bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HPV Vaccine and Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors:   , Boansi Ruth K. , Massey Philip
Published: July 2021

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is a one of the most commonly sexually transmitted infections in the world. Persistent infection with HPV is associated with a variety of diseases including cervical cancer. HPV infection is responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer in the world. Limited screening and treatment facilities have contributed to the stark disparity in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. As the HPV vaccine becomes more widely available in sub-Saharan Africa, an investigation into the gaps in knowledge, receptivity, and intention to vaccinate are important to understand the potential challenges associated with vaccine introduction and delivery. This quantitative study investigates factors influencing the receptivity of adolescents and young adults in Senegal guided by the Health Belief Model. Additionally, it also explores sexual and reproductive health knowledge and family planning influencers, perceptions, and preferences among women, men, and key stakeholders in Ghana. Overall low awareness and receptivity to the HPV vaccine in Senegal. However, students who were aware of HPV being a sexually transmitted disease and those who knew it could cause cervical cancer showed the greatest increase of being willing to vaccinate. These results indicate a need for increased overall awareness and specific attention to HPV's transmission and consequences of infection. The results from Ghana revealed an overall positive view of preventative programs, making the potential for successful HPV prevention campaigns feasible. The results also indicate a need to combat fears surrounding the vaccine such as potential side effects and concerns over early sexual debut. Combating the challenges in HPV vaccine awareness and receptivity identified in this study are necessary to ensure that girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa have are informed and receptive to this important tool in reducing preventable deaths.
Transcending Intersections
Authors:   , Rowe Kathleen , Purtle Jonathan
Published: July 2021

Transcending Intersections (TI) is an evidence-based assessment and improvement project that aims to improve the pedestrian safety at the intersection of Broad St. & Olney Ave.; Philadelphia's 5th most dangerous pedestrian intersection. This study utilizes and implements components of Vision Zero, a comprehensive set of Swedish transportation policies defined by public health principles. Transportation-related crashes kill approximately 30,000 Americans per year. In Philadelphia, the rate of pedestrian fatality increased 15% between 2009-2013. This risk disproportionately affects pedestrian populations in low-SES, non-white neighborhoods. To assess and address a high-priority area of this burden, this project utilizes a sequential mixed-methods approach that 1) communicates preexisting quantitative data from municipal and local NGO sources and 2) collects and communicates qualitative narratives and observations of intersection users. Upon integrating these data, comparable Vision Zero-based intersection design improvements will be researched and suggested for the intersection. The future of this intersection relies upon the action of local NGOs this report will be disseminated to. The Vision Zero Team of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is responsible for using project's findings to compel City Council to fund either i) a temporary intersection improvement pilot using a portion of the City's $250,000 Vision Zero fund in the budget and/or ii) create a permanent long-term high-investment TAP (Transportation Alternatives Project) for the intersection from a $2.7 million grant from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). The DVRPC will use this project's methods and guidelines as a reference for a future project that aims to do a scaled-up version of TI that will qualitatively assess the safety of multiple high-priority pedestrian intersections across their 9-county service area.
Evaluation Checklist for an Interview Questionnaire
Authors:   , Lukey Camille , Gross-Davis Carol Ann
Published: July 2021

An interview questionnaire evaluation checklist tool that includes all fundamentals of a best-practice interview questionnaire including the mode of questionnaire, questionnaire design, maximization of response rates, bias reduction, types of questions, question content, question wording, question order, question format and recall aids. The checklist tool was used to evaluate three Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) community interview questionnaires that were conducted at Superfund Sites and an Army Corps of Engineers Former Nansemond Ordnance Depot questionnaire. The evaluation checklist tool provides a quantitative evaluation grade on the entire questionnaire, each individual question and the collective questions. The evaluation checklist also provides a qualitative evaluation for each individual question.
Prenatal nutritional supplementation and autism spectrum disorders in two European population-based cohorts
Authors:   , DeVilbiss Elizabeth Anne , Lee Brian K.
Published: July 2021

