Digital Commons Network^™

Neurobiological Markers For Remission And Persistence Of Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Yuyang Luo

Dissertations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Symptoms of childhood ADHD persist into adulthood in around 65% of patients, which elevates the risk for a number of adverse outcomes, resulting in substantial individual and societal burden. A neurodevelopmental double dissociation model is proposed based on existing studies in which the early onset of childhood ADHD is suggested to associate with dysfunctional subcortical structures that remain static throughout the lifetime; while diminution of symptoms over development could link to optimal development of prefrontal cortex. Current existing studies only assess basic measures including regional brain activation …

Pegylated Block Copolymer For Cancer Imaging And Treatment, Sweety Singh

Dissertations

Gene theranostics have emerged as an important tool for the treatment of cancer as well as other diseases. Among the challenges in this field is the lack of effective vectors to chaperone plasmids into cells while the vector itself exhibits minimal toxicity. Herein, the synthesis, cellular uptake, and gene delivery using a biocompatible norbornene-based block copolymer is reported. This block copolymer, bearing polyethylene glycol moieties along with primary amines is functionalized with both a boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorophore for fluorescence tracking and a folic acid derivative for cancer cell targeting.

Stoichiometry control afforded residual unreacted amine functional groups available to …

Modeling Single Microtubules As A Colloidal System To Measure The Harmonic Interactions Between Tubulin Dimers In Bovine Brain Derived Versus Cancer Cell Derived Microtubules, Arooj Aslam

Dissertations

The local properties of tubulin dimers dictate the properties of the larger microtubule assembly. In order to elucidate this connection, tubulin-tubulin interactions are be modeled as harmonic interactions to map the stiffness matrix along the length of the microtubule. The strength of the interactions are measured by imaging and tracking the movement of segments along the microtubule over time, and then performing a fourier transform to extract the natural vibrational frequencies. Using this method the first ever reported experimental phonon spectrum of the microtubule is reported. This method can also be applied to other biological materials, and opens new doors …

The Impact Of The Language Of Instruction On Second-Grade Latinx Emergent Bilinguals’ Understanding Of Place Value In Two Spanish-English Transitional Bilingual Classrooms: An Exploratory Study, Angela Maria Rengifo

Dissertations

The relationship between mathematics learning and the language of instruction in bilingual settings has been observed and analyzed widely in educational research. As Latinx Emergent Bilingual students start developing their mathematics knowledge and skills in elementary classrooms, the role that language plays in the process has been studied as a key aspect of classroom practice. A convergent parallel mixed-method approach was used to examine fourteen second-grade Latinx Emergent Bilingual students’ understanding of the concept of place value and whether this process was related to the language of instruction chosen in each of the two Spanish-English transitional bilingual classrooms. Findings from …

Understanding The Barriers, Bridges And Bases To Inclusion Instruction For Secondary Students With Mild To Moderate Disabilities, Angela Renee Lyte Crowther

Dissertations

Inclusion is the practice of educating students with disabilities and students without disabilities in the same learning environment. For secondary students with mild/moderate disabilities, inclusion is rooted in the philosophical mindset of social justice, equity, and legislation. Inclusion is a complex and sometimes controversial topic few educational systems want to tackle. The purpose of this multi-method research was to gather and analyze secondary site administrators' and teachers’ opinions on the barriers, bridges, and bases needed for the furtherance of inclusion practices and the elimination of the segregated classrooms for students with mild-moderate disabilities. A plethora of research on this topic …

The Effect Of Using Virtual Manipulatives On Students’ Ability To Mentally Compare Proper Fractions, William Wilson Mcneary Iii

Dissertations

This study proposes a method to analyze the effects of the use of virtual fraction models (circle/bar/number line) on students’ ability to mentally compare proper fractions. Since developing a sense of magnitude with both whole numbers and rational numbers is highly correlated with improved performance on standardized assessments and improved performance in later algebra classes, special attention is directed to the bar and number line as they are linear representations.

