Digital Commons Network^™

The Association Between Immigration And Recidivism Among Juveniles: Exploring The Effects Of Acculturation, Moral Disengagement, Employment And Community Involvement., Juanita Mirekuaa Sefa

Theses and Dissertations

The topic of immigration remains a highly debated issue, particularly in light of rising worldwide migration and its potential impacts on crime rates. This study aims to investigate the association between immigration and recidivism among juveniles and the mediating effects of acculturation, moral disengagement, employment, and involvement in community activities on recidivism. The data for this study is drawn from the Pathways to Desistance study of serious adolescent offenders. It follows approximately 1354 serious adolescent offenders, of which 210 are second-generation and 83 are first-generation immigrants. Recidivism was measured using a period of twelve months. Findings indicated that second-generation immigrants …

Hyperplane Arrangements Over The Ring Of Integers Modulo N., Ehiareshan James Obeahon

Theses and Dissertations

Let V be a finite vector space of dimension n over the field K. A hyperplane in V is an n − 1 dimensional subspace of V defined by an equation of the form∑ni=1 aixi = 0, ai ∈ K, (x1, ..., xn) ∈ V . A hyperplane arrangement is any finite collectionof hyperplanes. This work focuses on some hyperplanes arrangements such as the braid and the graphical arrangement {xi − xj = 0 : 1 ≤ i < j ≤ n}, the shi arrangement {xi − xj = 1 : 1 ≤ i < j ≤ n}, the threshold arrangement {xi + xj = 0 : 1 ≤ i < j ≤ n}, and the complete arrangement {∑i∈S xi = 0 : S ⊆ [n]}. The graphical arrangement is a subarrangement of the threshold arrangement. Chapter 1 gives an introductory overview of the entire work, the significance of hyperplane arrangements, and their interconnections.Chapter 2 presents some of the important definitions and the general theory underlying hyperplane arrangements. Chapter 2 also introduces what we would call the most important concept in the study of hyperplane arrangement, which is the characteristic polynomial. Every hyperplane arrangement(or simply arrangement) can be identified by a unique characteristic polynomial. Chapter 3 covers the braid, graphical, and Shi arrangement, and application to graph coloring, while Chapter 4 explores the threshold arrangement, and how it relates to threshold graphs. There is a bijection between the set of threshold graphs on n vertices and the set of regions of the boxed threshold arrangement. Finally, chapter 5 gives an introduction to the complete arrangement.

KEYWORDS: Threshold Arrangement, Characteristic Polynomial, Finite Field Method.

Student Learning And Literacy Practices When Video Games Are Incorporated Into A Secondary Classroom, Amy Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored high school students’ engagement with a unit where video games and video game materials were incorporated into an English Language Arts classroom. Over several weeks, students engaged with video game content and composed their own video games using the free online platform, Scratch. The purpose of the study was to examine students’ learning during the unit, focusing on students’ products, individual interviews, and whole class and small group discussions. The research questions were: 1. What can be learned about secondary students' learning and literacy practices when video games as a text are incorporated into the secondary …

The Moderating Effect Of Volunteer Motives On The Relation Between Job Demands And Exhaustion, Aaron Whitely

Theses and Dissertations

Developments in the burnout literature have shown that concepts such as a personality can function as job resources in a framework where resources buffer the relation between job demands and burnout. The present study looked at the concept of volunteer motivation as a job resource used to buffer the relation between job demands and exhaustion. With a sample of 338 volunteers from various volunteer organizations, this research examined the relation of motivation, broken into intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and exhaustion. Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were negatively associated with exhaustion. Intrinsic motivation was found to interact with job demands such …

Measurement Of Ankle Joint Kinematics Using Imus During Countermovement Jumps And Lateral Skater Jumps, Ifeoluwa Olawore

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and Optical Motion Capture (OMC) systems in measuring peak ankle angles and Range of Motion (ROM) during Countermovement Jumps (CMJ) and Lateral Skater Jumps (LSJ). Ankle angles in pitch, roll, and yaw were determined by integrating gyroscope data, aligning with foot flat reference, and fusing with accelerometer-derived inclination angles using a complementary filter. We hypothesized that IMU-based methods would parallel OMC in capturing peak angles and ROM during CMJ and LSJ landings, with accuracy and reliability assessed via Root Mean Square (RMSE) and Intraclass Correlation (ICC) statistics. For CMJ, high accuracy and reliability …

