Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploratory Study Of Disclosure Of X-Linked Conditions Between Mothers And Daughters, Madge Isabella Stuhlreyer

Theses and Dissertations

Carriers of X-linked conditions, both asymptomatic and symptomatic, face unique challenges regarding their experiences navigating the healthcare system and understanding implications of their carrier status. Studies show that mothers are known to be the main communicators of genetic information within their families, but in families affected with X-linked conditions, communication between mothers and daughters are hindered by factors such as lack of knowledge about the condition and reproductive implications, lack of emotional support, anxiety, and uncertainty about how to initiate these conversations. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations behind mothers' decisions to initiate conversations with their …

Investigation Of The Hdl Molecular Architecture Before And After Exercise Training., Prasun Kumar Dev

Theses and Dissertations

The functional characteristics of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles are influenced by their structure, including their molecular composition (e.g. HDL lipidome and proteome). However, the effects of exercise training on HDL molecular composition and its relationship with HDL-related traits are largely unknown. In this ancillary study, we investigated the HDL lipidome and proteome of 154 adults before and after 20 weeks of exercise training in the HERITAGE Family Study. The HDL-sized plasma fraction was isolated utilizing FPLC-SEC, followed by untargeted lipidomic and proteomic analysis using LC/MS. We identified 341 known lipid species while 409 HDL associated proteins. Clinical and functional related …

Barriers In Receiving A Diagnosis Of Sanfilippo Syndrome: Perceptions From Healthcare Providers And Caregivers, Cassidy Lena

Theses and Dissertations

Sanfilippo syndrome (MPS III) is a rare, degenerative condition characterized by symptoms impacting neurological functioning, behavior, and quality of life. Diagnosis is often not made until three to six years of age, but comprehensive and effective symptom management have been reported to optimize patient longevity. The aim of this study was to identify barriers to diagnosis and the corresponding impact on patients. This study surveyed healthcare providers and caregivers of individuals with Sanfilippo syndrome. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to assess provider knowledge and comfortability in managing Sanfilippo syndrome. Additionally, it explored caregiver perspectives on healthcare system navigation, …

Essays On Platform Operations: Applications In Service Operations And Sustainability, Timothy Campbell Clarkson

Theses and Dissertations

Online platforms inhabit every corner of daily life, from social media, to medicine, to retail, and everything in between. Platform owners are met with a litany of challenges as they seek to maximize the platform's value and implement novel strategies to foster widespread adoption. This dissertation focuses on empirically assessing the impact of online platforms in both sustainability and service operations contexts. In the first chapter, we examine the impact of introducing an agricultural advisory platform on smallholder farmer potato production in a single district in Rural India. We find positive impacts to overall production, and we explore the mechanism …

The Association Between Parent’S Mobile Device Use And Physical Activity, Sydney Hill

Theses and Dissertations

Background. The rapid increase in mobile technology has allowed smartphones to be used almost anywhere, but a potential disadvantage of these mobile devices is the displacement of physical activity. Parents of young children are already struggling to reach higher intensities of physical activity and mobile devices might make this worse. However, most existing research on similar topics look at adults without children or uses subjective measures only. Therefore, this study aims to (1) quantify objective mobile device use from a sample of parents with preschool age children; (2) describe the duration and intensity of parents’ physical activity and inactive behavior; …

The Role Of B Cells In Promoting Lipid Absorption By Promoting Lacteal Development, Kenny Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The absorption of dietary lipids in the gut is necessary to maintain the metabolic tone of tissues. Inflammation in the gut can cause defects in lipid absorption, which can result in tissue wasting, otherwise known as cachexia. Cachexia is commonly observed in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and cancer patients. The underlying cause of cachexia is unknown, and there are currently no effective therapeutic options available to treat it. Lymphatic drainage in the small intestine (SI) is specialized to promote the transport of dietary lipids into circulation. Lacteals are blunt-ended lymphatic vessels localized to the central axes of villi in …

Unveiling Hidden Voices: A Guide For Expanding Collegiate Coursework To Include Female Opera Composers And Their Works, Veronica Kimberly Page

