification and stopping criterion. In this paper, we try to reconstruct an explicit volumetric representation of the fluorescence density in the sample and fit a neural network to the target z-stack to properly minimize a reconstruction cost function for an optimal result. Additionally, we do …

Analysis And Usage Of Natural Language Features In Success Prediction Of Legislative Testimonies, Marine Cossoul

Master's Theses

Committee meetings are a fundamental part of the legislative process in which
constituents, lobbyists, and legislators alike can speak on proposed bills at the
local and state level. Oftentimes, unspoken “rules” or standards are at play in
political processes that can influence the trajectory of a bill, leaving constituents
without a political background at an inherent disadvantage when engaging with
the legislative process. The work done in this thesis aims to explore the extent to
which the language and phraseology of a general public testimony can influence a
vote, and examine how this information can be used to promote civic …

Trajectory-Tracking Control Of The Ball-And-Plate System, Dominic E. Riccoboni

Master's Theses

The Mechatronics group in the Mechanical Engineering department of Cal Poly is interested in creating a demonstration of a ball-and-plate trajectory tracking controller on hardware. The display piece will serve to inspire engineering students to pursue Mechatronics and control theory as an area of study. The ball-and-plate system is open-loop unstable, underactuated, and has complicated, nonlinear equations of motion. These features present substantial challenges for control - especially if the objective is trajectory tracking. Because the system is underactuated, common nonlinear trajectory tracking control techniques are ineffective. This thesis lays out a theoretical foundation for controlling the hardware.

Several important …

Simple Open-Source Formal Verification Of Industrial Programs, Christopher Disney Peterson

Master's Theses

Industrial programs written on Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) have become an essential component of many modern industries, including automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, infrastructure, and even amusement parks. As these safety-critical systems become larger and more complex, ensuring their continuous error-free operation has become a significant and important challenge. Formal methods are a potential solution to this issue but have traditionally required substantial time and expertise to deploy. This usability issue is compounded by the fact that PLCs are highly proprietary and have substantial licensing costs, making it difficult to learn about or deploy formal methods on them.

This thesis presents the …

The Vertic Clay Flora Of The San Joaquin Desert: Niche, Competition & Floral Mosaics On A Novel Substrate, Emma R. Fryer

Master's Theses

Plant communities that occur on edaphically heterogeneous landscapes are ideal systems for exploring questions of niche and community assembly. Species with affinity for harsh substrates often have well-defined edaphic niches and are ideal models for testing ecological and evolutionary theory. While plants on substrates such as serpentine and gypsum have received much attention, those on other harsh substrates, including on vertic clay soils, have gone unstudied. Vertic clay soils are both chemically and physically challenging to plant establishment and productivity. Plant communities associated with vertic clay soils of the San Joaquin Desert appear to have a distinctive mosaic pattern of …

Structural Design, Modeling, And Analysis Of The Wing For A World Speed Record-Breaking Turbo-Prop Racing Airplane, Joseph C. Hammond

Master's Theses

The Cal Poly SLO Turbo-Prop Racer (TP Racer) is a vehicle in development with the goal to break the world record for fastest turbo-prop aircraft measured over a 3-kilometer strip. This thesis presents the structural design, modeling, and analysis of the wing of Cal Poly SLO TP Racer. Methodology behind analyzing the wing is presented through finite element modeling elements and a mesh study. This is followed by development of structure through geometry and laminate estimations. The wing structure estimates and loading conditions are then modeled in FEMAP. Initial estimates are analyzed and reviewed – overbuilt, underbuilt, and incorrectly modeled …

Horse Sense Or Horse Hype? Estimating The True Economic Impact Of Churchill Downs And The Kentucky Derby On The Louisville Metro Area, Thomas E. Lambert

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

In trying to assess the true economic impact of the Kentucky Derby on the Louisville region (north central Kentucky and south central Indiana counties), one can find two different estimates appear in doing a quick search on the internet. Some sources, such as the Kentucky Derby Museum, indicate that the economic impact of the Derby is around $217 million (Kentucky Derby Museum 2023) but never mention a source or study for this conjecture. In doing some research, this amount is determined to come from a 2001 study by the marketing research firm Wilkerson and Associates (LaMarra 2001), and therefore this …