The study used an experimental pretest/posttest group design by randomly assigning subjects within class sections to a control group (physical fraction circles) and treatment groups with seven different methods of …

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 …

An Analysis Of The Effects Of Content Coaching And Instructional Coaching On Teacher Practices, Victoria E. Daniels

Dissertations

The passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act increased professional development requirements, moving away from traditional methods of out-of-the-classroom professional development and toward more effective job-embedded professional development (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2016). The purpose of this study was to obtain the perceptions of teachers, coaches, and principals about the coaching programs in schools and the effect on instructional practice and student achievement. Simultaneously, the efficacy of job-embedded professional development and its direct correlation to Knight’s (2016) seven Partnership Principles were examined. Surveys were distributed to the participants who were third, fourth, and fifth-grade teachers, coaches, and principals …

The Relationship Among Nurse Manager Leadership Style, Span Of Control, Staff Nurse Practice Environment, Safety Climate, And Nurse-Sensitive Patient Outcomes, Katreena Merrill

Dissertations

Despite the compelling need for strong nursing leaders who establish vision and create an evidence-based environment that fosters quality and safety, many hospitals have increased responsibilities of nurse managers, potentially compromising leadership at the bedside. The aim of this study was to elucidate relationships among safety climate, staffing, education level, manager leadership styles, practice environment, and patient outcomes. This study also compared two methods to measure nurse manager span of control. A correlational study was conducted in nine hospitals in a healthcare system. The instruments "Unit Safety Climate Survey, Practice Environment Scale, Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire, and a demographic survey" distributed …

The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Self-Reported Behaviors Of Psychiatric Nurses Towards Obese Psychiatric Patients On Atypical Anti-Psychotropic Medications, Marcia D. Williams-Hailey

Dissertations

Obesity has continued to increase over the years with increase in morbidity and mortality. The advancement of psychiatric treatment has resulted in a higher prevalence of obesity among the psychiatric population related to the side-effects of the newer atypical anti-psychotics. This study address nurses' attitude towards obesity and people who are obese, focusing on psychiatric patients. Negative attitudes and low knowledge about psychiatric patients on atypical anti-psychotics can interfere with psychiatric nurses' therapeutic potential to support patients with health promotion behaviors. The purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to measure the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behavior of …

The Utilization And Effectiveness Of The Hesi E (Square) Exit Exam As A Graduation Requirement Toward Increasing Nclex-Rn® Pass Rates In Baccalaureate Nursing Programs, Debra Henline Sullivan

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was threefold. The first purpose compared the NCLEX-RN® first-time pass rates of BSN students in nursing programs that use the HESI E2 exit exam with other computerized exit exams, and those using no exit exam. NCLEX-RN® first-time pass rates for students taking HESI E2 did not show a statistically significant increase compared to students that took no exit exam. A second purpose, compared NCLEX-RN® first-time pass rates of BSN students in nursing programs utilizing the E2 that require a minimum benchmark score as a graduation requirement with those BSN students that use HESI E2 but …

Construct Local Quasi-Interpolation Operators Using Linear B-Splines, Abeer Alzahrani

Dissertations

The data interpolating problem is a fundamental problem in data analysis, and B-splines are frequently used as the basis functions for data interpolation. In the real-world applications, the real-time processing is very important. To achieve that, we cannot use any matrix inversion for large amount of data, and we also need to avoid using any global operator. To solve this problem, we develop a new method based on a local quasi-interpolation operator. To construct the local quasi-interpolation operator, we need to factorize the Shoenberg-Whitney matri- ces for the given data samples. Furthermore, our local quasi-interpolation operator should correspond to a …

Impulsivity As A Trait Predictor In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Jennifer Bertucci

