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Teenagers Need Drugs Too: Attitudes On The Accessibility And Acceptability Of The Hpv Vaccine From Parents Of Different Socioeconomic Statuses, Kristen Angell' Dupard

Honors Theses

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women around the world and is linked to the human papillomavirus (HPV). Strains HPV-16 and-18 are linked to the causes of cervical cancer. Research shows that HPV vaccination in adolescent females projects a 70% non-contraction rate. However, only 57.3% of girls between the ages of 13-17 in the U.S. have received their first HPV vaccination dose. Researchers have begun speculating that factors such SES and race could be contributing to low vaccination participation. Answers to such information can aid in improving federal and state vaccination policies and prevent the …

Faculty-To-Faculty Incivility As Perceived By Nursing Faculty, Melinda Lofton Sills

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to determine the perceived presence of workplace incivility among nursing faculty in associate, baccalaureate, and graduate nursing programs and whether there was a significant difference between workplace incivility behaviors, occurrence of incivility, extent of incivility, and engagement of incivility among the three groups. A convenience sample of faculty from nursing programs accredited by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee completed the Incivility in Nursing Education-Revised (INE-R) survey. The final sample included 169 nursing faculty.

Based on the results of the study …

A Comparison Of Multipath And Conventional Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation, Cody Brian Bremner

Dissertations

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is the use of an electrical current for the purpose of eliciting a muscular response, and these treatments are most often used clinically for the specific purpose of increasing quadriceps strength. It is commonly accepted that the effectiveness of NMES for this purpose is primarily determined by the NMES training intensity. However, spatially limited motor unit recruitment, fatigue and discomfort negatively impact NMES-induced torque, which subsequently reduces NMES training intensities. Due to the importance of NMES training intensity, a substantial amount of research has focused on strategies designed to increase NMES-induced torque production, as well as …

Fast Method Of Particular Solutions For Solving Partial Differential Equations, Anup Raja Lamichhane

Dissertations

Method of particular solutions (MPS) has been implemented in many science and engineering problems but obtaining the closed-form particular solutions, the selection of the good shape parameter for various radial basis functions (RBFs) and simulation of the large-scale problems are some of the challenges which need to overcome. In this dissertation, we have used several techniques to overcome such challenges.

The closed-form particular solutions for the Matérn and Gaussian RBFs were not known yet. With the help of the symbolic computational tools, we have derived the closed-form particular solutions of the Matérn and Gaussian RBFs for the Laplace and biharmonic …

More Sieve Than Shield: The U.S. Army And Cords In The Pacification Of Phu Yen Province, Republic Of Vietnam, 1965-1972, Robert John Thompson Iii

Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the meaning and execution of pacification during the Vietnam War in the Republic of Vietnam’s Phu Yen Province. Vietnam War scholarship never defined the term, an unsurprising fact given those that directed the war itself never agreed on a lasting interpretation. Void of an analysis of the word, pacification is erroneously discussed as a separate facet, rather than the foundation, of the war. When discussed, pacification is often seen solely as the developmental aspect of the war and one far removed from the battles waged by conventional armies. On the contrary, two dissimilar and tangentially related wars …

Property Rights And International Trade: An Institutional Determinant Of Export Structure, Gregory Alan Bonadies

Dissertations

This work investigates the connection, independent of other factors, between a country’s system of law and property rights and patterns of trade. Stronger property rights institutions are hypothesized to lead to greater diversity in exports and a greater proportion of higher value-added exports. Production and export possibilities depend on capital, labor, and technology. Technology is the way in which capital and labor resources can be organized for productive purposes. Property rights condition expressions of technology and thus production possibilities and export potential. Consequently, if property rights vary between countries, then technological expression, production possibilities, and export potential vary as well. …

Implications Of Diverse Peer Interactions On Body Image Satisfaction And Cosmetic Surgery Acceptance Among College Students, Shamekia Labrittney Woods

