Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of The 2016 American College Of Surgeons Guideline Revision On Overlapping Lumbar Fusion Cases At A Large Academic Medical Center, Ali S. Farooqi, Austin J. Borja, Rashad Jabarkheel, Gregory Glauser, Krista Strouz, Scott Mcclintock, Neil R. Malhotra

Mathematics Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) u pdated its guidelines on overlapping surgery in 2016. The objective was to examine differences in postoperative outcomes after overlapping surgery either pre-ACS guide-line revision or post-guideline revision, in a coarsened exact matching sample. -METHODS: A total of 3327 consecutive adult patients u ndergoing single-level posterior lumbar fusion from 2013 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were separated into a pre-ACS guideline revision cohort (surgery before April 2016) or a post-guideline revision cohort (surgery after October 2016) for comparison. The primary outcomes were proportion of cases performed with any degree of overlap, and …

Pedagogies And Practices Of Teaching Girlhood Studies, Emily R. Aguiló-Pérez, Jacqueline Reid-Walsh

English Faculty Publications

Girlhood Studies, as an academic discipline, is continually growing. Since some educational institutions include girls’ studies as part of a special curriculum, an academic program, a certificate course, a minor, or as part of Women’s Studies or Gender Studies, Girlhood Studies has a presence in academia although at this stage rarely in an autonomous department. This interest in the pedagogies and practices of teaching Girlhood Studies is an important aspect of its growth as a field of study not only at the university level but also in other academic settings and outside of them, be they workshops, special programs for …

Temporary Staffing In Long-Term Care Facilities In Tennessee, Tennessee. Comptroller Of The Treasury.

Office of Research and Education Accountability

No abstract provided.

Machine Learning-Based Methods For The Segmentation Of Scanning Electron Microscopy Images Of Fine-Grained Shale Samples, Binqian Yin

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

The segmentation of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images is critical yet time-consuming for geological studies, as it will need to differentiate the boundaries for different mineral objects to facilitate subsequent analyses, such as porosity calculation. Recently, machine learning methods, especially convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have been explored to segment SEM images for fine-grained shale samples. However, existing methods fail to address two critical issues in the segmentation of shale rock images---insufficient labeled data and imbalanced objects. To this end, this dissertation has proposed a machine learning pipeline that consists of supervised, semi-supervised, and active learning stages to reduce manual efforts …

The Layer That Did Not Swim Away: Broadband Acoustic Discrimination And Characterization Of Ocean Stratification, Elizabeth Reed-Weidner

Doctoral Dissertations

Ocean stratification plays a critical role in many oceanographic processes. The magnitude of mixing between stable water masses is regulated, in part, by the intensity of stratification. As such, stratification modulates the vertical transport of heat and many important dissolved constituents in the water column, influencing such processes as ocean ventilation, and ocean heat and carbon uptake. As human induced climate change alters oceanic stratification a thorough understanding of its distribution and variability is critical in the study of the world’s oceans. However, traditional methods are limited in terms of spatial context and rapid, near-synoptic observational methods, such as those …

‘Unapologetically Vernacular’: A Study Of The Composing Process Of Youth Writing And Performing Slam And Spoken Word Poetry, Dennis Magliozzi

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the creative process and cultural resources youth poets use to generate poetry and inspire their own written material. This study is guided by the following two central research questions: In what ways do youth create their own poetry? In what ways do youth use cultural resources to inspire and develop their poetic work? This is a qualitative study that relies on three focal participants and utilizes Arts Based Educational Research (ABER) as a research strategy. After reviewing the data from participants, the following predominant themes present themselves for discussion: First, Process is …

Synthetic Approaches Towards [4]Triangulene., Md Al Faruk

Doctoral Dissertations

The [n]triangulenes (n = number of rings on a side) are a triangle-shaped class of polycyclic aromatic compounds that have been of interest for almost 100 years. Triangulenes are expected to be high-spin species with unusual electronic structures and with potential applications in molecular electronics. The first examples of simple triangulenes have been synthesized very recently by reactions on a surface and were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Our research group has reported the solution phase synthesis and polymerization of [3]triangulene. This thesis describes approaches toward an efficient scalable synthesis of the little-known [4]triangulene ring system. Our synthetic plan, which …

A Strong-Qcd Regime Measurement Of The Proton’S Spin Structure, David Ruth

Doctoral Dissertations

The theory of the strong force, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) remains one of the mostimportant ways to understand the fundamental properties of ordinary matter. However, at low momentum transfer Q2, in the regime where the strong force becomes extremely strong, our understanding of QCD for ordinary nucleons becomes hazy. Several cutting edge theories such as Chiral Perturbation Theory (χPT) and Lattice QCD have provided valuable predictions in this regime, but Lattice QCD has not yet extended predictions of many important quantities to this kinematic region, and Chiral Perturbation Theory has faced several important disagreements with experimental data for the neutron over …

