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Garden as Resistance: Reclaiming Mexican-American Culture through Participatory Design and Community Collage
No full textNo abstract prepared.Art and Desig
Resale Revolution: Resellers' Evolving Power in the Digital Age
No full textThis research project investigates the role of apparel resellers on online platforms in shaping modern fashion trends, with an emphasis on Generation Z consumer habits and the recommerce business model. This study explores the motivations behind Gen Z’s adoption of secondhand shopping, the rise of digital resale marketplaces, and the shift from traditional retail gatekeepers to individual sellers who curate and influence fashion consumption practices. The project aims to fill gaps in existing literature by analyzing how online resellers decide what products to list, set pricing strategies, and leverage digital tools such as social media and influencer marketing to shape accessibility and market trends to position themselves as the new fashion gatekeepers. Through examining both economic and social motivators, this study offers insights into how the behaviors of resellers and merchandise buyers interact to redefine fashion influence and sustainability in the digital age. The evolving dynamics between fashion trendsetting and online apparel resale marketplaces are best understood when looking at Depop, an online resale platform. Depop is examined as a case study for its unique social networking interface and its popularity among Generation Z. The platform has lowered barriers for aspiring resellers, allowing anyone to list items and build a following through peer-driven engagement. Depop’s emphasis on individuality and trend-driven shopping positions it as a cultural hub for contemporary youth fashion. Users influence trends and set prices, often independent of established fashion brands. This research aims to illuminate the mechanisms by which platforms like Depop, and their users, are reshaping fashion market trends, and redefining who consumers look to for fashion trend influences, therefore altering the distribution of influence within the fashion industry.Family and Consumer Science
Effectiveness and Safety of Preoperative Nutritional Interventions on Surgical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textBackground: Preoperative nutritional interventions, including low-calorie diets (LCDs) and very low-calorie diets (VLCDs), are commonly implemented in metabolic and bariatric surgery. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative dietary interventions in patients undergoing bariatric surgery, with primary outcomes including perioperative complications, operative time, and length of hospital stay. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, including studies that compared LCD and VLCD with regular diets in adults undergoing bariatric surgery. The primary outcomes assessed were perioperative complications, operative time, and length of hospital stay. Random- and fixed effects models were used for quantitative synthesis. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and ROBINS-I, while the certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. Results: Eight trials comprising 1197 patients were included in the meta-analysis. VLCDs were associated with a significant reduction in perioperative complications (OR 0.59; 95% CI: 0.37–0.94; p = 0.03), whereas LCDs showed no significant effect on complications (OR 1.64; 95% CI: 0.71–3.78; p = 0.25). No significant reduction in operative time was observed (MD −2.64 min; 95% CI: −6.01 to 0.73; p = 0.12). Hospital stay was slightly reduced (MD −0.17 days; p = 0.0001), though the clinical significance remains uncertain. The certainty of evidence was low, primarily due to the risk of bias and small sample sizes. Conclusions: VLCDs may lower the risk of perioperative complications, while LCDs do not appear to provide this benefit. However, the evidence is limited by methodological heterogeneity and low certainty. Further high-quality studies are needed to establish optimal preoperative nutritional protocols.Division of Researc
Official Source code for 'Quantitative and Qualitative Comparison of Generative Models for Subject-Specific Gaze Synthesis: Diffusion vs GAN'
No full textThis is the official source code for the paper titled "Quantitative and Qualitative Comparison of Generative Models for Subject-Specific Gaze Synthesis: Diffusion vs. GAN," by Kamrul Hasan, Dmytro Katrychuk, Mehedi Hasan Raju, and Oleg V. Komogortsev. The paper is currently under review in the ACM Symposium on Eye Tracking Research & Applications, 2026.Recent advances in deep learning demonstrate the ability to generate synthetic gaze data. However, most approaches have primarily focused on generating data from random noise distributions or global, predefined latent embeddings, whereas individualized gaze sequence generation has been less explored. To address this gap, we revisit two recent approaches based on diffusion and generative adversarial networks (GANs) and introduce modifications that make both models explicitly subject-aware while improving accuracy and effectiveness. For the diffusion-based approach, we utilize compact user embeddings that emphasize per-subject traits. Moreover, for the GAN-based approach, we propose a subject-specific synthesis module that conditioned the generator to retain better idiosyncratic gaze information. Finally, we conduct a comprehensive assessment of these modified approaches utilizing standard eye-tracking signal quality metrics, including spatial accuracy and precision. This work helps define synthetic signal quality, realism, and subject specificity, thereby contributing to the potential development of gaze-based applications.Computer Scienc