Dissertations

Whereas body image satisfaction and cosmetic surgery acceptance has been widely studied over the last 30 years, these topics as they pertain to college students have not been examined extensively—most notably, the implications that diverse peer interactions have on students’ body image satisfaction and their acceptance of cosmetic surgery as a means of improving body image. Diverse peer interactions refer to interactions among peers of different racial and/or cultural backgrounds. For many college students, college provides the first opportunity whereby students may interact and engage to a great extent with students from racial and cultural backgrounds different from their own. …

An Analysis Of The Act Sub-Scores’ Ability To Predict The Outcome Of College Algebra Through The Lens Of Modern Chaos Theory, Johnathan Jay Mcewen

Dissertations

ACT scores are widely used to predict outcomes in coursework and serve as placement guidelines for college level courses such as college algebra. Due to a changing college environment, the appropriateness of these placement decisions takes on a new, more critical light. Given the rate of success for current predictions in college algebra, and the resulting consequences for misplacement, this study examines the predictive potential of the ACT scores through the examination of non-linear variables and a metaphorically chaotic interpretational lens.

The literature base for this study reveals, almost to exclusion, the use of linear models for the prediction of …

Factors Influencing Accessibility To American Public Higher Education, Angela Leanne Bryan

Dissertations

Since their inception in the early 1900s, community colleges have been about making higher education accessible. While their initial purpose was to overcome the geography barrier to higher education, the mission of community colleges and higher education on the whole has expanded over time to mitigate other barriers to higher education to include gender, race, religion, and socioeconomic barriers. As public support for higher education has changed over time, institutions have had to change their tuition and fee structure to make up the budget shortfall created by the decreases in public funding. How have these changes impacted accessibility to public …

Perceptions Of Segregation, Desegregation, And Integration From Burglund High School Students In Mccomb, Mississippi, Cynthia Loren Lamkin

Dissertations

Black-American history has been, and continues to be, one rich with struggle and progress throughout a multitude of past and current events – including the White resistance to Blacks becoming educated and the segregation and inequality permeating education, politics, and general living for centuries. It is necessary to gather a further understanding of the Black perspective regarding direct experiences of discrimination in education in order to cultivate pedagogy by which all students may have an equal chance to thrive. This study of the memories shared by former students who did and did not participate in the walkout on October 4, …

Habitat Use By Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops Truncatus, In Roanoke Sound, North Carolina, Shauna Marisa Mcbride

Dissertations

Information on the habitat use of a species is important to develop conservation efforts and management strategies for that species. Roanoke Sound, North Carolina is primarily a seasonal habitat for bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, from late spring to early fall, but little information is known about how dolphins use this area. Transect survey data and opportunistic survey data collected by the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research from 2009 to 2015 were used to analyze dolphin habitat use. The objectives of this project were to: 1) identify areas that were important to dolphins, 2) determine which behaviors were observed …

Analysis Of Professors’ Perceptions Towards Institutional Redevelopment Of Brownfield Sites In Alabama, Berkley Nathaniel King Jr.

Dissertations

This study was conducted to analyze professors’ perceptions on the institutional redevelopment of brownfield sites into usable greenspaces. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (2011) refers to brownfields as sites, (either facility/land) under public law § 107-118 (H.R. 2869), which are contaminated with a substance that is classified as a hazard or a pollutant. Usable greenspaces, however, are open spaces or any open piece of land that is undeveloped, has no buildings or other built structures, and is accessible to the public (EPA, 2015).

Open green spaces provide recreational areas for residents and help to enhance the beauty and environmental quality …

Examining The Combined Effects Of Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature, And Body Size On The Physiological Responses Of A Model Macrobenthic Polychaete Species, Capitella Teleta, Kelsey Burns Gillam

Dissertations

While the scientific community is in consensus that coastal systems are threatened by climate change, few climate change studies test the effects of more than one variable directly related to climate change. The dissolved oxygen (DO) levels of the ocean are currently subject to both global warming and eutrophication; 94% of all hypoxia zones are expected to experience >2°C increase by 2035. This dissertation aims to examine how a model organism responds to simultaneous thermal and DO stress involving four levels of DO (100%, 70%, 50%, and 20%) saturation and three temperatures (15°C, 20°C, and 25°C).

