Digital Commons Network^™

The Daily Choices And Personality Quiz: Designing And Testing A New Manipulation Of Masculinity Threat, Caitlin M. Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Boys receive unique messaging about their gender identity from an early age, including that they must avoid anything associated with femininity (Blakemore, 2003). Failure to follow this group norm is usually met with punishment or ridicule (Kane, 2006; Katz, 2020). Unsurprisingly, this socialization might teach boys that manhood is not guaranteed. Precarious manhood theory (Vandello & Bosson, 2013) argues that manhood–but not womanhood–is a status that must be socially earned, but can be revoked, making it “precarious.” Since the theory’s inception, researchers have explored ways to experimentally examine the consequences of “lost manhood” using masculinity threat paradigms which describe men …

Microgravity-Induced Effects On Global Gene Fitness And Secondary Metabolite Yield In Bacteria, Gayatri Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bacteria are ubiquitous and capable of colonizing nearly any environment, including extreme conditions such as deep oceans, high altitudes, and even space-faring vehicles. These vehicles present unique stresses not found on Earth such as microgravity and radiation. As space exploration advances, understanding how microgravity affects bacterial life has become increasingly important. Over the past 60 years, studies using both real and simulated microgravity have revealed species-specific responses, collectively indicating broad changes in bacterial function and physiological adaptations.

Initially, this study examined Novosphingobium aromaticivorans, a lignin-degrading bacterium detected in spacecraft cleanroom environments by assessing gene fitness during growth in microgravity on …

A Study Of The Ultrasonic Properties Of Dispersive Materials, Farhana Afrose Sonia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research investigates the ultrasonic behavior of nanocomposite and polymer materials by evaluating the phase velocity and attenuation coefficient of 20% multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced composites and nylon. The primary goal of the work is to study longitudinal and shear wave propagation in both composite and homogeneous media. To achieve this, I used thru transmission techniques to collect data at multiple incident angles, including 0°, 30°, 35°, and 40° relative to the transmitting transducer.

I analyzed the acquired ultrasonic signals using both time-domain and frequency-domain techniques. In the time-domain approach, I measured the peak-to-peak time delay from gated waveforms …

1:1 Ipad Implementation & Standardized Testing, Kristen Lane Whitehead Zemek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between 1:1 iPad implementation and student performance on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) standardized tests. As school districts increasingly adopt 1:1 technology initiatives, it is critical to understand their impact on key academic outcomes. This research examines the extent to which the consistent use of iPads in the learning environment influences student achievement in core subjects. By analyzing test score data from schools with established 1:1 iPad programs, this paper seeks to provide empirical evidence to inform educational stakeholders, administrators, and policymakers. The findings aim to contribute to the broader discourse on technology integration …

“Listen To The Angels Shouting”: Witnessing, Erasure, And The Legacy Of John Wesley Work Iii, Kennedy Uselton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Questions surrounding the relationship between erasure, music, and memory are deeply embedded within contemporary academic discourse. Music and its makers are continually remembered, forgotten, rediscovered, and lost. How we frame these conversations about memory is especially critical when considering the legacy and cultural remembrance of the Blues. This includes acknowledging that the truth of musical memory extends beyond the artists themselves—it includes those who document, study, and shape how the Blues is archived, interpreted, and narrated. This thesis addresses these questions of memory and erasure through a reconsideration of the figure of John Wesley Work III (1901–1967), a Black scholar, …

Loneliness And Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Patric Justin Leukel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and is by extension associated with potentially life-threatening events (e.g., heart attack, stroke). Loneliness, which has been linked to cardiovascular health problems, may be an important risk factor for hypertension. Most studies exploring psychosocial factors and blood pressure focus on single-point measurements of blood pressure, which have notable limitations. The current study investigated the association between loneliness and markers of hypertension (i.e., mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure dip, average pulse pressure, and AASI) in a diverse sample by utilizing an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device. Sixty …

Modeling Capillary-Gravity Wave Scattering With Contact Lines And Meniscus, Guoqin Liu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Capillary–gravity wave scattering is crucial in fluid systems governed by gravitational and surface tension forces, yet classical theories often neglect key boundary and geometric effects. This dissertation examines two influential mechanisms—dynamic contact line conditions and meniscus curvature—that significantly affect wave behavior at smaller scales.

