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The Insufficiency Of The Causal Mechanisms Of Scientific Naturalism, Aaron R. Crosby

Masters Theses

Chance and physical necessity, serving as the two accepted causal mechanisms of scientific naturalism, are incapable of explaining the origins of gravity, the gravitational constant, and other fine-tuning parameters associated with Big Bang Cosmology. This thesis explores the origins of Scientific Naturalism, the discovery of fine-tuning parameters associated with Big Bang Cosmology, and several theories proposed under the paradigm of scientific naturalism that attempt to explain, through either chance or physical necessity, how the universe originated.

Noticing The Brush Strokes: Literary Markers In Hebrew Narratives, Shelbey Hunt

Masters Theses

As the people who set out to write, edit, and form the Bible may have used embellishments to enhance their narratives, could they also have left literary markers to help the reader chart a course between the historical and the enhanced? The purpose of this thesis is to find these literary markers. Exposing any potential grammatical or syntactical signpost can help the reader understand how they should view a given Biblical story and help reveal the messages the authors behind the scripture were sharing. The book of Jonah will be used as a case study to both discover and elaborate …

A Contemporary Pauline Apologetic Toolkit, Jayne Bertovich

Masters Theses

This thesis recounts that societal history is repeating itself in modern times whereby there is a pattern of similarity with the Millennials and Generation Z and ancient audiences of the Apostle Paul in terms of paganism and humanism at the forefront of hearts and minds pushing back on Christianity (albeit today’s exposure to post-modernism and digital influences do not present in the ancient world of the Apostle Paul). Similarly, the ancient world was interested in the advances of its day of science and philosophy. The Millennials and Generation Z population, a majority of the population globally, are ripe for the …

Geopolitical Actions Of The German Empire Prior To The First World War – A Modified Dime Analysis –, Gregory A. Mauck

Masters Theses

It is said that the victors write the history. That adage is demonstrably true for the history of the First World War. The German Empire, Das Deutsche Kaiserreich, has shouldered most of the blame for the war for most of the past century. Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles declares this German guilt in no uncertain terms. But is this a fair assessment? A study of pre-war German diplomatic and military actions provides a method to partially assess the culpability of Germany for the Great War. A fair analysis of that geopolitical activity shows that the actions of the …

Popular Music And Sociocultural Empathy In The Elementary Classroom, Kelsey M. Packman

Masters Theses

This qualitative ethnographic study explores the undocumented effects of popular music on elementary students’ social and cultural empathy. Previous studies have explored the effects of popular music on adolescent and college-age students, but no study has researched these effects in the elementary classroom. This study aims to show that learning about socially-relevant popular music in a social setting advances students’ sociocultural and musical development. The researcher recruited eighty elementary-aged students from a private school in the Las Virgines School District in Los Angeles to participate in this study. The participants were sorted into subgroups by grade, and each subgroup was …

The Need For Standardized Training For Volunteer Healthcare Chaplains, Dominic Anthony Korzecki

Masters Theses

For the past 50 years, many studies have examined the effects of Spiritual Care in medical environments. Though these studies have helped support the legitimacy and necessity for the presence of spiritual care in medicine, a lack of attention has been given to the level of professionalism of those who have been granted permission to administer care. The objective of my thesis is to determine the following: 1) if medical organizations that utilize volunteer-only spiritual care programs for their patients, and families, provide the same level of care as ones staffed by trained professionals, 2) if volunteer-only chaplaincy programs generate …

The City Clerk And The Body In The Basement, Celeste J. Mcfall

Masters Theses

Writing has been not only my source of income, but also an avenue to display my own thoughts through the words of others for the past four decades. Being able to incorporate my own personality across the genres in written form has given me, and many readers, an expanded knowledge and enjoyment. While it is well known that writing has physical and mental health benefits, quite often writers don’t realize how much of themselves is poured into their work. This theory was especially true for me during the COVID years, when I worked, mostly alone, as the City Clerk for …

Protecting Return Address Integrity For Risc-V Via Pointer Authentication, Yuhe Zhao

Masters Theses

Embedded systems based on lightweight microprocessors are becoming more prevalent in various applications. However, the security of them remains a significant challenge due to the limited resources and exposure to external threats. Especially, some of these devices store sensitive data and control critical devices, making them high-value targets for attackers. Software security is particularly important because attackers can easily access these devices on the internet and obtain control of them by injecting malware.