The polychaete, Capitella teleta …

Design And Synthesis Of Dynamic Covalent Polymer Scaffolds With Controlled Architectures, Emily Annette Hoff

Dissertations

The design and synthesis of functional, controlled polymer architectures is essential to the development of new materials with precise and tailorable properties or applications. The work described in this dissertation focuses on the development of controlled polymer architectures with dynamic linkages for the design of multifunctional materials and surfaces via robust, efficient, and stimuli-responsive strategies.

In Chapter III, a post-polymerization modification strategy based on ambient temperature nucleophilic chemical deblocking of polymer scaffolds bearing N-heterocycle blocked isocyanate moieties is reported. Room temperature RAFT polymerization of three azole-N-carboxamide methacrylates, including 3,5-dimethyl pyrazole, imidazole, and 1,2,4-triazole derivatives, afforded reactive polymer scaffolds …

Epidemiology Of White Spot Syndrome Virus In The Daggerblade Grass Shrimp (Palaemonetes Pugio) And The Gulf Sand Fiddler Crab (Uca Panacea), Muhammad

Dissertations

Ever since the first outbreaks of White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), which causes White Spot Disease (WSD), in Asia in the early 1990s, the pathogen has been a major constraint to the profitability of the shrimp aquaculture industry across the globe. WSSV has a broad host range and is routinely detected in wild decapod crustaceans. In the present study, two common species in the tidal salt marsh along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, the daggerblade grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) and the Gulf sand fiddler crab (Uca panacea), were investigated for their role as …

Evolution In Light Of Mitonuclear Landscapes: An Examination Of Mitochondrial Replacement In Killifish (Fundulus Spp.), Stephen D. Flanagan

Dissertations

The mitochondria are responsible for the bulk of energy production in eukaryotes. They possess their own genome that works in conjunction with the nuclear genome to accomplish the extraordinarily important task of energy conversion. When species hybridize there will be a mismatch in evolutionary histories between these two genomes. The deleterious interactions of these genomes have been studied in great detail (i.e. hybrid breakdown). However, little work has been conducted to understand the population genetic, and morphological consequences of wide-ranging replacement. The Fundulus notatus complex is comprised of 3 species: F. notatus, F. olivaceus, and F. euryzonus. …

A Microbiomic Approach To The Characterization Of The Impacts And Influences Of Viral, Bacterial, And Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins On The Bottlenose Dolphin, Corey David Russo

Dissertations

As apex predators that display high site fidelity Tursiops truncatus (bottlenose dolphin) are indicators of marine ecosystem health. Bottlenose dolphins, additionally, display pathogenesis and immune response similar to that of humans. Humans and coastal bottlenose dolphins, in particular, are constantly exposed to the same industrial, agricultural and domestic toxins and pathogens, contaminants and pollutants. Thus, studies on the bottlenose dolphin are also valuable in bridging the gap between ocean and human health. Bottlenose dolphins are susceptible to viral bacterial and toxin infection. Infection in the bottlenose dolphin manifests itself in the form of mass stranding events, unusual mortality events, chronic …

Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Study Of Semiconductor Nanoparticles Towards Sensitive Detection Of Biomolecules, Yiliyasi Wusimanjiang

Dissertations

The main focus of this dissertation is to unfold the fundamental aspects of electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) generation from semiconductor nanoparticles (also known as quantum dots or QDs) within different ECL systems. The ECL and photo-physical interactions between the CdTe QDs (λ_emission= ~760 nm) and the CdSe QDs (λ_emission= ~550 nm), as well as the effects of carbon nanotubes on ECL of QDs were separately investigated. Optimum experimental conditions for peptide bond formation on an electrode surface through EDC (1-ethyl-3-(-3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride)/NHS (N-Hydroxysulfosuccinimide) coupling were also revealed using cyclic voltammetry technique. Based on the information …

I Am Here For A Reason. I Need To Focus. I Need To Learn So I Can Reach My Goal: Self-Advocacy And Motivation As Contributors To The Experiences Of College Students With Physical Disabilities, Latrecha Kasha Scott