Theses and Dissertations

Opera, often viewed as a prestigious and elite art form, has been predominantly shaped by male composers throughout its history. The contributions of women composers in opera have been largely overlooked, however, despite their significant impact on the genre. This dissertation explores the role of female composers in opera, from pioneers like Francesca Caccini to contemporary figures such as Missy Mazzoli, arguing for the creation of a curriculum focused on their works. Such a course would fill a critical gap in higher education, offering a more inclusive understanding of opera’s history and evolution. Through an examination of women’s compositions, historical …

Hallucinations In Large Foundation Models: Characterization, Quantification, Detection, Avoidance, And Mitigation, Vipula Rawte

Theses and Dissertations

Deception is an inherent aspect of social interactions, with research indicating that most people engage in deceptive behavior at least once or twice daily . In parallel, advances in artificial intelligence have led to machines exhibiting deceptive tendencies. These deceptions can be categorized into two types: unintended and intentional. Unintended deceptions - often referred to as hallucinations - occur when generative AI systems produce plausible and convincing narratives yet are factually inaccurate. This phenomenon primarily results from the systems' architectural design, extensive parametric memory, and reliance on statistical assumptions. In this thesis, we provide a comprehensive discussion on the characterization, …

A Novel Geometric Modeling Kernel For Automated Fiber Placement, Rowen Burney

Theses and Dissertations

Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is a key manufacturing technique for producing high-performance composite structures, yet existing geometric modeling frameworks lack the specialized functionality required for efficient toolpath planning and laminate optimization. This work presents Knots, a Geometric Modeling Kernel (GMK) developed specifically to address these limitations by providing a unified geometric foundation tailored for AFP. Unlike general-purpose Computer Aided Design (CAD) libraries, Knots is optimized for AFP, offering specialized geometric operations that streamline the transition from design to manufacturing. It directly manages the loading and computation of geometric data, ensuring structured laminate generation while supporting automation and scripting for improved …

Translating Theory Into Practice: Mediating Academic Advising Reform At Scale Through Improvement Science, Joshua Black

Theses and Dissertations

Improving student outcomes at community colleges is a difficult, multifaceted problem. While no single approach can be a panacea for such a challenging problem of practice, Guided Pathways (GP) research suggests a scalable reform model that may ultimately help to improve the underlying systems and structures colleges have designed to support their students, and in turn, may help colleges to achieve the goal of improved student outcomes more consistently. Because of the breadth of the GP model’s recommendations for reform, however, implementation is complex. To be effective, each of the reforms must be localized, adopted, and brought to scale within …

Bridging Tradition And Interpretation: Overdotting In J.S. Bach's Keyboard Music And Recorded Practice, Jiamo Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This dissertation presents a research and quantitative study about overdotting performance practice in Baroque music. Overdotting is a performance practice in the 17th and 18th century. It refers to playing dotted rhythms with exaggerated lengthening of the dotted note and shortening of the following note, beyond what is indicated in the notation. In this study, the dual evidence method is applied for cross-verifying recorded performances in the past century with published literature on performance practice of the interpretation of overdotted Baroque performance tradition in J.S. Bach’s solo keyboard work recorded since the early 20th century. The analysis focuses on …

Explainable And Reduced-Feature Machine Learning Models For Shape And Drag Prediction Of A Freely Moving Drop In The Sub-Critical Weber Number Regime, Md Amanullah Kabir Tonmoy

Theses and Dissertations

Accurately predicting the shape and drag of a moving drop is crucial in many spray applications. However, due to the complex interaction between the drag force and drop shape deformation, accurate prediction of drop shape and drag from Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation requires large computational resources and time. A novel data-driven approach using NARXNN (Non-linear Auto Regressive eXogenous input Neural Network) is proposed in this study, which recurrently predicts the drop shape and drag for a given Weber number (We) and Reynolds number (Re), in the sub-critical We regime where there is no drop breakup. The average error in …

Essays In Real Estate And Household Finance, Paul Freed

Theses and Dissertations

The first chapter examines how the deterioration of a household’s balance sheet alters its propensity to sue another entity for damages in civil court. Using state-level administrative judicial data longitudinally linked to the value of individual plaintiffs’ real estate holdings, this study finds that a 5% decline in housing value is associated with an 8% increase in the probability of filing a civil suit. Similarly, a household entering a negative equity position on its mortgage is associated with a 14% increase. When facing distress, households are more likely to engage in civil action against both firms and other households, particularly …