Return address (RA) hijacking is a common software attack technique used to compromise control flow integrity (CFI) by manipulating memory, such as return-to-libc attacks. Several methods have …

Blockchain Design For A Secure Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, Zhe Xu

Masters Theses

In the realm of pharmaceuticals, particularly during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply chain for drugs has faced significant strains. The increased demand for vaccines and therapeutics has revealed critical weaknesses in the current drug supply chain management systems. If not addressed, these challenges could lead to severe societal impacts, including the rise of counterfeit medications and diminishing trust in government authorities.

The study identified that more than the current strategies, such as the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) in the U.S., which focuses on unique authentication and traceability codes for prescription drugs, is needed to …

Use Of Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (Drones) Based Remote Sensing To Model Platform Topography And Identify Human-Made Earthen Barriers In Salt Marshes, Joshua J. Ward

Masters Theses

Elevation is a foundational driver of salt marsh morphology. Elevation governs inundation and hydrological patterns, vegetation distribution, and soil health. Anthropogenic impacts at grand scales (e.g., rising sea levels) and local scales (e.g., infrastructure) have altered the elevation of the salt marsh surface, changing the topography and morphology of these ecosystems. This study establishes and assesses means to document and analyze these impacts using Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle (UAV) based remote sensing to model platform topography. This thesis’s first and primary study presents and compares methods of producing high-resolution digital terrain models (DTMs) with UAV-based Digital Aerial Photogrammetry (DAP) and Light …

Multi-Method Approach To Assess The Impact Of Off-Fault Deformation During Fault Evolution, Christ Faviana Ramos Sanchez

Masters Theses

Scaled physical experiments using analog materials that simulate deformation processes in the Earth’s crust provide direct observations of deformation during strike-slip fault evolution. Carefully scaled experiments allow us to directly observe millions of years of deformation within hours and document the behavior of experimental faults. My thesis is composed of three distinct chapters that use scaled physical experiments to help us better understand partitioning of deformation on and off of strike-slip faults within the Earth’s crust. For my first project, I built a workflow that allows the measurement of off-fault deformation manifested as vertical motions along faults. When combined with …

Evaluation Of Antioxidant Strategies In Low-Moisture Foods, Vinatee Patil

Masters Theses

Lipid oxidation in foods is vastly studied and yet less is known about lipid oxidation mechanisms in low-moisture food systems. Low-moisture foods are comprised of almost all snacks. Most of these snacks are baked or deep-fried foods consisting of a major chunk of saturated fat in consumers’ diets. Therefore, the goal is to improve the nutritional profile of these products to ultimately deliver a healthy product to the consumer. Replacing saturated fats with healthy unsaturated fatty acids is a challenge the food industry faces daily due to oxidative stability.

This study aims to mimic and optimize the industrial cracker model …

Buffering Effects Of Negative Intergroup Contact Through Complex Social Identities, Liora Morhayim

Masters Theses

Although negative intergroup contact occurs less frequently than positive contact, negative contact can more strongly influence outgroup attitudes and behaviors due to the effect of category salience in the generalization process. The present study (N =306) tests whether being aware of an outgroup member’s complex social identity will serve as a buffer against the adverse impact of a negative intergroup contact experience on outgroup attitudes. In a 3X2 between-subjects design, social identity complexity (SIC) of an outgroup confederate (high versus low versus control) and the valence of contact (neutral versus negative) were manipulated. Participants interacted with an outgroup confederate …

Unraveling Intermolecular Vwfa1-Gp1bα And Vwf C4-Gp2b3a Interactions Using Atomic Force Microscopy, Sherly Makar

Masters Theses

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is one of the largest and most complex glycoproteins. It is the main player in maintaining hemostasis at injury sites in the blood vessels as it bridges the interaction between blood platelets and the extracellular matrix (ECM). VWF acts as a mechanosensor in high-shear surroundings, leading to a conformational change in its domains. VWF is a mosaic protein with many different domains that are receptors to the proper ligands on the blood platelets. The A1 domain is the initial point of contact between the VWF and the blood platelets as it binds to the glycoprotein 1b- …

Investigating The Role Of Got2 In Murine Organogenesis And Placenta Development, Olivia Macrorie

Masters Theses

According to the Knockout Mouse Project (KOMP), loss of glutamatic oxaloacetic transaminase 2 (Got2) results in lethality between embryonic day (E) 9.5 and E12.5, which is a critical period for organ and placenta development. The first aim of this project is to characterize the KOMP-generated Got2 null allele. In situ hybridization reveals that while Got2 is ubiquitous throughout much of the embryo, it is highly expressed in the liver and throughout the developing labyrinth layer of the placenta by E9.5. While Got2^-/- embryos are lethal at E10.5, at E9.5 Got2-deficient embryos have pharyngeal arch defects, do not turn properly, …