Dissertations

Although researchers have studied “the role of self-determination in facilitating transition planning and services, very little is known about the impact of those supports and services from the students’ perspective once they are in postsecondary settings” (Getzel & Thoma, 2008). In addition, literature was limited regarding the impact of self-determination from the student perspective after enrollment into higher education (Denhart, 2008; Fuller, Bradley & Healey, 2004; Getzel & Thoma, 2008). Using a qualitative design, this study explores the contributions of self-advocacy and motivation to the experiences of higher education students with physical disabilities. The purpose of this study was to …

Nanostructured Morphologies In Glassy Polymer Networks, Brian Greenhoe

Dissertations

The body of this work describes a novel approach for the dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a high T_g epoxy prepolymer matrix using a twin screw high-shear continuous reactor. The method demonstrated improves on previous dispersion methods in several ways. It offers increased efficiency through excellent heat transfer, while being solvent-less, scale-able, and tailorable to drive dispersion states to judiciously chosen dispersion states. Furthermore, it was shown that dispersion state and agglomerate morphology can be directed, in several ways, through processing conditions and also by controlling the matrix viscosity profile through cure. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy, optical hot-stage microscopy, …

A Discussion Of Shiguang Cui’S Piano Concerto No. 2, Focusing On A Stylistic Analysis And Traditional Chinese Musical Elements, Yuting Ji

Dissertations

Shiguang Cui (崔世光) (b. 1948) is a Chinese composer and pianist. To celebrate the 2008 Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing, his work Concerto for Ten Concert Grand Pianos and Orchestra was commissioned by the Dean of the National Center for the Performing Arts, Mr. Ping Chen. Ten internationally-renowned pianists were invited to give the world premiere on August 19, 2008. The pianists were Claude Frank, Phillippe Entremont, Vladimir Feltsman, Louis Lortie, Yunyi Qin (秦云轶), Shikun Liu (刘诗昆), Lang Lang (郎朗), Cyprien Katsaris, Guillermo Gonzalez, and Sha Chen (陈萨).¹

This piece was originally conceived as Concerto for Ten Concert …

Investigating The Functional Role Of Tick Antioxidants In Hematophagy And Vector Competence, Deepak Kumar

Dissertations

Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods and harbor several pathogens which transmit various diseases to humans and their domesticated animals. Host blood- digestion in a tick midgut (MG) generates several reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are extremely toxic to essential macromolecules (e.g. DNA, proteins, and lipids) within the cell, resulting in high oxidative stress. Thus, this dissertation focuses on the questions of how tick homeostasis responds to high oxidative stress, and how ticks and their harbored pathogens survive the high surge of oxidative stress during blood digestion. We are specifically interested in the tick-pathogen, Rickettsia parkeri (R. parkeri, Rp), harbored by …

Bearing The Double Burden: Combat Chaplains And The Vietnam War, John Donellan Fitzmorris Iii

Dissertations

Throughout the period of the Vietnam War, soldiers and Marines of the United States Military were accompanied into the combat zones by members of the clergy who were also part of the military. These chaplains attempted to bring God to the men in the field by providing spiritual and moral support through worship services and certain counseling duties. A number of chaplains, however, believed so strongly in their ministry that they refused to simply stay “on base” and instead shouldered their packs and journeyed with their troops into the most perilous combat zones. In so doing , these combat chaplains …

The Effects Of Tootling Combined With Public Posting In High School Classrooms, Sarah Joan Wright

Master's Theses

A traditional tootling procedure was implemented along with a public posting component to determine the effects on academically engaged, disruptive, and passive off task behaviors in four general education high school classrooms. The study employed an A/B/B+C multiple baseline design across classrooms. The primary focus of the study was to assess potential increases in academically engaged behavior across intervention conditions. Students in the traditional tootling phase (B) were instructed to report on their peers’ positive, prosocial behaviors. At the end of the class period, the teacher silently read through the tootles and added the total toward the group goal. When …

