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Seminarians In The Person-Of-The-Therapist (Pott) Training : A Phenomenological Study, Tomichan Moonnanappillil

Dissertations

This dissertation presented a transcendental phenomenological study conducted among eight seminarians in one of the theological schools in Southern Texas, who attended the personof-the- therapist (POTT) training program during the fall semester of 2019. This study aimed to examine seminarian participants' experiences in POTT training, their influence on their selfawareness, and their impact on their emotional maturity and the ability to make responsible life choices. The study was guided by an existential-humanistic philosophical orientation as an overarching theoretical orientation with the subjective epistemological worldview and socialconstructionism paradigm. Findings indicated POTT training positively impacted seminarian participants' human formation, which was foundational …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Latinx And Black Communities, Carolina Zuluaga

Dissertations

This critical literature review project explored the impact of COVID-19 on Latinx and Black communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of September 28, 2022, around 16% of COVID-19 cases in the United States were among Latinx people, and 14% of cases were among Black people (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Since COVID-19 began, clinicians have become more conscious of the effects of health disparities within racial and ethnic minorities, which has warranted increased advocacy by educating health and mental health providers and creating and providing resources to these communities and clinicians. The review …

Adverse Childhood Experiences(Aces) And Nonverbal Reasoning Skills, Monika Malinowska

Dissertations

Severe stress and interpersonal traumatic experience in childhood have a cascade effect on an individual's physical and mental health. There is evidence that people with complex adverse childhood experiences have diminished cognitive abilities. However, there are few studies on the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) on non-verbal reasoning skills. This study aimed to assess the relationships between ACEs, non-verbal reasoning skills, and academic achievement.

Parenting And Students' Gpa In The Latino Population: An Exploratory Study, Carolina Arboleda

Dissertations

The present study experimentally investigated Latino high school students’ grade point averages (GPA) and the parenting styles used by their parents based on Baumrind’s (1968, 1971, 1989, 1991) theory of parenting behaviors. Participants (N=52) were asked to take a survey of 62 questions total addressing three parenting dimensions as measured by the Escala Parental Breve to categorize their parents’ behaviors into parenting styles. Participants also responded to demographic questions such as English proficiency, household income, parents’ education level, and other relevant factors impacting parenting and GPA. Results from the study were limited as there was a limited number of participants; …

​​The Effects Of Viewpoint, Motion, And Affordance Priming On Perceptual Learning Of Feelies​, Catherine Dowell

Dissertations

According to Gibson and Gibson (1955) perceptual learning is a process of developing the skill to differentiate previously undifferentiated but available information. The initial investigations focused on object identification, lacking a behaviorally relevant functional task. In the current study participants learned to differentiate between novel objects (feelies). To test the role of visual exploration objects were viewed from either a side or a top view and were displayed as either static pictures or rotating about a vertical axis. In Experiment 1 a simple object discrimination task was used. Perfect accuracy was achieved sooner in static conditions compared to motion conditions …

Characterization Of Immunomodulatory Properties Of Manuka Honey: Potential Mitigation Against Colon Cancer, Razan Jamil Masad

Dissertations

The focus on using alternative natural products for cancer prevention and treatment has been increasing over the past decade. Among these natural products, Manuka honey (MH) has been extensively investigated for its antimicrobial, wound healing, and anticancer effects. The current study aimed to characterize the immunomodulatory capacity of MH using both in vitro and in vivo approaches and investigate its potential to modulate anti-tumor immune responses in a preclinical model of colorectal cancer. We demonstrate that MH can directly act on macrophages to induce gene expression of several inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and the production of TNF-a, a major proinflammatory …

Enhancing The Bioactivity And Functionality Of Camel Whey By Enzymatic Hydrolysis And Conjugation With Quercetin, Waqas Nabi Baba

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on enhancing the bioactivity and emulsifying properties of camel whey through peptic hydrolysis and conjugation with quercetin, respectively. Peptic hydrolysis of camel whey using pepsin was performed using a general full factorial design (33) to study the effects of temperature (30, 37, and 45°C), times (120, 240, and 360 min), and enzyme concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2%) on antihypertensive and antilipidemic properties. The generated hydrolysates showed higher inhibition of pancreatic lipase (0.465 to 7.5 mg/mL), cholesterol esterase (0.240 to 1.243 mg/mL), and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) (0.197 to 1.307 mg/mL) compared to control camel whey. Various bioactive …

Narratives Of Perseverance By Latina Women Paving Their Way To Success In Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, And Math (Steam) Higher Education, Toni Carmichael

Dissertations

The purpose of this narrative study was to understand the experiences of successful Latina women attaining higher education in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) and the challenges they have overcome along the way. Additionally, I sought to examine ways in which these students challenged the stigma of invisibility often attached to Latino communities. Representatives from Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Mexico, the participants of this study were seven women employed in various areas of STEAM with higher education degrees.

