Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

2022 Draft Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit Interim Site-Wide Surface Water Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan, Nikia Greene, Trec Inc., A Woodard And Curran Company

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Sustainability Strategies For Small Business Organizations, Tajudeen O. Olatunji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are essential to every nation’s economic growth, including the United States, but more than 67% of SMEs fail within the first 10 years. When SMEs implement long term business sustainability strategies, they continue to generate business and remain profitable, enabling SMEs to remain viable and contribute to local community employment opportunities. Using entrepreneurship theory as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by 3 SME owners in the northeastern region of the United States to sustain their businesses beyond 10 years. Data were collected using semistructured interviews …

Successful Strategies For Adopting Open-Source Software, Balla Barro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle-level information systems managers (ISMs) in small-scale organizations often have challenges in determining the most appropriate strategy for adopting open-source software (OSS) in their organizations. The ISMs need to determine the right strategy for adopting OSS to protect the organizations’ information technology infrastructure. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, the objective of this multiple case study was to explore strategies middle-level ISMs used to adopt OSS in their small-scale organizations. Six middle-level ISMs from three small-scale organizations with experience of not less than six years in OSS adoption strategy in the city of Frederick, Maryland, shared their strategies during …

Cyberattacks Strategy For Nonprofit Organizations, Yawo Obimpe Kondo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Information system security managers (ISSM) in nonprofits face increased cyberattack cases because nonprofits often use basic technology to save on costs. Nonprofit owners and managers need solutions to secure their data from cyberattacks. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies ISSMs at nonprofit organizations employ to protect against cyberattacks. Participants included five IT managers and directors of information technology in charge of security management in nonprofit organizations in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. Data was generated through interviews and reviews of archival documents. The data analysis technique …

Strategies To Sustain Small Construction Businesses Beyond The First 5 Years Of Operation, Catherine Nyasha Mukopfa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small business owners employ over half the U.S. labor force, yet only 50% of small businesses survive beyond 5 years. When small business owners understand the factors that lead to their business failure, they can develop strategies to remain sustainable and profitable within the first 5 years, thus reducing the potential of business failure. Grounded in the resource-based theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies five small construction owners in central Georgia used to remain in business beyond 5 years. Data were collected from semi structured interviews, a review of organization income statements and …

Strategies Security Managers Used To Prevent Security Breaches In Scada Systems' Networks, Oladipo Ogunmesa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems monitor and control physical processes in critical infrastructure. The impact of successful attacks on the SCADA systems includes the system's downtime and delay in production, which may have a debilitating effect on the national economy and create critical human safety hazards. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies SCADA security managers in the Southwest region of the United States use to secure SCADA systems' networks. The participants comprised six SCADA security managers from three oil and gas organizations in the midstream sector …

Security Awareness Strategies Used In The Prevention Of Cybercrimes By Cybercriminals, Pascal Pouani Tientcheu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cybercrime is a growing phenomenon that impacts many lives worldwide. Businesses, organizations, and governments continue to search for ways to protect their data and intellectual property from cybercrimes. Grounded in the routine activity theory, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore strategies information security officers used to prevent cybercrimes. The participants included seven information security officers listed on social media who manage information security within organizations located in the northeast geographic region of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, the National Institute of Standards and Technology documentations and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four key …

Reliable Data Collection: A Tool For Data Integrity In Nigeria, Stella Tonye Whyte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Unreliable and poor-quality data is a significant threat to governmental institutions because of its devastating impact on nations' social and economic well-being. Managers in government organizations require reliable data to inform economic planning and decision-making. Grounded in the theory of total quality management, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) managers in sub-Saharan African countries use to ensure the reliability of data. The participants were 12 IT managers in three government establishments in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, responsible for ensuring the data reliability for economic planning and decision-making. The data collection …

Factors For Consideration In A Plan For Terrestrial Oil Disaster Mitigation, Olaniyi O. Oyebode

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Oil spills, are common disasters associated with hydrocarbon exploration and production, can be devastating and severely impact water quality, which can be detrimental to human life and the environment. One of the primary objectives of oil spill planning and response, aside from protecting human beings, is to reduce the environmental consequences of spills and cleanup efforts. This objective is best achieved by responders identifying sensitive resources ahead of time to establish protection priorities and select cleanup strategies. When a plan is well situated, within the limited hours available to respond, responders will not have to contact all of the various …