Frequency-Based Rapid Structural Damage Detection Using Embedded Edge Computing On Resource-Constrained Devices, Ryan Yount

Theses and Dissertations

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is essential for ensuring reliability and longevity of useful structures. Traditional SHM approaches rely on manual or remote data transmission and external processing, which introduce latency and can depend on stable communication links. This work aims to advance SHM by integrating edge-computing techniques for rapid damage detection to enable faster and more autonomous structural assessments in resource-constrained environments. The research spans three key contributions including 1) frequency-based damage detection of civil structures using a sensor package with the addition of an edge processor, 2) additions to the computational efficiency of the edge-computing sensor package in a …

Adipocyte-Derived Cchamide-1, Eiger, Growth-Blocking Peptide 3, And Unpaired 2 Regulate Drosophila Melanogaster Oogenesis, Chad Simmons, Isaiah H. Williams, Tancia W. Bradshaw, Alissa R. Armstrong

Faculty Publications

In addition to energy storage, adipose tissue communication to other organs plays a key role in regulating organismal physiology. While the link between adipose tissue dysfunction and pathophysiology, including diabetes, chronic inflammation, and infertility, is clear, the molecular mechanisms that underlie these associations have not been fully described. We use Drosophila melanogaster as a model to better understand how adipose tissue communicates to the ovary. In this study, we utilized D. melanogaster’s robust genetic toolkit to examine the role of five adipokines known to control larval growth during development, CCHamide-1, CCHamide-2, eiger, Growth-blocking peptide 3, and unpaired 2 in regulating …

A Hybrid Type I Randomized Effectiveness-Implementation Trial Of A Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention In The Part C Early Intervention System: Study Protocol, Allison L. Wainer, Sarah Edmunds, Alice S. Carter, Wendy L. Stone, R. Christopher Sheldrick, Sarabeth Broder-Fingert, Yael S. Stern, Ellie Harrington, Lisa V. Ibanez, Brooke Ingersoll

Faculty Publications

Background

Participation in Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI) is associated with significant improvements in functioning for toddlers with, and showing early signs of, autism spectrum disorder. The Part C Early Intervention (EI) system, which is publicly funded and available in all U.S. states, offers an optimal infrastructure through which toddlers can receive NDBIs. This study seeks to assess the effectiveness and fit of one NDBI, Caregiver Implemented Reciprocal Imitation Teaching (CI-RIT), within the Part C EI system.

Methods

This hybrid type 1 effectiveness/implementation trial uses a multi-site randomized control design to simultaneously test effectiveness and collect implementation data on CI-RIT …

Estimating Proximity To Failure Using Repetitions In Reserve In Adults Treated For Cancer, Kylah Elizabeth Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: There is a consensus from governing bodies that more evidence is needed in understanding how to properly prescribe, monitor and progress resistance training (RT) in oncology populations. Repetitions in reserve (RIR) has been demonstrated as a quick/easy tool to monitor proximity to failure and interventions using RIR have shown promise in improving muscle strength and mass in older adults and apparently healthy populations. However, the validity of RIR in RT in oncology has yet to be examined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of RIR predications in individuals treated for cancer in a pragmatic …

The Pharmaceutical Applications Of Poisonous Compounds Found In Datura Stramonium, Ruby M. Raffaldt

Senior Theses

Datura stramonium is a plant that is known for its toxicity. However, a facet of this plant’s noxious chemicals, namely its tropane alkaloids, can be used medicinally. The aim of this paper was to compile knowledge on the botanical, chemical, and medicinal properties of Datura stramonium L with a focus on atropine, scopolamine, and anisodamine; three tropane alkaloid compounds with the ability to be both a poison and a medicine. Information was compiled using pre-existing studies, articles, and literature reviews on D. stramonium. For each of the three alkaloids, their biosynthetic pathways, targets, administration, distribution, metabolism, and excretion were discussed. …

The Benefits Of Blood Flow Restriction Training Combined With Low-Load Resistance Training In Arthritis Treatment: A Scoping Review, Maya L. Butcher, Dr. Christine Pellegrini, Kailyn Horn

