Minnesota State University, Mankato
Institutional Repository for Minnesota State University, MankatoNot a member yet
33414 research outputs found
Sort by
Machine Learning-Driven Music Genre Recognition
Full text linkMusic is a tool that has been integrated into society for thousands of years; it has influenced social aspects of life and has also aided in communication. Today we have various uses for music that go past our traditional uses for entertainment and self-expression. For example, music therapy has been seen to show improvements in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and PTSD. Additionally, music has played a role in political movements, demonstrating its emotional power. Social media relies heavily on the music industry as many social media posts include music either in the background, or as the forefront of posts. With this broad spectrum of usage, it is important that music is easily organized and accessible. Music genre classification driven by machine learning is a way to keep up with the rapid growth of available music. This technology can be used for the recommendation systems that music streaming services use as well as furthering the medical uses of music. Current classification models struggle with reliability, diversity of datasets, and applicability to real world usage. Future work includes developing diversified datasets and allowing models to classify music genres from all over the world as well as developing increasingly genre-specific algorithms to improve overall performance. The goal of this thesis was to create genre classification models that show promising outcomes to assist the growth of the field. Three machine learning models were created: a K-nearest neighbor model, a convolutional neural network, and a recurrent neural network. All of the models achieved high accuracy on par with previous published works. The K-nearest neighbor model achieved the best performance with an accuracy of 96.5%. As the way we interact with music continues to evolve, it is important to develop adequate tools to further technological advances that expand the role of music in society
Resurrection: Poems
Full text linkResurrection: Poems by Antonia Felix explores the inner and outer dimensions of place, nature, and personal ties.https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/university-archives-msu-authors/1479/thumbnail.jp
Development of a SWPBIS Fidelity Tool for Front-Line Intervention Agents
Full text linkSWPBIS is a commonly used EBP that provides a continuum of support across three tiers of prevention (Farkas et al., 2012; Mercer et al., 2017). It is known that implementation of SWPBIS with high levels of fidelity has resulted in positive outcomes for students within that system (Farkas et al., 2012). While systems may report high fidelity of implementation of SWPBIS within their system, these reports may not be representative of how an evidenced-based practice (EBP) is implemented by frontline intervention agents and instead is likely more representative of the subjective perceptions of PBIS team members and external coaches (Reinke et al., 2013). To ensure that SWPBIS is delivered as intended at the macro and micro-levels, it is important that systems are completing measures of both implementation fidelity and intervention fidelity to determine the whole picture of implementation of the EBP to their students. The PBIS Self-Report of Fidelity Implementation (PBIS SRFI) was developed to provide intervention agents with the opportunity to reflect on their own delivery of SWPBIS practice elements, as distilled and organized by Filter et al. (2022), across the fidelity dimensions of dosage, adherence, and student responsiveness. Through initial data collection, evidence of variability and reliability were obtained across items within the measure at the item and domain levels. The factor structure (i.e., empirical model) of the PBIS SRFI based upon the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) did align across several domains from the theoretical model but differed slightly where some practices fell across factors. Although the empirical model of PBIS SRFI provided information about variable loading and inter-correlations, the theoretical model of the tool is more reflective of the observed implementation of the EBP to students
Stand Up! [book review]
No full textTori Sharp’s graphic novel Stand Up! follows best friends Clay and Kyle as they navigate the end of middle school, the school play, first crushes, and their podcast. This feel-good story offers an affirming and relatable escape for LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse middle-grade readers
How Could You [book review]
No full textThis book review will cover How Could You, the debut graphic novel by Ren Strapp. Although disability is not the main focus of this graphic novel, disability depiction is discussed, alongside the art style, overall narrative, and queer representation
Government Documents Constitution Display 2025