Objective: In two prospective population-based cohorts, we examined whether prenatal nutrient supplementation is protective against autism and its sub-components, and whether associations depend upon relevant genotypes. Study design: The Stockholm Youth Cohort (SYC) is a total population register-based cohort of children living in Stockholm County, Sweden. Self-reported supplement and drug use was assessed at first antenatal visit. ASD was ascertained after 4 to 15 years of follow-up covering all pathways to ASD care and services in Stockholm County. Intellectual disability was ascertained through two Stockholm-based registers. The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and their Children, UK (ALSPAC) is a population-based prospective birth cohort study based in Avon, England. Nutritional supplements were reported at 18-weeks gestation regarding use during pregnancy. Factor analysis produced seven factor scores related to autism and 1 combined score based on traits assessed at multiple ages, and IQ scores were obtained at 8.5 years of age. Methods: In the SYC, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable regression, sibling controls, and propensity score matching. In ALSPAC, linear regression was used to calculate [beta] estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for factor scores and IQ. Supplementation was examined in main effects models and in interaction models with maternal and child genetic variants involved in folate metabolism. Results: In the SYC, maternal multivitamin use was associated with lower odds of ASD with ID in the child relative to mothers who did not use folic acid, iron, or multivitamins in regression (OR: 0.69 [95% CI: 0.57 to 0.84], sibling control (0.77 [0.52 to 1.15]), and propensity score matched (0.68 [0.54 to 0.86]) analyses. Findings were not specific to ASD, as similar estimates were found for ID only. There was no consistent evidence that either iron or folic acid use were associated with lower risk of ASD. In ALSPAC, vitamin supplementation was associated with higher language acquisition skills, while folic acid use were associated with lower articulation scores; both of these relationships were also observed for higher dietary folate. Vitamin and folic acid supplementation were associated with higher IQ scores in the child; associations between folic acid supplementation and IQ appeared to depend upon child MTHFR677 genotype. There was no strong evidence of relationships between iron and ASD sub-components. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that maternal nutrition may be related to specific features of autism such as cognition and facets of language development, and may depend upon genes involved in folate metabolism, specifically child MTFHR677. Further scrutiny of maternal nutrition and its role in the etiology of autism, cognition, and language development is warranted.
Finding Family Facts in the Digital Age
Authors:   , Willever-Farr Heather Lynn , Forte Andrea
Published: July 2021

This study examines the online information behaviors of experienced and novice family history researchers, though the lens of accuracy and an increasingly digital research and production environment. It presents a model of the information behaviors of family history researchers, as well as a literacies framework, which visualizes the skills and knowledge needed to conduct accurate family history research and produce accurate family histories in the digital age.
Real-time Video Alignment and Fusion Using Feature Detection on FPGA
Authors:   , Taglang Robert Haywood , Nagvajara Prawat
Published: July 2021

Video fusion functions as a way to combine the important or useful parts of two or more sequences of images. The scenario presented is the use of Laplacian fusion to produce a single video composed of the fields of view of two cameras whose areas of focus differ substantially. This is not a useful real-time strategy unless the fields can be aligned. This thesis presents a system for detecting features using an FPGA implementation of SURF (Speeded-Up Robust Features), and aligning video streams by applying a transform generated from the key features.
Tailoring Electronic Properties in Semiconducting Perovskite Materials Through Octahedral Control
Authors:   , Choquette Amber K. , May Steven J.
Published: July 2021

Perovskite oxides, which take the chemical formula ABO₃, are a very versatile and interesting materials family, exhibiting properties that include ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, mixed ionic/electronic conductivity, metal-insulator behavior and multiferroicity. Key to these functionalities is the network of BO₆ corner-connected octahedra, which are known to distort and rotate, directly altering electronic and ferroic properties. By controlling the BO₆ octahedral distortions and rotations through cationic substitutions, the use of strain engineering, or through the formation of superlattice structures, the functional properties of perovskites can be tuned. Motivating the use of structure-driven design in oxide heterostructures is the prediction of hybrid improper ferroelectricity in A'BO₃/ABO₃ superlattices. Two key design rules to realizing hybrid improper ferroelectricity are the growth of high quality superlattice structures with odd periodicities of the A / A' layers, and the control of the octahedral rotation pattern. My work explores the rotational response in perovskite oxides to strain and interface effects in thin films of RFeO₃ (R = La, Eu). I demonstrate a synchrotron x-ray diffraction technique to identify the rotation pattern that is present in the films. I then establish substrate imprinting as a key tool for controlling the rotation patterns in heterostructures, providing a means to realize the necessary structural variants of the predicted hybrid improper ferroelectricity in superlattices. In addition, by pairing measured diffraction data with a structure factor calculation, I demonstrate how one can extract both A-site and oxygen atomic positions in single crystal perovskite oxide films. Finally, I show results from (LaFeO₃)_n/(EuFeO₃)n superlattices (n = 1-5), synthesized to test the motivating predictions of hybrid improper ferroelectricity in oxide superlattices.
Investigation of the Reversible Hysteresis Effect in Hexagonal Metal Single Crystals and the MAX Phases
Authors:   , Griggs Justin P. , Barsoum Michel W. , Taheri Mitra
Published: July 2021

