AUETD (Auburn University)
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An Evaluation for Optimizing Play Environments for Child Safety and Guardian Experience
No full textThis thesis focuses on evaluating and enhancing the design of public play spaces to promote child safety and guardian well-being simultaneously. It examines critical factors such as safety risks associated with children's play, the threat of child abductions, the time constraints faced by guardians, and the challenges elderly or disabled guardians encounter in supervising children. Additionally, it addresses the discomfort often experienced by guardians. The thesis emphasizes improving playground equipment design and strategic layout to address these challenges, prioritizing visibility and audibility. This approach enables guardians to effectively safeguard children while fostering welcoming and tranquil environments that support adult comfort and relaxation
The Importance of Special Position while Working with Algebraic-Geometry Codes
No full textFeng-Rao majority voting can be used to decode functionally decoded AG codes in special form by predicting syndrome values not directly produced from the received word.
So we first recast special form in terms of valuations, pointing out that at least theoretically AG codes not in special position can be mapped into subcodes of codes in special position. This process can be computationally expensive.
We can then apply a slightly modified version of majority voting to decode this image, hence the original code as well. The modification varies based on the choice of valuation used in special position. We include the Macaulay2 code written to do the examples.
Then we note that a designed minimum distance based on the genus can sometimes be improved by counting the actual number of votes on each back-diagonal rather than just giving a lower bound on that number. This count is based on the gap sequence at the special valuation chosen. For different choices of that valuation, there may be a better gap sequence that gives a better minimum designed distance for a particular code
Spatio-Temporal Modeling using Deep Learning: Methods and Applications in Real-World Systems
No full textDeep learning has emerged as a transformative force in scientific research, particularly in modeling complex spatio-temporal phenomena. This dissertation explores the application of advanced machine learning techniques to address pressing real-world prediction tasks in various domains, including climate science, urban planning, ecology, and economics. Specifically, it demonstrates how the integration of temporal dynamics, spatial dependencies, and multimodal data can significantly enhance predictive performance and support data-driven decision-making.
The first component of this work introduces a framework for predicting large-scale real estate trends. By combining Zillow's temporal data with demographic and socioeconomic indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau, we developed a Transformer-based model that captures long-term temporal dependencies and achieved over 90\% classification accuracy in multiple forecasting scenarios.
The second study presents a graph-enhanced deep learning model to forecast extreme weather events. Using spatially connected climate variables, the model improved predictions of heavy rainfall risks, contributing to early warning systems for flood mitigation and water resource management.
The third project uses a TCN (Temporal Convolutional Neural Network) to predict traffic accident-prone zones on national highways, achieving high accuracy in identifying accident-prone regions.
In the final component, we investigate the short-term prediction of the Leaf Area Index (LAI), a key indicator of vegetation health and ecosystem function. By evaluating CNN-based models across 11 types of global land cover, we show that deep learning can robustly generalize across diverse ecosystems, offering valuable insights for ecological modeling and agricultural planning
Colostrum-Derived Immunity Reduces Detection of Calves Persistently Infected (PI) with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) by Common Diagnostic Tests
Full text linkDiagnosis, detection, and elimination of persistently infected (PI) cattle with bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is the cornerstone of control programs for BVDV. This study investigated the most reliable tests, sample types, and timing for detecting BVDV in PI calves after colostral consumption. Thirteen pregnant heifers were infected with BVDV1b to produce PI calves. Ten PI calves were born clinically normal. Two age-matched calves were used as a control group. Serum samples, nasal swabs, and ear notches were collected from before colostrum intake to 28 days after birth. Antigen-capture ELISA, RT-qPCR, virus isolation, and the IDEXX SNAP test were performed. Colostrum-derived BVDV1b antibodies suppressed BVDV detection in all sample types during the first week of age, causing false negatives. After 7 days of age, detection of BVDV using ear notch samples with RT-qPCR, ACE, or IDEXX SNAP was highly reliable, while serum-based and virus isolation methods were the least effective
Development of Plug-and-Play 3D-Printed Micropneumatic Circuit Modules for Autonomous Control of Fluidic Devices
No full textThis dissertation presents an exploration of the design, fabrication, and characterization of integrated pneumatic circuits for the precise control of microvalves within droplet-based microfluidic devices. By integrating these pneumatic logic elements, this research demonstrates automatic, on-chip control over aqueous-in-oil droplet generation in microfluidic devices. These findings advance the field of autonomous lab-on-a-chip systems by reducing reliance on electronic devices and programming languages, promoting the development of more compact, portable, and complex microfluidic devices for diverse applications.
Chapter 1 introduces microfluidics as an analytical method which uses minute amounts of fluid, as well as fundamentals of microfluidics and droplet-based microfluidics. Valving on these devices is briefly discussed, followed by traditional and modern fabrication methods, including 3D printing.