Creating Safe Spaces: Diverse Instructional Materials For World Language Learners, Lucian Rothe, Chiann Karen Tsui, Paul A. Garcia, Michael B. Mccloskey

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Stereotypical notions and depictions of the German language, its speakers, and cultural practices are more persistent in instructional materials, language program advertisements, and people’s minds than one might presume (Bryant et al., 2019; Chavez, 2020a, 2020b; Rothe, 2022). Overcoming such misconceptions requires educators to reconsider curricula and promotional efforts so that they reflect the diverse lived experiences of German speakers and learners (Criser & Malakaj, 2020). To diversify German curricula in the United States, the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) established a task force in 2020, Creating Safe Spaces (CSS). Its members have developed instructional materials focusing on …

Representations Of Diversity In A Novice-Level Language Classroom And Beyond: An Engaging Semester Project, Lucian Rothe

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Teacher-scholars have called upon fellow language educators to redevelop curricula at all proficiency levels to portray the lived experiences of target language (TL) speakers. This article presents a semester-long project that contributes to developing diverse teaching materials for college-level learners at the novice level. Via an ePortfolio with 10 tasks (virtual and in-person), 20 learners of a second-semester German course explored connections with the TL locally and broadened their understanding of language-community membership beyond stereotypical notions of native speakers. Participants’ feedback demonstrated how this project positively impacted students’ learning experiences and reflected learners’ strong desire for similar assignments in future …

2022 National Survey Of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs: Veteran Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Rosalinda V. Maury, Adam Pritchard, Mirza Tihic

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

This research brief summarizes findings from the 2022 National Survey of Military-Affiliated Entrepreneurs (NSMAE) focusing on the entrepreneurial ecosystem surrounding veteran business owners. This report provides insights into the business ecosystem, barriers and challenges, the experience of military transition into entrepreneurship, and resources supporting veteran-owned businesses.

The Employment Situation Of Veterans: February 2023, Institute For Veterans And Military Families At Syracuse University

Institute for Veterans and Military Families

Veteran employment trends and statistics among various demographics during February 2023

A Biochemical Necroptosis Model Explains Cell-Type-Specific Responses To Cell Death Cues, Geena V. Ildefonso, Marie Oliver Metzig, Alexander Hoffmann, Leonard A. Harris, Carlos F. Lopez

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Necroptosis is a form of regulated cell death associated with degenerative disorders, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and cancer. To better understand the biochemical mechanisms regulating necroptosis, we constructed a detailed computational model of tumor necrosis factor-induced necroptosis based on known molecular interactions from the literature. Intracellular protein levels, used as model inputs, were quantified using label-free mass spectrometry, and the model was calibrated using Bayesian parameter inference to experimental protein time course data from a well-established necroptosis-executing cell line. The calibrated model reproduced the dynamics of phosphorylated mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein, an established necroptosis reporter. A subsequent dynamical systems …

Now You Can Take It With You: Effects Of Occupational Credential Recognition On Labor Market Outcomes, Kihwan Bae, Edward Timmons

Economics Faculty Working Papers Series

Occupational credentials are typically not portable across geography. Using policy reforms by U.S. states, we show that the limited portability of occupational licenses constrains labor market activity and geographic mobility of licensed individuals. After states implement universal recognition, a policy that allows individuals with occupational licenses issued by other states to work without repeating a costly relicensing procedure, we find that the employment ratio increases by 0.98 percentage points among licensed individuals in the sample relative to unlicensed individuals. The employment effect is co-driven by additional labor market participation and a reduction in unemployment after the policy. With the employment …

Emotion Socialization In The Indian Cultural Context, Tripti Kathuria, Shagufa Kapadia Prof., Wolfgang Friedlmeier

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

The social cultural norms that guide parental practices regarding emotion socialization are determined by cultural meanings ascribed to emotion, emotion expression, regulation, and larger socialization goals. The majority of the empirical research on emotion socialization has been carried out in the US and in Western European countries. The current article aims at understanding emotion socialization in the Indian context interweaving broader views on parenting and socialization, socialization goals, and ancient and modern emotion concepts that shape emotion socialization in India. The heterogeneity of the Indian culture as well as modernization processes that influence these practices suggest heterogeneity of emotion socialization …