Hexagonal close packed (hcp) materials are abundant in nature, and are of great technological importance since they are used in many applications. When cyclically loaded some hcp solids outline fully and spontaneously reversible stress-strain hysteresis loops. To date, the micromechanical origin of these loops is unknown. To shed light on the subject, a spherical nanoindenter was repeatedly indented - up to 50 times in the same location - into Mg, Zn and Ti₃SiC₂ single crystals of various orientations, followed by select, post-indentation transmission electron microscope (TEM) cross sectional analysis. Based on the totality of the results, the energy dissipated per unit volume per cycle in the hexagonal metals can be related to the bowing out - and back - of geometrically necessary dislocations - in most cases in the form of low angle kink boundaries (LAKBs) - through statistically stored ones. Kinks were observed after indentations normal to the basal planes in Mg and Zn and also when indented normal to the (101̄1) and (101̄2) planes in Zn. When indented parallel to the basal planes in Zn, if hysteresis loops formed at all, they were insignificant in area. When (101̄0) planes in Mg were indented, tensile twins formed. The most probable explanation for the energy dissipated in this direction is the growth and contraction of these twins. In the case of Ti₃SiC₂, hysteresis loops were observed even in absence of kink boundaries. No direct evidence for twins or non-basal slip was found nor has been reported in literature. Evidence presented in this study supports the existence of a new type of defect in bulk layered solids known as ripplocations - which combine features of dislocations and surface ripples - that are able to explain the phenomena observed in this study on Ti₃SiC₂ in ways conventional dislocations cannot explain. It is the migration of these ripplocations that are believed to cause energy dissipation in Ti₃SiC₂. The energy dissipation due to ripplocations was found to be higher than the energy dissipation due to dislocations, which may offer a possible signature to distinguish between the two. However, the simplest method to distinguish between ripplocations and dislocations is to load the basal planes edge-on under a spherical indenter as carried out here. The formation of cracks, normal to the basal planes, are the unequivocal signature of ripplocations.
Applied Signal Analysis for the Diagnosis of Linear Inductive Voltage Adders
Authors:   , Nachtigall Eric Gerard , Peters Christopher W.
Published: July 2021

MERCURY, a pulsed power linear inductive voltage adder, is used in experiments by the United States Naval Research Laboratory. In a series of high power experiments, physical damage was noted to the coatings applied to the inductive cells in MERCURY. To aid in the diagnosis of this problem, a MATLAB diagnostic toolbox was implemented. This toolbox combined principles of RF and high power engineering with digital signal processing to produce a series of measurements in an initial attempt to characterize the device. Certain device behaviors were characterized and a preliminary classification scheme was investigated to identify potential methods of diagnosing inductive cell breakdown during operation. A diagnostic report was then produced. The findings of this study may be used in future to establish diagnostic methods implementing machine learning or pattern recognition.
Supply chain coordination and integration under yield loss
Authors:   , Kim Changhyun , Banerjee Avijit , Kim Seung Lae
Published: July 2021

The primary objective of this dissertation is to develop analytical models for typical supply chain situations to help supply chain decision-makers under supply yield loss. We derive solution procedures for each model and present several managerial insights obtained from our models through numerical examples. Additionally, this research provides decision-makers insights on how to incorporate uncertainty in demand and supply and shortage information into a mathematical model. This study deals with three forms of integrated cost-profit models under different scenarios including coordination policy and supply yield loss in a two-stage supply chain involving a retailer and a supplier, dealing with a single product under deterministic condition. We compare the profits of the whole supply chain system under the coordinated policy with those of individual decision making approaches and demonstrate the efficiency of coordination. These models attempts to find the optimal solutions for the retailer's order quantity, quality level, amount of emergency procurement, and the production and shipment decisions of the supplier, so that the resulting joint total profit for the entire supply chain is maximized. We illustrate our model and the potential benefits of outsourcing in a supply chain system through a numerical example. Extending the analyses obtained above, we then develop models for an integrated supplier-retailer supply chain under imperfect production and shortages, with the additional decision variable of market pricing on the part of the retailer. We assume that market demand is sensitive to the retailer's selling price and study the combined operation and pricing decisions in the supply chain. We develop profit maximization models for the cases of independent and joint optimization. The results of obtained from our analyses demonstrate that the individual profit, as well as joint profit can be increased by our suggested model, under a non-linear price dependent demand function. In addition, the results with retailer-supplier coordination tend to be superior, which leads to illustrate that setting appropriately retailer's selling price can increase market demand and the profits of both parties, as well as that of the supply chain. Finally, numerical examples are presented to illustrate these models, and the sensitivity analyses of a selected set of model parameters on the total profit is conducted. A major finding of this study is that coordination between the retailer and the supplier improves channel profit significantly. Furthermore, the possibility of external procurement tends to improve total system profitability as the price sensitivity of demand increases.
Investigating the Effects of ESI parameters on Ion Signal in ESI-FT-ICRMS and Studying the Effects of ESD Parameters on the Morphology of Samples and their Implications to MALDI MS Signal Intensity
Authors:   , Emeigh Christina A. , Owens Kevin Glenn
Published: July 2021

