Digital Commons Network^™

Statistical Models For Correlated Data, Xiaomeng Niu

Dissertations

Correlated data arise frequently in many studies where multiple response variables or repeatedly measured responses within subjects are correlated. My dissertation topic lies broadly in developing various statistical methodologies for correlated types of data such as longitudinal data, clustered data, and multivariate data.

Multiple response variables might be relevant within subjects. A univariate procedure fitting each response separately does not take into account the correlation among responses. To improve estimation efficiency for the regression parameter, this study proposes two estimation procedures by accommodating correlations among the response variables. The proposed procedures do not require knowledge of the true correlation structure …

Denoising Large Neuroimage Mri Data Using Spatial Random Effect Models, Leonard Chukuma Johnson

Dissertations

Spatial smoothing in Magnetic Resonance image (MRI) involves applying a filter to remove high frequency information and consequently improves signal-to-noise ratio that can greatly aid neurosurgeons in pre-surgical planning stages of tumor resection. This immensely reduces the time spent on Electrical stimulation mapping (ESM) prior to surgery. MRI's three-dimensional data provides voxel intensities with complex spatial relationship. The standard de facto spatial smoothing method, Gaussian Kernel smoothing, is satisfactory since a uniform smoothing is done for the whole brain. Secondly, the kernel smoothing technique assumes normality for the voxel intensity, but there is ample evidence in current research that indicates …

Elucidation Of The Toxicity Of Anthropogenic Nanoparticles In Environments Containing Heavy Metals, Chartanay Bonner

Dissertations

The design, synthesis, and applications of anthropogenic nanoparticles continue to rise as technologies utilizing the unique chemical and physical properties of materials with nanoscale dimensions emerge. Engineered silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) possess antimicrobial properties toward several strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The manufacturing and use of Ag NPs have led to their increased presence in the environment as pollutants. The interaction of Ag NPs with other pollutants influence their surface properties, aggregation state, stability and consequently, their toxic response toward microbial pathogens. In the present study, we examined the interaction of heavy metal ions (Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, and …

Using Agent-Based Implementation Of Active Data Bundles For Protecting Privacy In Healthcare Information Systems, Raed M. Salih

Dissertations

Sharing healthcare information—including electronic health/medical records (EHRs/EMRs)—among healthcare information systems is necessary for improving the quality of healthcare. However, facilitating data exchange increases privacy threats—due to easier copying and dissemination of healthcare information.

We propose a solution that provides privacy protection for patients’ EHRs/EMRs disseminated among different authorized healthcare information systems. Our solution builds upon the existing construct named an Active Data Bundle (ADB). In the proposed solution, ADBs keep EHRs/EMRs as sensitive data; include metadata describing sensitive data and prescribing their use; and encompass a policy enforcement engine (called a virtual machine or VM), which …

Exploring The Learning Experience Of Higher Education Students In A Midwestern University Who Suffered Childhood Trauma, Dora Jean Washington

Dissertations

This study explored the learning experiences of higher education students who suffered childhood trauma (CT). Eleven participants both undergraduate and graduate who attended a Midwestern university self-identified as CT survivors. There was research on the negative impact of CT on learning in children and adolescents, as well as posttraumatic stress and veterans. However, the PI was unable to find research on the impact of CT on adults in higher education. Higher education institutions and professors may benefit from understanding how to help these students who often have an invisible learning disability. Research questions asked, what is the learning experience of …

Preparing Nursing Students To Respond To Disasters: Faculty Perspectives, Melissa Jayne Freshwater

Dissertations

This mixed methods study explored emergency preparedness and disaster response in the concept-based learning curriculum adopted by the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) in 2016. The concept-based curriculum employs active learning in lieu of the traditional lecture-style teaching methods.

This study addressed the problem that educators may be unfamiliar with this content and are unsure how to present this material to students. The purpose of this study was to gain insight on teaching methodologies, to better prepare nursing students on this content.

Kolb’s 1984 Experiential Learning Theory was the framework that parallels closely with this curriculum. Kolb emphasizes four stages …

Preparedness Of First Responders In Gwinnett County, Georgia: Barriers To Preparedness And The Impact Of Cognitive Biases, Jeffrey Lee Smith

Dissertations

While it is important for the public to be prepared for emergencies and disasters, it is perhaps more important for first responders, as members of the public, to be prepared for emergencies and disasters, so they may do the job the public expects of them. This study explores the preparedness of first responders in a large, diverse, and heavily populated metro-Atlanta county. It also investigates impediments to these first responders being better prepared and the role cognitive biases play in preparedness for this group. The study finds that the study population, as a whole, is underprepared. The research also reveals …

Status Of The Profession Of United States Emergency Management: An Exploratory Analysis Based On Select Attributes Of Occupational Closure, Timothy Wayne Sevison

