bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of a 2-dose varicella vaccination program in Changzhou, China, during the transitional period (2017–2022): a registry-based case-cohort study
Authors: Xiong Suting , Han Changlei , Wu Dan , Mi Xiaomeng , Zhang Peipei , Gao Han , Cao Gan , Yao Fang , Chen Cong , Lv Xufeng
Published: January 2025

Background

The benefits of improving coverage and timeliness of varicella vaccination need to be quantified in countries where varicella vaccine (VarV) has not yet been included in national immunization programs. This longitudinal study analyzed the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the varicella vaccination program implemented in Changzhou City during the transitional period (2017–2022).

Methods

Using the Immunization Information System and National Notifiable Infectious Disease Surveillance System registry data, this retrospective case-cohort study assessed the VEs of varicella vaccination for Changzhou children born from 2016 to 2021. The subcohort was sampled using inverse probability weighting for the survival analysis design to evaluate the VEs under different dosages and cost types, eliminating confounding by age and location area. Sensitivity analysis for the exclusion part assessed the study's robustness.

Results

A total of 5,172 children (1.12%) were sampled to the subcohort for studies, including 2,299 cases. VEs significantly rose with each successive dose, reaching 82.54% and 97.91%. VEs were lower for the single-dose subgroups until 2020, with significant increases in VEs in all subgroups in 2020 and after that. Most children who did not benefit from the “1–4” Vaccination Program had lower VEs due to delayed vaccination.

Conclusion

Improving 2-dose VarV vaccine coverage and timely vaccination could enhance the immune barrier for susceptible children. During the transitional period, the “1–4” Vaccination Program of VarV positively impacted coverage and timeliness in Changzhou.
Carbon footprint of private dental clinics in Egypt: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Elwan Amira H , Tantawi Maha El , Fouda Ahmed Mahmoud
Published: January 2025

Background

Climate change is a global challenge, caused by increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Dental clinical practice contributes to these emissions through patient and staff travel, waste, energy and water consumption and procurement. Carbon footprinting quantifies GHG emissions. This study assessed the Carbon Footprint (CFP) of private dental clinics in Egypt.

Materials and methods

Data were collected from private dental clinics in Alexandria and Elbeheira, in Northwestern Egypt from July to August 2024 through interview questionnaires. A CFP calculator was used to estimate carbon emissions from patient and staff travel, waste, energy and water consumption, and procurement. To determine the average CFP per clinic and per patient visit, the CFP of all clinics was averaged, both with and without considering the depreciation of dental equipment.

Results

Data from 27 dental clinics were collected. The average CFP of an Egyptian private dental clinic, which, per year, received 3,322 patient visits, and where 5 personnel worked 279 days was 14,426.8 kg CO2e, or 4.3 kg CO2e per patient visit. The largest contributor to the CFP was patient travel (45.6%), followed by staff travel (19.6%), energy consumption (18%), procurement (12.4%), waste (4.2%), and water consumption (0.3%). After considering the yearly depreciation of dental equipment, the CFP per clinic in a year increased by 12.2%.

Conclusion

Private dental clinics in Egypt produce substantial carbon emissions. Patient travel was the major contributor to the CFP. While there was a high CFP of electricity consumption, the CFP of gas was zero. The high CFP of waste was likely due to improper segregation and the lack of recycling. Country-specific CFP calculators are needed to accurately measure the carbon emissions of dental clinics in various settings. Preventing oral diseases, raising public awareness to sustainable practices, promoting walking and cycling, improving public transportation, implementing waste recycling, shifting to renewable sources of energy, and local manufacturing of dental products are important to reduce carbon emissions in dental clinics.
A parallel bioreactor strategy to rapidly determine growth-coupling relationships for bioproduction: a mevalonate case study
Authors: Banner Alec , Webb Joseph , Scrutton Nigel
Published: January 2025

Background

The climate crisis and depleting fossil fuel reserves have led to a drive for ‘green’ alternatives to the way we manufacture chemicals, and the formation of a bioeconomy that reduces our reliance on petrochemical-based feedstocks. Advances in Synthetic biology have provided the opportunity to engineer micro-organisms to produce compounds from renewable feedstocks, which could play a role in replacing traditional, petrochemical based, manufacturing routes. However, there are few examples of bio-manufactured products achieving commercialisation. This may be partially due to a disparity between academic and industrial focus, and a greater emphasis needs to be placed on economic feasibility at an earlier stage. Terpenoids are a class of compounds with diverse use across fuel, materials and pharmaceutical industries and can be manufactured biologically from the key intermediate mevalonate.

