Digital Commons Network^™

Polylactic Acid-Based Sustainable Hybrid Nanobiocomposites, Utsab Roy Ayan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Optimized extrusion melt-blending of polylactic acid (PLA) polymer with a minor biopolymeric phase, polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), and compatibilized with random ethylene-methyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (EMA-GMA, Trademark: Lotader® AX-8900) led to an outstanding improvement in mechanical properties. At the non-compatibilized PLA/PBAT (80/20) blend point, significant enhancement (~4500%) in toughness and elongation-at-break was already obtained without compromising any elastic properties. Lotader content at 2 wt.% was determined to be optimal by numerical optimization methodology to maximize toughness and elongation-at-break. Upon adding the compatibilizer, the original phase-separated morphology of the blends changed from PBAT quasi-spherical domains to nearly elongated elliptical ones. The …

The Implications Of The Menstrual Cycle On Upper Extremity Function And Injury Risk, Kaitlyn Ashley Armstrong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the leading cause of time lost from work in the healthcare industry (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Women account for 75 percent of the total employment in hospitals (BLS, 2022). It is important to identify key risk factors that may be contributing to the high rates of injury in this sector. Females bring a variety of unique factors into account, and understanding these factors could be critical for improving individual health and the burden placed on the system due to absenteeism resulting from injury. The cyclical hormonal fluctuations that occur over a menstrual cycle …

Levee Breach Analysis Using Numerical Simulation Aided By Machine Learning, Mudhaffer Alqudah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a multi-faceted framework for the prediction of geotechnical and hydraulic failure mechanisms in earthen structures, with a focus on levees and embankments. The study integrates laboratory testing, numerical modeling, and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the assessment and forecasting of levee performance under static and dynamic loading conditions.

The first component of the research applies various machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of soils using basic geotechnical parameters. Experimental data from lab-tested soil mixtures were used to train and compare models including Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Gradient Boosting, Random Forests, K-Nearest Neighbors, Support …

Les Conditions De Vie De La Classe Ouvrière Dans Les Chefs-D’ Œeuvre De Ousmane Sembène, Sawel Awuni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Francophone African literature emerged as a vehicle for criticism of the colonial system, subsequently shifting its focus to neocolonialism as a new stage of imperialism. Literature and film served as instruments for critiquing imperialist structures, which engendered societal issues and fostered division among Africans. This study examines how Sembène’s books and films satirize society and their continued relevance to contemporary issues in the countries and cities depicted in these literary and cinematic works. To conduct this study, two books and a film were selected as primary sources: Le Docker Noir, Les Bouts de bois de Dieu, and “La Noire de…”. …

Designing Security Primitives Using Digital And Analog Discrete-Time Chaotic Systems, Mrittika Chowdhury

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we explore the design of lightweight, reconfigurable, and entropy-rich security primitives using both digital and analog discrete-time chaotic systems. By leveraging the inherent unpredictability, sensitivity to initial conditions, and nonlinear dynamics of chaos theory, we present two distinct architectures: a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) built using digital chaotic maps and a physically unclonable function (PUF) constructed from a compact analog chaotic oscillator. Each system is tailored for efficient implementation on resource-constrained platforms while maintaining strong statistical and security properties.

Boundaries And Barriers: A Study On The Factors Influencing Bachelor’S Degree Attainment For Women In Arkansas At Regional Public Universities, Meagan Rochelle Bowling Fudge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arkansas consistently ranks among the bottom five states nationally for bachelor’s degree attainment. To explore the factors contributing to this trend and identify opportunities for increasing degree completion, this study focuses on women attending Regional Public Universities (RPUs) in Arkansas. By examining the barriers these women face, this research aims to uncover critical gaps and inform future areas for research, policy, and investment.