Synthesis And Biological Assessment Of Alkyl Pyridine Antimicrobials, Juan Canchola

Theses and Dissertations

In previous work, my research group and I reported on the synthesis of Anaephenes A and B and confirmed their biological activities. We also found that these compounds were active against drug resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This finding lead to a series of structure activity relationship studies (SAR) to develop analogs with improved biological activities. Near the start of my graduate studies, my team and I reported an SAR where we generated eighteen analogs. Among the series of analogs, we made were a few that displayed high potency and shared a similar amphipathic structure. One of …

Asian Americans, Latinos, And The Hana Center: Solidarity Through Community Organization In Northeastern Chicago, Janeth Montenegro Marquez

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how the history of exclusionary immigration laws against Chinese immigrants affected later immigration laws aimed at both new Asian and Latin Americans immigrants, with a focus on undocumented individuals from both geographic areas in the United States. The HANA Center, a Korean American nonprofit and immigration welcome center, located in Chicago, brings undocumented Asian Americans and Latinos together by creating an environment where the two can work together in their shared fight for immigration reform. Undocumented Latino voices are prominent in discourse around undocumentation in the United States, but undocumented Asian Americans are an equally important and …

Dearomative | Amide | N-O Tethered Oxidopyrylium [ 5 + 2 ] Cycloaddition Reactions, Marymoud Erzuah

Theses and Dissertations

Over the last decade, several developments and advancements have been made towards oxidopyrylium-based [5 + 2] cycloadditions which allow for the synthesis of natural products. Dearomative oxidopyrylium-based [5 + 2] cycloadditions allow the formation of complex polycyclic compounds from readily available aromatic rings in a single step. Dearomatization of electron rich aromatic systems directly adds functionality resulting in complex compounds with increased levels of stereogenic centers and chemical space. These structural features represent privileged complexes in drug discovery and development. Some major difficulties associated with these reactions are the disruption of the aromaticity of arenes, controlling the regioselectivity and stereoselectivity …

Numeracy, Consistency, And The Allais Paradox, Sean J. Mcginity

Theses and Dissertations

This paper explores the relations between mathematical abilities and preferences, preferences for consistency, and the Allais paradox. To answer this question, 144 participants completed a survey which measured objective numeracy, subjective numeracy, preference for consistency, and consistency of probabilistic choices. The results did not show the predicted relations where consistency would moderate the relations where subjective numeracy mediates the relations between objective numeracy and the consistency of probabilistic choices. The previously indicated relations where subjective numeracy simply mediated the relations between objective numeracy and probabilistic reasoning were also not replicated.While the hypotheses were not supported overall one interesting finding was …

Impact Of Farm And Producer Characteristics On The Adoption Of Best Management Practices Among Popcorn Producers In The United States, Benjamin Yeboah

Theses and Dissertations

Certain agricultural practices can negatively impact the environment, and thus experts developed a set of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to address these environmental risks and challenges from agriculture. The adoption of these BMPs have been recognized to safeguard the environment while also yielding economic advantages for agricultural producers. This study employed primary data obtained from popcorn producers in the United States to investigate the level of adoption of these BMPs among this group of producers. Additionally, various farm and producer characteristics were assessed to identify the factors that impact producers’ adoption levels of these practices. The BMP adoption index was …

Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Kills Staphylococcus Aureus In A Polyphosphate-Dependent Manner, Ritika Sujit Shah

Theses and Dissertations

Due to their frequent coexistence in many polymicrobial infections, including in patients with wounds and cystic fibrosis, recent studies have started to investigate how the opportunistic pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus interact with each other. P. aeruginosa rapidly outcompetes S. aureus under in vitro co-cultivation conditions, which is mediated by several of P. aeruginosa’s virulence factors. Here, we report that polyphosphate (polyP), an efficient stress defense system and virulence factor in P. aeruginosa, plays a role for the pathogen’s ability to inhibit and kill S. aureus in a contact-independent manner. We show that P. aeruginosa cells characterized by low …