Senior Theses

Background: Arthritis is a condition affecting millions worldwide, with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being the most common forms. Resistance training is a widely accepted intervention to strengthen muscles and support joint function, however, high-load resistance training may exacerbate joint pain. Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training, which involves applying controlled vascular occlusion during low-intensity resistance exercises, has gained attention as a potential alternative to promote muscle growth and strength with minimal joint stress. Objective: This scoping review aims to explore the benefits of BFR techniques in conjunction with low-intensity resistance training for the treatment of arthritis. Methods …

Addressing Gaps In Access: Examining Language Barrier Accommodations In Medicaid Member Handbooks, 2015-2019, Sanskruti Patel

Senior Theses

Objective: This study examines the linguistic accessibility of Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) handbooks from 2015 to 2019 by analyzing the instructions provided to access interpreter and written translation services. Trends were compared over time, considering state and plan-level factors that impact equitable healthcare access for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) enrollees.

Methods: A systematic search using manual efforts and FOIA requests located all publicly available Medicaid handbooks from 2015-2019 (N=657) across 39 states with comprehensive MCO plans. These handbooks were coded by independent reviewers to assess the study outcome variables. Random mixed-effects logistic and linear regression models were conducted to …

The Roles Of Literature And Film In Shaping Culture: An Examination Of All Quiet On The Western Front And The German Lesson, Charles Hansen

Senior Theses

This paper examines the cultural impacts of All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues) and The German Lesson (Deutschstunde). More specifically, it examines the impacts of the works through the shaping of German identity and public memory following World War I and World War II, as well as any long-term impacts that have lasted into the present day. These two works of literature, as well as their respective film adaptations, can serve as vehicles for national reflection, education, and confrontation of the past. This paper will examine the key themes of All Quiet …

Charter Schools And Students With Disabilities: Admissions Equity, Kelly L. Carrick

Senior Theses

Many states are now offering parents a choice in where their child attends school, typically offering charter schools as the alternative to public schools. With charter school enrollment on the rise, questions have begun to arise regarding the acceptance rates of students with disabilities, specifically, how do students with disabilities fare in the process of being admitted to charter schools? This research examines the admissions policies of charter schools, the admission rates for students with disabilities, as well as the legality and equity of this topic. Previous research has found that charter schools typically do not accept as many students …

Impacts On College-Aged Asian American Mental Health, Zahra Soherwardy

Senior Theses

This study explores the relationship between different forms of racial harassment and mental health issues in Asian American college students. Asian American mental health is a growing concern in the field of public health. Asian Americans have the lowest treatment rates and some of the highest stigma levels of any demographic. They are also impacted by the model minority myth and discrimination, further alienating them from getting help. The topics of subtle racism, blatant racism, and current racial discrimination were compared to depressive symptoms, anxiety, self-esteem, and four domains of aggression using survey data. Subtle racism was found to be …

Raising Red Flags: Exploring Phenotypic Change In Tiger Moths (Apantesis) Of Coastal Sc Over 50 Years' Time, Allison K. Fletcher

Senior Theses

Organismal phenotypes play a critical role in ecological interactions and individual fitness, and they may undergo rapid shifts through evolutionary adaptation or phenotypic plasticity in response to climate change and environmental disturbances. As morphological traits such as body size, melanization, and aposematic coloration are especially significant for thermoregulation and predator deterrence, it is important to understand the ways in which these traits may be changing on a regional level. Here, I examined the change in phenotype in populations of three tiger moth (Apantesis) species from a single site in coastal South Carolina over a fifty-year period, testing for differences in …

Cross-Layer Design And Optimization Of Analog In-Memory Computing Systems, Md Hasibul Amin

Theses and Dissertations

There has been a rapid growth in the computational demands of machine learning (ML) workloads in recent days. Conventional von Neumann architectures are not capable of keeping up with the high cost of data movement between the processor and memory, well-known as memory wall problem. In-memory computing (IMC) has been focused as a solution by the researchers, where the computation is performed inside the memory devices such as SRAM, MRAM, RRAM etc. Most commonly, the memory devices are arranged in a crossbar setting where the matrixvector multiplication (MVM) operation is performed through intrinsic parallelism of analog computations. The conventional IMC …