Co-Taught Inclusive Classrooms And Algebra I Achievement Of Students With Disabilities, Valeree Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Co-teaching has become an increasingly important topic for students with disabilities (SWDs) to access to the general education curriculum. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the instructional effectiveness of co-teaching versus inclusive non-co-teaching classroom instruction for SWDs using Algebra I End of Course (EOC) scores and whether these effects differed by gender. Cook and Friend’s principles of co-teaching provided the framework for the study. The first research question was: is there a significant difference in EOC scores for male SWDs enrolled in Grade 9 Algebra I who receive instruction in co-taught Algebra I classes as compared to …

Mathematics Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Its Relation To Student Achievement, Michelle Emmalyn Peters-George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students' performance in national assessments of mathematics at Grades 2, 4, and 6 has been a cause for concern in the Eastern Caribbean. Researchers have called for studies to focus on primary mathematics teachers' pedagogies rather than on laptops and curriculum; however, it is unclear how primary mathematics teachers' pedagogical knowledge influences these student’s achievement. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between primary mathematics teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (mathematical knowledge for teaching, quality of instruction, and pedagogical qualifications) and student achievement, measured by national assessment scores in Grenada, controlling for teachers’ age, gender, and experience. …

Maritime Cybersecurity Strategies For Information Technology Specialists, Angela Mizelle Griffin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dependence on digital technology increases cyber-related risks for maritime industries. As a result, the U.S. Coast Guard network is challenged with maritime cybersecurity, both economically and for national security. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies information technology (IT) specialists use to implement standard practices for ensuring cyber security. The participants included six IT specialists who have successfully implemented standard practices for maritime organizations in Virginia and West Virginia. Data were collected from individual semistructured interviews and a review of 12 external organizational documents available to the public from IT …

Strategies For Implementing Internet Of Things Devices In Manufacturing Environments, Todd Efrain Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been exploited as a threat vector for cyberattacks in manufacturing environments. Manufacturing industry leaders are concerned with cyberattacks because of the associated costs of damages and lost production for their organizations. Grounded in the general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies electrical controls engineers use to implement secure IoT devices in manufacturing environments. The study participants were eight electrical controls engineers working in three separate manufacturing facilities located in the Midwest region of the United States. The data were collected by semistructured interviews and 15 organizational documents. …

The Effect Of Social Media Use On Physical Isolation In Individuals With Borderline Personality Disorder, Davena Limitless Longshore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) experience extreme interpersonal conflict, crippling their ability to sustain successful relationships. Consequently, clinicians within the psychological field face difficulty in devising treatments plans which can assist these individuals with suffering minimal relationship loss. The purpose of this study was to understand how current technological methods of social interaction affect individuals who suffer from BPD to improve treatment outcomes. This research was guided by the principles of attachment theory and social baseline theory. A quantitative correlational design using social network analysis and multiple regression analysis was used to examine data from surveys. Participants were solicited …

Strategies For Applying Electronic Health Records To Improve Patient Care And Increase Profitability, Fritzgerald Paul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIneffective strategies to implement electronic health record keeping systems can negatively impact patient care and increase expenses. Hospital administrators and primary care physicians care about this problem because they would be penalized for not meeting meaningful use guidelines. Grounded in the information systems success model, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore electronic health record (EHR) implementation strategies primary care physicians use to improve patient care and increase profitability. The participants comprised five primary care physicians involved in the effective implementation of an EHR application in the central coast region of California. Data were collected from …

An Acceptable Cloud Computing Model For Public Sectors, Eswar Kumar Devarakonda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cloud computing enables information technology (IT) leaders to shift from passive business support to active value creators. However, social economic-communication barriers inhibit individual users from strategic use of the cloud. Grounded in the theory of technology acceptance, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies IT leaders in public sector organizations implement to utilize cloud computing. The participants included nine IT leaders from public sector organizations in Texas, USA. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews, field notes, and publicly available artifacts documents. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis: five themes emerged (a) user-centric and data-driven cloud model; …