Women represent the largest segment of undergraduate enrollment in the state, consistently enrolling in college at higher rates than their male peers. RPUs enroll more bachelor's degree-seeking students than any other type of institution in Arkansas, including …

Multi-Hazard Analysis Of Bridges Under Seismic, Flood-Induced Scour, And Hydrodynamic Loading, Raul Gautam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes pose significant threats to the resilience of highway transportation systems, particularly compromising the safety and serviceability of bridges. In regions susceptible to both seismic activity and flooding, the combined effects of earthquake loading, flood-induced scour, and hydrodynamic forces create a critical multi-hazard scenario. This research develops a comprehensive multi-hazard analysis framework to evaluate bridge performance under combined seismic and flood-induced hazards. Three-dimensional finite element (FE) models of representative three- and six-span steel girder bridges are developed and analyzed under varying scour depths and hydrodynamic loading conditions. Modal analysis, static pushover analysis, and non-linear …

Access To Pharmacies: Implications For Theory, Outcomes, And Policy, Emily Gravlee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation achieved the following objectives: (1) developed a patient-centered access to pharmacies framework; (2) evaluated the impact of pharmacy closures on immunization rates among Medicare beneficiaries; and (3) examined the influence of state-level pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) regulations on rates of pharmacy closures.

For objective 1, a grounded theory methodology was used to identify a patient-centered access to pharmacies framework (PcAP). This framework asserts that patients determine whether they have access to a pharmacy through evaluation of their characteristics, the characteristics of pharmacies, and their own needs or values within the context of a health-related need. This evaluation of …

Measuring The Dynamic Exponent Across The Excitation Spectrum Of The Fredkin Spin Chain, Coleman Kristopher Irby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Spin chains are thoroughly studied models used throughout statistical physics. They make considerable simplifications to complex many-body systems that allow us to analyze complex behaviors such as phase transitions. With these large interacting systems, it is often impossible to solve them analytically. However, with the advent of digital computers, we are able to investigate these models numerically and to extrapolate to the thermodynamic limit. Our area of study concerns the Fredkin Spin Chain model. The Fredkin Spin Chain is a well studied model which has an exactly solvable ground state and an unusually large dynamical exponent, z. Much analysis has …

The Underrepresentation Of African American Male Educators In K-12 Education, Nisa Lewis Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American education system has struggled with a significant teacher shortage for years. Alongside this shortage is the underrepresentation of African American male teachers. Despite the increasing diversity of the student population, African American men make up less than 2% of teachers nationwide (Aftunion, 2020). This disparity denies all kids access to diverse perspectives in the classroom and limits the presence of role models for students of color. Research studies have shown that African American students who have African American teachers show improvement in their grades, standardized test scores, attendance records, and graduation rates (Breazeale, 2023). This study aimed to …

Secure Wireless Communication With Intelligent Reflecting Surfaces, Babita Pradhan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the promising use of Intelligent Reflecting Surface (IRS) for enhancing the security in wireless communication, this dissertation explores secure wireless communication facilitated by IRS to improve the secrecy rate of the system. We consider a multiple-input single-output (MISO) communication system supported by the IRS in the presence of a single legitimate user (Bob) and an illegitimate user (Eve).

First, we focus on maximizing the secrecy rate of the system through joint optimization of transmit beamforming and the phase shifts of the IRS elements. We examine two methods: (1) Method 1, which directly optimizes the secrecy rate as the objective …

Exploring Aging And Bone Health In Normal Weight Obesity And The Prevalence Of Unhealthy Lean Phenotypes, Pouria Sefidmooye Azar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is a complex chronic condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat. While numerous studies have highlighted the risks of adverse complications associated with obesity, limited research has explored the relationship of body composition phenotypes, more specifically normal weight obesity with aging, and bone health. Also, the prevalence of unhealthy lean phenotypes in adults in the U.S. is not clear. A secondary-data analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 were performed to further examine the relationship between body composition phenotypes—normal weight lean (NWL), overweight/obesity with normal body fat percentage (OBL), normal weight obesity (NWO), …