This thesis investigates two separate projects. The first project investigated the effect of ESI parameters on ion intensity in an ESI-FT-ICRMS using factorial design experiments. The second project investigated the effect of ESD parameters on the deposition of MALDI samples, the MALDI TOF MS ion signal and AFM morphology. Chapter 1 discusses systematically looking at ESI parameters using two-level factorial design experiments. The ESI factors focused on were the sheath gas, auxiliary gas, sweep gas, and electrospray voltage. The response variables of ion signal, standard deviation and S/N were investigated to look at which variables and interactions between these variables were statistically significant, with the goal of maximizing the sensitivity of the instrument for the eventual analysis of complex mixtures isolated from secondary organic aerosols. Chapter 2 discusses the absorption and fluorescence of the isomers of DHB in various solvents. It investigates the samples in both the solid and solution states. The work presented confirmed that using ESD would provide reproducible results to compare samples in the solid state. Chapter 3 investigates various solution properties that determine the initial droplet size for ESD samples. The properties investigated were the surface tension using the capillary rise method, density and conductivity. Both pure solvent and matrix solutions were measured; the values obtained were then used to estimate the initial solution droplet sizes produced during the ESD process. Chapter 4 explores the use of a research quartz crystal microbalance to measure the residual wetness of the ESD spray, the unexpected difference between the calculated mass and the actual mass deposited, and the initial "bump" found in the deposition sprays. Some of the variables examined were the choice of solvent, flow rate, concentration, spray time and use of different matrices and their different impacts on the factors listed above. Finally, chapter 5 investigates the effect of spray height on the morphology and ion signal of MALDI samples using AFM and MALDI TOF MS. The samples prepared for analysis can be consecutively examined in both the AFM and MALDI instrument since the Si wafer used provides a flat enough surface for AFM, but is also conductive enough to be used in the MALDI instrument.
Effect of a Preoperative Briefing Tool and Education on Negative Operative Events
Authors:   , Jones Dorothy Johnson , Gonzalez Elizabeth W.
Published: July 2021

Background: Evidence supports the use of preoperative communication as a strategy to anticipate perioperative needs and mitigate surgical error. The purpose of this QI project was to improve perioperative safety through enhanced interprofessional communication using an educational intervention and to pilot a structured communication tool, the World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist (WHO SSC) to facilitate a preoperative briefing. Methods: The project used a pre-test post-test survey, i.e. the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Hospital Survey on Patient Safety (HSOPS), to assess the educational intervention with a convenience sample of perioperative team members. The WHO SSC, the Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN) Practices for Transfer of Care, and the TeamSTEPPS (TM) communication content informed the educational intervention. The Midas Incident Reporting System measured adverse events. The AHRQ - HSOPS measured reported Patient Safety Grade. Evaluation: Fifty-two in-patient employees (63% response rate) completed the AHRQ-HSOPS and 49 completed the post educational survey. There were no significant differences on the AHRQ-HSOPS's four domains of Teamwork, Communication Openness, Overall Perception of Safety, or Handoffs and Transitions. For one of the outcome measures of the AHRQ - HSOPS, Patient Safety Grade, the median ratings by the post education group were significantly higher (p = .001) than the pre-education group. There were no reportable sentinel events. A slight increase in reported near miss events were reported following the educational program. Clinical Implications and Summary: The use of tools such as the WHO SSC could expand the current communication preoperatively among caregivers and reduce surgical error.
Evaluation of a Capstone Course Revision for NCLEX-RN Preparation in an Accelerated Baccalaureate of Nursing Program
Authors:   , Umeweni Chikaodili , Rundio Al
Published: July 2021