Dissertations

Impulsive personality traits have been linked to pathological decision making in individuals who possess the trait. Impulsive pathological decision making may include acts of aggression, divergence, risky behavior, lack of self-care, etc. The purpose of this study was to examine impulsive personality traits among nursing students. Traditional students are defined by the following characteristics: earns a high school diploma, enrolls full time immediately after finishing high school, are financially dependent on parents, and either do not work during the school year or works part-time (the exception to the rule) (Choy, 2002). A non-traditional nursing student is defined as students who …

An Atomistic Study Of The Effects On Mechanical Properties And Bonding Interactions Of Carbon Nanofillers In Nylon 6 Nanocomposites, Michael Roth

Dissertations

Polymers have potential for a wide range of applications. The effectiveness of polymers can be further enhanced through the addition of nanofillers that improve thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of the polymer. Carbon based nanofillers such as carbon nanotube (CNT), graphene, and carbon nanofibre (CNF) are of particular interest due to their high properties and high aspect ratios. However, limited understanding of the governing interactions of these nanofillers with polymers limits the effectiveness of the final nanocomposite.

The first facet of this dissertation focuses on determining the dominating interactions between pristine CNT and graphene with nylon 6 monomer and the …

Effect Of Selfsame Microparticles On Epoxide Amine Network Formation And Matrix Mechanics, Travis Palmer

Dissertations

Epoxide amine matrices are widely utilized in aerospace carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites having engendered significant reductions in weight and fuel consumption. This dissertation focuses on the effect of constrained space during network formation on the matrix mechanics of these highly complex composite systems. Precipitation polymerization conditions are developed to prepare epoxide amine microparticles (EMs) based on tetraglycidyl-4,4’-methylenedianiline (TGDDM) and isophorone diamine (IPDA). Surface functionality of EMs is tuned via control of epoxide to reactive amine hydrogen ratio, where unreactive, amine- and epoxide-functional EMs are prepared. We demonstrate that EMs are polydisperse, but can be filtered, yielding low dispersity …

Chemoenzymatic Study Of Coa-Linked Rna In Bacteria, Krishna Sapkota

Dissertations

The ability of RNA to store genetic information and to catalyze biochemical transformations led to the speculation of the existence of RNA world before the evolution of contemporary ribonucleoprotein (RNP) world. Recent discovery of RNA molecules containing metabolic cofactors including coenzyme A and its various thioesters at their 5’ end further supported the RNA world hypothesis as these CoA-linked RNA molecules could be the molecular fossils with very ancient origin. As both RNA and Coenzyme A are believed to have co-existed since last universal common ancestor (LUCA) or even before, the CoA-RNA conjugates in current biology may reveal fundamental molecular …

A Dynamic F5 Algorithm, Candice Mitchell

Dissertations

Gröbner bases are a “nice” representation for nonlinear systems of polynomials, where by “nice” we mean they have good computation properties. They have many useful applications, including decidability (whether the system has a solution or not), ideal membership (whether a given polynomial is in the system or not), and cryptography. Traditional Gröbner basis algorithms require as input an ideal and an admissible term ordering. They then determine a Gröbner basis with respect to the given ordering. Some term orderings lead to a smaller basis, but finding them traditionally requires testing many orderings and hoping for better results. A dynamic algorithm …

Technology Effectiveness In Teaching Statistics: Best-Evidence Meta-Analysis, Zita Tiamuh

Dissertations

Evidence about technology effectiveness in supporting post-secondary students’ learning of introductory statistics concepts is inconclusive. Lacking in current investigations are considerations of the synergies between technology, content, and pedagogy that influence learning outcomes in statistics education. The current study used meta-analytic procedures to address the gap between theory and practice related to the best evidence of effective instructional practices in technology-enhanced introductory statistics classrooms. A conceptual framework based on the ADDIE model, TPACK, and constructivism guided the investigation of substantive study characteristics related to instructional design.