A Profile Of Contempt: Its Expressive Function In The Age Of Profilicity, Eric Michael Servatius

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Contempt permeates modern political discourse and popular media. Nevertheless, within the psychological and philosophical literature on reactive attitudes, moral emotions, and negative sentiments, contempt remains comparatively understudied. In this paper, I examine contempt’s intimate connection with social identity and argue that existing accounts of contempt largely overlook the broader social role it plays in a contemporary moment characterized by digital communication and fluid group dynamics. I contend that public expressions of contempt serve two primary expressive functions in modern society: (1) to signal group identification and (2) to enforce group norms—not for the target of contempt, but for third party …

Slope Stability Hazard Investigation Of Calhoun County, Mississippi And The County Road 210 Landslide, Miles Heath Grames

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses geological field data, laboratory characterization of sediments, and multiple computational models of slope stability to investigate a landslide that occurred in Calhoun County, Mississippi. The primary hypothesis is that intense rainfall led to the saturation of the slope, triggering failure through the reduction of shear strength.

Fieldwork included drilling at the failure site to obtain subsurface samples and drone-based site characterizations. Laboratory analysis included soil descriptions, grain size analysis, and Atterberg limit testing. Sample characterizations revealed a stratified soil profile dominated by fine-grained silts and clays, including an organic-rich lignite layer (OL). Strata generally exhibit low permeability …

A Spoonful Of Sugar: A Mathematics Board And Card Games Intervention For Kindergarten Students At Risk For Mathematics Disabilities, Leah Kai Tiisler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early mathematics knowledge in kindergarten students can predict their later success in school and in life, while difficulties with mathematics early on can derail a child’s future unless they are provided with effective interventions. Ideally, interventions should be developmentally appropriate, playful, low in stress, and easy to implement. Board games and card games can be integrated into math interventions and easily adapted to include early arithmetic elements. This dissertation investigates the impact of a mathematics board and card game intervention on kindergarten students at risk for mathematics disabilities. The study employed a single-subject research design to assess the effectiveness of …

From Difficult Heritage To A Symbol Of Peace: A Case Study Of The Chibondo Mass Grave In Zimbabwe., Peter Mudzingwa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the contested interpretation and memorialization of the Chibondo mass grave in Zimbabwe, analyzing how unresolved historical grievances shape national reconciliation efforts. Discovered in 2011, Chibondo became a politically charged heritage site, officially framed as a symbol of liberation while simultaneously raising allegations that it contains victims of post-independence violence, including the Gukurahundi massacres. Employing the theoretical frameworks of difficult heritage, transitional justice, and memorialization, this research explores the political, social, and ethical complexities that emerge when nations confront traumatic pasts. Through a mixed-methods approach that combines semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and scholarly reviews, the study critically assesses …

Temporal Variation In Microbial Extracellular Enzyme Activity Along The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jacqueline Pavlovsky

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microbial extracellular enzymes play critical roles in the degradation of organic matter and mineralization of nutrients in marine systems, yet few studies have examined how enzyme activity varies over short-and long-term timescales in nearshore coastal environments. In this study, I assessed day-to-day, week-to-week, and month-to-month variation in the activity of three hydrolases (phosphatase, β-glucosidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase) in seawater and sand at five beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In addition, the activity of two oxidases (phenol oxidase, peroxidase) was assayed in sand, and environmental factors determined at each site. Seawater enzyme activity showed more variation over time than between beaches and …

Study Of The Ultrasonic Properties Of A Tissue-Mimicking Phantom Of Human Brain, Utsab Acharya

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Preparing tissue-mimicking phantoms for brain ultrasound studies presents unique challenges due to the need to replicate the complex acoustic properties of cerebral tissue. Human brain tissue exhibits a speed of sound typically between 1520 and 1540 m/s, an attenuation coefficient ranging from 0.58 to 2.42 dB/cm in the 1–3 MHz frequency range, and a notably low backscatter coefficient between –94 and –82 dB/(cm・sr). Accurately reproducing these parameters simultaneously in a synthetic phantom is difficult because of the naturally low scattering properties of brain tissue and the interdependence of ultrasonic attenuation and scattering mechanisms. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has emerged as a …