Dissertations

Emergency management as a concept has been evolving since the early 19th century, but the occupation of emergency management, and discourse concerning professional status has primarily occurred within the last 30 years. This dissertation is an exploratory analysis of the current status of the profession of United States emergency management based on perceptions of leaders from state level emergency management organizations and state level emergency management professional organizations. A mixed methods approach (survey instrument, open-source data collection, semi-structured interviews) was utilized to explore the perceptions of emergency management leaders on two key attributes of occupational closure: control of entry into …

University Leaders’ Experiences In Advancing The Development And Transformation Of Emerging Saudi Public Universities, Abdulrahman Hamed Alsulami

Dissertations

For several decades, Saudi higher education comprised seven to eight public universities concentrated in the main cities of the country. Since the beginning of the new millennium, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has heavily invested in the higher education sector. Thus, it witnessed a remarkable rate of expansion from 8 to 28 higher education institutions during a relatively short period between 2003 and 2013. This renaissance in the sector involved several different processes, including transforming, merging, restructuring, and establishing new colleges and/or programs, administrative posts, and key components for inclusive and modern campuses.

From a contextual perspective, there is a …

An Exploratory Study Of The Role Of Soft Skills In The Training And Employability Of High School Graduates, Felita Sharmett Williams

Dissertations

Research has shown that both educators and prospective employers agreed that students needed more than just ‘hard skills.’ Instead of focusing only on students meeting the academic requirements needed to graduate with a diploma, students also needed to work toward mastering social and emotional skills such as ‘soft skills.’ This study consists of five parts; (i) seeking information from employers associated with the target school; (ii) seeking information from parents of students in the target school; (iii) the researcher crafted intervention for students based on the literature on soft skills, (iv) the researcher completed intervention in two area churches, and …

Increasing School Social Worker Supports For Schools In Illinois: Policy Recommendations For Supporting Student Learning And Growth., Kizawanda A. Olowe

Dissertations

Administrators and board members at the Illinois State Board of Education recommended that schools with certain demographics hire one social worker for every 350 students. The policy has yet to be implemented despite high rates of student poverty, lagging test scores, school bullying, suspensions, and an increased number of school shootings. The Illinois State Board of Education’s social and emotional learning standards guide educators and policy makers to interact and educate each student. School social workers equipped with the necessary skill set provide services, implement district-wide social and emotional learning programs, and work with various stakeholders to monitor progress. A …

Utilizing Parent Support Groups To Improve Parenting Efficacy And Relationships For Parents Of Inattentive, Hyperactive, Or Non-Compliant Children, Deborah Rickman Hake

Dissertations

School age children with ADHD suffer functional impairment in social development, show signs of emotional dysregulation, and have learning difficulties. Other psychological disorders may present, and some children may have one or more comorbid disorders. Studies demonstrated that the best practice was combined treatment. It was recommended that a pharmacological and behavioral approach be utilized. ADHD also affects the family. Parents of children with ADHD often neglect their own health caring and advocating for their child. The amount of parent involvement raising a child with ADHD can lead to reactive parenting, strained relationships with spouses, social and emotional isolation, depression, …

Experiences Of Underrepresented Minority Students In Health Professions Programs, And Their Journeys To The Programs, Alisha L. Davis

Dissertations

Classified as a public health concern, the lack of underrepresented minorities (URMs) in the U.S. health care workforce is still prominent today, even with the increase of URM groups having reached historic numbers of representation within the United States. It is projected that by 2050, URM groups will replace Whites as the majority, yet Whites currently make up the majority of the health care workforce. URM health professionals are more likely to provide accessible and culturally competent health services, and practice in racially and ethnically diverse communities. This helps to eliminate health care disparities, and reduces inequities found in …

Biochemical And Biological Effects Of Irisin In A Model Of Diabetes Mellitus, Mohamed Omer Sirelkhatim Mahgoub

Dissertations

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a highly prevalent health problem affecting more than 425 million people worldwide. It is associated with several detrimental complications such as neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy and cardiovascular diseases. Irisin is a novel hormone that plays a role in metabolism by stimulating the browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) into beige adipose tissue which acquires properties that are similar to those of brown adipose tissue (BAT). Several studies have attempted to characterize the roles of irisin in DM and obesity, however, contradictory results have been reported and physiological roles of irisin have been questioned by several researchers. In …

Geochemical And Radiological Baseline Studies And Environmental Impact Of The Area Surrounding Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, Uae, Mouza Rashed Mohamed Al Rashdi

Dissertations

Geochemical, mineralogical and natural radiation analysis techniques were used for establishment of geochemical and radiological baseline around Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, UAE. The natural radioactivity concentrations of ²³⁸U (²²⁶Ra), ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were measured for soil, shore and bottom sediment samples, using gamma spectrometry equipped with HPGe detector. In addition, alpha spectrometry was used to measure ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio for some selected samples. Furthermore, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy was used to measure the concentrations of heavy metals and Rare Earth Elements (REE). The grain size of the samples ranged from fine …