Findings were based on 32 studies published between 1998-2018 that used quasi-experimental or experimental …

Bulk Properties Correlated To The Hydrogen Bond Organization In Dendrimers, Hyperbranched Polymers, And Linear Polymers, Beibei Chen

Dissertations

Although a lot of research was conducted on dendritic polymers, our understanding of their structure-property is still limited. Our previous study, which focused on a family of dendritic polymers based on 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl) propionic acid (bis-MPA) as a monomer, discovered unique hydrogen bond organizations contributed by their dendritic structures. However, the influence of the H-bond organization on bulk properties has yet to be understood. The goal of this dissertation is to elucidate the correlation between the H-bond organization with the dielectric and volumetric properties of bis-MPA based dendritic polymers, with an emphasis on developing a fundamental understanding of to what extent …

Huisgen 1,3-Dipolar Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition “Click” Reaction In Polymer Synthesis And Curing, Jie Wu

Dissertations

This dissertation’s key focus is on utilizing Huisgen 1,3-dipolar azide-alkyne cycloaddition (AAC) reaction in copolymer synthesis and modification, including thermoplastic block copolymer and commercially available two-component polyurethane system. It can be divided into two major projects, introduced as follows.

The first project involves the development of a modular synthetic approach toward polyisobutylene (PIB)-based triphasic pentablock thermoplastic elastomer with enhanced moisture permeability. This terpolymer consists of a poly(styrene-b-isobutylene-b-styrene) (SIBS) core and appended hydrophilic polymer blocks (HBs). The SIBS core was synthesized via living cationic polymerization (LCP) of isobutylene followed by sequential addition of styrene. AAC was utilized …

Analysis Of A Research-Based Show Choir Competition Adjudication Rubric: Reliability And User Perceptions, Ladona Tyson

Dissertations

A weighted rubric, created in a prior pilot study, used for adjudicating nine show choir competitions was statistically analyzed to determine reliability. A survey and ten interviews with adjudicators were examined to ascertain user perceptions. Results from an intraclass correlation coefficient indicate that the Tyson Rubric has excellent inter-rater reliability. Survey respondents indicated that the Tyson Rubric provides a step towards standardization in the genre of show choir, though improvements were suggested. Interviews were transcribed and coded, revealing themes of bias in show choir adjudication, the need for standardization in the genre, and the need for improved adjudication training. The …

Self-Regulated Learning Instruction’S Relationships With Teacher Subject Area, Teacher Beliefs, And Teacher Efficacy, Jeffrey Coggin

Dissertations

Self-regulated learning (SRL) instruction develops essential competencies required in the classroom and the workplace (Johnson, 2002; Yan, 2017). SRL instruction helps learners develop the proficiency required for successful self-directed, life-long learning. Furthermore, SRL instruction produces the skills needed to plan, monitor, and achieve learning goals. However, SRL instructional techniques are difficult to implement in the classroom or workplace because educators must transfer learning responsibilities and outcomes to the learner. This study examined the relationships of teacher subject area, teacher beliefs, and teacher efficacy on the use of SRL instruction. The participants included PK-12 teachers from a public-school district in Alabama. …

The Roles Of Educational Leaders And Other Factors That Contribute To Successful Programs For English Learners, Abdulmohsen Ibrahim Alsliman

Dissertations

Public schools in the United States have experienced a rise in the number of English language learners (ELLs). (National Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2018). The ELLs across different states including Colorado schools underperform academically when compared to their peers (NCES, 2018). To close the achievement gap, it is important to understand how to create and sustain successful ELL programs at the elementary level. Therefore, the purpose of this non-experimental survey research was to identify the possible factors contributing to the success of ELL programs in elementary schools in the same school district and to explore the role administrators and …

The Relationship Between Efficacy And Teacher Turnover Intent, Bradley J. Kolwyck