Cultural Capital and Feminist Cultural Studies provided the theoretical framework for this study. The three-dimensional narrative design was applied …

Coronal Magnetometry And Energy Release In Solar Flares, Yuqian Wei

Dissertations

As the most energetic explosive events in the solar system and a major driver for space weather, solar flares need to be thoroughly understood. However, where and how the free magnetic energy stored in the corona is released to power the solar flares remains not well understood. This lack of understanding is, in part, due to the paucity of coronal magnetic field measurements and the lack of comprehensive understanding of nonthermal particles produced by solar flares. This dissertation focuses on studies that utilize microwave imaging spectroscopy observations made by the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA) to diagnose the nonthermal …

Development Of Non-Viral Nano-Carriers For Gene Delivery And Covid-19 Vaccines, Zhongyu Li

Dissertations

Gene therapy is one of the most promising medical fields with the potential to effectively advance the treatment of difficult diseases by producing therapeutic proteins or repairing defective gene sequences. However, gene therapy presents severe challenges in delivery including renal clearance, phagocytosis, enzymatic degradation, protein absorption, and cellular internalization barriers, which have been barriers for translation into the clinic. Naked nucleic acids, with their intrinsic negative charge, electrostatically repulse the anionic cell membrane, preventing cellular uptake. Also, they are considered foreign genetic material when introduced into the body and are rapidly cleared by the reticuloendothelial system or degraded by nucleases, …

Development Of Novel Nanocarbon Based Materials And Membranes With Enhanced Biocidal Capabilities For Clean Water Generation, Indrani Gupta

Dissertations

Water scarcity is one of the major challenges facing humanity today, driven by population growth, economic development, and dietary shifts towards more water-intensive animal products. To address this issue, efficient water resource management and recycling of wastewater are essential. However, around 80% of wastewater globally is discharged into water bodies without treatment, posing a risk to ecosystems and human health. Pathogens, or harmful microorganisms, are a primary cause of water impairment and the transmission of waterborne diseases, leading to increased mortality rates. Traditional methods of treating pathogens involve the use of radiation or chemical disinfectants. Nonetheless, these methods have drawbacks, …

The Influence Of Childhood Familial Dysfunction On Emotional Well-Being And Substance Use Behaviors In Young Adults, Margaret Bullerjahn

Dissertations

Problematic substance use in young adulthood can lead to a variety of societal and individual consequences; therefore, it is important to understand risk factors contributing to its development. Although several individual and environmental factors can contribute to the development of substance misuse, the relationship between family dysfunction and emotional functioning in the prediction of substance use has been relatively understudied within this developmental period. The current study aimed to further understand how childhood family dysfunction, emotion regulation, and emotion reactivity aid in the development of young adult substance misuse. 405 young adults were surveyed about their childhood family experiences, current …

Resistencia Indocumentada: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Undocumented Students In The San Diego-Tijuana Border Region, Adan Escobedo Sanchez

Dissertations

Undocumented students face myriad obstacles while attending higher education institutions that would deter them from completing their academic journeys. Furthermore, they are placed with a dual narrative that labels them as either dangerous or exceptional. This study explored the lived experiences of undocumented students in college in the San Diego-Tijuana border region to consider what factors have led to resilience and resistance in their academic journey. By understanding these factors, the research aimed to tackle the dual narrative that burdens undocumented students from the illegality as a master status they possess.

This study used narrative inquiry and a literature review …

Effects Of Membrane Components On The Oligomerization Of Amyloid-Β (Aβ) In Alzheimer Disease, Jhinuk Saha

Dissertations

Deposition of extracellular proteinaceous plaques of amyloid-β (Aβ) is one of the major hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD). Although, insoluble high molecular fibrils of Aβ are the main constituents of the senile plaques in AD, low molecular weight soluble Aβ oligomers have emerged as the key toxic species involved in memory impairment and neuronal cell death in AD. The process for generation of oligomers can be highly diverse and can involve homotypic interactions of Aβ as well as heterotypic interaction of Aβ with other macromolecules. Previously, the generation of Aβ oligomers with distinct biochemical and biophysical characteristics catalyzed non-esterified fatty …

Haramed And Dangerous: A Thematic Examination Of Muslim Women’S Representation In We Are Lady Parts, Reham Bohamad

Dissertations

Since the early days of Western media, Muslim women have been portrayed in a negative way. From belly dancers to oil-rich horny sheikhs to voiceless passive wives of terrorists. This image has led the Western spectator to associate Islam and the Muslim women’s headscarf (Hijab) with backwardness, extremism, and oppression. In recent years, there has been a positive shift towards a more inclusive and authentic representation of Muslim women. This shift is the result of the post-network era which provides on-demand media outlets that challenge the dominant hegemonic production system and provide diverse and inclusive images that cater to niche …