Extracting Dnn Architectures Via Runtime Profiling On Mobile Gpus, Dong Hyub Kim

Masters Theses

Due to significant investment, research, and development efforts over the past decade, deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved notable advancements in classification and regression domains. As a result, DNNs are considered valuable intellectual property for artificial intelligence providers. Prior work has demonstrated highly effective model extraction attacks which steal a DNN, dismantling the provider’s business model and paving the way for unethical or malicious activities, such as misuse of personal data, safety risks in critical systems, or spreading misinformation. This thesis explores the feasibility of model extraction attacks on mobile devices using aggregated runtime profiles as a side-channel to leak …

Structural Racism, Black Out-Group Preference, And Mental Health, Alexander J. Kellogg

Masters Theses

Structural racism has increasingly been implicated as a root cause of racial disparities in health and well-being. Specifically, areas where White Americans hold more negative attitudes toward Black Americans have been associated with both anti-Black discrimination and poorer Black physical and mental health. However, previous research has relied on cross-sectional designs and has neglected the potential effects of Black community-level attitudes on mental health. We hypothesized that higher aggregate pro-White bias among White Americans would be associated with higher implicit out-group preference among Black residents living in the same communities, above and beyond the effects of traditional measures of structural …

An Antiviral Response Unleashed: Deciphering The Relationship Between Shiftless And Rna Granules During Kshv Infection, David C. Hatfield

Masters Theses

Herpesviruses persist as a parasitic actor among many species. These viral agents can rapidly seize control over host cells by influencing global gene expression. Through a process known as host shutoff, herpesviruses cause a widespread degradation event of host transcripts within the cytoplasm. Specifically, Kaposi Sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encodes for an endoribonuclease, termed SOX, that orchestrates this manipulation of gene expression. We and others have discovered certain transcripts that escape this fate; we suggest that this is an active escape, where transcripts have 3’ UTR elements that disallow SOX cleavage. One of the escapees that has been found is …

'Our Sacred Rights': The Southern Baptist Convention And The Rhetoric Of Oppression, 1845 And Present Day, Katlyn Durand

Masters Theses

My master’s thesis focuses on the endurance of white supremacy and patriarchy in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), founded in 1845 and currently the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. I look at two moments in the SBC’s history and place these moments within their broader contexts to elucidate the political and cultural characteristics that shaped these moments: its founding in 1845 upon proslavery partisanship, as well as its current sexual abuse scandal. I argue that the Nullification Crisis of 1828-1834 and the cult of domesticity greatly influenced SBC policy and culture at its origins. Additionally, I examine the …

Technical Evaluation Of Floating Offshore Wind Plants And Installation Operations, Cengizhan Cengiz

Masters Theses

Offshore wind energy is witnessing remarkable growth, driven by the global shift towards sustainable and renewable energy sources. A pivotal innovation in this domain is floating offshore wind technology, which represents a transformative opportunity in harnessing wind energy from deep waters, where conventional fixed-bottom offshore wind systems face limitations due to depth constraints and escalating costs. In light of regional commitments to lower carbon emissions in energy generation, the accessibility of deep-water zones, rich in offshore wind resources, becomes increasingly critical. Despite the promising prospects, the floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) developments present intricate challenges encompassing design, installation, and operational …

Effects Of Habitat, Density, And Climate On Moose And Winter Tick Ecology In The Northeastern U.S., Juliana Berube

Masters Theses

Over the past several decades, moose (Alces alces) populations in New England have been in decline due to winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) parasitism. Winter ticks have been known to infest moose, with over 90,000 ticks being recorded on a single moose. These severe infestations, known as epizootics, are associated with high annual calf mortality rates (> 50%) and reductions in annual productivity (adult calving and twinning rates < 60% and 5%, respectively). Given this, it is increasingly important to effectively monitor moose and winter ticks to address consistent population decline of moose due to winter tick epizootics. The objectives of this work were to measure off-host winter tick abundance and associated environmental variables and compare off-host tick abundance in relation to moose abundance.