Environment And Sustainability: March 2023, Environment And Sustainability, Office Of The President

Environment and Sustainability Archives

• Green tips campaign

• Green Events Guide

• Supplier workshop for climate action

• New solar panels in Karachi and Kampala

• Organic vegetables supplied to NFSD, Stadium Road

• And much more…

Adsorption Of Methylene Blue On Papaya Bark Fiber: Equilibrium, Isotherm And Kinetic Perspectives, Sumaya Tarannum Nipa, Nawrin Rahman Shefa, Shahanaz Parvin, Most Afroza Khatun, Md Jahangir Alam, Sujan Chowdhury, M. Azizur R. Khan, Sk Md Ali Zaker Shawon, Biplob K. Biswas, Md. Wasikur Rahman

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Rapid population growth and industrial expansion lead us to be habitat of a polluted planet. One of the major pollutants that badly affect the ecosystem being organic dyes released from various chemical industries where cleaner production concept is straightway adopted. Papaya (Carica papaya) bark fiber (PBF) is a natural product used for Methylene Blue (MB) dye removal as a cost–effective adsorbent from aqueous solution by batch method. Several parameters as the effect of pH, initial dye concentration, contact time, and adsorbent dosage were studied and optimized for maximum dye recovery. Reaction kinetics of the process and Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption …

Volume 43, Number 1, March 2023 Olac Newsletter, Laura Kane Mcelfresh, Kristi Bergland, Emily Creo, Sarah Hovde, Jami Judge Almeida, Nerissa Lindsey, Amanda Mack, Scott Piepenburg, Lisa Romano, Diana Simpson, Meg Wang, Jay Weitz, Alex Whelan, Tanesa King

OLAC Newsletters

Digitized March 2023 issue of the OLAC Newsletter.

Saturn’S Rings, Rebecca Wilkinson, Special Collections, Fleet Library

10th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest 2024

Entry for the 10th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest. Opening Reception Thursday, February 29th, 2024 Fleet Library, Main Reading Room. Juror: Ian Cozzens BArch 05.

Advance Care Planning Is Critical To Overall Wellbeing, Barbara Zabawa

Faculty Works

Wellness is growing market in the United States. McKinsey and Company estimates the spend on wellness products and services to exceed $450 billion in the United States and to grow at more than five percent annually.1 Despite this impressive growth, wellness products and services are falling short of meeting many consumers’ wellness needs.2 Those who feel least satisfied with what wellness has to offer yearn for a more holistic approach to wellness, with a need for more products and services that address sleep and mindfulness concerns.3 Arguably at the heart of these more holistic approaches, particularly those …

2023 March - Tennessee Monthly Climate Report, Tennessee Climate Office, East Tennessee State University

Tennessee Climate Office Monthly Reports

No abstract provided.

(Wp 2023-01) Objectivity In Economics And The Problem Of The Individual, John B. Davis

Economics Working Papers

This paper addresses objectivity in economics. It criticizes a closed science, ‘view from nowhere’ conception of economics and defends an open science, ‘view from somewhere’ conception of objective science. It ascribes the first conception to mainstream economics, associates it with its principle practices – reductionist modeling, formalization, limited interdisciplinarity, and value neutrality – and argues their foundation is the Homo economicus individual conception. Two problematic consequences of adopting this stance are: (i) value blindness regarding the range and complexity of human values; (ii) fatalism regarding human behavior associated with employing a tenseless representation of time. The paper contrasts the principle …

The Impact Of Poverty Informed Faculty On Community College Student Success, Barbara J. Embacher

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Community college completion has been proven to be a ticket to a middle-class life. Moreover, we know that poverty causes educational barriers, including community college completion. Community colleges across the nation are identifying significant equity gaps between students from poor versus middle-class or affluent households. One solution to close equity gaps and increase student success rates for students experiencing poverty is to educate college faculty through professional development. This includes 1) information on the causes, myths, stereotypes, and other facts about poverty, 2) the impact poverty has on student achievement, and 3) instructional strategies that can help students experiencing poverty …