Exploring Psychological Capital In Student Pharmacists: Insights, Outcomes, And Instructional Considerations, Joseph Aaron Dikun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background/Objectives

The positive psychology movement served to create momentum to move from treating disease to exploring what makes life worth living, emphasizing the exploration of what contributes to human flourishing. One’s psychological capital has provided a practical framework for personal development that highlights the potential for individuals draw upon resources to thrive amidst challenges. As students face numerous stressors, including academic pressures, uncertainties, and personal struggles that threaten their well-being and performance, self-awareness and ability to utilize these intrinsic resources provide an actionable target for development. First, a measure of psychological capital was adapted and refined. Next, positive psychological capital …

The Profiled Feldman-Cousins Method For Confidence Interval Construction For The Nova 3-Flavor Oscillation Analysis, Andrew Joseph Dye

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The small interaction cross-section of neutrinos makes experimental neutrino physics particularly responsive to technological advancements. A significant development leveraged by the NOvA experiment is large-scale parallel processing, enabling novel computational approaches to longstanding experimental challenges. Central to managing the resulting high-throughput data is NOvA’s implementation of the Freight Train model, designed for efficient data production and handling.

This dissertation details the methodology and execution of the NOvA 2024 3-Flavor Oscillation Analysis, supported by a comprehensive dataset spanning ten years. It emphasizes frequentist results refined through the Feldman-Cousins (FC) technique, specifically addressing confidence interval corrections in parameter estimation. The computational intensity …

Don't Let Them In: Our Vampire Stories In The French Quarter, Sela Ricketts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an exploration of vampires in New Orleans. The reason I have chosen to include the word “Our” in the title is because we created the stories that I am studying. We created, perpetuated, changed, and eventually monetized them. Throughout this paper I discuss how the vampire came to New Orleans and how that same vampire shows up in New Orleans folklore. Then I discuss how the vampire made the jump from urban legend to pop culture. In doing that it gained “humanity”. They were still monstrous, but it was enough humanity to acquire regional identity, a southern …

The Effects Of Validating And Invalidating Responses On Self-Reported Levels Of Anxiety, Leila Sachner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given that validation and invalidation have been linked to internal factors contributing to anxiety disorders, it is important to further explore how validation and invalidation are associated with experiences of anxiety. The current study was designed to assess the association between validation/invalidation and anxiety among college students. Significant omnibus regression models emerged revealing that perceived invalidation accounted for 25.7% of the variance in self-reports of physiological anxiety symptoms and 27.6% of the variance in self-reports of generalized anxiety symptoms. A series of mixed-factorial ANOVAs revealed no main effect of experimental condition on emotional responses (anxiety, anger, arousal, valence), indicating that …

Data-Driven Modeling Of Levee Failure: A State-Of-The-Art Approach For Integrating Artificial Intelligence Techniques With Hydraulic Erosion And Geotechnical Characterization, Haitham O. Saleh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Flooding is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the United States, often resulting in catastrophic damage to communities and infrastructure. The primary flood-protection structures, earthen dams and levees, are critical for mitigating these impacts. In Mississippi alone, there are over 2,800 dams and 3,750 miles of levees along the Mississippi River and its tributaries. Of this, nearly 2,200 miles are along the mainstem Mississippi River, with the remaining levees situated along backwaters, tributaries, and floodways. Understanding the erosion behavior of these structures during overtopping events is essential for accurate failure prediction and risk assessment. This study focuses on …

Beliefs And Factors That Influence Female College Students’ Decision To Consume Weight Loss Products, Cynthia Ummay Siddiqua

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Rising societal pressures, body image concerns, and the increasing accessibility of commercial weight loss products (WLPs) have led to heightened use among young women, particularly college students. Female undergraduates are especially vulnerable due to social media influence, peer comparison, and transitioning lifestyles. Despite the popularity of WLPs, concerns persist regarding their safety, efficacy, and the psychosocial beliefs driving their use. This study seeks to understand the beliefs and factors influencing WLP consumption among female college students using Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Health Belief Model (HBM).

