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Boosting knowledge transferability through differentiable architecture search for skin lesion diagnosis
No full textKnowledge transferability is crucial for advancing computer-aided diagnosis (CAD), especially in complex tasks such as skin lesion diagnosis, where data variability and scarcity can challenge the effectiveness of traditional diagnostic models. This study introduces a novel approach to improving knowledge transfer in skin lesion diagnosis by leveraging Progressive Differentiable Architecture Search (P-DARTS). Our approach discovers neural network architectures that adapt well across diverse datasets, enhancing the model’s ability to generalize and transfer learned features to new contexts. The optimized architecture was evaluated using the publicly available ISIC-2019 and PAD-UFES-20 datasets, demonstrating competitive performance against established models such as InceptionNet, ResNet, and DenseNet. P-DARTS produced high-performing, transferable models with a diagnostic accuracy of 63.70% in multi-class classification and 97.71% in binary classification, underscoring its potential in creating robust artificial intelligence (AI) tools for accurate and timely skin lesion diagnosis. In addition, we observe that evaluation depth held more significance than the search-evaluation depth gap, and that architectures with a greater number of pooling operations resulted in a better performance. This approach addresses a key limitation in knowledge transfer for skin lesion diagnosis and fills the need for adaptable models capable of learning from limited, domain-specific data
Paper or Digital? Comparing Vocabulary Learning From Internet Search to a Physical Dictionary
Get PDFThere is an increasing presence of technology found in the educational environment. With that there are many questions about the effectiveness of learning when information can be re-accessed with the click of a mouse. Information is more accessible than ever online but expecting to be able to rely on the internet may make learning less effective than other learning methods, such as paper. Continuing research has shown deficits, which could imply a digital presence is harming the learning environment. 125 students completed this study which compared differences between paper versus online learning platforms. The study tested peoples word translation accuracy between a paper learning condition and a Google Translate learning condition. Participants were also asked to answer a metacognitive question which served as data on their self-confidence of the learned knowledge. The results showed no significant difference between the number of words accurately translated or the confidence level participants had in their translations. With no significant differences found, future research should utilize more complex learning material than individual words
Perceptions of Climate Change among the Public and Broadcast Meteorologists in Mississippi
No full textClimate change is a complex issue with information about it coming from many different sources. This can lead to confusion among the public on who to trust, but local broadcast meteorologists are a commonly among the most trusted source on this topic. Broadcast meteorologists and residents in the state of Mississippi hold similar views with some noted differences on a few key issues when surveyed about their opinions on climate change. While most people in both groups agree that climate change is occurring, there is less certainty among them as to whether it is accelerated by human activity. Many factors seem to affect one’s beliefs on climate change including age, race, political affiliation, and the highest level of education completed. Scientific organizations are the most trusted source for communicating climate change information among all groups, so they will be very useful in increasing public and professional understanding in the future just as they have been in the pas
Traveling Jack: Tracing Settler Identity Through Appalachian Folklore
Get PDFArchaeology and Folklore have long had a tense relationship, but in an era of archaeology focusing more and more on the current and descendant communities it is imperative for archaeologists to begin engage folklore traditions in their work. By engaging archaeology and folkloric methods both fields can benefit. In the case of this study, I have used the Traveling Jack story, a common folk tale with English, Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian versions that involves a young man using his wits to overcome a series of challenges to achieve various happy endings, to trace Scottish and Irish settlement and reinvention in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States South. By analyzing various Traveling Jack tales and comparing motifs across cultures I argue that Scottish and Irish identities are maintained in Appalachian identity through Traveling Jack tales
Interactions between different deformation mechanisms in magnesium
No full textMagnesium is a strong and lightweight material with the potential to be used for weight reduction in various industries. However, manufacturing magnesium parts is difficult because magnesium is brittle at room temperature. Understanding the underlying deformation mechanisms in magnesium is critical to improving its ductility. In this work a Rapid Artificial Neural Network (RANN) potential was used to perform a Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation in Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS) to study twin formation and growth as well as interactions between different twin modes in a magnesium bicrystal. This work offers insight into the mechanisms of plastic deformation in magnesium
Russia in the MENA Region: Why do states draft defense cooperation agreements with non-contiguous states?