A Critical Analysis Of Political And Media Discourse On Immigration During The Trump Era, Daleana Phillips

Dissertations

This research examines political and media discourse on Immigration through four studies: Trump’s immigration reform speech, newspaper coverage of DACA, a Saturday Night Live episode, and social media via #ColoradoBorderWall memes. Various critical cultural theoretical frameworks are used within critical discourse and textual analysis is to examine media and political rhetoric about immigrants and immigration policy during a period of drastic institutional political change evidenced by Trump’s administration. As a collective, these narratives examine how Trump’s rhetoric and populist style of communication demonstrate a return to restrictive immigration rhetoric not witnessed in a presidential administration since the 1920s. This research …

An Exploration Of Faculty-To-Faculty Bullying In Nursing Education: The Prevalence, Who Is Bullying Whom, And Intent To Leave, Pamela Kemp

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This study, drawn from a nationwide sample with 1,407 responses, examines faculty-to-faculty bullying and incivility in nursing education. It assesses the prevalence of bullying and incivility within the organization, identifies the most commonly occurring bullying behaviors, and identifies and ranks the most frequently occurring uncivil workplace behaviors. The study also examines the relationship between bullying, incivility, and intent to leave the organization.

Research tools include the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R), the Workplace Incivility/Civility Scale (WICS), and the Turnover Intention Scale-6 (TIS 6). The analysis includes an evaluation of significant differences in which faculty members are targets of bullying or …

The Impact Of A Culturally Responsive Approach In Science Education On Kindergarten Students, Monique Hite-Patterson

Dissertations

Classrooms today are more ethnically and linguistically diverse. Unfortunately, students of color demonstrate a history of marginalized educational inequities (Williamson et al., 2007). These marginalized educational inequities impact academic achievement across all content areas especially literacy, math, and science. To improve the academic performance of students who are culturally, racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse, methods of instruction and pedagogy that better facilitate learning among diverse student populations must be instituted (Ladson-Billings, 2005). A mixed methods study was conducted in response to the need to examine the impact of using culturally responsive strategies on kindergarten student’s attitudes towards science and their …

Longitudinal Follow-Up Of Yezidis Displaced By Isis Genocide To A Host Village In Iraq, Jordan Greaser

Dissertations

This research examined the quality of life and the religious leadership reliance of the Sinjari Yezidis based on their migration patterns. The study employed a mixed-method research design, exploring a Yezidi case study and discriminant analysis on 2022 survey data from Sinjari Yezidis who fled the ISIS genocide by initially moving to a single village in northern Iraq between 2014-2015. The study hypothesized migration patterns played a role in the quality of life and religious leadership reliance outcomes between 2015 and 2022.

This study showed no difference in the quality of life outcomes between Yezidis who stayed in their displacement …

The Effects Of Lecture Capture Design On Student Performance In An Online, Asynchronous Nonmajors Biology Course, Melissa Ann Gutierrez

Dissertations

Lecture capture technology, the ability to provide multimedia recordings of instructional content, has become an essential technology for online learning. One of the ways online courses have tried to appeal to the digital lifestyle of today’s students is providing different lecture capture styles, such as audio (podcasts), video, or interactive videos, due to the popularity of mobile media players providing anytime and anywhere learning. Although lecture capture technology provides educators with a diverse set of tools on how content is delivered, studies have shown mixed results on the impact of lecture capture styles on learning.

For this study, the main …

Agreement Of Psychiatric Diagnoses Within And Between Groups Of Mental Health Clinicians From Different Disciplines, Wade Mcguire

Dissertations

The development of therapy as a treatment option for mental health problems has led to the creation of different disciplines. Each discipline has developed its own conceptualization of classification and treatment of mental health problems. These conceptualizations have led to different areas of focus for each of the disciplines, specifically counseling, psychology, and social work. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether these areas of focus influence how each discipline diagnoses. For this study, data was collected by having clinicians provide diagnoses for three fictitious clients. The vignettes for the clients were taken from a psychopathology textbook to …

Administrative Leaders' Viewpoints About The Significance Of Art Education In Schools, Jennifer Luckett

Dissertations

The value of art education and people’s perspective of its value have been subjects of research throughout the years. Art programs are usually the first to be eliminated when there are budget cuts in the public-school systems. This study examines policy, history, and teachers’, parents’, and students’ viewpoints of the value of art education. It also analyzes the researched value that an art education provides. As there is little to no research on administrative leaders’ viewpoints, this research study utilized Q-methodology to determine administrators’ viewpoints on their personal value of art education. The main goal of this research was to …

Threading Memory: Performing Animacy In Text, Memorial, And Travel, Alex Keith Davenport