To assess moose and winter tick abundance, I used a combination of camera traps and winter tick sampling. I set an array of 60 cameras across central-western Massachusetts, which …

The Impact Of A Non-Ionic Adjuvant To The Persistence Of Pesticides On Produce Surfaces, Daniel Barnes

Masters Theses

Adjuvants can enhance the performance of the pesticide active ingredients in many ways including decreasing surface tension and reducing evaporation. Understanding how adjuvants effect pesticide behavior (e.g., surface persistence) is crucial for developing effective pesticide formulations, as well as facilitating the development of effective approaches to reduce pesticide residues from the surface of fresh produce post-harvest. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of a non-ionic surfactant, Surf-Ac 910, on the persistence of two model pesticides, thiabendazole and phosmet on apple surfaces. The result shows that the addition of Surf-Ac 910 increased both the maximum wetted area …

The Nature Of Beauty And Its Objective Manifestation Serve As Evidence Of The God Described In The Bible, Michael S. Libby

Masters Theses

In exploring the concept of objective beauty in nature, a strong argument emerges for the existence of a divine creator as described in the Bible. This thesis, titled “The Nature of Beauty and its Objective Manifestation Serve as Evidence of the God Described in the Bible,” proposes that the intricate design and objective manifestation of beauty in the world are indicative of a higher transcendent being, prompting us to contemplate the profound mysteries of creation and the interconnectedness of aesthetics and spirituality. Through this lens of beauty, we are challenged to engage in a thought-provoking discourse that encompasses apologetics, philosophy, …

The Weight Of Gratitude And The Burden Of Truth, Joshua Macer

Masters Theses

The roots of this thesis lie in a daily journal written in a tattered notebook while deployed to the war-torn city of Baghdad, Iraq. The artist's statement tells the story of how the tragic events of 9/11 led to a decade of service in the military and how a simple daily journal kept during combat became the foundation for a memoir. Times passing, memory issues from injuries sustained overseas, and conflicting stories led the author to question the accuracy of military memoirs. The critical theory paper evaluates authenticity in memoirs, the challenges to truth and memories, and the consequences of …

Addressing Chaplain Care And Resiliency As Protective Factors To Burnout In Community Chaplaincy, Robin Jonell Ratcliff

Masters Theses

This paper will address Chaplain Care and Resiliency as Protective Factors to Burnout in Community Chaplaincy. There will be a problem stated, literature review covered on the subject, the results of the assessments, scales, and screening used to address burnout. Then the author discusses training and interventions and shows analysis of said training and interventions.

My Name Is Pamela Jean: Impacting The Culture Of Life Through Storytelling, Debra D. Watkins

Masters Theses

The research completed for this study provides the opportunity to compare and contrast the views of pro-life and pro-choice storytellers who seek to impact the culture of life relating to abortion and abortion rights through the genres of movies and screenwriting. The Critical Essay section explores the debate on abortion and the sanctity of life as viewed through the literary framework of feminism and opposing worldviews. The Craft Element is an original screenplay submitted to enhance the understanding of how movies can impact moviegoers regarding abortion and the sanctity of life. The screenplay seeks to provide a strong pro-life message …

Analyzing The Cynical Perspective Of Death In The Book Thief, Dorothy Elizabeth Hollar

Masters Theses

In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, death is used as a theme and a character to convey the plot of the story. The character of death is used as a device to show the life of a young girl living in Nazi Germany through the eyes of something more sinister and pessimistic. The story explores trauma, friendship, and the power of words when it seems all hope is lost. This thesis will explore the aspect of death as a character and will examine how it works in the story. The creative portion of my thesis will examine the themes …

Pretty Girls Don't Eat Pizza: How An Eating Disorder Taught Me I Am Enough, Hannah Kuhn

Masters Theses

Eating disorders have become one of the most fatal mental disorders, and yet many people still don’t know anything about them. This allows society to misinform people on what this disorder is, and for those suffering from it to feel misunderstood and alone. Patients and their families don’t need more medical advice on the topic. They need to hear a raw, honest and messy story from someone who is not cured, but overtime has found the resources, hope and strength to continue living with it everyday until healing is granted. This is a story that both informs and shows the …

Shaping Character: The Role Of Mythology In Society, Jaclyn Weist

Masters Theses

Throughout history, man has told stories. Some stories were written on walls, tablets, or bits of parchment. Others have been passed down to posterity through oral tradition. Every culture worldwide has a rich tapestry of legends and myths. It is my intent to demonstrate that these stories use the tools of character development within their various plot lines to both express and shape beliefs, superstitions, and life lessons. Whether they are religious in nature or simply trying to make sense of the world, these stories, myths, and legends have played a part in shaping society into what it is today.

Three Years With Buffalo Bill, Russell Storman

Masters Theses

John Muir is the father of modern creative nonfiction in the outdoor adventure/nature genre. His passion inspired generations of Christian writers, especially within the genre, to draw connections between the God of their faith and His hand that they see in the natural world. Set in a forty-two-mile hike through northwest Wyoming’s Buffalo Bill State Park and continuing in the example set by Muir, the manuscript Three Years with Buffalo Bill establishes that faith is an essential element of modern life.