First, a semi-analytical framework is presented to show how dynamic contact lines, modeled by an effective-slip boundary, alter wave reflection and transmission around a fixed, semi-immersed cylindrical barrier. Using linear potential flow theory combined with conformal mapping and integral-equation methods, the study quantifies how barrier geometry, Bond number, and slip parameters shape energy dissipation. It identifies …

Advancing Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Innovative Applications Of Hot Melt Extrusion For The Preparation Of Drug Complexes And Fixed Dose Combination Immediate Release Formulation With Diverse Crystalline Properties, Sivaram Munnangi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research encompasses three distinct studies focusing on innovative applications of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes. The first investigation explores the implementation of solvent-free hot-melt extrusion (HME) to enhance the solubility and dissolution of Ibuprofen (IBU) through the formation of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes. Molecular docking and phase solubility studies confirmed the hosting of IBU in Hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβ-CD). A twin-screw co-rotating extruder aided complex formation, and a Quality by Design (QbD) approach, using a Box-Behnken design, systematically studied the impact of process variables on solubility and dissolution. The second study delves into abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) employing ion-exchange resin complexation as a chemical barrier. …

Do College Students Delegate Over The Counter Product Choice To Pharmacists? A National Survey Experiment, Joanne Elizabeth Mansalay Canedo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: College students are known to have more frequent use for over-the-counter (OTC) cold products. Choice overload can lead to an increased burden of responsibility and dissatisfaction with one’s decision. The act of delegating to a pharmacist can prevent OTC product misuse and potential for abuse. The objective was to examine the effect of OTC choice difficulty and pharmacist accessibility on college students’ likelihood to delegate pharmacists for choosing OTC products for the common cold.

Methodology: An experimental within-subjects survey design was utilized on a national convenience sample of undergraduate students aged 18 years and older through Qualtrics market research …

Study Of The Mechanism And Physiological Impact Of Transcriptional Regulation Of Pilin-Encoding Pila Gene In Caulobacter Crescentus, Anurag Rijal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The alphaproteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus with a unique dimorphic lifestyle is a model organism for studying prokaryotic development. An important cellular structure is the hair-like appendage called pilus, made up of monomeric subunits called pilins. The pilus helps C. crescentus in surface sensing and attachment, leading to cellular differentiation. Despite these advantages, the C. crescentus cell expresses the pilus filament on its surface for a very short period in its life cycle, during the motile swarmer stage. This study examined the precisely-timed transcriptional regulation of the pilin-encoding gene pilA, and uncovered the impact it has on bacterial survival.

CtrA, a global …

Here, There: Jewish Identities In The South Through The Lens Of Food, Charles George Pappas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the role that place performs in the creation of different Jewish identities in the South through the study of foodways practices. The first chapter provides a historical background of Jewish foodways and an analysis of two Jewish cookbooks and their recipes. These texts act as historical markers of the similarities and differences between varying diasporas across space and time and show how these elements impact Jewish culinary practices. Chapter two is centered around an oral history conducted with Jewish chef Laurence Faber and the places that have shaped his approach to the food served at his Knoxville …

A Sociolinguistic Study Of The Bani Malik Dialect In Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Mansour Almalki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My research aims to examine how the dialect of the Bani Malik community, a minority group in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, has been influenced by its contact with the urban dialect of Mecca. It also aims to record Bani Malik speakers’ attitudes toward their heritage dialect. Thirty-six Bani Malik speakers of different age groups, genders, and amounts of contact with Meccan speakers were interviewed for 30 minutes each. Quantitative data analysis was used to investigate the influence of the Meccan dialect on one Bani Malik morphological feature, the first-person singular possessive marker < -i:h>, and two phonological features, the diphthongs [ai] and …

Improving Teacher Effectiveness, Keith D. Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This applied action research with a program evaluation aimed to determine if the Improving Effectiveness Three (IE3) program which is composed of professional development on the Professional Growth System (PGS), engagement in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and participation in the New Teacher Academy (NTA) improves teacher effectiveness at North Panama High School (NPHS) as measured by the Mississippi Professional Growth System.

