Digital Commons Network^™

Increasing Adolescent Interest In Computing Through The Use Of Social Cognitive Career Theory, Osama Eljabiri

Dissertations

While empirical research efforts are sufficient to provide evidence of the role of most constructs in the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), this dissertation shifts the research focus and finds serious shortcomings in defining the construct of computer technology learning experiences design.

The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate whether, and to what extent, the proposed SCCT-enhanced framework can increase self-efficacy and interest of pre-college and college students in computer-based technology through the newly proposed “Learning Experiences” construct; in particular, whether it can reduce the gender gaps.

As a result of a comprehensive literature review, the dissertation connects learning, …

Green Vs. Sustainable: Analyzing And Expanding Leed (Leadership In Energy And Environmental Design), Sonay Aykan

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the possibility of including new socio-economic indicators in green building rating systems in order to promote innovative practices in the building planning, design, construction and operations by introducing a broader definition of sustainability in the building industry. It provides a comparative analysis of the frameworks, indicators and measurement methods of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), which is a voluntary green building rating system, and the reporting guidelines of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) by examining several selected socio-economic indicators from GRI and questioning the possibility of introducing similar indicators (credits) in LEED. By doing so, it …

Construction And Assessment Of A Computer Graphics-Based Model For Wheelchair Propulsion, Brooke Marie Odle

Dissertations

Upper limb overuse injuries are common in manual wheelchair using persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), especially those with tetraplegia. Biomechanical analyses involving kinetics, kinematics, and muscle mechanics provide an opportunity to identify modifiable risk factors associated with wheelchair propulsion and upper limb overuse injuries that may be used toward developing prevention and treatment interventions. However, these analyses are limited because they cannot estimate muscle forces in vivo. Patient-specific computer graphics-based models have enhanced biomechanical analyses by determining in vivo estimates of shoulder muscle and joint contact forces. Current models do not include deep shoulder muscles. Also, patient-specific models …

Performance Analysis And Scheduling Strategies For Ambulatory Surgical Facilities, Xuanqi Zhang

Dissertations

Ambulatory surgery is a procedure that does not require an overnight hospital stay and is cost effective and efficient. The goal of this research is to develop an ASF operational model which allows management to make key decisions. This research develops and utilizes the simulation software ARENA based model to accommodate: (a) Time related uncertainties – Three system uncertainties characterize the problem (ii) Surgery time variance (ii) Physician arrival delay and (iii) Patient arrival delay; (b) Resource Capture Complexities – Patient flows vary significantly and capture/utilize both staffing and/or physical resources at different points and varying levels; and (c) Processing …

Using Structural And Semantic Methodologies To Enhance Biomedical Terminologies, Zhe He

Dissertations

Biomedical terminologies and ontologies underlie various Health Information Systems (HISs), Electronic Health Record (EHR) Systems, Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and health administrative systems. Moreover, the proliferation of interdisciplinary research efforts in the biomedical field is fueling the need to overcome terminological barriers when integrating knowledge from different fields into a unified research project. Therefore well-developed and well-maintained terminologies are in high demand. Most of the biomedical terminologies are large and complex, which makes it impossible for human experts to manually detect and correct all errors and inconsistencies. Automated and semi-automated Quality Assurance methodologies that focus on areas that are more …

Svmaud: Using Textual Information To Predict The Audience Level Of Written Works Using Support Vector Machines, Todd Will

Dissertations

Information retrieval systems should seek to match resources with the reading ability of the individual user; similarly, an author must choose vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate for his or her audience. Traditional readability formulas, including the popular Flesch-Kincaid Reading Age and the Dale-Chall Reading Ease Score, rely on numerical representations of text characteristics, including syllable counts and sentence lengths, to suggest audience level of resources. However, the author’s chosen vocabulary, sentence structure, and even the page formatting can alter the predicted audience level by several levels, especially in the case of digital library resources. For these reasons, the performance of …

In Vitro Modeling And Analysis Of Axon Stretch Growth For The Sustained Growth Of Long Nerve Fibers, Joseph Rocco Loverde