Many nursing programs utilize standardized predictor exams to maintain high first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for their students. Since these standardized exams are highly predictive of first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, preparing students to take these exams during their final term of nursing school has become of utmost import. The purpose of this study was to evaluate student outcomes following restructure of a capstone course designed to prepare accelerated Baccalaureate Nursing students for the NCLEX-RN exam utilizing the Knowledge, Anxiety and Test-taking Strategy (KATTS) framework. Capstone course outcome, NCLEX-RN pass rates, time to licensure and course evaluations were compared for two cohorts before (2014 cohort; N= 117) and after (2016 cohort; N=152) the course redesign; t-tests and chi-squared tests were conducted for significant differences between the two cohorts and qualitative analysis was performed on comments from anonymous end-of-course surveys. Results show increased capstone course pass rates (97.4% vs 83.8%; p < 0.001), no change in NCLEX-RN pass rate, shorter number of days to licensure (16.72 vs 29.61; p < 0.0001) and improved scores on student course evaluations following the course redesign. The 2016 cohort felt better prepared to take the NCLEX-RN (4.1 vs 3.6; p = 0.002), felt the course increased their critical thinking (4.2 vs 3.2; p < 0.0001) and gave the capstone course a higher overall rating than the 2014 cohort (3.7 vs 2.7 p < 0.0001). Content analysis of end-of-course survey questions revealed themes of "unhelpful", "stressful" and "smaller groups" before course redesign and "more and sooner", "self discovery" and "class structure woes" following course redesign. The results of this study supports the use of the KATTS framework in designing a senior-level nursing capstone course to prepare senior nursing students for the NCLEX-RN.
Special Education in Non-Classroom Charter High Schools
Authors:   , Conklin Linda Guenther , Bureau W. Edward
Published: July 2021

An increasing array of diverse instructional models is being made available to all students due to school reform through publicly funded charter schools. Emerging at the intersection of innovations in technology, shifting theories of learning, and the changing perception of schools as the situational broker of education, non-classroom not-for-profit charter high schools offer students alternatives to traditional classroom learning. Nonclassroom charter high schools (hereafter NCCHSs) with instruction delivery models of independent study, synchronous or asynchronous distance, or virtual learning are experiencing an increase in the enrollment of students with individualized education programs (IEPs). Special Education in NCCHSs is a new phenomenon. Using qualitative phenomenological research methods, this study sought to explore the phenomenon of special education in NCCHSs through the experiences of special educators working in them. The statement of problem for this research was that little is known about special education in NCCHSs. The research questions asked (1) what are the experiences of special educators working in NCCHSs, (2) what skills do special educators use in NCCHSs. The research tool was interviews with special educators working in NCCHSs. The study findings suggest special educators working in NCCHSs enjoy a sense of liberation, empowerment, and personal-professional alignment as a result of their choice to work in a NCCHS. However, the study findings also reveal special educators experience significant challenges and feelings of professional compromise due to the disconnect of federal disability and special education laws with the reality of special education in NCCHSs. Study participants described liberated professional energy, a pioneering sense of discovery, and a commitment to serving children with special needs as essential to the phenomenon of special education in NCCHSs. Recommendations from this study call for an alignment of the laws and practices governing special education in NCCHSs, an expansion of skills in 21st-century special education credentialing programs, and a greater reciprocity between NCCHSs and traditional school districts to provide careful and discriminating choices to students with IEPs.
Marginal matters
Authors:   , Jacobson Seth A. , Ghosh Rajashi
Published: July 2021

Extant scholarship and theory tends to overlook and mis-theorize the role that marginal actors play in organizational change and development. Therefore, this study employed and centered a multidimensional concept of marginality in an in-depth exploration of a specific organizational change and development context: a Roman Catholic College advancing LGBTQ-friendly change. An ethnographic research design employed over the course of 6 months revealed that one's marginal positionality - in relation to conditions of Invisibility, Resource Neglect, and Obedience - impacts whether and how actors advance LGBTQ-friendly change. Specifically, marginality was found to impact whether and how actors advance change through Being Out, Educating and Speaking Out, and through an approach referred to in this study as Felix Culpa. Additionally, an actors marginal positionality was found to impact 3 Levels of Connection (LoCs) to LGBTQ-friendly change at Catholic College: No Connection; an Empathetic and Galvanizing Connection; and a Structural and Intersectional Understanding (of LGBTQ-friendly change). A synthesis and theoretically sensitized interpretation of the findings revealed that - through their unique capacity to draw upon, strengthen, and nourish 'Legitimate Alternative Structural Configurations' or LASCs, marginal actors have been critical to LGBTQ-friendly change at Catholic College, and are, more broadly, instrumental in both formal and cultural change within organizations.
Identifying Online Streaming User Value in the Netflix Recommendation System
Authors:   , Yan Jingyu , Salas Philip W.
Published: July 2021