Preventing and Managing Pre- and Postoperative Micronutrient Deficiencies: A Vital Component of Long-Term Success in Bariatric Surgery
No full textBariatric surgery (BS) is an effective treatment for severe obesity and its related comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. However, the anatomical and physiological changes associated with these procedures significantly increase the risk of preoperative and postoperative micronutrient deficiencies, which can lead to severe complications such as anemia, osteoporosis, and neurological disorders. This narrative review examines the prevalence and clinical implications of micronutrient deficiencies in BS patients, as well as evidence-based strategies for their prevention and management. The most common deficiencies include iron, vitamin B12, folate, calcium, vitamin D, and fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, and K). Procedures with a hypoabsorptive component, such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS), pose higher risks of deficiencies compared to restrictive procedures like sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Effective strategies involve the preoperative correction of deficiencies, continuous monitoring, and tailored supplementation. However, long-term adherence to supplementation tends to decrease over time, influenced by behavioral and socioeconomic factors. Hence, preventing and managing micronutrient deficiencies are crucial for the long-term success of BS. While current guidelines provide valuable recommendations, many are based on low-certainty evidence, underscoring the need for more robust studies. A multidisciplinary approach, combined with innovative strategies, such as telemedicine, can enhance adherence and achieve sustainable clinical outcomes.Division of Researc
Growth and Development of the Cranial Complex and Its Implications for Sex Estimation
No full textBackground/Objectives: The incorporation of the human growth and development literature, an ontogenetic framework, a large virtual sample of individuals across the entire growth period, and a contemporary sample of adult individuals provides a unique opportunity to explore the cranial complex across the entire life cycle. This study (1) assesses cranial variation in postnatal ontogeny to determine the life history stage during which subadult crania can reach comparable levels of phenotypic expression to adult crania and (2) exposes when biological sex can be estimated using craniometric data from immature individuals with accuracy levels comparable to adults. Methods: Contemporary individuals between birth and 102 years of age from one virtual (Subadult Virtual Anthropology Database; SVAD) and one skeletal (Forensic Data Bank; FDB) collection were used in the analyses (n = 2152). Results: Discriminant analysis reveals a clear ontogenetic trajectory across the life history stages, with adolescents, SVAD adults, and FDB adults exhibiting similar cranial dimensions. The analysis also revealed a shift from the growth energetic period into the reproductive energetic period during adolescence. This transition is reflected in the divergence of male and female craniometrics in adolescence, which is also when sex estimation accuracy is comparable to SVAD and FDB adults. Conclusions: The current study argues that skeletal and/or dental maturity is not necessary to estimate sex using the cranium and urges the field to reconsider methodological divisions between subadults and adults.Anthropolog
Effects of GLP-1 RAs in Alcohol Use Disorder: A Systematic Review [paper]
No full textAlcohol Use Disorder is a prominent disease affecting up to 27 million Americans. It is frequently undertreated pharmacologically, with only 2% of those seeking treatment receiving a prescription. A review of literature, composed of five cohort studies and two randomized controlled trials, was conducted to analyze the effect of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists on alcohol-related health and behavioral outcomes. The included cohort studies, ranging from 9,965 to 817,309 patients and drawing from various electronic health records, assessed the impact of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists on preventing hospitalization, progression to cirrhosis, and self-reported drinking behaviors. The two randomized controlled trials, involving 48 to 127 patients, analyzed the effects of semaglutide and exenatide on alcohol consumption and craving in individuals with alcohol use disorder. Four of the five cohort studies and one of the two randomized controlled trials found evidence that glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists decrease alcohol consumption and craving. The evidence supports a correlation between the use of glucagon-like peptide receptor agonists and decreased alcohol consumption, but more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions.Nursin
Exploring Perceptions and Experiences of Preschool Teachers on the Factors that Contribute to Exclusionary Practices toward Black Boys in Private Childcare Centers in Texas
No full textThe purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions and experiences of preschool teachers regarding the factors that contribute to the use of exclusionary practices with Black boys enrolled at private childcare centers in Texas. Eight preschool teachers employed by private childcare centers from four major cities in Texas served as participants in this qualitative phenomenological study. To gain an understanding of their lived experiences with suspension, expulsion, and the factors that influence the decision to use exclusionary practices, participants engaged in semi-structured interviews. Data collection also included the use of a researcher’s journal. Critical race theory, bioecological systems theory, and a hermeneutic phenomenological approach were drawn upon for data analysis. Findings showed systemic inequities within privately funded childcare centers in Texas were influenced by financial market pressures, structural stressors, White privilege, social status, and family connections, resulting in racialized exclusionary outcomes such as the expulsion, soft expulsion, and suspension of Black boys. This dissertation contributes to the field of early childhood education by highlighting the need for more inclusive policies, stronger partnerships with parents, and ongoing professional learning to address educator bias and promote more effective behavior management in private childcare centers in Texas.Counseling, Leadership, Adult Education, and School Psycholog