Robotics In Early Childhood Stem Education (Rec-Stemed): The Impact On Preservice Teachers’ Attitudes And Intentions Toward Computational Thinking, Lucus Vasconcelos Ph.D., Ismahan Arslan-Ari, Bridget Miller, Renato Gonzalez-Tapia

Faculty Publications

There is a large disconnect between the increasing need for computer science education in K-12 schools and the preservice teacher training provided. Consequently, preservice teachers may graduate feeling unprepared to infuse computer science concepts such as computational thinking (CT) into their teaching. To address this, we created Robotics in Early Childhood STEM Education (REC-STEMEd), a module that infuses computational thinking, robotics, and science content into an early childhood teacher education methods course. This study investigated changes in early childhood preservice teachers’ (n = 39) attitudes toward learning to teach CT and their intentions to teach CT. Findings revealed a statistically …

Quality Of Life In Caregivers Of Toddlers With Autism Features, Sarah Edmunds, Daina M. Tagavi, Collen M. Harker, Trent Deschamps, Wendy L. Stone

Faculty Publications

Understanding factors that contribute to the quality of life (QoL) of primary caregivers of young autistic children can help researchers and clinicians provide high-quality support to caregivers and families. This study examined whether family demographic factors, parenting stress, and caregivers’ perceptions of family-centered healthcare experiences uniquely predict caregivers’ QoL. Participants were caregivers of toddlers with: features of autism (n = 119), other developmental delays (n = 101), and no developmental concerns (n = 264). We hypothesized that higher levels of perceived family-centered care would moderate (ameliorate) the relation between parenting stress and QoL. Higher levels of perceived family-centered …

Illustrations Of Benevolent And Hostile Heterosexism In Lgbtq+ People’S Lives, Jes L. Matsick, Lindsay Palmer, Flora Oswald, Mary Kruk, Kenneth Ye

Faculty Publications

In this study, we aimed to define heterosexism—a form of sexual stigma that accounts for interpersonal attitudes and institutionalized ideology—in a multi-dimensional way, centering on LGBTQ+ people’s experiences. We draw from an ambivalent theory of prejudice and focus on heterosexism, or an ideology that stigmatizes nonheterosexual behaviors, identities, relationships, and communities. We aimed to learn how LGBTQ+ people would narrate their experiences of heterosexism within a benevolent and hostile framing. In a qualitative online study, LGBTQ+ participants (N = 77; 49% White) reviewed definitions of and recalled encounters with benevolent and hostile heterosexism, providing examples of how heterosexism manifests …

Racial And Ethnic Inequalities In Actual Vs Nearest Delivery Hospitals, Nansi S. Boghossian, Lucy T. Greenberg, Jeffrey S. Buzas, Joshua Radack, Molly Passarella, Jeannette Rogowski, George R. Saade, Ciaran S. Phibbs, Scott A. Lorch

Faculty Publications

IMPORTANCE Minoritized racial and ethnic groups, such as American Indian and Black individuals, often receive lower quality health care compared with White individuals. There is limited understanding of how these disparities extend to obstetric care, particularly when comparing the quality of care at the actual delivery hospital vs the nearest obstetric hospital based on the birthing individual’s residence. OBJECTIVE To examine inequality in care based on the actual delivery hospital and the closest delivery hospital to the birthing individual’s residential zip code centroid. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This population-based retrospective cohort study used data from 5 states (2008 to 2020 …

Family Risk Classes Predict Longitudinal Parent And Child Outcomes: Understanding The Implications Of Poverty-Related Adversity, Daniel K. Cooper, Benjamin L. Bayly, Brianna Tennie, Francesca Lupini, Martha E. Wadsworth

Faculty Publications

Experiencing poverty and associated risk factors can be detrimental to families’ mental health and well-being. However, it is unclear whether experiencing specific types or patterns of adversity leads to distinct outcomes. Guided by the Family Stress Model, the objective of this study was to (a) identify unique family risk classes based on exposure to various combinations of poverty-related adversity and (b) examine whether the family risk classes differed in their levels of parental coping strategies, couple relationship quality, parenting practices, and child behavior problems. The sample included 301 mother–father–child triads (602 adults and 301 children) with a combined income ≤ …