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the process of creating and touring a community-sourced memorial quilt for the anti-mountaintop removal activist Julia “Judy” Bonds, who died in 2011. As a practice, the project positions memorialization as a possible framework for social movements to utilize when faced with loss that allows for actions that honor members of the movement while still engaging in consciousness raising and organizing efforts. From a theoretical standpoint, the practice of memorialization—especially when it is intentionally designed to align with the practices/legacy of the person(s) being remembered—is also considered through an object oriented ontology perspective, providing insight into the affective …

Cultivating Community: Investigating Performances Of Community In Ecovillage Settlements, Alex Lockwood

Dissertations

This dissertation considers the subject of ecovillages, intentional ecologically-oriented sustainable communities developed in the U.S., and the different understandings of community involvement, structure, and challenges that members of these communities confront in their efforts at managing these time and labor-intensive settlements. Informed by the work of performance ethnographers and critical phenomenologists, I consider twelve interviews I conducted on-site and electronically with people living in ecovillage settlements. Taking these interviews and my own observations from on-site visits to two ecovillages as entry points, I conducted a phenomenological analysis informed by a critical phenomenological ethos of these accounts, highlighting five motifs that …

Effects Of Exercise Training On Objective Measures Of Sleep Quality And Markers Of Peripheral Circadian Rhythm In Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment, Luke Michael Krynski

Dissertations

Poor sleep quality is a common side effect among cancer survivors, which could lead to a decrease in quality of life and worsen a variety of clinical outcomes for cancer patients including risk of infection and cancer recurrence. The detrimental effects of poor sleep quality are correlated with a disruption in circadian rhythm, which is a vital component of essential physiological processes. Exercise could improve sleep quality and circadian rhythm in an apparently healthy population but evidence was lacking in the cancer population. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to explore the effects of individualized, prescribed, supervised exercise on …

The Effects Of Puberty Blocking Treatment (Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Agonist) On Physical Activity And Reproductive Health In Young Female Rats, Brandon Creed Jones

Dissertations

The number of adolescents identifying as transgender has been increasing with many transgender youth receiving treatment with a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) that suppresses sex hormone production (i.e., puberty blocker). Transgender individuals taking a GnRHa to block puberty have reported improved mental wellbeing, but the physiological impacts need to be examined. Purpose: To investigate the effects of puberty blocking treatment using GnRHa on physical activity, reproductive morphology, and reproductive function in young female rats. Methods: Four-week old female Sprague Dawley rats were given daily subcutaneous injections of the GnRHa triptorelin or saline as control. One group of rats was …

Jardín De Anjelita: Utilizing Arts-Based Methods To Inform Interculturalization In The Third Space, Amanda Jeanne Bucher

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to clarify characteristics of the intercultural classroom across three K-12 public-school sites. The relationship between intracultural conscientização and intercultural curriculum among multiracial educators was of particular interest to this study. Auto criticism methodology that housed arts-based methods was utilized in order to address the theoretical tension between multicultural absorption and post-colonial discourse of hybridity as it manifests in curriculum and ensuing classroom interaction operating as the third space. In this arts-based auto criticism, I explored the relationship between intracultural conscientização among four multiracial educators having one white parent and one parent of color and …

Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: Science Practices And Science Identity, Alaina Buchanan

Dissertations

Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) have become more commonly incorporated in laboratory courses in undergraduate education. Because CUREs incorporate research within the context of a course, the benefits of mentored research (self-efficacy, science identity, persistence, and more) are extended to each student enrolled. CUREs are designed with five key components: discovery, relevance, iteration, collaboration, and science practices. However, the term science practices is broad and includes a diversity of student activities which can make it difficult to compare student outcomes across different CUREs. The first part of this work reviews the components and specific science practices included in all CUREs …

Swimming In The Third Stream: A Performance Guide For David Baker’S Singers Of Songs/Weavers Of Dreams For Cello And Percussion, Kelsey Linnea Smith

Dissertations

David Baker was an American composer, performer, and pedagogue who wrote over 2000 works during the course of his career. Baker’s output spans a wide variety of genres and styles, including compositions for jazz band, symphony orchestra, choir, and various chamber ensembles. Using elements from his background in both jazz and classical music, Baker’s musical language is one that creates a true synthesis of styles, especially when writing in a third stream context. Additionally, Baker was inspired by African American figures from his past, and often wrote music honoring those who came before him. In this way, Baker adds his …

Chamber Music In The Dominican Republic: New Arrangements For Ensemble With Piano, Laura Gisselle Pimentel Ferreira

Dissertations

Although the catalogue of instrumental works written by Dominican composers during the 20th century includes a large number of pieces for ensemble, the repertoire dedicated to piano chamber music is comparatively scarce. While it is possible to find duets, especially for piano and violin, flute, or sometimes cello, the role of the piano is secondary, mostly for accompaniment, instead of having its own voice. The number of works written for an ensemble comprised of piano and at least two more players is almost non-existent. The lack of attention to this type of composition makes it practically impossible for a pianist …