Netflix is one of the most successful providers of Over-The-Top content, delivered via the internet. By using a massive amount of data generated by its streaming users, a personalized recommendation system is one of Netflix's value propositions. However, due to a lack of publically available data and studies, it is difficult to determine whether its recommendation system has brought true value to streaming users, and how important this feature is to its users. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the recommendation system from the streaming users' point of view. By collecting survey results from 119 participants, this study will attempt to reveal the relationship between streaming users and the personalized recommendation system, and to show whether or not streaming users are satisfied with this feature.
Fostering Campus Diversity Through Arts Programming
Authors:   , Bell Madeline J. , Brody Jean
Published: July 2021

With diversity on the rise in society, colleges and universities are tasked with finding methods of integrating multiculturalism on campus. My study investigates the effectiveness of the arts and culture programs at West Chester University (WCU), a public university in West Chester, Pennsylvania. In my preliminary research, I discover the benefits of diverse interactions among college students, the importance of educating the community on cultural acceptance, and various ways that the arts can be used to teach and present cultural differences in a positive way. Through one-on-one conversations with arts, culture, and diversity leaders at WCU, I learn that despite cultural challenges and institutional limitations, WCU's leaders have been successful at increasing the multicultural presence and serving diverse communities in and around West Chester between the years of 1993 and 2016. There are many missed opportunities, however, for collaboration, partnerships, and research practices that could improve services overall. There are also some missing links between diversity and the arts, as well as minimal communication between the individual arts programs.
Decision fusion in non-stationary environments
Authors:   , Wang Ji , Hrebien Leonid , Hu Xiaohua , Kam Moshe
Published: July 2021

A parallel distributed detection system consists of multiple local sensors/detectors that observe a phenomenon and process the gathered observations using inbuilt processing capabilities. The end product of the local processing is transmitted from each sensor/detector to a centrally located data fusion center for integration and decision making. The data fusion center uses a specific optimization criterion to obtain global decisions about the environment seen by the sensors/detectors. In this study, the overall objective is to make a globally-optimal binary (target/non-target) decision with respect to a Bayesian cost, or to satisfy the Neyman-Pearson criterion. We also note that in some cases a globally-optimal Bayesian decision is either undesirable or impractical, in which case other criteria or localized decisions are used. In this thesis, we investigate development of several fusion algorithms under different constraints including sequential availability of data and dearth of statistical information. The main contribution of this study are: (1) an algorithm that provides a globally optimal solution for local detector design that satisfies a Neyman-Pearson criterion for systems with identical local sensors; (2) an adaptive fusion algorithm that fuses local decisions without a prior knowledge of the local sensor performance; and (3) a fusion rule that applies a genetic In addition, we develop a parallel decision fusion system where each local sensor is a sequential decision maker that implements the modified Wald's sequential probability test (SPRT) as proposed by Lee and Thomas (1984).
Structure-Property-Processing Correlations in Chitosan-Based Porous Hybrid Materials
Authors:   , Donius Amalie Elizabeth , Wegst Ulrike G. K.
Published: July 2021

Composites form an important class of materials in our modern world due to their ability to achieve properties that cannot be realized in a single phase material. Taking composite materials to another level of sophistication, the term hybrid materials has been coined and defined; these are materials that are not only a composite of two or more materials, but also possess a custom-designed architecture, which frequently is hierarchical. When fabricating a hybrid material it is therefore essential to have a thorough understanding of the constituent materials, as well as the processing technique through which the materials' desired architecture is created. The objective of this research was to utilize freeze casting, a directional solidification technique, to create highly porous, hierarchically structured composites in which structure and properties could be custom-designed. This was achieved through the solution or slurry composition as well as the processing parameters, such as the freezing rate. The presented research aimed to systematically determine the correlations between processing parameters, composition, structure, and mechanical properties in such freezecast composite scaffolds. The biopolymer chosen for this work was chitosan, a derivative of chitin, which is the second most abundant polysaccharide on earth and thus readably available. The mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, toughness) of chitosan-based materials were influenced through genipin crosslinking, the inclusion of cellulose nanofibers, and the inclusion of mineral particles, namely nanoclay and hydroxyapatite. Through freeze casting, highly porous (>95%) scaffolds with a well aligned pore structure were fabricated from water-based solutions or slurries. From the library of materials and processing parameters established in this work, two materials were chosen and freeze cast in conjunction with different processing parameters in a two-step procedure. The goal of this approach was to mimic natural bone and combine within one scaffold two materials with different structures to simultaneously satisfy two distinct requirements. Through a particularity of the processing technique, the partial melting of solidified material at the interface, a smooth transition between the vastly different structures and materials was achieved. This confirms the hypothesis that hybrid scaffolds with complex shapes can be fabricated to simultaneously provide different functions.
Integrated Production, Inventory and Pricing Decisions in Two-Echelon Supply Chains
Authors:   , Yan Changyuan , Banerjee Avijit
Published: July 2021