Results

Here, we report on a method of utilising parallel bioreactors to rapidly map the growth-coupling relationship between the specific product formation rate, specific substrate utilisation rate and specific growth rate. Using mevalonate as an example product, a maximum product yield coefficient of 0.18 gp/gs was achieved at a growth rate (

$$\mu$$

μ

) of 0.34 h−1. However, this process also led to the formation of the toxic byproduct acetate, which can slow growth and cause problems during downstream processing. By using gene editing to knock out the ackA-pta operon and poxB from E. coli BW25113, we were able to achieve the same optimum production rate, without the formation of acetate.

Conclusions

We demonstrated the power of using parallel bioreactors to assess productivity and the growth-coupling relationship between growth rate and product yield coefficient of mevalonate production. Using genetic engineering, our resultant strain demonstrated rapid mevalonate formation without the unwanted byproduct acetate. Mevalonate production is quantified and reported in industrially relevant units, including key parameters like conversion efficiency that are often omitted in early-stage publications reporting only titre in g/L.
A preliminary account of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with 13 new records and updated species inventory from India
Authors: Mukherjee Koustav , Kar Surajit , Naskar Atanu , Sivaperuman Chandrakasan , Banerjee Dhriti
Published: January 2025

Background

The detection of multiple bluetongue virus serotypes, increasing trend in livestock density, rich biological diversity with high endemism, and the status of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a popular tourist destination underscore the need for a faunistic survey of medically and veterinary significant vector species, specifically Culicoides, in this region. Moreover, scattered information on Indian Culicoides species complicates the planning and implementation of preventive measures for pathogens transmitted by these vectors. This study aims to provide the first comprehensive account of the Culicoides fauna in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India, along with an updated checklist of Indian Culicoides species and their state-wise distribution.

Methods

Surveys were conducted across various habitats in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in September 2022 and 2023. Midges were collected using CDC light traps, light sheets, Malaise traps, and manual collection from exposed body parts of the author and volunteers (biting collection). Identification was carried out using relevant taxonomic keys and original descriptions. Additionally, an updated checklist of Indian Culicoides, based on published and grey literature from 1910 to the present, is provided, with an emphasis on their potential role in pathogen transmission.

Results

A total of 3529 adult Culicoides were trapped during the survey, representing 5 subgenera and 3 unplaced species groups. The study recorded 23 Culicoides species, including 13 new species records for India: C. barnetti, C. gouldi, C. flaviscutellaris, C. flavipunctatus, C. hui, C. histrio, C. guttifer, C. perornatus, C. okinawensis, C. quatei, C. obscurus, C. coronalis, and C. kusaiensis.

Conclusions

The Indian Culicoides fauna now includes 93 valid species, with many of them recognized as confirmed or potential vectors of important pathogens of animal health. The enriched species composition highlights the importance of systematic surveys in this island ecosystem and the need to determine the role of midges, if any, in pathogen transmission.

Graphical Abstract
Effectiveness and utilization of a cognitive screening program for primary geriatric care
Authors: Salmon David P. , Malkina Anna , Johnson Melanie L. , Gigliotti Christina , Little Emily A. , Galasko Douglas
Published: January 2025

Background

Effective detection of cognitive impairment in the primary care setting is limited by lack of time and specialized expertise to conduct detailed objective cognitive testing and few well-validated cognitive screening instruments that can be administered and evaluated quickly without expert supervision. We therefore developed a model cognitive screening program to provide relatively brief, objective assessment of a geriatric patient’s memory and other cognitive abilities in cases where the primary care physician suspects but is unsure of the presence of a deficit.

Methods

Referred patients were tested during a 40-min session by a psychometrist or trained nurse in the clinic on a brief battery of neuropsychological tests that assessed multiple cognitive domains. Short questionnaires covering subjective cognitive complaints, symptoms of depression, and medical history were also administered. Results were conveyed to a dementia specialist who reviewed them and returned their judgement of the validity of the cognitive complaint to the primary care provider. Retrospective medical records review was carried out for a random (stratified) half of the sample to determine how screening results were utilized. Screening tests were repeated after two years in a subset of 69 patients.

Results

The 638 patients screened (mean age = 75.9 years; mean education = 14.9 years; 58% women) were classified by screening as having normal cognition (n = 177), depression (with possible cognitive changes; n = 115), mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 107), or dementia (n = 239). Classification accuracy was shown by high agreement with the eventual clinical diagnosis in the medical record (69%; Cohen’s Kappa = .38; p < .001; 77% if MCI and dementia were collapsed; Cohen’s Kappa = .58; p < .001) and longitudinal decline in cognitive test scores only in those initially classified as having MCI or dementia. Medical records documented discussion of screening results with the patient in 69% of cases (80% if MCI or dementia was detected) and often referral to a specialist (62%), new brain imaging (54%), or change in medication (58%) when screening indicated potential cognitive impairment.