The Moderating Influence Of Individual Differences Between Perceived Organizational Support And Effort, Michael Schneider

Theses and Dissertations

Perceive organizational support has many benefits for employees. The purpose of the present study was to determine if any of the Big Five personality traits moderate the relationship between perceived organizational support and work effort. One hundred and forty-four employees were surveyed on Prolific to identify their levels of perceived organizational support, work effort, and each of the Big Five traits. Perceived organizational support significantly predicted work effort. None of the Big Five traits significantly moderated the relationship in this primarily remote-working sample. These findings suggest that employees of all personality profiles respond similarly to support from their organizations.

Examining Farmers' Perceptions Of Precision Agriculture Technologies And Their Interest In Conducting On-Farm Precision Experimentation, Reagen Tibbs

Theses and Dissertations

Precision agriculture technologies (PATs) have revolutionized the agriculture industry. These technologies have offered many benefits for farmers, including cost savings and higher yields through improved application of inputs (i.e., fertilizers and herbicides). PATs also allow farmers to conduct experiments through a process known as on-farm precision experimentation (OFPE). By conducting these experiments and collaborating with researchers, crop consultants, and extension agents, farmers can learn site-specific management practices to better address challenges on their operations. However, despite these benefits, adoption rates of PATs in the U.S. have barely eclipsed 50%. Furthermore, there may be some skepticism amongst farmers towards researchers who …

Tale Of Two Toddlers: An Exploration Of Policies And Procedures For The Magnet School Process, Mary A. Schloz

Theses and Dissertations

School choice is often utilized in school districts for access and opportunity. Researchers have found that school choice does not inherently provide access to students. The goal of this mixed methods study was to determine if implementing a new platform for families to apply to magnet programs in an urban district would mitigate barriers. Along with the implementation of a new application platform, a survey was conducted by families to determine perception of school choice, along with barriers for families. Findings indicated the application platform that was implemented did not significantly change the magnet school enrollment by race. They also …

Interrogating And Genetically Improving Drought Tolerance In The Oilseed Winter Cover Crop, Pennycress ( Thlaspi Arvense L. )., Carol S. Kiam Assato

Theses and Dissertations

Drought damage to crops is a significant threat to food security and a growing problem due to climate change. Amongst all abiotic stresses, drought is the most impactful on soil biota and crop productivity. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), in 2020, 40% of the United States was under drought, and it is predicted that this number will continue to rise in the forthcoming years due to global warming. Pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) is a member of the Brassicaceae family related to canola and Arabidopsis that is rapidly being developed as an oilseed-producing winter cash cover crop …

Ex ( In ) Clusion: An Exploratory Case Study Of Student Participation In Dual Credit Coursework, Rodrigo Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Dual credit programs rely heavily on state-level legislation and other regulations from educational agencies. As dual credit has evolved from the Project Advance program developed by Syracuse University and its partner school districts, policymakers have used their position to craft policies to direct dual credit practitioners to craft programs that are more accessible and equitable for minoritized students. However, the participation of minoritized students has historically been lagging that of white and more affluent students. Research on how dual credit practitioners’ interpretation influences their recruitment and enrollment decisions is limited. This case study uses data from seven dual credit practitioners, …

The Effect Of Percussion And Rhythm-Based Interventions On Children With Social, Emotional And Behavioral Goals, Lesli Woods

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the effect of percussion and rhythm-based interventions on children with emotional and behavioral goals. Five students from an after-school/summer program were analyzed in a case-study format. The five skills analyzed within this study included those of cooperation with others, remaining on task, refraining from interrupting others, demonstrating pro-social interactions, and remaining with the group. An additional interview was conducted with the children to understand their perception of the interventions and how it affected their social, emotional, and behavioral skills. The students themselves suggested that the music had a positive impact on their behavior and social skills, specifically …

Ecofeminism Reimagined: Discourse & Embodiment In Young Adult Literature, Laurel Krapivkin