Dissertations

The integration of long nerve fibers throughout the body is distinctive among somatic tissues. Single, individual motor neurons grow to a meter in length or more as they maintain connectivity with sacral areas of the spinal cord from the brain. Similarly, homologous growth also occurs via spinal ganglion neurons within the peripheral nervous system. The most widely studied aspect of nerve development has been the migration and extension of growth cones towards synaptic targets during early development. However, following growth cone extension, axonal fibers continue to grow in synchrony with the expansion of limbs and mit otic tissues throughout childhood …

An Exploration Of Volunteer Experiences For Third Level Students In Ireland From A Student Volunteer And Volunteer Manager Perspective., Caitriona Mcgrattan

Dissertations

Since the establishment of Campus Engage in 2007, student volunteering and student-led activities have received more attention on a national scale. Despite this, the area remains under researched; to date there has been no nationwide review of student volunteerism. This research aimed to explore the volunteer experiences of third level students across in a number of Higher Education Institutions in Ireland. For this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were carried out with five student volunteers and three volunteer managers across a spectrum of voluntary activity. The participants were asked to discuss their personal experiences and perceptions of student volunteering. The findings …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Individuals Caring For A Family Member And The Impact This Caregiving Role Has On Their Lives., Tara Duigenan

Dissertations

Ireland, in keeping with most western societies has witnessed a steady increase in the distribution of old and very old individuals in the population. This, combined with escalations in degenerative and chronic diseases, and together with the development of new sophisticated and portable medical technologies that assist people with highly complicated health conditions to be cared for at home, places further demands on individuals to care for a family member. Furthermore, a fundamental objective of Irish Government policy for older people, children and adults with a condition or a disability is to enable these individuals to live in dignity and …

The Relationship Between Perceived Toxic Leadership Styles, Leader Effectiveness, And Organizational Cynicism, James M. Dobbs Phd

Dissertations

Employee cynicism within organizations has become a well-cited topic in the last several years (Caldwell, 2007; Chaloupka, 2001; Kanter & Mirvis, 1989). Within multiple industries, organizational leaders have claimed that cynicism is a factor in employee burnout, emotional exhaustion, and turnover, and that it directly and adversely affects organizational citizenship behavior, commitment, and organization effectiveness (Abraham, 2000; Anderson & Bateman, 1997; Bedeian, 2007). Despite such claims, very little empirical research has been done on the antecedents of employee cynicism, and the influence of leadership behavior on employee cynicism. This study attempted to fill gaps in the research by examining the …

Understanding The Development Of Global Leadership Competencies, Andrea L. Mcmullen Phd

Dissertations

As businesses seek to gain a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving global marketplace and in the midst of a global talent shortage, the demand is increasing for guidance surrounding the development of global leaders. Although competency model frameworks have existed since the 1970s, the process of how an organization develops Global Leadership Competencies (GLCs) has not been well documented, particularly in new and evolving industries such as the biosciences. Furthermore, despite the time, effort, and money spent on learning and development or training programs, there are no studies that investigate employer-learner perceptions regarding the alignment of these learning programs …

Pattern Specific Isotopic Labeling Of Phenylalanine And Incorporation Into Recombinant Protein For Macromolecular Complex Study, Mary Catherine Hames

Dissertations

Macromolecular complexes are at the forefront of structural biology. Despite technological advances, there remains a significant size barrier for study of these systems. Site specific labeling of ILV methyl residues has been used to study systems such as the proteasome, but other methods are still needed. Aromatic amino acids have many of the advantages of methyl containing residues and are desirable for site specific labeling. They are often found in the protein core and at important interaction interfaces. Aromatic side chains have positions with multiple magnetically equivalent 1H probes and distinct carbon chemical shifts. Side chain ring flipping results in …

Now It’S Our Time To Eat! Stakeholder Perceptions Of Influences On The Development Of Leaders In Malawi, Kanton T. Reynolds