No full textThis paper investigates the reasons behind the disparity in the signing of Defense Cooperation Agreements (DCAs) among MENA countries. Western sanctions and financial dependence on Russia are the two primary factors used in the research to evaluate scenarios using a Boolean method and a Most Similar Systems Design (MSSD). While states that depend on Russian energy exports may align more closely with Moscow for strategic and economic gains, the paper examines how states under Western sanctions frequently look to Russia for alternative security relationships. Case studies that illustrate the circumstances under which MENA states seek formal defense connections with Russia include Algeria vs. Morocco, Saudi Arabia vs. Oman, and Iran vs. Iraq
Three essays on corporate social responsibility strategy formulation and implementation
No full textCorporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies have been the target of the attention of scholars and practitioners since the 1950s. Contributions to the field include identifying structural factors that drive the development of CSR strategies, boundary conditions that make them effective, and the associated outcomes. Yet, CSR is the target of controversies and criticism from scholars and practitioners alike, including a shift away from CSR-related practices. Much of this backlash is attributed to the inability of these strategies to provide direct returns for organizations under the argument that they only serve the interests of a few stakeholders with little to no interest in the success or continuity of operations of an organization. To address this criticism, this dissertation develops three essays to discuss that the formulation and implementation of CSR strategies follow social imperatives rather than solely the formalization of social values into the structures of an organization. To that end, it develops three essays discussing CSR strategy formulation and implementation through the lens of theories that consider the external environment as a key element in the strategic process of organizations, namely, the Institutional Theory, the Resource-Dependence Theory, and the Resource-Advantage Theory. Each essay provides unique findings related to the role of the external environment in impacting the adoption of policies and how organizations draw from external elements to conform to key stakeholders’ expectations, accomplish goals, and attain positions of advantage relative to competitors. The findings of each essay account for an integrative framework for the development of CSR strategies that considers the inherent demands in society for advancing social good, dynamics of power and exchange between organizations, and other organizations competing for the attention and support of customers to accomplish their goals
Toward organizational resilience in the US federal bureaucracy
No full textIn a growing environment of uncertainty, building organizational resilience has become increasingly vital. Organizational resilience, the ability to adapt, absolve, and bounce back from disruptions, contributes to organizational continuity and satisfaction for all stakeholders. Although academic interest in unearthing factors that influence organizational resilience has increased over the past decade, there is little consensus on what makes public organizations resilient. This dissertation argues that understanding the antecedents of organizational resilience and its implications for organizational performance requires integrating multiple theories. The dissertation draws from system theory, resource-based view theory, the dynamic capabilities theory, contingency theory, human relation theory to propose that organizational resilience is influenced by organizational capabilities, managerial competencies, and employee factors. It tests these assertions using employee perception data from the 2023 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The findings indicate that organizational climate, organizational innovation, organizational learning, and organizational quality that characterize organizational capabilities contribute to organizational resilience. The dissertation also reveals that quality leadership and supervision enhance managerial competencies and hence organizational resilience. Furthermore, employee experience and employee engagement are important employee factors that contribute to organizational resilience. Theoretically, the dissertation extends the merits of organizational capabilities, managerial competencies and employee factors to organizational resilience. Regarding policy implications and recommendations, the dissertation offers policy and managerial implications that advance practice
Evaluation of broiler performance and processing metrics through sodium bisulfate application to litter and varying inclusions in feed
No full textPoultry producers must continuously evaluate current practices and determine new ones to further optimize broiler production. Sodium bisulfate (SB) is used as a poultry litter amendment (SBL), but also in human food to control pH; thus, initiating interest for SB in feed (SBF) for performance and gut health benefits. This thesis utilized common diets varying in SBF (Chapters II and III) and SBL (Chapter II; SBL1- d 0 and SBL2 – d 0 and 18) to optimize 40 d broiler performance, litter quality, and d 41 processing metrics. For Chapter II, d 0 SBL1 dramatically lowered litter pH, while minimally with SBL2; SBL yielded minor benefits on performance. Feeding 0.3% and 0.4% SBF maximized performance, though minimally improving litter quality (Chapters II and III); 0.4% SBF improved processing (Chapters II and III) without negatively impacting meat quality (Chapter III). This data can be implemented by poultry producers to improve production outcomes
Investigations into fluorescence of fluorene dimers: linker impacts and tuning potential through substituent addition
No full textFluorene-based fluorescing conjugated polymers are being used to develop sensors that show great sensitivity and selectivity, however, important questions about the photophysics of these systems remain unanswered. For example, a fluorescence intensity difference was observed between fluorene dimers linked with either an acetylene (diFA) or phenyl (diFP). The polymers diFA and diFP have similar structures and extinction coefficients, yet diFA yielded a five times higher fluorescence intensity than diFP. In project one, Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent DFT (TD-DFT) were used to calculate the ground and excited states of diFA and diFP. A python code was developed to solve the 1D hindered rotor Schrödinger equation to determine the Franck-Condon Factors and Boltzmann populations to create theoretical absorbance and fluorescence spectra. It was found that the higher fluorescence of diFA results from excellent FCF overlap that encourages radiative relaxation compared to the poor FCF overlap of the diFP which results in higher non-radiative relaxation. In project 2, the potential of fluorescent tuning with regard to the Hammett number of possible substituents was investigated for the diFA and diFP dimers. DFT and TD-DFT were used to calculate the ground and excited states of the two dimers with 16 different substituents, each added in either the ortho or meta position and taking into consideration the position of the substituents in regard to the linker. Results indicate that Hammett number does not provide an effective measure for fluorescence tuning. However, substituent orientation sometimes did impact excitation energy