Conclusion

The cognitive screening program was well accepted by primary care providers as an efficient and effective way to evaluate concerns about cognitive decline in older adults.
The effectiveness of humanitarian aid in conflict zones: practitioner views on the transition from in-kind assistance to multi-purpose cash transfers
Authors: Alsina Dani Grané , Eldridge Derek
Published: January 2025

The views of humanitarian practitioners in Somalia, South Sudan, Tigray and Yemen are gathered to enlarge understanding on the extent to which multi-purpose cash transfers (CTs) are superseding in-kind assistance in meeting the needs of beneficiaries. The reasons for the choice between the two forms of assistance are exposed together with the identification of the constraints faced when planning and delivering aid in the context of on-going conflict. Key areas of concern for agencies are identified on achieving effective targeting, ensuring internal arrangements support cash transfers, maximising coordination between agencies, upholding human dignity and enhancing the role of women as beneficiaries. Overall, the findings suggest that multi-purpose cash transfers can be an effective form of assistance in conflict zones, and recommendations are made for agencies as they contemplate an expansion of this form of assistance.
Bilateral medial malleolar fractures in a young athlete: the role of biomechanics in non-contact injuries
Authors: Landers Josh , Fortinberry Austin
Published: January 2025

Medial malleolar fractures are relatively uncommon, typically resulting from significant trauma or high-impact events. The likelihood of sustaining such fractures in both ankles independently, particularly in non-contact situations, is exceedingly rare. This case study presents a unique scenario involving a patient who suffered medial malleolar fractures in both the left and right ankles under separate, non-contact mechanisms of injury. Both injuries were managed through a combination of immobilization and physical therapy, with the right ankle requiring surgical intervention initially.

Given the rarity of bilateral medial malleolar fractures in non-contact events, this case raises questions about potential underlying biomechanical factors contributing to the injuries. Upon further examination, the patient was found to have genu varus, a condition characterized by an inward angulation of the lower leg, which shifts the weight-bearing axis medially, and hindfoot valgus, a condition characterized by outward angulation of the Achilles tendon near the calcaneus. This malalignment can increase the stress on the medial aspect of the ankle during weight-bearing activities, potentially predisposing the individual to fractures in the medial malleolus.

This case study explores the biomechanical relationship between genu varus and medial malleolar fractures, highlighting how the altered forces in the ankle joint may increase the risk of injury. The discussion will delve into the potential for genu varus and hindfoot valgus to act as a predisposing factor in the occurrence of such fractures, particularly in the absence of significant external trauma. Understanding this relationship could lead to better identification of at-risk individuals and the development of targeted interventions to prevent similar injuries.
Comparison of the efficacy and safety of bupropion versus aripiprazole augmentation in adults with treatment-resistant depression: a nationwide cohort study in South Korea
Authors: Lee Dong Yun , Park Rae Woong , Jeon Soo Min
Published: January 2025

Background

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) affects 10–30% of patients with major depressive disorder, leading to increased comorbidities, higher mortality, and significant economic and social burdens. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of bupropion and aripiprazole as augmentation therapies for TRD.

Methods

This population-based, retrospective cohort study included adults aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of depressive disorder who met the criteria for TRD. Data were collected from a nationwide claims database in South Korea. Patients prescribed bupropion were matched 1:1 with those prescribed aripiprazole. Subgroup analyses were performed according to age. An as-treated analysis was performed as the primary analysis, and an intention-to-treat analysis was performed to identify different risk windows. The primary outcome was depression-related hospitalization, and the secondary outcomes were first-time diagnoses of movement disorder and seizure.

Results

A total of 5,619 patients (bupropion: n = 1,568; aripiprazole: n = 4,051) were included in this study. Bupropion was associated with lower risks of hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29–0.86) and movement disorders (HR: 0.56; 95% CI 0.36–0.85) than aripiprazole. No significant difference in seizure risk (HR: 0.65; 95% CI 0.30–1.31) was observed between the two treatments. The subgroup analysis of participants aged ≥60 years revealed no significant differences in the three outcomes between the two medications.

Conclusions

Bupropion augmentation is associated with a significantly lower risk of depression-related re-hospitalization and movement disorders in patients with TRD. Therefore, bupropion augmentation can be a comprehensive treatment strategy for TRD.
Clonal Hematopoiesis in Women With Breast Cancer
Authors: Mayerhofer Christina , Freedman Rachel A. , Parsons Heather A. , Partridge Ann H. , Miller Peter G.
Published: January 2025

PURPOSE

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) has been associated with a variety of adverse outcomes, most notably hematologic malignancy and ischemic cardiovascular disease. A series of recent studies also suggest that CH may play a role in the outcomes of patients with solid tumors, including breast cancer. Here, we review the clinical and biological data that underlie potential connections between CH, inflammation, and breast cancer, with a focus on the prevalence and impact of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

We summarize data from multiple studies, including a series of cohorts of patients with breast cancer, to assess the prevalence of CH, the relationship between CH and exposure to cytotoxic therapy, and the correlation between CH and breast cancer–specific outcomes.

