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Age Related Variations in Blood Vessel Vascularity and Collagen Deposition in Mice Ovarian Tumors
Get PDF2025 Spring Expo Poster Presentation Biological & Life Scienceshttps://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/sp-expo/1066/thumbnail.jp
What are You Drinking? Microplastics
Get PDF2025 Spring Expo Poster Presentation Physical & Applied Scienceshttps://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/sp-expo/1079/thumbnail.jp
Protecting our Protectors - Investigating Effectiveness of Treatment Options for Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Get PDF2025 Spring Expo Online Poster Presentation Works in Progress - class projecthttps://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/sp-expo/1082/thumbnail.jp
Effectiveness of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria Treatment in Urinary Tract Infection Prevention Among Renal Transplant Recipients: A Literature Review
Get PDF2025 Spring Expo Poster Presentation Health Sciences & Health Professionshttps://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/sp-expo/1095/thumbnail.jp
Development And Characterization Of Self-Healing Engineered Cementitious Composites Using Computer Vision And Machine Learning Algorithms
No full textConcrete is the most utilized construction material globally and is the second most consumed material, besides water. It has been used to construct key infrastructures such as bridges that link cities and states, dams for hydroelectric power generation, pavements for connecting urban and rural areas, and commercial/residential buildings that house humans. It has been employed in developing marine, environmental, and coastal defense structures for civilian and military purposes. This diverse array of uses expresses the crucial importance of concrete. However, despite its importance and versatility, concrete is plagued by low tensile strength and high susceptibility to cracking. In marine environments, these cracks have been reported to reduce the durability of concrete due to the ingress of harmful chemical substances, costing millions of dollars in repair and maintenance. If not managed properly, these limitations could result in large-scale disasters. Hence, advanced structural techniques and materials are needed to monitor and mitigate the challenges associated with traditional concrete cracking. This research aims to address the cracking problems associated with traditional concrete by (1) developing Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Structural Health Monitoring techniques (SHM) for detecting and monitoring cracks, and (2) characterizing advanced cementitious materials with crack-healing abilities. High-level unmanned aerial vehicle-machine learning-based (UAV-ML) solutions were engineered to detect pavement cracks, quantify them, and evaluate their morphological characteristics. Additionally, crack detection and propagation prediction models were developed for Engineered Cementitious Composite structures, providing a preemptive SHM framework for mitigating cracks. Similarly, structural deterioration models to track structural displacement and strain under loading conditions were created, all a part of the designed SHM framework. Likewise, bacteria-based self-healing cementitious composites with high-performance abilities were formulated and experimentally characterized. Based on the science of microbial-induced calcite precipitation, the developed composites were discovered to heal cracks wider than 2.5mm. The flexural and compressive material response of the bacteria-based composites was indicative of their high mechanical performance in addition to their superior self-healing abilities. The structural health monitoring framework, in addition to the bacteria-based composite results, provides a comprehensive body of engineering solutions for tackling concrete cracking on two different levels
From Sexualization To Victim Blaming: The Role Of Stereotypes Of Black Womanhood In Perceptions Of Sexual Assault
No full textSexual assault is a widespread problem that affects people of all races and genders. However, depending on the racial identities of those involved, societal reactions to these violent crimes frequently vary. This thesis investigates how perceptions of victims of sexual assault are influenced by prejudicial and stereotypical views of race and gender. Based on the perspectives of intersectionality and Black feminist thought, particular emphasis is placed on racialized stereotypes of Black womanhood, including the Jezebel and Strong Black Woman tropes. This study evaluates how victim-blaming for sexual assault varies by victim and offender race and examines the role of stereotypical and prejudicial beliefs in this relationship. Using a vignette-based experimental design, 1,254 U.S. adults were surveyed on their perceptions of culpability after reading a fictitious account of an acquaintance rape. A 2 x 2 factorial design was used in which the race of both the victim and perpetrator varied in vignettes. Results revealed intricate patterns in the interaction between victim and perpetrator race and stereotype endorsement. Black women victims were perceived to be more culpable and received less empathy than White women, particularly in intraracial assault scenarios. The Jezebel and Strong Black Woman stereotypes played a role in how sexual assault victims were perceived, with evidence of moderation by race. Endorsement of the Jezebel stereotype exacerbated victim-blaming and reduced empathy for Black women, while the Strong Black Woman stereotype mitigated blame. Results also suggested that benevolent sexism had a pronounced effect on legitimizing the victimization of White women assaulted by Black men and that hostile sexist beliefs may more strongly disadvantage Black women victims. Findings from this study build on our understanding of the role of racialized stereotypes in how sexual assaults are perceived, demonstrating that heightened victim-blaming of Black women sexual assault victims is in part driven by stereotypes of Black womanhood. These relationships imply that racialized stereotypes contribute to the persistence of differences in victim perception and support. These have important implications for policy, as they speak to the process through which racialized stereotypes can perpetuate racial disparities in the treatment of sexual assault victims. In order to support survivors of sexual assault and pursue justice, especially for those whose identities have been historically marginalized, the findings from this thesis emphasize the significance of culturally responsive frameworks in both policy and practice