Dissertations

This study explored stakeholder perceptions of influences on the development of sustainable leaders in Malawi, in Sub-Saharan Africa. Narratives from three stakeholder groups—leaders of grassroots organizations including civil society groups, academics and emerging scholars, and professionals who represent the small but growing middle class—capture insights on leader development in the post-colonial period starting with the country’s transition from single-party to multi-party rule in the early to mid-1990s. This multi-party movement galvanized disparate interests into political action for a democratic form of government, and set the backdrop for the current environment for leader development. Since then, the landscape for leadership in …

The Role Of A Servant-Leadership-Centered Approach On Preventing Hazing: A Focus On One Historically Black University Marching Band, Jr. Thomas Jones

Dissertations

While the exact roots are not accurately known, hazing has likely existed for countless generations. Intended to mentally and physically acclimate new members to organizations, this tactic usually backfires, as evidenced by the recent death of Robert Champion on November 19, 2011. There are many types of marching bands, but some of those in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) run a higher risk of hazing susceptibility than those of Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) due to their high-profile status, intense level of competitive spirit, and the intrinsic cultural need for bonding, loyalty, cohesion, brotherhood, and sisterhood. Understanding, addressing, and preventing …

Carnosic Acid Enriched Rosemary Extract Prevents Obesity And Metabolic Syndrome In High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice, Rashin Sedighi

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to investigate the preventive effects of rosemary leaf extract (RE) and its active components on prevention of weight gain and associated metabolic disorders in high-fat-fed mice; determine the effective doses of the chief compound in RE to reduce weight gain and hyperglycemia; and try to understand the underlying anti-obesity mechanism. For this purpose, commercial RE with 45% carnosic acid (CA) was enriched with CA to 80%. Animals were given low-fat diet (LFD), high-fat diet (HFD), high fat with 0.50% RE (enriched with 45% CA, RE#1), high fat with 0.28% w/w RE (enriched with 80% …

Improving The Service Design Process: Process Integration, Conflict Reduction And Customer Involvement, Sameer G. Tabbakh

Dissertations

Service design is the science of creating service experiences based on the customer's perspective, to make it useful, enjoyable and cost-effective for the customer. Although the field of service design is relatively new, it has been rapidly expanding in research and practice. Most researchers focus on the usefulness of the service, cost efficiency, meeting customers' needs, or service strategy. However, all service elements can benefit from improving the service design process. Current service design processes are suffering a lack of integration of activities, conflicts in decision-making processes, and exclusion of practitioners' methods. In prior research, information models were created to …

Impact Of Selected Rodenticides On The Acidic And Enzymatic Coagulation Properties Of Milk, Madhavi H. Hathurusinghe

Dissertations

The early detection of chemical contaminants in milk at the farm level is essential to prevent them entering into the food chain. The overall objective of this study was to determine the effect of selected rodenticides on the acidic and enzymatic coagulation properties of milk by using selected strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and to evaluate the suitability of lactic acid bacteria as a biomarker for early detection of toxins in milk. Specific objectives of this study were (a) to determine the optimum growth temperature for lactic acid bacteria in MRS broth for early detection of rodenticides; (b) to …

The Representativeness Of Traditionally Underrepresented Populations In Appointed Policy-Level State Government Leadership Positions In North Carolina 1973-2012: "Who Gets In, Who Stays In, Who Gets Appointed, And Who Gets Disappointed.", Steven Eric Hairston

Dissertations

This study applies the theory of representative bureaucracy to state level political appointees over the course of five gubernatorial administrations in North Carolina. The theory of representative bureaucracy holds that the demographic diversity of the workforce of public sector organizations or bureaucracies (passive representation) leads to policy decisions and outcomes that reflect the beliefs and interests of the groups that are represented (active representation), including underrepresented populations (e.g. minorities and women) that have historically been disadvantaged. Using measures of representativeness, the study determines the extent to which members of underrepresented populations have been appointed to leadership positions by each of …

Direct And Evolutionary Approaches For Optimal Receiver Function Inversion, Mulugeta Tuji Dugda