This thesis investigates the optimal decisions for maximizing the expected profit level of a supply chain when market demand is price-sensitive. We examine two-echelon supply chains consisting of a single manufacturer and one or more retailers, where the organizations simultaneously determine the retail price, production lot size and inventory replenishment schedules to maximize the profit of the entire supply chain. In particular, we first develop a model for singlemanufacturer single-retailer (SMSR) supply chains, assuming deterministic market demand. We then extend the SMSR model to supply chains with multiple-retailers (i.e. SMMR supply chains). Finally, we examine both SMSR and SMMR supply chains in stochastic market demand environments. We show that supply chain cooperation/centralization brings higher profits for the manufacturer and the retailer(s), and benefits retail consumers with a lower retail price. We propose efficient algorithms for our models and illustrate them through numerical examples. Managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed.
Judges' and Potential Jurors' Perceptions of Personality Disorders as a Mitigating Factor in Capital Sentencing Decisions
Authors:   , Arnold Shelby , DeMatteo David S.
Published: July 2021

When mental illness is not enough to preclude a defendant from death-eligibility, mental health information presented during the sentencing phase of a capital trial becomes incredibly important. The role of personality disorders as a mitigating factor is missing from the literature, despite high comorbidity rates with criminal behavior. The goal of this study was to examine whether personality disorders are treated differently than other mental illnesses that may be presented as mitigating evidence and if that affects sentencing recommendations. Two samples of 158 judges and 195 mock jurors were each randomized into five conditions. Using vignettes, the defendant's diagnosis (no mental illness, schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder) was manipulated. Results showed that judges and mock jurors found schizophrenia to be more mitigating than any other mental health diagnosis, but judges recognized that borderline personality disorder is also mitigating.
Control of Magnetic Behavior in LaMnO₃ Thin Films through Cationic Vacancies
Authors:   , Gordon Cerina Isabel , May Steven J.
Published: July 2021

The magnetic behavior of lanthanum manganite thin films (LaMnO₃) deposited on strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) was explored as a function of manganese oxidation state, as controlled by the presence of cation and oxygen vacancies. This was done in response to the inconsistent magnetic properties found in literature. The films were characterized using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, wide-angle x-ray diffraction, x-ray reflectivity and vibrating sample magnetometry. The films were found to exhibit an antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic transition consistent with that found in strontium-doped LaMnO₃ systems, where the manganese oxidation state is controlled by the fraction of strontium present.
The Development of a Cervical Spine Protective Device for Youth Athletes in American Tackle Football
Authors:   , Milone Mary LuXuan , Tangorra James , Siegler Sorin
Published: July 2021

The goals of this thesis research were to identify the weak areas of the human neck and to evaluate the preliminary designs of a cervical spine protective device. This was done by measuring isometric muscle strength in terms of head position and by measuring ranges of motion in coupled and uncoupled cervical spine motion. This information was to develop a cervical spine protective device for young athletes (11 to 18 year olds) who play American tackle football. Results from this study showed that that the neck strength depends on the head positions and the directions of muscle contraction. The weaker muscle strengths were produced when the participants' heads were tested at 40 degrees in extension, coupled 40 degrees in extension and 20 degrees in lateral bending, and coupled 40 degrees in extension 20 degrees in axial rotation. These positions are associated with stinger's syndrome in football athletes. Evaluation of the cervical spine range of motion in these weaker positions showed that the range of motion in the extension direction decreased as the participants' heads moved closer to the extreme positions of lateral bending and axial rotation. Football helmets and shoulder pads was not able to provide much restriction in extension and axial rotation motion. A set of cervical spine protective device were created for each participant based on their anthropometric measurements. The cervical spine protective device was able to provide desired restriction in most directions particularly in uncoupled flexion, extension, axial rotation and lateral bending.
Nanopipettes for Intracellular Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Authors:   , Vitol Elina Alexandrovna , Friedman Gary G. , Gogotsi Yury
Published: July 2021

