Digital Commons Network^™

Together We Move: Exploring Belonging, Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction And Motivational Factors In A Socially Structured University Physical Activity Program, Jessica B. Kirby

Dissertations

Emerging adulthood is a critical developmental life stage for individuals to establish healthy behaviors that enhance wellbeing, including quality relationships and physical activity (PA) engagement. Institutions of higher education are positioned to influence and support the development of these developmental tasks in emerging adults enrolled on their respective campuses. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore experiences of belonging, basic psychological need satisfaction (BNS) in PAbased social relationships, and motives to participate in a socially structured PA program among emerging adults on a university campus. Participants: University students who participated in the Fitness Buddies (FB) program (n=10), …

Blooming Where One Is Planted: Understanding Flourishing Among Rural Nurses, Marnee Lynne Crawford

Dissertations

The reality of the challenges experienced in rural hospital-based care leave sparsely populated areas to face critical losses in nurses and healthcare services within already underserved regions of the nation. Nursing education is uniquely poised to serve as a mitigating agent against shortages in rural nursing workforce by preparing rural graduates to bloom where they are planted. This qualitative interpretive phenomenological research study explored the meaning of human flourishing as it is lived among rural nurses in the northwest region of Wyoming. The research was framed using social constructivism and the lens of rural nursing theory. Data were collected and …

Acute Care Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Nursing Students With Disabilities, Kristy Lynn Calloway

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe acute care nurses’ attitudes toward nursing students with disabilities, how these attitudes were impacted by the acute care culture, and what significance they had for behavior. No studies have been done within the United States in relation to attitudes acute care nurses hold toward nursing students with disabilities practicing and learning in their clinical settings. In this focused ethnography, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 acute care nurses who had at least two years’ experience precepting nursing students. While exploring acute care nurses’ attitudes toward nursing students with disabilities, six themes emerged: …

How Community College Conduct Administrators Make Meaning Of Their Experience, Meloni Sue Rudolph Crawford

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore how community college conduct administrators make meaning of their experience. This is a qualitative, constructivist, narrative study utilizing multiple methods of data collection (semi-structured interview, focus group, reading list elicitation, and researcher journal). The setting was multiple community college campuses in one western state that are part of a larger state system of community colleges. The data revealed that to these five administrators, the work is always more than the title reflects. Those who do the work are unique and altruistic, and the institutions at which the participants work had a lack …

Preparing Pre-Service Teachers To Use Digital Visual Media For Twenty-First Century Teaching And Learning: Practices And Visions Of Teacher Preparation Programs In Saudi Arabia, Haya M. Albaqami

Dissertations

With the increasing use of modern technological media in various areas of life, it has become necessary to develop teaching methods to deal with this change. One key to modernizing teaching methods is the integration of digital visual media into the educational process. The use of these visual media in programs for future teachers has become essential due to the widespread impact of such content in this digital age. Therefore, this study examines the current experiences and perceptions of five teacher educators on the use of digital visual media in pre-service teachers’ preparation programs in Saudi Arabia. The research questions …

Differential Mating Motives' Influence On Preferences For Facially Communicated Extraversion, Mitch Brown

Dissertations

Human facial structures communicate personality from which one can infer another’s behavioral intentions, forming a basis for mate selection. One particularly detectable trait through facial structures is extraversion. Extraversion is a trait associated with heightened interest in promiscuous mating strategies and preferred among individuals similarly interested in short-term mating, implicating extraverted mates as ideal trait for short-term mating. Nonetheless, behavioral repertoires associated with extraversion may also pose risks, particularly in long-term mating, as their increased promiscuity may undermine their fidelity to a specific partner, thereby potentially reducing biparental investment in any offspring produced. Thus, a preference for introversion (i.e., low …

Improving Individual And Group-Wide Behaviors In Head Start Classrooms With Mystery Student Intervention: Assessment Of Effectiveness, Generalization, And Maintenance, Jamie Pasqua

Dissertations

The current study investigated the effects Mystery Student intervention on improving individual and group behaviors in Head Start classrooms. Mystery Student Intervention is a randomized independent group contingency and has only been investigated in one previous study (Pasqua, 2016). A multiple baseline design across three Head Start classrooms was employed to determine the effectiveness of Mystery Student Intervention on decreasing aggregate class and individual child disruptive behaviors. Of further interest was the extent to which the effects of Mystery Student Intervention generalized to other settings and results maintained following its removal. Results indicated that Mystery Student Intervention was effective at …

Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) Vocal Responses To Sonar And Spectrally Pink Background Noise, Maria Zapetis

Dissertations

As human populations rise, the level of man-made noise increases globally. Naval sonar and boat traffic are underwater sound sources of particular concern to marine mammal welfare. To better understand the impact of these noise increases on cetaceans, studies can explore animals’ behavioral changes in response to noise. Studies have investigated the ‘dose-response’ relationship between the received sound pressure level of sonar signals and the behavior of cetaceans in the wild, but exposure studies in controlled environments are limited. The studies in this dissertation examined bottlenose dolphin vocal modifications during various experimental noise treatments. Acoustic recordings previously obtained for bottlenose …

Environmental-Based Experiential Learning Activities And Its Influence On Students’ Knowledge, Critical Thinking, Attitude Towards The Environment, And Career Aspirations, Veshell Lewis

Dissertations

Modern advancements in industrialization and globalization are thought to be responsible for the present ecological issues facing the world (Sumen, 2016). Many countries, including the United States, emphasize the importance of increasing environmental literacy within the community and schools (Roth, 1992; Scholz, 2011; Sumen, 2016). It has been suggested that environmental education be taught at all educational levels to increase environmental literacy (Sumen, 2016). The implementation of environmental-based experiential education within the traditional curriculum has proven successful for various educational institutions. Therefore, the implementation of environmental-based experiential learning activities in Mississippi educational institutions may contribute to the increase of scientifically …

The Effects Of Rurality And Education Deserts On The Four-Year Degree Selection Of Aspiring Teacher Education Candidates In A Rural Community College Setting, Alice Faye Sanders

Dissertations

Teacher shortages exist across the nation, with greater shortages in middle school and secondary education (Center for Public Education, 2016). The purpose of this study was to determine the factors and barriers presented to teacher education candidates affecting the selection of their teacher education degrees in a rural community college setting. The research questions were designed to use quantitative survey questions administered to the teacher education candidate population of ABC College. Qualitative interview questions were used to gather data from the Director and Assistant Director of Enrollment Services/Student Development at ABC College. As a result of data analysis, misconceptions were …

Exploring The Homeless Persons Perception Of Living In A Long-Term Care Facility, Janice Woods

Dissertations

Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of homeless persons admitted to a nursing home facility. Originally, the study was to explore their understanding of and their experience with advance health care planning; coincidently, the participants were more open to their experience of living in a long-term care facility.

Method:A convenience sample of 13 participants (12 male, 1 female) at four long-term care facilities in Southern California were interviewed about their perception of advanced health care planning, including the physician’s orders for life sustaining treatment (POLST); a consent form required in all nursing homes. …

Older Adults’ Implementation Of Discharge Instructions Following An Acute Care Hospital Stay, Brenda Miller

Dissertations

Discharge instructions are a self-care guide for patients after discharge from an acute care hospitalization. The discharge process starts on admission to the hospital and continues until discharged. Many patients rely on informal caregivers to provide support after a discharge. However, it is often unclear whether the patients or caregivers completely understand instructions provided during the discharge process. Key concepts related to how discharge instructions were implemented following discharge to home have been understudied from the patient’s and informal caregivers’ perspectives. Developing effective discharge instructions based on study findings may assist in reducing 30-day hospital readmission rates.
This study was …

Use Of Emerging Technology As Part Of The Experiential Learning Process In Ultradistance Cycling: A Phenomenological Study, William A. Tankovich

Dissertations

Technology is well entrenched as part of our everyday lives and formal learning settings. The role technology plays as part of informal learning of sports and physical activities has not been explored as thoroughly. This study examined the use of technology by ultradistance cyclists as part of their experiential learning process. Data collection was through semi-structured interviews of 10 cyclists who routinely utilized technology in preparing for and participating in ultradistance events. Emerging themes were organized utilizing NVIVO software. While identified themes were similar to the phases of the Kolb (2014) experiential learning model, there was also a strong temporal …

An Exploration Of Staff Training Practices Specific To The Prevention Of Staff-To-Student Sexual Misconduct In General And Special Education, Mary Kirsten Lintz