Dissertations

Receiver functions are time series obtained by deconvolving vertical component seismograms from radial component seismograms. Receiver functions represent the impulse response of the earth structure beneath a seismic station. Generally, receiver functions consist of a number of seismic phases related to discontinuities in the crust and upper mantle. The relative arrival times of these phases are correlated with the locations of discontinuities as well as the media of seismic wave propagation. The Moho (Mohorovicic discontinuity) is a major interface or discontinuity that separates the crust and the mantle. In this research, automatic techniques to determine the depth of the Moho …

Designing Medical Treatment Protocols To Improve Healthcare Supply Chain Management, Lakausha Tanette Simpson

Dissertations

The primary goal of this research is to determine the strategic system integration opportunities for a segmented healthcare system with cost minimization and efficacy maximization objectives. This research is inspired in part by the Defense Logistics Agency, which is trying to assess the impact of integrating treatment selection processes across service clinicians. Specifically, physician bias, patient volumes, leveraging economies of scale or costing structures, and complex treatment efficacy calculations are considered by mathematically modeling three forms of integration. Multiple objective optimization problems are used to define efficient frontiers based on cost and treatment efficacy. A novel comparative analysis method is …

Reduction Of Enteric Methane Production: A Nutritional Approach, A'Ja V. Duncan

Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of feed particle size and nitrate or fumarate alone or in combination on in vitro fermentation, abundances of methanogens, and methane production. Rumen fluid was collected from a Holstein-Friesian dry cow and a steer (experiment 1) and a dry cow and two steers (experiment 2) averaging 625.4 kg in body weight (BW). The cattle were offered 11.4 kg/d per animal of concentrate diet containing equal amounts of soybean meal, whole cottonseed, and ground corn once a day with grass hay at ad libitum (experiment 1) and 15.9 kg/d per animal of total mixed ration (TMR) …

A Grounded Theory Exploration Of The Connection Between Stressful Life Events And Spiritual Identity For Women Leaders, Margaret A. Brunson

Dissertations

Much of the research related to the leadership of women relates to development through mentorship and the gaps or disparities that exists throughout various fields and disciplines. In the United States, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership, and those in leadership continue to struggle to find the balance between their work and lives. Not only are women having different leadership experiences from their male counterparts, they are also experiencing various life events that impact their experiences as leaders, as well as the spiritual and psycho-social dimensions of their lives. The spiritual identity of women leaders who work outside of …

The Influence Of The Emotional Intelligence Management Curriculum To Improve College Students’ Intrapersonal And Interpersonal Skills To Impact Leader Behavior And Team Performance Effectiveness, Cindy Register Love

Dissertations

There is a growing emphasis in institutions of higher learning to produce sustainable and competitive graduates who possess relevant personal competencies for career success. Emotional intelligence skills can provide the competitive edge for graduates to be successful int heir industry of choice. Integrating emotional intelligence into higher education can potentially shift the learning environment and increase specific personal competencies. This study aims to investigate the influence of an emotional intelligence intervention to improve college students’ intrapersonal and interpersonal skills to impact leader behavior skills and team effectiveness. The research looked specifically at students’ skills from three dimensions (intrapersonal,interpersonal, and leadership) …

Understanding How White Allies In The Struggle Against Racism Unveil And Deconstruct Whiteness, Kim N. Sexton-Lewter

Dissertations

Despite claims of a post-racial society, racism is still alive and well in America and whiteness remains invisible or unseen (Delgado & Stefanic, 2012). To a great extent the invisibility of whiteness serves to preserve and perpetuate racism in our society (Wildman, 2005). Efforts to eradicate racism need to shift from focusing on people of color to the task of unveiling and calling out whiteness. Doing away with norms that traditionally benefit White people and disenfranchise people of color could prove productive in combatting socio-cultural patterns and conditions that maintain White privilege and racial inequalities (Peterson & Hamrick, 2009). This …