Strategies To Monitor And Deter Cyberloafing In Small Businesses: A Case Study, Veronica Pugh Dooly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some information technology (IT) managers working for small businesses are struggling to monitor and deter cyberloafing. Strategies are needed to help IT practitioners to discourage cyberloafing and improve productivity while maintaining employee satisfaction. Grounded in adaptive structuration theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies some small business IT managers use to monitor and deter cyberloafing. The participants were nine IT managers who successfully implemented cyberloafing monitoring and deterrence strategies in the United States. Data were collected via semistructured interviews and organization employee policy handbooks (n = 4) provided by the participants. Data were analyzed using …

Risk Factors For Foodborne Illness Outbreaks In Retail Food Establishments, Brendalee Viveiros

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite policies and interventions over the last two decades, foodborne illness remains a significant public health concern. According to the CDC’s Foodborne Disease Outbreak Surveillance System, 60% of reported foodborne illness outbreaks involved food that was prepared at a restaurant. Reducing foodborne illness outbreaks that occur at restaurants would have a significant impact on the overall number of foodborne illnesses that occur each year. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively analyze the differences in risk factors in food establishments that have had a foodborne illness outbreak compared to food establishments that have not. This study used Reckwitz’s theory …

Life In Hampton Roads Survey Press Release #7: Perceptions Of Flooding, Hurricane Evacuation, & Sheltering During Covid-19, Social Science Research Center, Old Dominion University

Life in Hampton Roads Survey Report

Life in Hampton Roads 2021 - Flooding, Hurricane Evacuation, & Sheltering During COVID-19

The changing climate and rising sea levels touch nearly every aspect of life in Hampton Roads, with some neighborhoods and communities experiencing it more acutely. But, overall, how persistent is recurrent flooding as perceived by Hampton Roads residents? This year’s survey finds that nearly 23% of respondents state that recurrent flooding is a problem in their neighborhood, a number broadly consistent with the responses seen since this question was first asked in 2013 when 23% of respondents also indicated that recurrent flooding was a problem in their …

Goose Pond 2021 Water Quality Highlight Report, Amanda Mcquaid, Robert Craycraft

UNH Cooperative Extension

A Water Quality Highlight Report by UNH CE Lakes Lay Monitoring Program for Goose Pond in Caanaan and Hanover, NH (Deep Station) in 2021.

Wakondah Pond 2021 Water Quality Highlight Report, Amanda Mcquaid, Robert Craycraft

UNH Cooperative Extension

A Water Quality Highlight Report by UNH CE Lakes Lay Monitoring Program for Wakondah Pond in Moultonboro, NH in 2021.

Design, Synthesis And Applications Of Nanoparticles In Suppression Of Mosquito-Born Flaviviridae Viruses, Maria R. Blahove

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Recently, nanoparticles have become an origin of exploration in the chemistry field due to their unique medical uses. The current drug delivery models of nanoparticles often include a metal base with a drug conjugated to its surface. However this raises concerns regarding toxicity. A novel approach to solving this dilemma is the development of nanosized biocompatible polymer-based micelles, created from PEG-PCL-PEG triblock polymer, and formed around a drug of choice. The goal is to create a drug carrier nanoparticle system that is labile at a specific intracellular pH, without undue toxicity to the cell. This creates a drug-loaded nanoparticle that …

The Effects Of Nacl On The Triple Helix Structure Of Collagen And The Reinforcement Of Tung Oil-Based Polymers With Collagen Peptides, Christopher Dzorkpata

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In this research, a collagen-reinforced bio-composite from tung oil was prepared using free radical initiation and thermal polymerization, leading to polyolefinic tung oil-based matrix. Two peptides (long and short) were synthesized and their secondary features were analyzed using circular dichroism spectroscopy. After this analysis, the long peptide exhibited more triple helix characteristics as compared to the short peptide. The full protein will ultimately have a better interaction with the tung oil, was used in the synthesis of the collagen-reinforced bio-composite. The presence of NaCl in the triple helix and its overall effect on the thermal and mechanical properties of the …

Numerical Approximation Of Lyapunov Exponents And Its Applications In Control Systems, Nakita K. Andrews