RESULTS

Our findings indicate that CH is prevalent among patients with breast cancer, particularly those treated with cytotoxic therapies. However, there are no definitive data to support an association between the presence of CH and breast cancer–specific outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Current data do not support routine CH testing in patients with breast cancer, nor should the presence of CH influence decisions regarding breast cancer therapy in most patients. However, larger, long-term studies are necessary to further define the implications of CH in patients with breast cancer and guide clinical decision making.
High-bandwidth nonreciprocal optical isolator based on a cascaded chiral cavity magnonic system
Authors: Hou Yu-Bo , Ren Ya-Long , Xie Ji-Kun , Ma Sheng-Li , Li Fu-Li , Li Peng-Bo
Published: January 2025

Cavity magnonic systems has been regarded as an ideal platform for various quantum technological applications. In this work, we propose a high-bandwidth optical isolator based on the cascading of chiral cavity magnonic systems, where each system consists of a torus-shaped microwave cavity and a YIG sphere inside. Utilizing chiral cavity-magnon coupling, the input signal in the given transmission direction along the waveguide can be fully transmitted, while the signal in the reverse direction is effectively isolated. Compared with the single-cavity setup, our optical isolator can significantly increase the effective bandwidth, enabling a nonreciprocal optical transmission with a high degree of isolation.
Influencing factors of health-related quality-of-life perceived by both children/adolescents patients with type-1 diabetes mellitus and their parents: A North-African study
Authors: Ben Abdesselem Imen , Kebeili Raoudha , Derbel Khansa , Ben Said Hichem , Boughamoura Lamia , Bouguila Jihene , Ben Saad Helmi
Published: January 2025

Aim To determine the influencing factors of health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) perceived by North-African children/adolescents with type-1 diabetes-mellitus (T1DM) and their parents. Methods It was a cross sectional study conducted in Tunisia. A total of 116 patients ( ie ; 43 children and 73 adolescents) and their parents were included. The Arabic validated version of the Pediatric Generic Core Quality-of-Life Inventory 4.0-Scale (PedsQL4.0) was used to evaluate the HRQoL of children/adolescents as perceived by patients and parents. The dependent data were the patients’ self-report and the parents’ proxy-report of the PedsQL4.0 total scores, and the independent data were the patients and parents characteristics. Results Patients’ PedsQL4.0 total score was influenced significantly by siblings in the family > 2; lipodystrophy, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C). The combination of these factors explained 34.84% of the PedsQL4.0 total score variability. Parents’ PedsQL4.0 total score was influenced significantly by lipodystrophy, siblings; body mass index (BMI), hypoglycemia episodes, and HbA1C. The combination of these factors explained 56.92% of the PedsQL4.0 total score variability. Conclusion T1DM patients self-reported HRQoL was influenced by siblings in the family > 2; lipodystrophy, and HbA1C. The parents’ proxy-report HRQoL was influenced by lipodystrophy, siblings, BMI, hypoglycemia episodes, and HbA1C.
Flexible modular dwelling for rural environments; specific case: Cebadas – Ecuador
Authors: Cajamarca Dacto Karina Elizabeth , Montero Riofrio Jean Carlos , Nieto Páez Erick Fabricio , Tasan Cruz Dany Marcelo , González Espinosa Maikol Josueé
Published: January 2025

Background Sustainable modular dwelling design for rural areas should focus on creating healthy and economically accessible spaces, sensitive to local needs and integrating environmental, functional, sociological and technological aspects. Flexibility is essential to reduce the initial investment and allow future transformations, optimizing the recovery and reuse of materials. These houses must be adaptable, safe and have basic services, satisfying the needs and stages of families’ development. In Ecuador, poverty and energy inefficiency worsen the quality of life in rural areas. This project in the Cebadas parish proposes modular dwelling that applies bioclimatic and sustainable criteria, using local materials to improve habitability and promote the social and economic development of the community. Method The research approach is qualitative-quantitative. Qualitative, since it is necessary to identify the qualities of the sector, bibliographic exploration of guidelines and sustainable strategies. Quantitative, to evaluate the degree of affectation through a diagnosis of the study site and to provide efficient solutions that respond to the context and social reality. Results The spaces presented in the proposal respond to the spatial need for growth and expansion of the users of the sector, through 6 basic guidelines that this type of dwelling should have: Environment, Visual, Form, Function, Bioclimatic and Materials. Conclusions The flexible modular dwelling project for rural environments addresses complex housing needs, highlighting the flexibility and adaptability of an expandable module. It includes income generation with a duplex apartment, fosters communal and cultural life with public and commercial spaces, promotes tourism and rural development with landscape design and crops. In addition, it ensures sustainability through bioclimatic strategies and responsible use of resources.
Virtuosa di Musica di Camera: A Performance Edition of Sonata in F Major, Op. 1, No. 2 by Anna Bon di Venezia
Authors:   , Alvarado Piña Maria Gabriela
Published: January 2025