Chapter 2 focuses on the design and fabrication of basic pneumatic logic gates and their characteristics. It also introduces our plug-and-play pneumatic logic gates and our contributions to split-path logic gates. This chapter concludes by discussing our pneumatic multiplexer and diode design and their capabilities.
Chapter 3 initiates the development of using a smartphone’s microphone as an instrument to collect high frequency data, mainly the sound from an exhaust of a pneumatic inverter gate while an oscillator is running. This chapter also describes how we analyzed the data collected with smartphones using Audacity, MATLAB, ImageJ, and Excel.
Chapter 4 unveils how we constructed a pneumatic computer with only NOT and NAND gates, consisting of an oscillator, delay buffer, XOR gate, and AND gate. Droplets were created with a 3D-printed droplet generator using the pneumatic computer to control a valve on the device. Also, plug-and-play pneumatic buffers were used to permit manual control of droplet volumes with two nanoliter precision, without any electronic controllers.
Chapter 5 covers micropumps and micromixers and how we leverage pneumatic oscillators to control 3D-printed mixers towards a bioanalytical chemistry application. These devices were customized for our electrochemical bowtie sensors and designed to reduce the mixing time of analyte and antibody in the assay workflow.
Chapter 6 concludes this dissertation, including future directions for projects mentioned
Narratives of Bisexual College Students: Impacts of Emerging Adulthood, Minority Stress, and Forming Community
Full text linkThe purpose of this dissertation’s study was to understand the experiences of bisexual college students during emerging adulthood (ages 18-25 years). This study examined the interactions of bisexual students with other LGBTQ+ individuals, and how these experiences shaped their narratives surrounding themselves. A narrative inquiry approach (Josselson & Hammack, 2021) grounded in Queer (Yep et al., 2003) and Quare (Johnson, 2016) epistemologies was utilized to answer the following research questions: (1) How do bisexuals describe their identities changing or evolving from high school to college?, (2) How do bisexuals perceive interactions with other LGBTQ+ people?, and (3) How do bisexual people experience minority stress?
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six different participants all identifying under the bisexual umbrella and within emerging adulthood. The data was analyzed using narrative analysis (Josselson & Hammack, 2021) and resulted in the following themes: Increased Engagement with Bisexual Identity Development in Emerging Adulthood, Pervasive Minority Stress Leads to Repetitive Decisions Around Disclosure, Intersectionality Impacts Identity Experiences, and Establishing LGBTQ+ Community is the Most Important Protective Factor, and the Most Complex. In addition to themes, individual narratives of each participant were included
Bigger is not better: Larger bees face greater risks from climate change
Full text linkBody size plays a fundamental role in how animals respond to their environment. Smaller animals are more vulnerable to heat loss and desiccation due to their high surface-area-to-volume ratio. I investigated the relationship between bee body size and climate response by measuring physiological tolerance in the lab and physiological resistance in the field. I found that small bees are cooler while foraging than larger bees, but body size does not significantly affect thermal tolerance. I found that smaller bees are drier but have a greater desiccation tolerance, which evolved due to regular exposure to high desiccation risk. For all results except for desiccation tolerance, relationships are independent of phylogenetic relatedness. Finally, larger bees are closer to their absolute physiological limits and therefore may be at increased risk to the effects of climate change. If we see declines in large bees, we may see changes in pollination services and plant communities
Transition Stressors, Coping Orientation, and Alcohol Use in Emerging Adult College Students
Full text linkEmerging adulthood, typically defined as ages 18 to 29 years, is a developmental stage marked increased autonomy, identity exploration, and frequent role transitions. While this period offers growth and opportunities, it also presents significant stressors. Prior studies have found higher rates of alcohol use for emerging adults when compared to other age groups. This holds true for heavy episodic drinking, a drinking behavior associated with increased risk of negative physical and psychological consequences. As suggested by stress and coping theories, this dissertation tested whether stressors and coping orientations were associated with alcohol use in a sample of emerging adult college students, specifically stressors were role transitions, negatively evaluated role transitions, and daily hassles, coping orientations were avoidant, approach, and emotional approach, and alcohol use was heavy episodic drinking and risky alcohol use. A sample of 185 undergraduate students (ages 18-25 years) from a large southern university completed self-report measures of past-month stressors, coping, and alcohol use. Logistic and linear regression results indicated that avoidant coping was positively associated with risky alcohol use while approach coping was inversely associated with risky alcohol use, as hypothesized. However, neither avoidant nor approach coping were associated with risky alcohol use. Emotional approach coping was not associated with either risky alcohol use nor heavy episodic drinking. Stressors were not associated with heavy episodic drinking or risky alcohol use in this study. The only interaction effect that was significant in this study was that of negatively evaluated role transitions x emotional approach coping for heavy episodic drinking. However, this was in the opposite direction than was hypothesized; the relationship between negatively evaluated role transitions and heavy episodic drinking was found to be stronger at higher levels of emotional approach coping. Overall, this study provides useful information on the relationships between coping and alcohol uses in emerging adult college students, supports the use of psychoeducation-based interventions for college students. Directions for future study are suggested
Windows and Mirrors: One Teacher's Experience Adding Multicultural Literature to a Standardized Curriculum
No full textAs a Black teacher with seven years of experience, including two years in pre-kindergarten and five years in third grade, I have wondered why some of the students in my classroom stayed silent, even when I tried to draw them out. I realized that they might be experiencing a form of invisibility because they came from multiple cultural backgrounds and didn't see themselves represented in the curriculum. Diverse cultural perspectives have not traditionally been part of standardized curricula required by many schools, including mine. To address this, I decided to incorporate materials that represented the authentic cultures of my students so that they might share their cultural backgrounds and experiences, promoting a more inclusive classroom environment. My desire was to be an effective practitioner of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995) by adding multicultural literature to my daily lesson plans.