Theses and Dissertations

In this project, I will begin to develop a reimagined ecofeminist lens that is informed by a careful attention to the relationship between discourse and embodiment. The field of children’s literature would benefit from additional guidance on how to think complexly about ecofeminist tenants in young adult literature. While the novels I’ve chosen to analyze in this project certainly contain ecofeminist themes such as care, reciprocity, discussion of embodiment, depictions of nature and the relationships between humans and the environment, this project’s scope is not to create a definition for what constitutes an ecofeminist young adult text. Rather, I intend …

From La Cosa Nostra To La Cultura Del Narcisismo: Psychoanalysis As Public Philosophy In The Sopranos, Thomas Patrick Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The aims for this thesis are to further investigate the show’s use of Tony’s psychotherapy as a narrative device in building the relationship between the work of art and the spectator. This device, I argue, possesses a Brechtian character: it not only breaks up the narrative action, but it also comments upon it. Most importantly, this device grounds spectators in a psychoanalytic outlook which enables the spectator to analyze the show’s central anti-hero, interpret the series of events around him, as well as the criticize the American climate he is a symbol for. I advance the thesis that The Sopranos, …

The Social Construction Of Sex Trafficking Among Three Agencies Seeking To Address The Problem, Alexis Lange

Theses and Dissertations

Since 2000, there has been a growing interest in human trafficking by researchers, governments, organizations, law enforcement, and the general public. One form of human trafficking that has captured the most interest and awareness is sex trafficking. However, despite the growing research and understanding of the problem, there is no shared, collective understanding and definition of sex trafficking. Various constructions and approaches have made it challenging to prevent sex trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute traffickers. For this research, I will take a social constructionist/social problems perspective by interviewing three agencies about how they identify, define, frame, and approach to the …

“Who Will Guard The Guards Themselves ”: A Phenomenological Discourse Analysis On How Whiteness And White Supremacy Are Upheld By White Hearing Officers On Community College Campuses, Amanda Jane Mesirow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how whiteness and white supremacy are upheld by white hearing officers on community college campuses. The literature shows that racial bias exists in K-12 discipline systems, that no reporting mandates on demographics exist in higher education conduct, and that community colleges often serve minoritized students. Therefore, the problem statement centers on the connection between community colleges conduct systems and whiteness/white supremacy.Data was collected via interviews with three community college conduct practitioners, as well as a review of documents from their institutions’ conduct offices. The study’s research methods were phenomenological discourse analysis and …

Effective K– 6 Mathematics Teachers’ Mathematical And Mathematics Teaching Self-Efficacy, Instructional Beliefs, And Use Of Effective Mathematics Teaching Practices, Amy E. Roehrig

Theses and Dissertations

The use of student-centered practices is influenced by several factors (Peterson et al., 1989). Specifically self-efficacy has been shown to influence teachers’ self-reported teaching practices (Hadley & Dorward, 2011; Peterson et al., 1989; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2007). The purpose of this study was to determine possible relationships among effective teachers’ mathematical and mathematics teaching self-efficacy, instructional beliefs, and the enacted use of effective practices in mathematics. The study involved two K–6 mathematics teachers who were identified as effective by recommendations from highly regarded mathematics teacher educators or administrators. To determine teachers’ level of self-efficacies, instructional beliefs, and enacted teaching practices, …

Exploring The Digital Divide In Educational Technology Across Illinois School Districts: A Focus On Business Education In Urban, Suburban, And Rural Schools, Zahra Syedah Kazmi

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examines the extent of the digital divide in educational technologies among K-12 Illinois public schools, with a specific focus on business education. The study investigates the disparities in access and usage of educational technologies across urban, suburban, and rural schools in Illinois, aiming to identify the challenges and opportunities for promoting equitable access to technology in education. The research findings indicate significant differences in access and usage of educational technologies among the different types of schools. While all schools experience the digital divide to some extent, rural schools face more pronounced challenges in accessing and utilizing educational …

Tunable Sns-Imine Ligated Complexes Of Copper And Nickel: Apllication In Photocatalytic Water Remediation, Temitayo Oluwayinka Falola

Theses and Dissertations

Water is an essential natural resource for life; its importance cuts across most of humanity’s needs. However, the growing need for industrialization with the subsequent discharge of effluents has led to an urgent need to remove pollutants found in all bodies of water. These polluted waters are a danger to the Earth’s ecosystems. Therefore, meeting and maintaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Number 6, “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” is important. To this end, we synthesized a series of imine-ligated nickel and copper catalysts for use in the photocatalytic remediation of water containing …