The flute music of Anna Bon di Venezia (1738–ca. 1767) belongs to the group of long-overlooked compositions by women composers throughout history worthy of rediscovery. This dissertation includes a discussion of Bon's life and music, as well as the artistic, historical, and theoretical significance of her compositions. It also presents biographical research on Bon, including Michaela Krucsay's dissertation, which provides new evidence of Bon's birth date, which had been uncertain up until 2015. Bon's Sonata in F Major for flute and basso continuo is analyzed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the work. A table is provided explaining specific ornaments and articulations added to the performance edition. In addition, this dissertation includes analyses of sonatas by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714–1788) and Johann Joachim Quantz (1697–1773) to contextualize Bon's sonatas within the standard flute repertoire. This dissertation expands the music scholarship on this distinguished composer and performer and provides a historically informed performance edition of the Sonata in F Major, op. 1, no. 2, for flute and piano, to serve as a model to modern flutists for historically informed performances of Bon's entire opus 1.
An Investigation of Scale Factor in Deep Networks for Scene Recognition
Authors:   , Qiao Zhinan
Published: January 2025

Is there a significant difference in the design of deep networks for the tasks of classifying object-centric images and scenery images? How to design networks that extract the most representative features for scene recognition? To answer these questions, we design studies to examine the scales and richness of image features for scenery image recognition. Three methods are proposed that integrate the scale factor to the deep networks and reveal the fundamental network design strategies. In our first attempt to integrate scale factors into the deep network, we proposed a method that aggregates both the context and multi-scale object information of scene images by constructing a multi-scale pyramid. In our design, integration of object-centric multi-scale networks achieved a performance boost of 9.8%; integration of object- and scene-centric models obtained an accuracy improvement of 5.9% compared with single scene-centric models. We also exploit bringing the attention scheme to the deep network and proposed a Scale Attentive Network (SANet). The SANet streamlines the multi-scale scene recognition pipeline, learns comprehensive scene features at various scales and locations, addresses the inter-dependency among scales, and further assists feature re-calibration as well as the aggregation process. The proposed network achieved a Top-1 accuracy increase by 1.83% on Place365 standard dataset with only 0.12% additional parameters and 0.24% additional GFLOPs using ResNet-50 as the backbone. We further bring the scale factor implicitly into network backbone design by proposing a Deep-Narrow Network and Dilated Pooling module. The Deep-narrow architecture increased the depth of the network as well as decreased the width of the network, which uses a variety of receptive fields by stacking more layers. We further proposed a Dilated Pooling module which expanded the pooling scope and made use of multi-scale features in the pooling operation. By embedding the Dilated Pooling into Deep-Narrow Network, we obtained a Top-1 accuracy boost of 0.40% using less than half of the GFLOPs and parameters compared to benchmark ResNet-50.
A Systems Approach to Closing the Achievement Gap: Effects on Collective Teacher Efficacy and Student Performance
Authors:   , Mira Jose Alexander
Published: January 2025

I designed an explanatory sequential mixed-method study to explore the relationship between leadership practices, collective teacher efficacy (CTE), and educational outcomes of low SES students in an open school system. Four data sources were analyzed: K-5 student Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) results of 1,170 students, Collective Teacher Belief Scale (CTBS) survey to measure CTE perceptions of 48 teachers, focus group interviews composed of a stratified sample of 11 K-5 teachers, and two one-on-one principal interviews. The study took place in two elementary schools in north Texas during the 2020-2021 school year. A Spearman's rank-order correlation analysis indicated that the relationship between CTBS scores and student reading scores was mixed. While one school showed a positive association between CTE and the reading data of low SES students, the other school showed a weak correlation between the variables. The quantitative data indicated that CTBS scores did not independently explain reading achievements at both campuses. The data also showed that while teachers had a large effect size on the reading performance of low SES students, as measured through a Cohen's d for paired sample t-test, achievement gaps continued to widen. Two themes emerged through a grounded theory approach when principals described their sensemaking and framing process: many variables and teamwork. In a complex open system, school principals must consider the many needs of teachers and students before enacting reform efforts. To achieve ambitious goals, school principals promote teamwork and help develop supportive structures to assist teachers and students. Furthermore, the theme of support emerged when teachers described their CTE perceptions concerning their principal's leadership actions. The overall data suggest that leadership practices directly impact CTE levels and indirectly impact student performance. When teachers felt supported, CTE levels increased, but when teachers felt overwhelmed or failed to see how school and district mandates support teaching and learning efforts, CTE levels dropped.
"Scent of Ink": A Study and Performance Guide of Selected Gagok by Wonju Lee
Authors:   , Lee Eun Kyung
Published: January 2025