Identifying The Determents Of Government E-Service Quality In The Uae, Mohamed Abdulrahman A. Alahmed

Dissertations

Globally, government entities are facilitating ever more over-the-internet transactional services. In the Middle Eastern context, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is at the forefront. Although the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the UAE has adopted appropriate e-service quality (ESQ) assessment tools in-house, these tools are designed only for back-end developers, not for gauging end-user satisfaction levels. In light of this, we developed a conceptual framework for the holistic measuring of such citizen opinions. The study incorporated a survey instrument on a sample population (n = 2,197) for investigating the ESQ of the UAE Ministry of Interior transactional e-services. Key findings indicate …

The Impact Of Transformational And Transactional Leadership Styles On Organizational Learning In Health Care Context, Nadia Mutref Saeed Al Jaberi

Dissertations

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of leadership styles on organizational learning in health care context at Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) in Al Ain region. The study uses a quantitative methodology to answer the research questions. The findings suggest that both transactional and transformational leadership styles are associated with organizational learning. The transformational leadership is linked with organizational learning through learning goal orientation and trust in leaders whereas transactional leadership style is linked with organizational learning through performance goal orientation. The research findings can help senior executives to put strategic plans for their organizational …

Program Evaluation For Assessing The Effectiveness Of Tracking The Academic Growth And Attendance Of Black Students In Closing The Black And White Achievement Gap, Markisha Mitchell

Dissertations

Across the United States in almost every city, every suburb, and every rural area there is a gap between the achievements of Black and White students. The term “achievement gap” has become an accepted label in situations where Black students severely underperform relative to their White counterparts. Many school districts have discretely avoided discussing and or addressing the gap for decades. School District Z, located in an urban suburb just outside of a large midwestern city, is the focus of this research as they attempt to address the gap. District Z is composed of approximately two-thirds students of color, yet …

Linguistic Interactions Of Spanish Speaking Mexican American Families, Adelfio J. Garcia

Dissertations

This study explored the bilingual linguistic interactions in Mexican families and their impact on children’s language and literacy development. This qualitative study gathered data using different methods, namely, interviews, direct observations, participant observation, and physical artifacts to examine parents’ perceptions of their own educational path in comparison to their children’s educational path in an American school system, together with their daily linguistic interactions in various social contexts, and the features, themes and roles of linguistic interactions participants. Study results assisted in gaining deeper understanding of daily conversations happening in different social contexts and their impact on the language and literacy …

Examining Generational Differences In The Workplace: Employee Engagement Practices And Their Impact On Retention Of Different Generations Of Human Resources Employees In Higher Education, Lamija Basic

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the employee engagement practices that Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Millennial human resources (HR) employees in four-year private institutions of higher education (IHEs) in southern California perceive as most important to their retention. The secondary purpose of the study was to determine the similarities and differences between the engagement practices considered most important for retention by Millennial HR employees compared to Baby Boomer and Generation X employees in IHEs.

Methodology: A quantitative descriptive, nonexperimental research design was selected for this study. The population included three generations of HR professionals working …

A Qualitative Study To Describe Behaviors That Exemplary Municipal Police Chiefs And Sheriffs Practice To Lead Their Organizations Through Conversation, Vincent Plair

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this phenomenological research study was to describe the behaviors exemplary municipal police chiefs and sheriffs practiced leading their organizations through conversation using Groysberg and Slind’s (2012) four elements of conversational leadership: intimacy, interactivity, inclusion, intentionality.

Methodology. A phenomenology qualitative method was used to describe the behaviors of exemplary municipal police chiefs and sheriffs in southern California and their lived experiences related to conversational leadership. The study combined semi-structured interviews, observations, and artifact collection. These qualitative tools helped the researcher gain insight into participants’ conversational leadership behaviors. The researcher analyzed the data with the aid …

Evaluating The Effects And Process Of Nurse Bedside Shift Report On Nurse's Perceptions Of Communication Patterns, Nurse Satisfaction, And Patient Involvement, Heidi M. Shank

Dissertations

A growing body of evidence identifies transitions of care as vulnerable points in the care continuum where vital information is often omitted and inadequate communication occurs. Nurse shift report has been identified as a vulnerable communication point. Specifically, research has suggested that more effective communication between healthcare providers can improve care to patients and subsequently result in better outcomes. Problem: Nurse shift report lacks consistency and is not done at the patient bedside. An effective nurse bedside shift report process that provides a focused assessment of key items and involves patients is essential.