Surveying Archaeologically Significant Areas of Packsaddle Mountain in Llano County, Texas
No full textThis report discusses findings from a survey of Packsaddle Mountain in Llano County, Texas. The large landmark is significant to the Texas historical record and popular in Texan folklore. It has a dynamic past with many visitors from separate time periods and differing cultures. It was most notably visited by various prospectors in search of silver and gold, leaving behind evidence like mineshafts and smelters. I, along with the guidance of my father and the landowner James Stotts, conducted a surface survey of archaeologically significant parts of the Stotts family's private ranch. Coordinates for locations of significance were logged using a GPS device and integrated into ArcGIS software for map creation. During our survey, we used a metal detector to enhance our perception during all our surface exploration and charting. All the artifacts discovered were cataloged manually and digitally using Microsoft Excel. My father’s and James’s primary prerogative are to find evidence of the Spanish. They suspect the landmark is the location of the popular legend of the lost Spanish silver mines named the Los Almagres (Red Ochre) Mines. However, the main initiative of this report is to catalog the primary sites within the Stotts family ranch, while documenting artifact discoveries either made during or before the survey.Geography and Environmental Studie
Enhancing Alpha Beta Pruning and Designing an Ideal Evaluation Function for Board Games
No full textConventional game-playing artificial intelligence (AI) systems usually utilize fixed depth search techniques based on fixed evaluation functions. Some of these AI systems employ transposition tables which have been shown to reduce computations required by tree search algorithms. However, the transposition tables also introduce extensive memory requirements and will not necessarily adequately adjust to the different stages required by the game. This thesis presents a comparison of the stage-based evaluation with adaptive main search depths with that of a fixed depth type of search but utilizing transposition tables in a game of checkers.
We have implemented and tested four different ways: (1) fixed depth search of depth 5 utilizing stage based evaluation, (2) fixed depth search of depth 6 utilizing stage based evaluation, (3) adaptive stage based evaluation utilizing varying depths ( opening depth 5, mid-game depth 6, end-game depth 8 ), and (4) the IEEE advanced transposition table implementation with fixed evaluation. Techniques of Human Feedback have been introduced to learn optimal depth selections resulting in dynamically tuned (weighted) reaching strategies based on position characteristics.
The data collected during experimentation indicate that the performance of the supervised learning feedback assisted stage methodology was superior in most of the cases. The result was seen in a 200 game tournament in which the supervised learning feedback win percentage was 27.0% while the traditional stage based evaluation was only 14.0% and transposition tables had a win percentage of 15.0%. This gave a statistically significant increase in the win percentage of those using schemes with supervised learning feedback of 11% over stage-based schemes with a 0.008 probability scoring. The total performance of the supervised learning feedback model was impressive in its efficiency with an average search time of 1.94 seconds and an average number of nodes explored of 1,654.89, while the transposition tables required only a 1.40 second search time but explored an average of 1,613.05 giving an average memory utilization of 7.4 MB. Most spectacular has been the reduction in peak memory usage achieved through the use of the supervised learning feedback methodology. Peak memory usage fell some 99% to 0.21 MB from 19.71 MB while at the same time increasing the win percent in use over that of the transposition tables by 10%. Finally, the adaptive depth methodology gives rise to an average effective depth of 5.58 in total. It is based on the complexity of the position and the phase of the game (the dynamic growth and decline of the positions complexity would also be expected to be reflected in the effective depth value) as well as exhibiting total time taken by the compute channels for the games of 3,845 seconds as opposed to the total time for processing in the case of the fixed stage methodology of 43,177 seconds in aggregate for all 200 games played. This shows that intelligent adaptive depth is a more efficient measure than caching methodology while giving a superior playing strength.
The results indicate that stage-based evaluation with learned depth selection is a promising alternative to the usual transposition table type of evaluation, particularly when resources are limited, and memory is critical. This dissertation thus makes a contribution to the growing literature on adaptive game-playing algorithms and shows the practical applicability of Supervised Learning techniques to optimizing classical game tree search algorithms.Computer Scienc