For the past five years, the United States has struggled to fully staff public schools with highly effective teachers. This struggle is increasingly difficult in several southern states. North Panama High School, surrounded by more affluent school districts, experiences …

Exploring The Perceptions Of Non-Traditional Graduate Students About Their Experiences With Social Presence In Online Professional Degree Programs, Courtney Elizabeth Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rise of virtual learning has been significant in recent years, with the percentage of degree programs offered exclusively online increasing from 15.4% in 2019 to 60% in 2022. While online courses provide flexibility and convenience, concerns have emerged regarding student engagement, learning outcomes, and satisfaction. Due to limited interactions with peers and instructors, virtual students often struggle with motivation and experience higher levels of anxiety, stress, and isolation compared to their in-person counterparts.

A key factor influencing student success in online courses is social presence, defined as the extent to which learners feel connected and engaged with their instructor …

Framing Ncaa V. Alston: Amicus Briefs’ Competing Visions Of Student-Athlete Compensation, Stuart A. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to examine how amici curiae frame policy preferences in amicus briefs submitted before the United States Supreme Court in NCAA v. Alston (2021). The questions addressed in this study were what dominant policy frames did interest groups use to frame policy preference in NCAA v. Alston (2021), and which (if any) policy frames in the amicus briefs emerged in the written opinions of the United States Supreme Court? This analysis indicates the complexities and intricacies of competing vision of student-athlete compensation within the persuasive lens of amicus briefs through interest groups. In …

The Moderating Role Of Engagement On Mindfulness, Sarah Rose Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the moderating role of engagement in a technology-based mindfulness intervention among college students. Drawing on archival data from a prior randomized controlled trial, the analysis focused on whether self-reported engagement influenced changes in mindfulness as measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Seventy-five participants in the mindfulness intervention group received brief psychoeducational and practice-based text messages over a 21-day period. A moderation analysis using PROCESS macro tested whether engagement moderated the relationship between pre- and post-intervention mindfulness scores. Results indicated that engagement did not significantly moderate changes in total FFMQ scores, providing no support for …

Community College Faculty Perception Of Guidelines For Promotions, Cynthia Williams-Roberson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Community College Faculty Perception of Guidelines for Promotions is a comprehensive study that examines faculty members' views on the current policies and procedures related to promotions and career advancement at community colleges. This research seeks to evaluate faculty perceptions of the fairness and equity of existing promotional guidelines, exploring whether faculty believe the policies may inadvertently facilitate discriminatory or biased practices. Additionally, the study aims to identify areas where the college may improve its written policies to ensure greater transparency, fairness, and consistency in promotional practices, using the standards set forth by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) as …

Teacher Perceptions And Student Self-Reports: Examining Aggression, Delinquency, And Contextual Correlates In Education And Non-Educational Settings, Abigail Claire Boozer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between teacher-perceived delinquency and student self-reported delinquency, utilizing data from the LONGSCAN data set. The research also examines whether the correlates of these behaviors differ across classroom and non-classroom settings, offering insights into the contextual dynamics of delinquency. Grounded in labeling theory, this study explores the influence of teacher perceptions on student behavior, highlighting how labeling may reinforce or mitigate patterns of aggression and delinquency. By leveraging the rich longitudinal data from LONGSCAN, the research identifies key demographic, familial, and environmental factors that contribute to these behaviors. The findings aim to inform educational interventions and …

Sentiment Driven Deep Learning Approach In Stock Market Prediction, Zhiqi Niu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, its application in the financial field has moved from theoretical exploration to practical deployment. Especially in stock market forecasting, machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) have significantly improved the performance of traditional statistical methods by analyzing massive historical data. However, the stock market is affected by multiple dynamic factors, including macroeconomic indicators (e.g., GDP, interest rates), company fundamentals (e.g., earnings reports, management changes), technical indicators (e.g., moving averages, trading volume), and unforeseen black swan events (e.g., political unrest, natural disasters). These nonlinear interactions of these factors makes stock price prediction …

The Relationship Between College Entrance Exam Scores And First-Year Undergraduate Grade Point Averages At A Regional Public University: An Exploratory Analysis, Kaitlyn Sanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the relationship between college entrance exam scores and first-year college grade point averages for first-year students enrolled at the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. Using a three-manuscript approach, the dissertation in practice explores the predictive validity of college entrance exam scores in higher education admissions, evaluates the effectiveness of these exams in forecasting academic success, and connects leadership philosophy to data-driven decision-making in admissions policies.