Dissertations

A United States Department of Education commissioned study found that 10% of kindergarten–12 grade students are victims of staff-to-student sexual misconduct (Shakeshaft, 2004; U.S. Department of Education, n.da). A primary recommendation from that study was that districts provide staff training specific to the prevention of staff-to-student sexual misconduct. However, despite strong and repeated recommendations that all schools include annual staff training that specifically addresses the issue of staff-to-student sexual misconduct (Caldas & Bensy, 2014; Krohn, 2014; Mainella, 2015; Shakeshaft, 2004; U.S. Department of Education, 2008), a majority of districts nationwide have been slow to include this topic in their district …

A Multifaceted Approach To Address Variation In Cannabis Sativa, Anna Louise Schwabe

Dissertations

For thousands of years, humans have cultivated and dispersed Cannabis sativa L. across the globe. Although Cannabis has been largely illegal worldwide for decades, public perceptions and attitudes are changing. Increasing interest in potential Cannabis usage worldwide and nationwide is leading to less restrictions to make way for an expanding and lucrative industry with numerous applications. Although only one species is formally recognized in the Cannabis genus, thousands of years of artificial selection for diverse phenotypes and uses have resulted in two major usage groups; hemp-types which are defined worldwide as having very low levels of THC (< 1.0%), and drug-types which exceed a specified level of THC that varies among nations. The drug-type category includes three commonly used subcategories including Sativa, Indica and Hybrid types, and newly developed high CBD varieties that have more THC than hemp-types but are not bred for high THC. The quality of federally produced Cannabis for medical studies in the U.S. has recently been brought into question, and we included samples to determine the genetic relationship to these groups. Phenotypic variation in Cannabis gives rise to commonly referenced categories, but sources of variation are unclear and understudied. Phenotypes are observable characteristics that results from a combination of both genotype and the environment. The preferred method of propagation for Cannabis is cloning, and therefore variation within varietals should be from differences in environmental factors. Ten microsatellite markers were developed de-novo to investigate four aims: (1) genetic variation within strains, (2) genetic relationships among the common categories, (3) if genetic variation is detectable through olfactory sensation, and (4) how genetic variation is reflected in phytochemical levels. This dissertation includes four manuscript chapters representing each aim and uses a genetic basis for a multifaceted approach to investigate variation in Cannabis sativa. Substantial genetic variation was found within strains from obtained from different facilities. Genetic divergence between hemp and drug-types was genetically supported, but the Sativa, Indica, and Hybrid subcategories were not genetically well defined. The high CBD strains appear to bridge the genetic gap between hemp and drug-types, and federally grown research grade marijuana was genetically more similar to hemp than Cannabis available through the legal cannabis market. Genetic imposters within a strain had measurable aromatic differences, but there was considerable variation in aromas among samples with identical genetic identity. Analyses of both terpene and cannabinoid profiles among individuals with identical genotypes acquired from different sources varied considerably indicating environmental variation has a substantial impact on phenotype in Cannabis. Together these results show a need for the Cannabis industry to implement regulatory checks in the form of genetic testing in order to provide consistency, especially for medical applications. These results demonstrate the need for genotyping in order for phenotypic consistency to be achieved if standard growing conditions can be established. When genetic verification and standard protocols are established, deviations in phenotypic changes can be identified and disclosed to consumers so they are aware that there may be abnormal effects. This investigation highlights the need for additional research to provide consistent products, which is especially important for medical marijuana flower products. In order to provide consumers consistent products, it is imperative to understand sources of variation. Consumers deserve to be provided with quality consistent products as the industry continues to grow on a global scale.

Examining The Roles Of The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Pvr And The Bone Morphogenic Protein Receptor Thickvein In Regulating Self-Renewal And Division Frequency In The Cyst Stem Cells Of The Drosophila Testis Niche, Nastaran Soleimanibarzi Mues

Dissertations

Adult stem cells live in different tissues, and they support and regenerate both the tissue they reside in and themselves. The stemness behavior is tightly regulated by the niche. The Drosophila testis is a valuable model to study stem cells in their niche. In this niche, there are two populations of stem cells; germline stem cells (GSCs) and somatic cyst stem cells (CySCs). GSCs and CySCs provide the cellular structure required to maintain the production of sperm in Drosophila males. These stem cells co-mingle around a group of non-dividing somatic cells known as the hub, and is the niche that …

Simulation Of A Novel Mediated Oxycombustion System, Hussein M. Al Mrayatee

Dissertations

Global warming and climate changing are serious problems challenging humanity, therefore important steps needed to be taking to neutralize such challenge. From the last century huge amount of carbon dioxide released to atmosphere cause huge damages to our globe. Technologies such as oxycombustion and chemical looping combustion had been discussed to capture and sequestration carbon dioxide at lower cost. Separation air from fuel using chemical looping or separation nitrogen from air using oxygen transport membrane (OTM) then combust pure oxygen with fuel are the main step to capture carbone dioxide in less expensive method. Each technology had its own drawback, …