Metaheuristic Approaches For Estimating In-Kind Food Donations Availability And Scheduling Food Bank Vehicles, Iii Luther Brock

Dissertations

Food banks provide services that allow households facing food insecurity to receive nutritious food items. Food banks, however, experience operational challenges as a result of constrained and uncertain supply and complex routing challenges. The goal of this research is to explore opportunities to enhance food bank operations through metaheuristic forecasting and scheduling practices. Knowledge discovery methods and supervised machine learning are used to forecast food availability at supermarkets. In particular, a quasi-greedy algorithm which selects multi-layer perceptron models to represent food availability is introduced. In addition, a new classification of the vehicle routing problem is proposed to manage the distribution …

Investigation Of Chicago Air Pollution And Meteorological Influence On Pollution Development: Physical Measurements And Multivariate Statistical Analyses, Katrina Lyn Binaku

Dissertations

The goal of this project was to evaluate air pollutants and meteorology in Chicago, Illinois during summers 2010, 2011, and 2012. Sixty-six collection days of air pollutant and meteorological data were completed at the Loyola University Chicago sampling station atop Mertz Hall. Trace gases, nitrogen oxides and ozone, as well as the water-soluble fraction of aerosol material were the air pollutants of focus in this study. Data analysis showed that chloride, nitrate, sulfate, and oxalate were the most frequently quantified water-soluble ions in aerosol samples, followed by acetate, formate, potassium, phosphate, calcium, and magnesium ions. Ionic ratios showed that stationary …

Preservice Teachers' Attitudes And Efficacy Beliefs Toward Inclusion Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders In The Midwestern Region Of The United States, Amy Cavanaugh Cramer

Dissertations

Problem Statement. The increased prevalence of children identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) will likely result in these students being placed more frequently in general education classrooms. As a result, general education teachers will be responsible, and must be willing and adequately prepared, for teaching students with ASD. Attitudes are one of the most important predictors for successful inclusion. Teachers indicate a willingness to include students with ASD. However, they do not feel prepared for inclusion for students with ASD.

Teacher training and efficacy beliefs are related to teachers' ability to educate students with disabilities. Since teacher training occurs at …

Factors That Relate To Registered Nurses' Readiness For Interprofessional Learning In The Context Of Continuing Professional Development, Collette Williams

Dissertations

Today’s health-care professionals practice in a highly technological, multidisciplinary environment. In order to provide safe, effective, and high-quality patient care, collaboration is required among all professionals. Traditionally each profession has operated independently in regard to continued professional development. The purpose of this study was to assess practicing registered nurses’ readiness toward interprofessional learning in order to align learning with current practice.

Method. An ex post facto study design was used to gather data to examine if there is a relationship between variables of demographics and readiness for interprofessional learning. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) assesses the readiness for …

Dominant Characteristics And Predictive Factors That Motivate A Theology Career Choice In A Private Denominational University In São Paulo, Brazil, Gerson Pires Araujo

Dissertations

Problem. More than six times the number of applicants than can be accepted attempt to enter the theology program on the campus of the Adventist Brazilian University of São Paulo (UNASP). The number of applicants is increasing every year and the majority cannot follow their chosen career.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify the dominant characteristics and the discriminant factors that motivated the career choice of freshman theology students in a private denominational university in Brazil. The study also analyzed the demographic characteristics of those students and their perceived sense of mission for a ministerial …

Documenting The Role Of Spirituality In Improving Healthcare Outcomes For Vulnerable Populations, Reaves Antonia Monk

Dissertations

This ethnographic study documented the outcomes of the congregational nursing program in clinical settings where leaders and caregivers included consideration of patient spiritual needs to improve health outcomes and reduce care disparities. Spiritual leadership (SL) was my guiding theoretical orientation. Compared to motivation-based theories of leadership, SL is the most inclusive of leadership theories that encompass ethics, values and religion. My study addressed the following questions in congregational nursing health care programs: In what ways can the level of spiritual leadership be described and documented? How is spiritual leadership characterized and practiced? How can patient spiritual well-being be described and …