Wonju Lee (b. 1979) has already made her own unique contribution to Korean art song. Her songs commissioned by classical Korean music performers have been recorded and released on record labels such as Universal Music and Sony Music. Albums include the Gagok collection, Lee Hwa-woo, The Pear Blossom Falls published by Soo Moon Dang. Some songs have been published by music publishers in the United States such as Classical Vocal Reprints and in Korea by the Korean Traditional Music Resource Center. Wonju Lee's songs are being performed by singers not only in Korea but also in the United States. This study provides information regarding the history of Gagok (Korean art songs) and discusses two duets "Scent of Ink" and "Under the Cherry Tree," and three solo songs "Sam-Arirang," "Relationship," and "Loom Song" by Wonju Lee. This critical essay includes biographical information about the composer and poets, IPA transcriptions for each song, and both word-for-word and poetic translations. In addition, using the methodology from Carol Kimball's book Song: A Guide to Art Song Style and Literature, style sheets of musical characteristics for each song and for the composer are provided and serve as the basis for interpretive recommendations for performers.
Theorizing Sonata Form from the Margins: The Keyboard Sonata in Eighteenth-Century Spain
Authors:   , Espinosa Bryan Stevens
Published: January 2025

This study describes a set of salient formal norms for the eighteenth-century Spanish keyboard sonata through an application of Hepokoski and Darcy's sonata theory, William Caplin's form-functional theory, and Robert Gjerdingen's schema theory. It finds that particular thematic types, intra-thematic functions, and rhetorical markers characterize this repertoire. In order to trace the development of these norms throughout the eighteenth century, this work is organized into two parts. The first part (Chapters 2 and 3) examines the mid-century Spanish keyboard sonatas of Sebastián de Albero (1722–1756), Joaquín Ojinaga (1719–1789), and their contemporaries. The second part (Chapters 4 and 5) examines the late-century Spanish keyboard sonatas of Manuel Blasco de Nebra (1750–1783) and his contemporaries.
Prisoner's Dilemma in Quantum Perspective
Authors:   , Padakandla Venkata Charnaditya
Published: January 2025

It is known that quantum strategies change the range of possible payoffs for the players in the prisoner's dilemma. In this paper, we examine the effect of the degree of entanglement in determining the payoffs. When both players play quantum strategies, we show that the payoff for both players is unaffected by the entanglement value and it leads to a new Nash equilibrium.
Wireless Power Transfer and Power Management Unit Integrated with Low-Power IR-UWB Transmitter for Neuromodulation and Self-Powered Sensor Applications
Authors:   , Biswas Dipon Kumar
Published: January 2025

This dissertation is particularly focused on a novel approach of a wirelessly powered neuromodulation system for chronic patients. The inductively coupled transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) coils are designed through optimization to achieve maximum efficiency. A power management unit (PMU) consisting of a voltage rectifier, voltage regulator along with a stimulation circuitry is also designed to provide pulse stimulation to genetically modified neurons. For continuous health monitoring purposes, the response from the brain due to stimulation needs to be recorded and transmitted wirelessly outside the brain for analysis. A low-power high-data duty-cycled impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transmitter is designed and implemented using the standard CMOS process. Another focus of this dissertation is the design of a reverse electrowetting-on-dielectric (REWOD) based energy harvesting circuit for wearable sensor applications which is capable of generating a very low-frequency signal from motion activity such a walking, running, jogging, etc. A commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) based and on-chip based energy harvesting circuit is designed for very low-frequency signals. The experimental results show promising progress towards the advancement in the wirelessly powered neuromodulation system and building the self-powered wearable sensor.
Educator's Beliefs on the Professional Support Needed for Paraprofessional Librarians in Technology-Rich Elementary Campuses: A Qualitative Narrative Inquiry
Authors:   , Joseph Stacy Renee
Published: January 2025

Libraries can have a significant impact on today's students and the schools of today and tomorrow. The way students learn is changing as technology changes: rapidly. The knowledge and skills that today's librarians carry can influence the students immensely, including their use of technology. However, with many districts suffering budget cuts, one of the first positions to cut is the certified librarian, replaced by a library paraprofessional. These budget cuts will impact what the libraries can offer students. It is vital that districts support their library program and the person in charge, whether a paraprofessional or certified librarian, to positively impact the students for their future. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of library programs within a technology-rich school district that utilizes paraprofessionals supported by a certified librarian.
The Effects of Coach-Created Motivational Climate of Teamwork Behaviors
Authors:   , Sokoloff Derek Michael
Published: January 2025