No full textBibliography and photographs of a display of government documents from Minnesota State University, Mankato.https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/lib-services-govdoc-display-constitution/1022/thumbnail.jp
What do students read? Let’s talk about data-informed library collections planning for student success
No full textDo students read? What do they read? What kinds of information resources are most used by students? What subject areas are most used by students? What do they need from their library if they are going to complete assignments? How can the library plan ahead to meet student needs? The modern academic library is mostly online and highly data driven. The MSU Library Services Collection Management Technology team briefly demonstrated some of the tools they’ve developed to understand student needs. They showcased some of the instruments they’ve used to communicate collections plans to administration, as they’ve strategized to conform to difficult budgets with the least adverse consequences for students. The team concluded by pointing to initiatives they’ve recently pursued to gain fresh insight into student needs, including new course material affordability efforts
Creation of a Dual-Fluorescence Reporter System to Assay miRNA Regulation of APOBEC3A
No full textMicroRNAs have an important role in regulating gene expression, including regulating the transcripts of the APOBEC3 family of cytidine deaminases. The APOBEC3 family is part of the immune defense against viral infection but has also been implicated in cancer progression. The hypothesis for this thesis is that specific miRNAs could be identified that regulate APOBEC3A (A3A) expression. I used molecular cloning and confocal microscopy to evaluate the miRNA-mediated silencing of A3A. A commercially available vector, psiCHECK-2, can be used to assay microRNA (miRNA) activity on specific targets. Molecular cloning was performed to modify the psiCHECK-2 Dual luciferase system (Renilla and Firefly) into a Dual fluorescence system (mCherry and eGFP). In the Dual fluorescence construct, the mCherry transcript is fused to the experimental 3\u27-UTR, while eGFP is expressed independently, enabling analysis of mCherry fluorescence as a ratio of eGFP fluorescence to assay for miRNA mediated silencing. To validate this new construct, the 3\u27-UTR of eIF2S3, which encodes a translation initiation factor, was cloned into the multiple cloning site of the Dual fluorescence construct and co-transfected with a plasmid expressing hsa-miR-1285, which has been described as robustly silencing eIF2S3. Our confocal analysis showed a significant decrease in mCherry: eGFP fluorescence mediated by hsa-miR-1285. Finally, we cloned the 3\u27-UTR of A3A into the Dual fluorescence construct and individually co-transfected seven different miRNAs, including hsa-miR-1285, which were predicted to silence A3A. Our confocal analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in mCherry: eGFP fluorescence for each of the tested miRNAs, compared to a control group with no miRNA and a non-silencing control, hsa-miR-527, indicating that the predicted miRNAs mediate silencing of A3A by interacting with the 3\u27-UTR of the transcript. The interaction between miRNAs and A3A is not well studied, and we identified multiple miRNAs that could play a role in silencing A3A. These data could be used for future development of anticancer therapeutics that target A3A
Hammerhead Sharks at Risk: Saving these Unusual Predators
No full textHammerhead sharks have skills and body parts that keep them safe from predators, from their hunting abilities to their sharp teeth. But these unusual sharks are endangered. Because of overfishing and climate change, more hammerheads are dying than are being born. Readers will learn why hammerhead sharks are at risk, what it means to be endangered, and how people can help. Each title includes activities and trivia questions to help readers connect with the content.https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/university-archives-msu-authors/1502/thumbnail.jp
A Case Study on the Use of Cultural Violence and its Contribution to the Third Reich\u27s \u27Euthanasia\u27 Program
No full textThe genocidal actions taken by the Third Reich during the mid-20th century were horrific and dehumanizing. While the Holocaust often focuses on the tragic genocide that occurred against the Jewish people carried out by the Third Reich, the genocide that they carried out against the disabled community is often overlooked. With the deaths of tens of thousands of disabled people occurring through this genocide, it is important to understand how this genocide occurred, without any worldwide protest. Nazi Leaders including Alfred Rosenberg, Adolf Hitler, and Ernest Rüdin used widespread cultural indoctrination to dehumanize the disabled community and horrifically justify their deaths. This system of indoctrinated beliefs, often referred to as the Volk, ultimately contributed to widespread death and discrimination of the disabled community in Europe during the mid-20th century