Manuscript One introduces the problem of practice by situating college entrance exams within the broader context of college admissions. While entrance exams such as the ACT and SAT have traditionally been …

Beyond Guns Vs. Butter: Gendered Dynamics In Security Policy Preferences, Elaine Elizabeth Tagert

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation challenges the foundational assumptions of the “guns versus butter” debate by recentering gender, insecurity, and state legitimacy in the analysis of public opinion. Drawing on over 300,000 individual responses across 80 countries, and original survey data from post-conflict Colombia, it demonstrates that the commonly held belief that women are more likely to prioritize welfare over security is both context-dependent and empirically unstable. Rather than reflecting innate preferences, gendered policy attitudes emerge from lived experiences of violence, inequality, and institutional trust.

The first empirical chapter reveals a striking reversal of conventional expectations in the Global South: in regions where …

Measurement Of Forces In Standing Wave Ultrasonic Fields, Milan Rai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The acoustic radiation force provides the physical mechanism for the non-contact levitation and manipulation of particles in ultrasonic standing wave fields. This thesis presents a study on the measurement, simulation, and validation of acoustic radiation forces acting on spherical particles levitated in air. The motivation for this work is to provide high-precision measurements of acoustic radiation forces in trapping systems, which are of particular interest in biomedical manipulation, materials science, and contactless assembly.

The study employs a three-part methodology: theoretical analysis, experimental observation, and numerical simulation. Theoretically, the acoustic radiation force was derived from Gor’kov’s potential (valid for ka « …

The Ole Miss, University Of Mississippi

The Ole Miss (1897-)

The Ole Miss Annual, 2025

Former Rebel Basketball Player Helps Keep Um Athletes Competitive, Bill Dabney

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – A four-year letterman in basketball at the University of Mississippi, Hunter Carpenter, of Dallas, knows how updated facilities and equipment can give student-athletes a competitive edge, enabling the Rebels to score wins at the highest levels.

Fictional And Historical Narratives Of African American Soldiers Of Wwii, Abigail Rae Stewart

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the experiences of African American soldiers during World War II through the dual lenses of oral histories and fictionalized accounts, arguing that both are essential to fully understanding their multifaceted journeys at home and abroad. Oral histories provide direct, personal narratives from veterans themselves, capturing their voices, emotions, and reflections on the discrimination, camaraderie, and resilience that defined their wartime and postwar lives. These firsthand accounts offer invaluable insights into the structural realities of systemic racism within the military and society, as well as the personal sacrifices these soldiers made in the name of a country that …

Um Student To Effect Environmental Policy Changes Through Fellowship, Marvis Herring

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – University of Mississippi graduate student Kennady Hertz will spend 2025 gaining valuable environmental policy experience in the nation's capital as part of an elite fellowship program.

Unspoken Journeys, Katie Ayres

Undergraduate B.F.A. Theses in Studio Art

No abstract provided.

Alumni, Friends Respond To Giving Tuesday, Tina H. Hahn

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – More than 250 University of Mississippi alumni and friends marked the occasion of Giving Tuesday, the worldwide annual day of giving on Dec. 3, to embrace philanthropy by raising more than $11,200 for project-based crowdfunding initiatives at Ole Miss.

Hidden In A Handbag, Emmaline Landes

Undergraduate B.F.A. Theses in Studio Art

No abstract provided.

Ranking Places Ole Miss Among Top 15 Universities For Veterans, Clara Turnage

University of Mississippi News

OXFORD, Miss. – Military Times has again ranked the University of Mississippi among the best universities in the nation for veterans.