This study aims to examine how individual athlete perceptions of motivational climate act as an antecedent and influence beliefs about teamwork behaviors. Specifically, how the positive and negative aspects of coach-created motivational climate are associated with: (a) understanding the team's purpose and the ability to plan to achieve the team's mission, (b) implementing designed plans for team success, (c) assessing team performances and environment, (d) creating alterations focused on increasing the probability for team success, and (e) preserving interpersonal relationships by resolving conflicts effectively. Participants consisted of female NCAA Division I collegiate athletes (N = 536; Mage = 20.13 years, SD = 1.36) from colleges/universities located in 22 of the 50 states. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed three motivational climate clusters; low task/high ego, moderate task/moderate ego, and high task/low ego. The main effect for motivational climate and the overall model of teamwork and the individual component of their behavioral dimensions was significant. The DDA revealed a single significant function for each of the six (i.e., the overall model and individual overarching components of teamwork) MANOVAs conducted, which indicated the composite measures of teamwork behaviors discriminated between the different motivational climate clusters.
Advanced Distributed Optimization and Control Algorithms: Theory and Applications
Authors:   , Zhang Shengjun
Published: January 2025

Networked multi-agent systems have attracted lots of researchers to develop algorithms, techniques, and applications.A multi-agent networked system consists of more than one subsystem (agent) to cooperately solve a global problem with only local computations and communications in a fully distributed manner. These networked systems have been investigated in various different areas including signal processing, control system, and machine learning. We can see massive applications using networked systems in reality, for example, persistent surveillance, healthcare, factory manufacturing, data mining, machine learning, power system, transportation system, and many other areas. Considering the nature of those mentioned applications, traditional centralized control and optimization algorithms which require both higher communication and computational capacities are not suitable. Additionally, compared to distributed control and optimization approaches, centralized control, and optimization algorithms cannot be scaled into systems with a large number of agents, or guarantee performance and security. All of the limitations of centralized control and optimization algorithms motivate us to investigate and develop new distributed control and optimization algorithms in networked systems. Moreover, convergence rate and analysis are crucial in control and optimization literature, which motivates us to investigate how to analyze and accerlate the convergence of distributed optimization algorithms.
Vocal Fold Onset and Its Effect on the Spectral Envelope
Authors:   , Austin Kourtney Regan
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this study is to examine the acoustic implications of using aspirated, well-coordinated, coup de la glotte, and hard glottal onset methods, in order to compare and contrast the radiated acoustic spectra. Twenty-five singers trained in bel canto singing style were asked to sing 5-second samples on three pre-determined pitches comprising the low, middle, and high range in male and female voices. Each participant was instructed and trained to sing the three pitches with the four methods. EGG was used with audio perception to verify onset type, and VoceVista Video Pro was used to analyze power spectra. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (rMANOVA) was performed with the SPSS General Linear Model function, with onset type as the within-subjects variable to determine main effects and interaction effects on harmonic amplitude (up to 5000Hz) from the independent variables. A significant main effect was found for onset type and more specifically, a significant acoustic difference was found between the well-coordinated and coup de la glotte onsets. Substantial inconsistencies were found in the execution of the well-coordinated onset, as well as in participants' reported preferred onset compared to their baseline measurement of executed onset type. Intentional study of the phonatory onset beginning with adducted folds and low subglottal pressure may have important acoustic and efficiency consequences for bel canto singers. There is a need for specificity regarding the prephonatory glottal configuration in vocal pedagogy and voice science research, and a numerical classification system may provide a clearer picture in future onset investigations.
Queer Phenomenological Framework of Gender and Sexuality for the Discourses of Environmental Religion and Ecofeminism
Authors:   , Spratt Rachel Olivia
Published: January 2025

This master's thesis undertakes an analysis of the current discourse in environmental religion and ecofeminism respectively and proposes the use of queer phenomenology to provide a framework of analysis for the ways gender and sexuality are envisioned in those fields in conversation with the use of Judith Butler's theory of performativity. First, a literature review and overall analysis of the current discourse of environmental religion is established. This is followed by a literature review and overall analysis of the current discourse of ecofeminism. Finally, the last chapter describes how queer phenomenology as posited by Sara Ahmed is a useful framework for the conceptualization of gender and sexuality that can benefit both discourses.
Ecosystem Services and Sustainability: A Framework for Improving Decision-Making in Urban Areas
Authors:   , Valencia Torres Angélica
Published: January 2025

Ecosystem services are the varied goods and benefits provided by ecosystems that make human life possible. This concept has fostered scientific explorations of the services that nature provides to people with the goal of sustaining those services for future generations. As the world becomes increasingly urban, ecosystems are reshaped, and services are degraded. Provisioning and regulating ecosystem services, landscape planning, decision making, and agricultural systems and technologies play a distinctive role in feeding and sustaining the expanding urban population. Hence, the integrated assessment of these coupled components is necessary to understand food security and sustainable development. Nevertheless, frameworks that incorporate ecosystem services, urbanization, and human wellbeing are still scarce due to several conceptual and methodological gaps that challenge this assessment. As a consequence, these frameworks are not operationalized, and ecosystem services rarely receive proper attention in decision making. This dissertation seeks to improve our understanding of the role of ecosystem services at the landscape level and provides an approach for operationalizing decisions that affect sustainable practices and human wellbeing.
Student Belonging: A Critical Narrative Inquiry of Grenadian Secondary Students' Storied Experiences in Schooling
Authors:   , Henry-Packer Caroline Jacinta
Published: January 2025