Evaluating The Independent Group Contingency: “Mystery Student” On Improving Behaviors In Head Start Classrooms, Jamie Pasqua

Master's Theses

An increasing number of preschool children exhibit challenging behavior in the classroom. Head Start children are particularly at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders due to numerous risk factors. Unfortunately, some preschool teachers are ill equipped to manage the challenging behaviors that preschool children exhibit. The current study investigated the effects of the group contingency, “Mystery Student,” on improving preschool classroom behaviors. The Mystery Student intervention is a novel, independent group contingency, with an added randomized component. An ABAB reversal design was employed to determine how effective the Mystery Student intervention was at decreasing the disruptive behaviors and increasing the …

In The Postoperative Cardiothoracic Surgical Patient Being Mechanically Ventilated, Is There A Difference In Outcomes When Comparing Sedation With Dexmedetomidine Versus Propofol?, Benjamin Heinrich Riebesel

Doctoral Projects

Patients undergoing a cardiothoracic operation typically require mechanical ventilation in the postoperative phase. Each year approximately 395,000 of these operations are performed in the United States alone. As many as 10% of these patients require reoperation within the first few hours of recovery due to complications (Barash & Cullen, 2013). This comprehensive review of the literature was performed to determine whether postoperative sedation with dexmedetomidine leads to better patient outcomes than sedation with propofol. Inclusion criteria included publications written in the English language, articles available in full text, articles written within the last 10 years, and publications with a focus …

Incidence Of Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists In The United States Who Own And Use Smartphone As Supplemental Learning Tools, Ruoyu Zhao

Doctoral Projects

Background: Smartphones have a great potential for students to learn more efficiently. Students now have the ability to download applications with pertinent information in the palm of their hand for both educational and clinical duties. This descriptive correlational quantitative research examines whether student registered nurse anesthetists own and use smartphones as supplementary learning tools.

Methods: An online survey was sent through AANA to Masters and DNP student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) in the United States. Respondents were asked if they owned smartphones and how often they used smartphones for educational and clinical duties. Data Analysis was conducted using a Chi-square …

Parturient Safety: Proper Positioning Education Prior To Neuraxial Anesthesia, Christina Joy Young

Doctoral Projects

In the United States, 61% of parturient patients elect neuraxial anesthesia for labor pain (Koyyalamudi et al., 2016). The incidence of postdural puncture headache is estimated up to 81% following accidental dural puncture-especially in pregnant women receiving elective epidurals (Ragab & Facharzt, 2014). Although the combined rates of complications for spinal and epidural anesthesia are low (2.78%) (American Society Anesthesiologists, 2014), patient safety is extremely important and should be addressed by the overall healthcare system. The purpose of this project assessed a willingness to change which focused on the CRNAs incorporation of proper positioning education prior to neuraxial anesthesia into …

Noise: Its Impact In The Operating Room, Brennon Wesley Sloan

Doctoral Projects

Orthopedic and neurologic cases routinely reach noise levels exceeding 120 decibels (Katz, 2014). Modern equipment and monitors used by anesthesia personnel only reach 85 decibels (Katz, 2014). These monitors can go undetected during peak noise levels creating a serious safety concern for patients that could lead to patient injury or death (Gawande, Zinner, Studdert, & Brennan, 2003). A clinical question was developed to determine if the education of noise levels in the operating room affects change in practice. For operating room managers and staff, does education of noise levels in the operating room compared to no education initiate a change …

Electronic Communication Among Anesthesia Providers, Joseph K. Wells

Doctoral Projects

Facilities in the United States are utilizing electronic communication devices (ECDs) for their nursing staff on intensive care units, general medical-surgical floors, and chemotherapy floors, but it is underutilized in the operating room where seconds truly matter (Wu et al., 2012). Situations arise daily within operating rooms that require quick and decisive communication to avoid poor patient outcomes. The ultimate goal is to prevent poor patient outcomes by enhancing communication among anesthesia providers.

This doctoral project evaluated an anesthesia group in southeast Mississippi regarding their satisfaction with current devices used for communication. This anesthesia group utilized smart phones and public …