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Student Motivation for Using AARC Services
Get PDFWhy do students not use AARC services? Are there actions the AARC could take to improve student attendance
Blockchain Security: Double-Spending Attack and Prevention
Get PDFThis thesis shows that distributed consensus systems based on proof of work are vulnerable to hashrate-based double-spending attacks due to abuse of majority rule. Through building a private fork of Litecoin and executing a double-spending attack this thesis examines the mechanics and principles behind the attack. This thesis also conducts a survey of preventative measures used to deter double-spending attacks, concluding that a decentralized peer-to-peer network using proof of work is best protected by the addition of an observer system whether internal or external
The Future is Now in Twisted Coil Polymer Actuators (TCPA)
Get PDFThis thesis aimed to fabricate and test twisted coiled polymer actuators (TCPA) to understand the mechanical and thermal aspects of this artificial muscle fiber. The purpose of this thesis was to find a linear relationship using the LVDT sensor, fabricating TCPA fibers, and interpreting the data. The project tested whether nylon/polymer could be used as a better artificial muscle fiber.
This research accomplished three goals: (1) designing and fabricating a system capable of creating supercoiled muscle fibers consistently, (2) calibrating the Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) and Core, and (3) analyzing/interpreting the data of the Twisted Coiled Polymer Actuators (TCPA) fibers through the sensors. The proposed methods could be used to control the monofilament\u27s twisting and tension through the four steps, measuring, coiling, annealing, and testing the TCPA fibers.
This thesis has built a foundation that can be used to fabricate TCPA fibers from nylon and evaluate their mechanical and thermal behavior while being measured within the LVDT sensor. The results provided a better understanding of the mechanical behavior of the TCPA fibers and provided the foundations to optimize a final building block to understanding this artificial muscle fiber
An Analysis of All-Cause Mortality on Patients with Sickle Cell Disease and Kidney Disease using Propensity Score Matching
Get PDFIn this work, we provide an overview of the Cox proportional hazards model for time to event or survival analysis and the notion of propensity score matching to deal with confounding factors. A full analysis is reported in Chapter 2 concerning mortality for in-center dialysis patients with sickle cell disease to demonstrate the application of a general analysis strategy that has some logistical benefits over more traditional approaches to accounting for confounding variables. We also provide some insight and discussions on the challenges and future research questions that will emerge when trying to implement this strategy as a monitoring tool over time
The Impact of Couple Minority Stress and Perceived Relationship Equity on Relationship Satisfaction of Women in Same-Gender Relationships
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to test two hypotheses (H1: relationship satisfaction will mediate the relationship between perceived relationship equity and potential relationship dissolution in women in same-gender relationships. H2: Relationship satisfaction will mediate the relationship between perceived minority stressors and potential relationship dissolution in women in same-gender relationships). Participants who met the demographic profile and consented to the study were asked to complete five questionnaires: relationship equity (Kurdek, 1998), couple minority stress (Neilands et al., 2019), relationship satisfaction (Funk & Rogge, 2007), potential relationship dissolution, and demographics. The results showed that relationships satisfaction was a partial mediator between perceived relationship equity and potential relationship dissolution. Additionally, the results showed that relationship satisfaction fully mediated the relationship between couple minority stress and potential relationships dissolution. The current study sought to understand the reasons why women in same-gender relationships are more likely to end a relationship than all other configurations of couples (Joyner et al., 2017; Ketcham & Bennett, 2019)
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND REVOLUTION: USE OF LEITMOTIF IN THE FIRST ACTS OF LES MISÉRABLES AND HAMILTON: AN AMERICAN MUSICAL
Get PDFLeitmotif, a recurring musical theme that represents a character, idea, or situation, is a device used in operas, film scores, and musical theater. Accredited to Richard Wagner, leitmotifs enhance storytelling and provide a sense of cohesion to a production. The popular musicals Les Misérables and Hamilton bear many similarities, including the use of leitmotif as a storytelling device. This thesis explores how the two musicals use leitmotif differently, through the lens of the protagonists, antagonists, and supporting characters. Though the leitmotifs in Les Misérables generally represent ideas and the leitmotifs in Hamilton are mostly character-based, this tool aids the overall narrative in both shows