Multicultural literature includes diverse cultural voices and promotes a global exchange of perspectives. However, integrating this literature into state mandated, scripted curricula, which focus on phonics-based reading programs, pacing plans, and recurring assessments, presents significant challenges due to limited flexibility for cultural adaptations.
This self-study investigated the difficulties of integrating multicultural literature into a third-grade classroom setting. My own experiences as the only African American girl in my school made me sensitive to a perceived invisibility of minority ad immigrant students. I examined how multicultural literature helped engage students and create a space for student learning, cultural competence, and critical consciousness to emerge even in a classroom held to strict and scripted requirements.
The study aimed to create a bridge between authentic cultural expression and a required curriculum adding multicultural literature. Previous studies have not adequately addressed the practical challenges teachers face in this context. Data collected for this self-study includes reflective journaling, classroom observations, lesson plans, and critical friends’ feedback.
While this study intended to understand the challenges and successes encountered in incorporating multicultural literature and to reflect upon effective strategies for its integration into primary education, creative tensions within my own teaching philosophy and practice emerged as primary findings. The study revealed my assumptions and biases, while at the same time, taught me to be a co-learner of culture with my students in a classroom that ultimately (although imperfectly) reflected the ideals of CRP
Coccidiosis progression and its effect on skeletal muscle yield and jejunal mucosa proteome profiles of broiler chickens
No full textCoccidiosis is a prevalent and economically significant enteric disease in poultry, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Eimeria. The parasite employs a diverse array of proteins to facilitate host invasion, with proteomic variation across species and even strains complicating effective control. Infected birds often exhibit reduced growth performance, increased susceptibility to opportunistic pathogens, and mortality. Despite the availability of nutritional, pharmaceutical, and management strategies, coccidiosis remains one of the most relevant enteric diseases in broiler production. While transcriptomic and microbiome studies have advanced our understanding of host responses during infection, tissue-specific proteomic investigations are limited. Moreover, the systemic effects of coccidiosis, particularly on tissues such as skeletal muscle, remain largely unexplored. This study combined performance parameters, muscle yield data, and temporal proteomic analyses to characterize the progression and systemic impact of coccidiosis infection. In a randomized complete block design experiment, 432 broilers were orally challenged with 30,000 sporulated E. maxima (EM) oocysts or given saline only, and samples were collected at 1-, 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, and 10-d post-inoculation (dpi). Performance parameters, muscle yields, and Wooden Breast (WB) scores were recorded, while jejunal mucosa was analyzed using label-free LC-MS/MS proteomics and fluorescent Western Blot. Broilers in the EM group maintained performance until 4 dpi; however, from 6 to 10 dpi, they exhibited lower body weight (BW), reduced BW gain and feed efficiency, and higher mortality compared to controls. In EM broilers, Bicep femoris muscle yield relative to live BW tended to be lower at 2, 8, and 10 dpi, while Pectoralis major muscle yield was lower at 10 dpi. Jejunal proteomic analysis revealed 12 differentially abundant proteins (DAP) at 1 dpi, peaking at 256 DAP by 6 dpi, and declining to 58 by 10 dpi. Notably, MHC class I was downregulated in EM broilers early, while proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism and oxidative stress were suppressed from 4 to 8 dpi. In EM broilers, STAT1, IFI6, annexin 2, and heat shock proteins were upregulated at 6 dpi, aligning with elevated IL-10 relative protein abundance detected by Western Blot at 4 and 6 dpi. Greater IL-17 protein abundance was observed in EM broilers at 4 dpi, whereas annexins 4 and 13 were downregulated. Functional enrichment analysis showed early activation of biosynthetic and metabolic pathways, followed by shifts toward lipid metabolism, nitrogen utilization, and steroid biosynthesis by 10 dpi. Immune-related pathways, including PPAR signaling and neutrophil degranulation were also temporally enriched. These findings demonstrate that EM infection induces a dynamic and coordinated host response involving immune activation, metabolic reprogramming, and tissue remodeling. The integration of performance outcomes and mucosal proteomic changes highlights how coccidiosis extends beyond localized intestinal damage to affect systemic physiology and muscle accretion throughout the disease cycle