Multi-Level Characterization Of Plasticity, Fracture, And Phase Transformation In Metals With Hexagonal Close-Packed Structure, Evgenii Vasilev

Doctoral Dissertations

In this thesis, contributions to characterization of plasticity, fracture, and phase transformation in metals with hexagonal close-packed structure are presented. First, the structure-properties correlations are established for Mg-1.3Zn-0.4Ca-0.4Mn and Mg-1.5Nd alloys. Next, the role of microstructural features such as gran/twin boundaries in the development of damage and fracture in magnesium is discussed. Then, a structure metric for quantitative assessment of fracture is developed and validated on magnesium and titanium alloys. Experimental studies on plasticity are followed by crystal plasticity modelling of Taylor impact test on zirconium to correlate experimental and predicted evolution of microstructure and shape change. Finally, a phase …

Ionospheric O+ And H+ Outflow During Geomagnetic Storms, Niloufar Nowrouzi

Doctoral Dissertations

A geomagnetic storm begins when solar wind carrying southward IMF Bz impinges upon the Earth’s magnetosphere. There are two major structures that can cause a geomagnetic storm: streaminteraction regions (SIRs) and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The two types of structures differ in the strength of the magnetic field and the time length of southward Bz, and so the effects on the magnetosphere are different. One result of the energy input from the solar wind is ionospheric outflow. Because of solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling, ionospheric ions can become a significant source for the magnetosphere during geomagnetic storms. In this thesis, I performed …

Advanced Electronics And Post-Processing Algorithm For The Sontrac 3d Neutron Spectrometer, George Suarez

Doctoral Dissertations

The second-generation SONTRAC instrument is being designed by UNH and NASA to detect solar neutrons, a game-changing observation for understanding particle acceleration at the Sun. The new instrument targets small satellites with highly constrained size, mass, and power; bringing a new set of challenges to the design of the instrument electronics. SONTRAC uses silicon photomultiplier detectors to image neutron scattered proton tracks in a scintillating fiber bundle. Individual detector readout provides the best performance, but is not achievable within the size, mass and power constrains for a small satellite. To overcome this problem, we explored detectors configured in strips to …

Disordered Cathode Electrode Materials For Aqueous Zinc Ion Batteries And The Effect Of Conditioned Electrolytes In Cycling Performances, Saewon Kim

Doctoral Dissertations

Electrochemical energy storage is essential to free various electronic devices from electric wiring. Besides the prominent lithium-ion batteries, next-generation batteries using zinc ions as charge carriers in aqueous electrolytes have risen as attractive alternatives due to their superior safety, environmental-friendliness, low cost, and excellent theoretical performance. However, high-performance cathode materials to accommodate the capacity and cyclability of zinc-ion storage have been lacking because of the strong electrostatic interaction between multivalent Zn-ions and host cathode materials. This study suggests a few varieties of vanadium oxide derivatives with large interlayer spaces, excellent structural stability, and finely tuned structural properties. Alkali-intercalated vanadates (MVOs) …

Autonomous Teaming Of Multileader System - Robust Cluster Formation Approach, Maryam N. Naleini

Electrical Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The cluster consensus problem of Multileader MAS Is considered and the clustering problem of interconnected multileader systems is formulated as a disturbance attenuation problem. For the first time, it's proved that the multileader MAS can reach cluster consensus without limiting the communication between the clusters. The combination of Small Gain Theorem and H8 optimization has been designed in the graphical differential game platform to prove the stability for the system. At the end, an online off-policy reinforcement learning algorithm is developed to find the solution to the H8 optimal problem of multileader MAS with completely unknown systems.

Community Engagement Newsletter, December 2022, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Community Engagement.

Community Engagement Newsletter

Contents:

--- Engaged UNI: Fortepan Iowa
--- Faculty/Staff Engagement
--- UNI Engaged Podcast
--- Events
--- In Other News

Primed And Cued: Long-Term Acoustic Telemetry Links Interannual And Seasonal Variations In Freshwater Flows To The Spawning Migrations Of Common Snook In The Florida Everglades, Jordan A. Massie, Rolando O. Santos, Ryan J. Rezek, W. Ryan James, Natasha M. Viadero, Ross E. Boucek, David A. Blewett, Alexis A. Trotter, Philip W. Stevens, Jennifer S. Rehage

Marine Science

Background: Spawning migrations are a widespread phenomenon among fishes, often occurring in response to environmental conditions prompting movement into reproductive habitats (migratory cues). However, for many species, individual fish may choose not to migrate, and research suggests that conditions preceding the spawning season (migratory primers) may influence this decision. Few studies have provided empirical descriptions of these prior conditions, partly due to a lack of long-term data allowing for robust multi-year comparisons. To investigate how primers and cues interact to shape the spawning migrations of coastal fishes, we use acoustic telemetry data from Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) in Everglades National …