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between efficacy and teacher turnover intent in small, poor, rural schools. The researcher focuses on small, poor, rural schools in a Midwest state in the United States due to the state’s annual teacher turnover rate (16.4%) which mirrors the national rate. A sample of 730 teachers was solicited to participate in the study through their building principal with a final response of N = 220 participating. This non-experimental study explores the relationship between efficacy (independent variable) and turnover intent (dependent variable) by collecting data utilizing the online platform of Survey …

Understanding Learner-Centeredness And Student Engagement In Undergraduate Biology Education, Ashley Barbara Heim

Dissertations

The overarching goal of my dissertation research is to better understand how undergraduate students engage in biology. Considering the notable lack of interest in the sciences among undergraduates in recent years, actively engaging more students in biology throughout college could potentially increase their motivation to learn biology and retain more students in science fields. Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, I sought to discover the dimensionality of learner-centeredness in the biology classroom using a variety of instruments. Outside of the classroom, I aimed to describe college-age adults’ learning experiences at informal learning settings such as zoos via development and administration …

Shifting Sands: The Art Of Ecological Place-Based Education, Emily Christine Bretl

Dissertations

Ecological place-based education is defined by the inextricable overlap of the places where society, politics, culture, and the environment meet in intricate and interdependent ways. It encompasses the development of the skills, knowledge, understanding, and characteristics that we need to live well on this earth and with one another. This research observed and evaluated the experiences, expectations, and practices of three traditionally minded teachers and the participant-researcher as they encountered and implemented ecological place-based education for the first time, in a new school. I used the methodology of educational criticism and connoisseurship, and I applied an ecological aesthetic framework to …

Growth Mindset For Incoming College Students, Erin Michelle Datteri-Saboski

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine an educational psychology phenomenon called growth mindset and the influence it may have on first-generation college student transition as measured by first-semester GPA. I invited students attending the orientation first-generation workshop to participate in my study and had 308 participants. I systematically selected one-third of them to participate in a 35-minute intervention that taught them about growth mindset. Students in the control group participated in the session New Student Orientation had in place for years: a simple social-belonging intervention. My study found that students who participated in the control/social-belonging intervention had statistically …

Mathematical Literacy: A Case Study Of Pre-Service Teachers, Maria Gabriela Lopez Jaramillo

Dissertations

This study addresses the question of whether or not pre-service teachers are ready and prepared to use and teach the highly-specialized language of each discipline. The disciplinary languages present teaching and learning challenges due to their lack of parallels in the daily language (Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008). Additionally, the languages of the disciplines are rarely taught and are commonly acquired through an isolated representation of words without a situated meaning within the theory (Gee, 2002). The knowledge of the particular ways of reading, writing, listening to, and talking in the content areas provides opportunities for students’ apprenticeship within the disciplines …

Design, Development And, Psychometric Assessment Of An Inventory On Concepts Pertinent To Developing Proficiency In Organic Reaction Mechanisms, Sachin Nedungadi

Dissertations

This three-phase study was conducted to design, develop, and psychometrically analyze the Reaction Mechanisms Concept Proficiency Inventory (RMCPI). In the first phase, open-ended interviews were conducted with organic chemistry instructors (N=11) to obtain their opinion on concepts pertinent to developing proficiency in organic reaction mechanisms. The results yielded 11 pertinent concepts. Additionally, participants believed that organic reaction mechanisms are essential for mastering organic chemistry and students have difficulty with understanding the meaning and utility of the curved-arrows. The difficulties that students have with reaction mechanisms could be due to a lack of understanding of fundamental general chemistry and organic chemistry …

Flow State Experiences In Second Semester General Chemistry, Kyle Glen Kemats

Dissertations

“Flow” is a mental state in which a person experiences an optimal performance of an activity, when they are completely immersed in it. The flow state is characterized by a feeling of confidence, and the activity seems to be effortless. A person enters a state of flow when their skills performing a task (activity) matches its level of difficulty. They perceive that the task is neither too easy nor too difficult. Flow state experiences have been connected to increased levels of performance in domains such as athletics and music, as well as in academic domains such as learning foreign language. …