Single cell analytical techniques facilitate early detection of diseases and promote the development of more specific and efficient drugs. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is one of the most promising methods for studying intact cells. SERS allows for high sensitivity analysis of molecular composition and structure. However, the lack of SERS-active nanoprobes, which provide consistently reproducible signals and do not affect cell viability, hinders the advancement of SERS applications for cellular studies. This work focuses on the development of the first SERS-active nanopipette, a tool for intracellular SERS analysis with unprecedented data reproducibility. SERS-active nanopipettes were designed using a bottom-up approach. Gold nanoparticles, enabling SERS functionality of the nanopipette, were engineered to provide strong SERS enhancement while still being small enough for intracellular applications. Model SERS-active substrates were fabricated to study the effects of nanoparticle surface density and excitation wavelength on resulting SERS activity. Upon the selection of the optimal surface density of nanoparticles, the SERS sensitivity of the substrates was tested on intact cells and major cell organelles isolated into a suspension. The latter was designed to model the intracellular environment. To fabricate a SERS-active nanopipette, the engineered gold nanoparticles were deposited on a tip of a pulled glass capillary. The interparticle distance was set according to the results obtained on model planar SERS substrates. Three new applications of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy were experimentally demonstrated using planar SERS substrates: (a) differentiation between various second calcium messengers (IP3, cADPR, NAADP), (b) detection of NAADP in cell extracts, (c) analysis of protein-protein interaction. Different types of carbon nanotube-based cellular probes were studied. CNT-tipped pipettes were functionalized with gold nanoparticles and tested as SERS-active probes. A systematic Raman spectroscopic study of synthesis effects on the wall structure and surface chemistry of carbon nanopipettes was performed. SERS-active nanopipettes were used for highly localized probing of a single living cell. The characteristic fingerprints of major cell compartments, nucleus and cytoplasm, were obtained. For the first time, SERS-active nanopipette enabled in situ detection of living cell function by means of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
Aspect Level Public Opinion Detection, Tracking and Visualization on Social Media
Authors:   , Ding Wanying , Hu Xiaohua , Chen Chaomei
Published: July 2021

The desire, want, and thinking of the majority of people on one issue or problem is called Public Opinion. Public opinions have various impacts on many perspectives of human society. Thus public opinion analysis has long been an important research topic. Old-styled public opinion analysis is more about linguistics and limited by opinion resources and analysis tools. Social Media has enriched the opinion resources but also brought new problems, such as Big Data Problem, Information Fragmentation Problem, Time Sensitive Evolution Problem, and Visualization Problem. With the development of Information Science and Computer Science, many algorithms can help in more efficient opinion analysis. This thesis focuses on using data mining methods to facilitate online public opinion analysis on aspect level, namely Aspect Level Public Opinion Detection, Tracking and Visualization. With respect to public opinion detection, traditional machine learning methods require laborious training data labeling and careful feature engineer. This thesis focuses on Statistical Learning and Deep Learning. Statistical Learning frees people from labeling data. We have proposed three statistical methods: Hybrid HDP-LDA Model, Similarity Dependency Dirichlet Process, and Semi-Supervised Dirichlet Process. Experiment results have confirmed their ability in unsupervised or semi-supervised opinion detection. Deep Learning frees people from feature engineering. We have proposed a Hierarchical Attention Network for Opinion Summarization. Experiment results have shown its higher accuracy in document opinion summarization. In public opinion tracking part, different from traditional methods, which need manually discretize timeline into discrete episodes, we focus on Stochastic Process and Online Deep Learning methods. Hawkes Process and Online LSTM-AutoEncoder are two models we have proposed. We have tested them on online time-sensitive datasets and proved their ability for opinion tracking. This thesis has also created several visualizations to present results from opinion detection and tracking. In order to visualize opinion detection results, Stacked Bar Chart, Divergent Bar Chart, Hierarchical Edge Bundle and Treemap have been utilized. In order to visualize opinion tracking results, Line Chart, Linked Histogram Graph, Alluvial Flow and Unaligned Alluvial Flow are deployed.
Combining Strategic and Operational Decision Making in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Logistics
Authors:   , Kahveci Furkan , Benson Hande Yurttan
Published: July 2021

Recent increase in energy prices, concern regarding CO₂ emissions, exploration of new energy sources, and some conventional methods of Liquefied Natural Gas transportation have a significant impact on LNG trade to make it more competitive in the energy market. This results in a lot of investment for LNG value chain. For profitable operations such LNG logistics, it is necessary to find the optimal design in terms of the supply chain associated with it. Of special interests are finding an optimal schedule for LNG delivery by ships from production terminal to regas terminals and satisfying inventory and port constraints by minimizing total cost and selecting an optimal combination of contracts and suppliers. This can be possible by modelling a combination of the inventory routing problem (LNG-IRP) and the model to minimize procurement cost by selection of LNG contracts that varies in price formulation, duration, quality etc. These various cost factors in the objective makes the combined model more challenging. To find the lowest cost solution for the model, optimization-based approaches can be very useful. Therefore, in this paper, we address these circumstances by proposing a mixed-integer linear programming model that helps the buyers select the best combination of suppliers and contract, and based on selecting amount of contract, buyer's demand (inventory capacity) in each regas terminal is satisfied by minimizing stock out, unmet demand, and losts production.