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The progression of state trajectories with respect to time, and its stability properties can be described by a system of nonlinear differential equations. However, since most nonlinear dynamical systems cannot be solved by hand, one must rely on computer simulations to observe the behavior of the system. This work focuses on chaotic systems. The Lyapunov Exponent (LE) is frequently used in the quantitative studies of a chaotic system. Lyapunov exponents give the average rate of separation of nearby orbits in phase space, which can be used to determine the state of a system, e.g. stable or unstable. The objective of …

Lstm-Based Model For Human Brain Decisions Using Eeg Signals Analysis, Lorela Bano

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As machine learning models become more sophisticated, and biometric data becomes more readily available through new non-invasive technologies, it becomes increasingly possible to gain access to interesting biometric data that could revolutionize Human Computer Interaction. In this research, we propose a framework to assess and quantify human preference (like or dislike) on presenting various external visual stimuli. Our framework relies on an Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) based model and on electroencephalogram (EEG) signals analysis to predict Like or Dislike preference of human subjects when presented with various marketing images.

Implementing A Neural Network For Supervised Learning With A Random Configuration Of Layers And Nodes, Kane A. Phillips

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Deep learning has a substantial amount of real-life applications, making it an increasingly popular subset of artificial intelligence over the last decade. These applications come to fruition due to the tireless research and implementation of neural networks. This paper goes into detail on the implementation of supervised learning neural networks utilizing MATLAB, with the purpose being to generate a neural network based on specifications given by a user. Such specifications involve how many layers are in the network, and how many nodes are in each layer. The neural network is then trained based on known sample values of a function …

Lack Of Plasticity In Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus Polyphemus) Nesting Behavior And Fecundity In A Translocated Population, Jennifer N. Desha

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Lack of Plasticity in Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) Nesting Behavior and Fecundity in a Translocated Population

Effect Of Alternative Rearing Substrates And Temperature On Growth And Development Of The Cricket Modicogryllus Conspersus (Schaum), G. Ssepuuya, F. Sengendo, C. Ndagire, J. Karungi, K. K.M. Fiaboe, J. Efitre, D. Nakimbugwe

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

The increasing demand for animal protein in sub-Saharan Africa has led to insects being considered an alternative protein source for food and feed. In Uganda, chicken mash, containing fish meal as the protein source is commonly used to rear crickets. However, fishmeal is an expensive protein source that is also human food. This study therefore aimed at establishing an alternative preferred (consumed in the highest quantity) plant leaf diet for raising the Modicogryllus conspersus cricket, and the most suitable temperature for hatchability and egg development. The effect of (a) three diets (cassava leaves + cocoyam leaves + milk weed leaves; …

A Secured Privacy-Preserving Multi-Level Blockchain Framework For Cluster Based Vanet, A. F.M.Suaib Akhter, Mohiuddin Ahmed, A. F.M.Shahen Shah, Adnan Anwar, Ahmet Zengin

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Existing research shows that Cluster-based Medium Access Control (CB-MAC) protocols perform well in controlling and managing Vehicular Ad hoc Network (VANET), but requires ensuring improved security and privacy preserving authentication mechanism. To this end, we propose a multi-level blockchain-based privacy-preserving authentication protocol. The paper thoroughly explains the formation of the authentication centers, vehicles registration, and key generation processes. In the proposed architecture, a global authentication center (GAC) is responsible for storing all vehicle information, while Local Authentication Center (LAC) maintains a blockchain to enable quick handover between internal clusters of vehicle. …

Detecting Sex-Related Changes To The Metabolome Of A Critically Endangered Freshwater Crayfish During The Mating Season, Emily Lette, Quinton Burnham, Nathan Lawler, Pierre Horwitz, Mary C. Boyce, David I. Broadhurst, Rodney Duffy, Annette Koenders

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Captive breeding is a vital tool in the conservation of highly endangered species, as it is for the Margaret River hairy marron, Cherax tenuimanus, from the south west of Australia. A close relative, Cherax cainii, has almost completely displaced C. tenuimanus in the wild and is a successful aquaculture species, whereas C. tenuimanus has performed poorly in captivity. We used untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to obtain metabolomic profiles of female and male C. tenuimanus held in controlled aquarium conditions during their reproductive period. Using repeated haemolymph sampling we tracked the metabolomic profiles of animals just prior to and …