Impact Of The Pacific Sector Sea Ice Loss On The Sudden Stratospheric Warming Characteristics, Jiarong Zhang, Yvan J. Orsolini, Varavut Limpasuvan, Jinro Ukita

Marine Science

The atmospheric response to Arctic sea ice loss remains a subject of much debate. Most studies have focused on the sea ice retreat in the Barents-Kara Seas and its troposphere-stratosphere influence. Here, we investigate the impact of large sea ice loss over the Chukchi-Bering Seas on the sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) phenomenon during the easterly phase of the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation through idealized large-ensemble experiments based on a global atmospheric model with a well-resolved stratosphere. Although culminating in autumn, the prescribed sea ice loss induces near-surface warming that persists into winter and deepens as the SSW develops. The resulting temperature contrasts …

Comparison Of The Reliability Of Four Different Movement Thresholds When Evaluating Vertical Jump Performance, Madeleine Barefoot, Hugh Lamont, J. Chadwick Smith

Kinesiology

Analyzing vertical jumps performed on a force plate can be useful for the strength and conditioning professional in managing neuromuscular fatigue. The purpose of this study was to compare different movement thresholds when analyzing countermovement (CJ) and squat jump (SJ) performance. Twenty-one college-aged participants (9 female, 12 male) performed five CJs and five SJs. Movement initiation was identified when the vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) deviated five standard deviations (5SD), four standard deviations, (4SD), 2.5% of system weight (2.5%SW), and 10% of system weight (10%SW) from their starting position. For CJs, movement was determined when the VGRF deviated either above …

Voyant Tools Workshop - Fall 2022, Amy E. Gay

Library Created Resources

These are the slides from the Libraries' Digital Scholarship team's fall 2022 workshop on using Voyant Tool, an open source web-based tool for text analysis.

The Dilemma Of Liberal Pluralism, Abner S. Greene

Buffalo Law Review

Supporters of reproductive rights and of queer rights may sometimes live in harmony with advocates for religious exemptions. But sometimes these goals conflict. This Article explores this tension as a matter of liberal democratic theory and U.S. constitutional law, offering a case for seeing a robust pluralism as contained within a proper understanding of the liberal democratic state. The state’s claimed authority may be the starting point, but just as the modern state was born in decentralized religious toleration, so should the modern state accommodate religious and other views of the good that compete with the state’s own views. The …

Factors, Scott Rempell

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Tenure In New York, Matthew W. Finkin

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Editor's Notebook, Sarah Wiggins

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Free Speech And The Function Of A University, Aeon J. Skoble

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Embedding Sustainability And Experiential Learning To Encourage Student-Led, Climate-Resilient Solutions At Bsu, Diana Fox, Wanchunzi Yu, Robert Hellström, Xiangrong Liu

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

On Sabbatical My Travels With Jackie – A Sabbatical Story, Todd C. Harris

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Access Delayed Is Access Denied: Barriers To Student Participation In Internships, Thomasena Shaw, Lisa Bergson

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Poetry, James Moore, Deborah Nemko, Panteha Sanati

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Permafrost Soil Structure On Microbial Community Diversity And Abundance, Nathan D. Blais

Master's Theses and Capstones

Soil structure plays a critical role in shaping soil microbial communities, who directly influence biogeochemical cycling1–4. Although well-studied in temperate systems, the importance of physical structure on soil microbial community diversity, function, and overall activity in permafrost soils is largely unknown. I hypothesized that (1) decreases in pore connectivity would increase microbial diversity based on an expected inverse relationship between diversity and connectivity; (2) soil with an increased abundance of larger pores (> 75 µm), which are uninhabitable because they are too large to sustain liquid water, will exhibit lower bacterial and archaeal abundance and (3) the surface area of …

Targeting A Highly Repetitive Genomic Sequence For Sensitive And Specific Molecular Detection Of The Filarial Parasite Mansonella Perstans From Human Blood And Mosquitoes, Nils Pilotte, Tamara Thomas, Michael F. Zulch, Allison R. Sirois, Corrado Minetti, Lisa J. Reimer, Steven A. Williams, Lori J. Saunders

Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background Mansonella perstans is among the most neglected of the neglected tropical diseases and is believed to cause more human infections than any other filarial pathogen in Africa. Based largely upon assumptions of limited infection-associated morbidity, this pathogen remains understudied, and many basic questions pertaining to its pathogenicity, distribution, prevalence, and vector-host relationships remain unanswered. However, in recent years, mounting evidence of the potential for increased Mansonella infection-associated disease has sparked a renewal in research interest. This, in turn, has produced a need for improved diagnostics, capable of providing more accurate pictures of infection prevalence, pathogen distribution, and vector-host interactions. …