Impact Of High School Career And Technical Education On Graduation Rates, Outcomes, And The Skills Gap In The Midwestern United States, Amy Tague

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between high school graduation requirements, electives, and career and technical education (CTE) requirements in the Midwestern United States. Data on overall high school graduation rates, high school CTE-concentrator graduation rates, and post-high school graduation workforce postsecondary enrollment rates were analyzed for several Midwestern states. The findings indicate variability in the number of electives allowed across these states, with some states showing a positive correlation between higher elective allowance and CTE concentrator graduation rates. Post-high school graduation workforce entry rates varied among these states, with Illinois exhibiting the highest rate above the national average. However, the …

Language Ideologies And Practices In Ghana's English Language Education: A Critical Analysis Of Golden English And National Literacy Acceleration Program Formative Report, Gideon Kwashie Kwawukumey

Theses and Dissertations

Ghana’s transitional bilingual education has received scholarly attention of policymakers and language educators. Despite the extensive scholarship on transitional bilingual education in Ghana, little has been done to examine the relationship between transitional bilingual policy: National Literacy Acceleration Program (NALAP) and language teaching materials (e.g., English Textbooks) to ascertain whether the two have a shared ideology in promoting multilingual education. Through the use of thematic analysis and discourse analysis tools, this thesis examines both linguistic and the rhetorical (specifically visual) features of Golden English. In this work, I emphasize the importance of storytelling as a language practice used to show …

All That Is Cyber Melts Into Control: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Cybernetic Metaphors, Cem İsmail Addemir

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis historicizes and interprets the logic of cybernetics as a communication technology and how it shaped notions of control in the mid-20th century. To situate my analysis, I focus on cybernetics, the tradition within communication studies that focuses on controlling communication through the application of feedback loops to a particular system. Since the discovery and popularization of cybernetics by the late 1950s, its central logic has been widely applied to computational technology and influenced future systems theories. Specifically, my thesis employs a rhetorical examination of cybernetic metaphors through metaphor criticism to trace the genealogy of cybernetic discourses that I …

Leptopilina Heterotoma Responds To A Change In Host Species With Specific Altered Protein Expression, Dakota Fuss

Theses and Dissertations

Leptopilina heterotoma is a generalist endoparasitoid wasp that parasitizes Drosophila spp. worldwide. When L. heterotoma oviposits within the prey larvae it also injects venom to suppress the melanotic encapsulation immune response of the host. Without the venom to protect the egg(s) from host immunity, the parasitism would result in failure. L. heterotoma venom is composed of proteins, non-protein compounds, and virus-like particles (VLPs), of which proteins make up the majority of the venom and are the main determining factor conferring venom function (Goecks et al. 2013, Heavner et al. 2013, Moreau and Asgari 2015, Small et al. 2012). Previous studies …

An Authoethnographic Study Of My Biliteracy Writing Practices As An Akan Speaker Of English: Implications For L 2 Writing, Gabriel Opare

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I discuss my academic literacy socialization practices, particularly my linguistic and social adjustments in US graduate school. This autoethnographic study utilizes stories and evidentiality (corpus from my graduate school papers) as self-reflective epistemologies to understand my literate practices in a US academic discourse community. Contributing to the scholarship on the academic socialization of transnational graduate students in the US, I discuss and analyze my stories and experiences around academic writing practices in navigating graduate school's academic requirements and expectations in the context of higher education in the United States. By focusing on my lived experiences as a …

Coaching As Servant Leadership: Applying The Social Change Model Of Leadership Development To Youth Basketball Programs, Brady Fritcher

Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents an original interpretation of the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (SCM) in order to provide youth basketball coaches with a tool for practicing and teaching servant leadership principles in their program. Because scholars and coaches both have a long tradition of borrowing leadership styles from other areas of study, adapting them, and examining their potential applicability to sport (Westre, 2003), many youth basketball coaches use servant leadership theory to inform their approach to coaching. While this is sufficient for coaching philosophy development, Robert Greenleaf (1977) did not identify the specific skills that define servant leaders, nor …