Including all students through the educative processes is instrumental to their success. Each student's journey through education is therefore impacted by the ways they are included in the classroom. As such, social inclusion, and academic inclusion underpinned by a general sense of belonging are key elements impacting students' successes in schooling. Both globally and nationally school systems face challenges in enacting policies, pedagogies, and practices to meet the needs of increasingly diverse student populations. Student voice which has historically been absent from the literature can be a valuable tool in accounting for the lived experiences of diverse students with or without a formal label of dis/ability. Student voice can (re)present a revelatory tool that can be acted upon in responding to these diverse needs. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore how secondary students in Grenada with or without a label of learning dis/ability but who are considered as part of responsive inclusive education, experience a sense of belonging through academic and social inclusion. This qualitative study using critical narrative inquiry pursued through semi-structured interviews with students, their teachers and parents revealed resonant threads of strained responsive education, childism and coloniality, the pedagogy of nice and an elusive inclusive education. Recommendations are therefore made to center student voice and choice, further the decolonization of schooling, create improved systems of evaluation and diagnosis of specific learning challenges, and to provide extensive teacher training so that the needs of diverse learners can be met. The findings have the potential to encourage and introduce collaborative educational practices amongst teacher-practitioners, students, and Grenada's Ministry of Education and thereby improve responsive models for secondary learners of diverse abilities.
New Computational Methods for Literature-Based Discovery
Authors:   , Ding Juncheng
Published: January 2025

In this work, we leverage the recent developments in computer science to address several of the challenges in current literature-based discovery (LBD) solutions. First, LBD solutions cannot use semantics or are too computational complex. To solve the problems we propose a generative model OverlapLDA based on topic modeling, which has been shown both effective and efficient in extracting semantics from a corpus. We also introduce an inference method of OverlapLDA. We conduct extensive experiments to show the effectiveness and efficiency of OverlapLDA in LBD. Second, we expand LBD to a more complex and realistic setting. The settings are that there can be more than one concept connecting the input concepts, and the connectivity pattern between concepts can also be more complex than a chain. Current LBD solutions can hardly complete the LBD task in the new setting. We simplify the hypotheses as concept sets and propose LBDSetNet based on graph neural networks to solve this problem. We also introduce different training schemes based on self-supervised learning to train LBDSetNet without relying on comprehensive labeled hypotheses that are extremely costly to get. Our comprehensive experiments show that LBDSetNet outperforms strong baselines on simple hypotheses and addresses complex hypotheses.
Understanding the Needs of Educators in Environmental Education Programming
Authors:   , Villegas Morgan P
Published: January 2025

This thesis describes a study conducted for the San Antonio River Authority to understand the needs of educators in environmental education programming. This study explores the experiences of educators in teaching environmental education, the tools and methodologies they use, what they think and feel about environmental education, and what their needs are when selecting environmental education curricula and programming to engage their students. This thesis contains an extensive literature review relevant to the local environment in San Antonio, Texas, equity in access to education in borderland regions, educator training, and environmental education goals and methodologies. The study utilizes both qualitative and quantitative research tools: a survey and a collection of semi-structured interviews. The findings of this study indicate that educators are looking for environmental education curricula and programming that is convenient to use and access, training that gives them confidence to teach environmental concepts, curricula and training that helps them facilitate a sense of wonder and engagement in their students, and more content that is locally relevant.
CFD Study of Ship Hydrodynamics in Calm Water with Shear Current and in Designed Wave Trails
Authors:   , Phan Khang Minh
Published: January 2025

Although the capability of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in modeling ship hydrodynamics is well explored in many studies, they still have two main limitations. First, those studies ignore the effect of non-uniform shear current which exists in realistic situation. Second, the focus of most studies was laid more on the seakeeping/maneuvering performance and less attention was paid to survivability of ships due to extreme ship response events in waves, which are considered rare events but influential. In this thesis, we explore the capability of CFD in those two areas. In the first part of the thesis, the hydrodynamic performance of KCS in the presence of a non-uniform shear current is investigated for the first time using high-fidelity CFD simulations. Various shear current conditions with different directions were considered and results were compared with the ones with no shear current. The second part of the thesis focuses on study of rare events of ship responses by development of extreme response conditioning techniques to design the wave trail. Two conditioned techniques based on Gaussian and non-Gaussian processes are considered.