Confronting Masculinity: The Gen X Novel (1984-2000) And The Sentimental Man, Robert E. Woolridge

Dissertations

Experimental novels written from 1984-2000 by authors associated with Generation X collectively struggle with common sense notions of masculinity in their various decades at the end of the twentieth century. Relying on confessional, first-person narration, first novels written by white men stage a critical engagement of outdated patriarchal norms in an effort to produce a more progressive masculinity based on sentimentality. In the 1980s, McInerney and Ellis novels, Bright Lights, Big City and Less Than Zero chronicle the struggles of empty, yuppie men who cannot make connections with their peers due to their emotionally devoid lives. By the 1990s, Douglas …

Models Of Spiritual Leadership: Strategies For Bridging The Gap Between Policy And Ethics, Rebecca J. O'Brien

Dissertations

Public institutions are finding that strict policies premised on value-free research are incapable of dealing with the social and ethical issues facing schools. Increasingly, research is identifying how spiritual practices can be a source of insight and guidance on ethical issues and other soft leadership skills. Spiritual and servant leadership is a burgeoning area of study in the business world and health care field, but it just beginning to be examined as a guiding tool in the education field. In the current study, I interview educational leaders who self-identify as having a spiritual practice and who are responsible for oversight …

Superintendent Beliefs About The Assessment And Use Of School Climate Data For Continuous Improvement, Anji Buckner-Capone

Dissertations

Academic outcomes and health outcomes are interconnected and reciprocal and school climate has emerged as a way to capture some of this relationship. An increasing trend in education policy is using multiple measures of school success, including school climate, such as California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). As school climate evolves as a critical component in state accountability there is a need to better understand the role of leaders in facilitating the implementation processes for school climate assessment accountabilities, including their beliefs and their practices. This mixed methods study explored the practices and beliefs of California Superintendents in their efforts …

Experiences Of Adolescent Refugee Students Who Attend Afterschool Programs For Literacy Support, Analiza Filion

Dissertations

Studies on the academic achievement of refugee students cite continuous underachievement in literacy skills. Due to trauma from fleeing their countries of origin, limited school experiences, and language barriers, refugee students struggle with demonstrating progress in academic achievement. Learning challenges continue to take place when classroom teachers are not equipped with the knowledge, skills, and resources to support students with their unique learning needs. Through the use of a documentary research method, this dissertation investigated the experiences of five adolescent refugee students who attended afterschool programs as an additional resource for developing literacy skills.This study also explored how students perceived …

Impact Of Leadership Styles On The Performance Of Virtual Teams In The Uae Government Sector: Assessment Of Transactional And Transformational Leadership Styles, Nama Salmeen Mabrouk Omar Al Ameri

Dissertations

The widespread availability of computers and the presence of ubiquitous internet has motivated organizations to acknowledge the potential role of virtual teams in reducing the cost of operations, increasing firm productivity, and creating flexible work environments. Consequently, most global firms are running their operations using multiple experts located remotely in different parts of the world (virtual teams) to plan, design, and implement projects and tasks. However, virtual teams face many challenges resulting from a lack of face-to-face contact. Based on existing relevant literature, this study contributes a unique insight into how some challenges surrounding virtual team performance might be addressed. …

The Role Of Plasmids And Clones In The Emergence Of Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacteriaceae In The United Arab Emirates, Shaimaa Fekry Mahmoud Mouftah Ali

Dissertations

Resistance to carbapenems, the ultimate beta-lactam antibiotics used to treat life-threatening Gram-negative infections associates with very high mortality. Consequently, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which are usually multi- or extremely drug-resistant, is considered a critical pathogen. To help to control their spread, we investigated the molecular epidemiology of CRE in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its neighboring countries. CRE isolated in the UAE were screened for IncX3 incompatibility type plasmids carrying carbapenemases. The complete sequence of the IncX3 plasmids identified was established. Thirty CRE carried blaNDM-1, blaNDM-4, blaNDM-5, blaNDM-7, blaOXA-181, and blaKPC-2 on IncX3 plasmids. …

Development And Validation Of New Models And Metrics For The Assessments Of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Wisam Subhi Talib Al-Dayyeni