The purpose of this evidence-based practice project …

Impact Of Interprofessional Orientation On New Employee Attitudes Regarding Interprofessional Teamwork, Julie Rohr

Dissertations

Interprofessional teamwork is recognized as a major contributing factor to safe patient care and improved patient outcomes. Healthcare professionals' attitudes impact successful teamwork. A large, not-for-profit healthcare organization in the southwestern United States conducted a new employee orientation that included content on interprofessional teamwork, and collected quality improvement data that included responses to the TeamSTEPPS® Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ). This retrospective, non-experimental, before-after, comparative study analyzed this quality improvement data to determine if there was a significant impact of the interprofessional teamwork-focused orientation on individual team member's attitudes regarding teamwork as measured by the T-TAQ. The principles of Adult Learning …

A Psychometric Analysis Of An Instrument That Tests Genetic Knowledge Of Advanced Practice Nurses In Genetics, Jeanine Seguin Santelli

Dissertations

The purposes of this methodological psychometric study were to: 1) develop a criterion-referenced instrument using the steps outlined by Waltz, Strickland and Lenz (2005) to provide effective documentation of knowledge of advanced practice nursing in genetics; 2) determine the validity and reliability of the instrument; 3) compare pass/fail outcomes of nurses within and outside of the genetic specialty using the instrument; 4) compare pass/fail outcomes of Masters' prepared and non-Masters' prepared nurses using the instrument; and, 5) compare pass/fail outcomes of credentialed and non-credentialed advanced practice nurses in genetics using the instrument. An additional proposed aim, to evaluate congruence between …

Investigation Into The Relationship Between Critical Thinking Skills And Clinical Judgment In The Nurse Practitioner Student, Karen L. Gorton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between critical thinking (CT) skills and clinical judgment in nurse practitioner (NP) students enrolled in an advanced practice educational program. To assess this relationship, the following four research hypotheses were developed: Nurse Practitioner students who demonstrate higher scores on the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) will also demonstrate more accuracy in the formulation of differential diagnoses as determined by their results on the exam style questions. Nurse Practitioner students who demonstrate higher scores on the (CCTST) will also demonstrate higher scores on the evaluation and reevaluation …

An Examination Of The Role Discrepancy, Depressive Symptoms, And Turnover Intention Among The Jordanian Nursing Workforce, Muhammad Waleed Darawad

Dissertations

Globally, nursing shortage is affecting all components of patient care process, especially in the developing countries due to their lack of resources. Literature identified nurses' dissatisfaction with work environment and turnover as causes for the shortage, and the ambiguity of nurses' role as a cause for dissatisfaction. So, exploring nurses' role, as a part of their work environment, from nurses' perspectives is believed to formulate a compatible environment that is more appealing to nurses to stay.

Exploring The Moderating Effect Of A Caring Work Environment On The Relationship Between Workplace Mistreatment And Nurses' Ability To Provide Patient Care, Christine M. Moffa

Dissertations

Workplace mistreatment (bullying, horizontal violence, and incivility) has been shown to impact nurses' work satisfaction, job turnover, and physical and mental health. However, there are limited studies that examine its effect on patient outcomes. A correlational descriptive study of 79 acute care nurses was used to test a social justice model for examining the relationship between workplace mistreatment, quantified as threats to dimensions of nurses' well-being (health, personal security, reasoning, respect, attachment, and self-determination), and nurses' ability to provide quality patient care. In addition, this study considered the moderating effect of caring work environment among co-workers on nurses' ability to …

The Relationship Between Just Culture, Trust, And Patient Safety, Linda Ann Paradiso

Dissertations

This study explored the difference in the perception of trust between nurse leaders and direct care nurses in a Just Culture, and the impact this may have on patient safety related to voluntary reporting of patient care issues.

Fatigue In Parkinson's Disease: A Qualitative Descriptive Study Exploring The Individual's Perspective, Amy E. Bruno

Dissertations

Fatigue in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a major cause of disability and lower quality of life. It is often under-assessed by health care providers and under-recognized by individuals with PD as being part of their neurological disorder. A comprehensive literature review revealed that there is a lack of descriptive research from the individual's perspective regarding fatigue definitions in PD, self-management strategies, and its impact on quality of life. The aim of this study was to uncover how individuals with PD define this symptom, the effect it has on one's quality of life, self-management strategies to lessen fatigue, and how individuals …

Creating Systems Of Continuous Improvement: A Phenomenological Study Of California Districts Engaged In Transforming Into Learning Organizations, Kira Shearer

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of district teams that created and implemented systems of continuous improvement as part of the Systems Leadership Collaborative using the Coherence Framework.

Methodology: This phenomenological study used semi-structured interviews to provide a narrative of four California school districts’ experiences with the transformation process. Data were collected from interviews and coded for patterns and themes, using Fullan and Quinn’s (2015) Coherence Framework for analysis.

Findings: Key findings illustrated that selecting 2-3 actionable goals to focus and guide the district, creating collaborative structures, and developing collective capacity are key …