Methods: A cross-sectional, exploratory survey was conducted among female undergraduate students aged …

Public Attitudes Toward The Nigerian Police: An Examination Of Trust Indicators At Micro Levels, Bassey Kooffreh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation comprises three studies that collectively contribute to understanding public trust in the Nigerian police. The first study applies three major policing theories namely performance theory, procedural justice theory, and social capital theory to explain the factors that influence trust in the police. The second study offers a comparative analysis of the predictors of public trust in both the police and the courts. The third study examines how individual quality of life, neighborhood structural characteristics, and civic engagement affect public trust in the police. Using nationally representative data from Afrobarometer Round 9, the first study reveals that citizens who …

Dream And Reality: Warping Southern Mythologies, Greta Koshenina

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Details fade upon waking from dreams, and childhood memories wither over time. My work holds a moment and strips away details. What seems captured is ephemeral. This thesis explores the fleeting nature of memory through a multimedia installation of cyanotype photography and a poetic documentary short film. I blend family videos and photographs with ancient and medieval religious iconography to emphasize art's connection to the unconscious, particularly the archetypes expressed in dreams. The written portion examines the influence, process, and context of my artwork. I delve into these concepts in a review of Southern literature, documentary films, and photography. Oral …

The Prison Life-Course And Correctional Misconduct, Zachary Nathanial Buckner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation is to apply a developmental and life-course perspective to the understanding of correctional misconduct for those serving long-term sentences by conducting three separate analyses that examine the development of misconduct over time, and the influence of personal and prison characteristics on misconduct. Data were provided by the Department of Corrections in a Northwestern state in the United States and included all adults in custody who were currently incarcerated and had been incarcerated for a minimum of 15 years consecutively at the point of data collection in March 2023. The first analysis used group-based trajectory modeling …

Distress Tolerance And Links With 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure, Colter K. Clayton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular related morbidity and mortality. Psychosocial factors are associated with blood pressure control and preliminary evidence has linked greater distress tolerance to lower blood pressure. The present study examined associations between distress tolerance and key blood pressure markers (24-hour mean blood pressure, nocturnal dipping) among community-dwelling adults (N = 60) using the noninvasive gold standard of blood pressure measurement—ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Separate hierarchal linear regression analyses did not reveal any significant relationships between distress tolerance and 24-hour mean systolic, …

The Stories Of Land: Exploring Southeast Indigenous Historical Contextualization In University Settings, Haley Elizabeth Mcglone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Institutions of Higher Education have a unique opportunity as educational spaces to connect with the land they occupy. As students enter the college environment, institutions have a responsibility to provide them with meaningful connection to land their university is situated upon and educate them in its history. Many institutions of higher education have incorporated important contextualization projects on their campuses in an effort to acknowledge and confront their historic ties to colonization and systemic racism (Ruth J. Simmons Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, n.d.).

This study offers an environmental scan of two sites of removal now occupied …

Succession Planning And Organizational Structures Of Academic Health Sciences Libraries, Elizabeth Hinton Mcmurphy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academic health sciences libraries are vital in educating and training future healthcare professionals. Over the last decade, a significant number of library directors, many of whom had served in their positions for ten years or more, have retired from the field. The retirement wave in libraries has been anticipated since the late 1980s with the advent of end-user searching. However, due to the aging workforce and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this predicted exodus has become a more imminent reality. Consequently, the intricate organizational structures of academic medical centers and academic health sciences libraries, coupled with the frequent absence …