Dissertations

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is one of the most common illnesses that is frequently reported in the occupational and military sectors. Hearing loss due to high noise exposure is a major health problem with economic consequences. Industrial and military noise exposures often contain high-level impulsive noise components. The presence of these impulsive noise components complicates the assessment of noise levels for hearing conservation purposes. The current noise guidelines use equal energy hypothesis (EEH) based metrics to evaluate the risk of hearing loss. A number of studies show that the current noise metrics often underestimates the risk of hearing loss in …

Necessary And Sufficient: Examining The Role Of Attachment Trauma And Psychological Maltreatment As Primary Etiological Factors In The Development Of Borderline Personality Disorder, Chacy Agnello

Dissertations

Current widely-accepted conceptualizations regarding borderline personality disorder (BPD) profess that trauma is not required in the etiology of BPD and place a significant focus on biological predispositions. This review sought to evaluate the current paradigms regarding BPD and examine whether trauma may be the most significant contributing factor in the development of BPD. Studies on developmental trauma (including psychological maltreatment) and attachment were examined. These studies appear to strongly support the idea that when disrupted attachment and psychological maltreatment are taken into consideration, trauma does appear to be both necessary and sufficient as primary etiological factors in the development of …

A Mixed Methods Study Comparing Nursing Preceptored Clinical Learning Experiences And Nursing Simulation Clinical Learning Experiences Of Nursing Students In A Midwest Community College, Teresa R. Hamra

Dissertations

Among schools of nursing nationwide, the competition for clinical sites, and insufficient numbers of nurse preceptors led nursing schools to turn away thousands of qualified applicants. Due to a shortage of clinical sites, shortage of nurse preceptors, and an increase in simulation technology, nursing schools used simulation clinical in place of traditional clinical experiences. Much of the literature supported using simulation as a replacement for traditional clinical hours. The literature discussed a gap in transition to practice from student nurse to professional nurse and pointed to safety issues as the highest concern in practice settings. One Midwest community college faced …

The Influence Of Media Consumption On Trust, Political Efficacy And Social Media Activism Among Young Adults, Kerra Mccorkle- Akanbi

Dissertations

For many years, trust in government and political efficacy has increasingly been an area of interest for political scientist. Recently, social media activism has become just as intriguing. With social media playing such a dominant role in society, individuals are consuming news through their social media timelines, without having to seek it out themselves. This is especially true for young adults. Through the advancement of non-traditional media outlets, this generation is submerged in endless Facebook statuses, tweets, and television coverage of civil unrest and political polarization that has certainly had both social and political implications. While past studies conducted by …

Understanding Chinese International Undergraduate Students’ Experiences At The University Of Missouri - St. Louis, Yujia Wang

Dissertations

This study examines the challenges and stressors Chinese international undergraduate students face while attending the University of Missouri - St. Louis (UMSL) in relation to their study abroad experience. Surveys were initially used to gather information and to gauge students’ familiarity and use of university support services available to help with specific challenges and stressors. Follow-up interviews were conducted to collect additional in-depth data. As consistent with the literature review, the study found that UMSL students confronted language barriers, academic challenges, and cultural differences when transitioning to UMSL’s academic culture and social environment. Additionally, financial stresses were exacerbated by issues …

Perioperative Antimicrobial Prophylaxis In Vascular Surgery: A Quality Assessment And Improvement Project, Brian Torres

Dissertations

Introduction: Prophylactic antimicrobial selection and administration for the prevention of surgical site infections in vascular surgery is a recommended best practice. Non-adherence to published guidelines on the selection and administration of antimicrobials has been observed and may lead to reduced efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Methods: An observational, descriptive design was used to study clinician knowledge and behavior and included a retrospective patient record review and provider knowledge survey. A clinical education intervention targeting providers responsible for the selection and administration of antimicrobial prophylaxis was conducted. A repeat patient record review and knowledge survey was completed following the education intervention.

Results: …

Mothers' Interpretations Of Their Children's Behavior During Mother-Child Interaction, Robin Remsburg

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain understanding about mothers' motivations, intentions, and the meaning they ascribe to their children's behavior by exploring and describing mothers' interpretations of their children's behavior during interaction and how it impacts on mother-child interaction. Mothers' interpretations of their children's behavior were examined using qualitative research methodology. A grounded theory approach was used to collect, code, and analyze data with a goal to generate theoretical statements regarding the contribution of mothers' interpretations of their children's behaviors during mother-child interaction.