Digital Commons Network^™

Shale Softening Based On Pore Network And Laboratory Investigations, Di Zhang

Dissertations

This dissertation consists of two major parts: Firstly, experimental investigation of four major shale softening mechanisms and quantifications of structural parameters. Secondly, numerical simulations of nano-scale flow behaviors using the previous experiments determined parameters based on modified pore network modeling.

Hydraulic fracturing is widely applied to economical gas production from shale reservoirs. Still, the gradual swelling of the clay micro/nano-pores due to retained fluid from hydraulic fracturing causes a gradual reduction of gas production. Four different gas-bearing shale samples are investigated to quantify the expected shale swelling due to hydraulic fracturing. These shale samples are subject to heated deionized (DI) …

Feedstock Powders For Reactive Structural Materials, Daniel Hastings

Dissertations

Metals as fuels have higher energy density per unit mass or volume compared to any hydrocarbon. At the same time, metals are common structural materials. Exploring metals as reactive structural materials may combine their high energy density with attractive mechanical properties. Preparing such materials, however, is challenging. Requirements that need to be met for applications include density, strength, and stability enabling the component to sustain the structure during its desired operation; added requirements are the amount and rate of the energy release upon impact or shock. Powder technology and additive manufacturing are approaches considered for design of reactive structural materials. …

Participatory Learning: Measuring Learning And Educational Technology Acceptance, Erick Sanchez Suasnabar

Dissertations

Participatory Learning (PL) integrates several learning approaches, engaging students throughout the entire assignment process for both online and face-to-face courses. Beyond simply providing a solution, students also craft a problem (problem-based learning), grade each other (peer assessment and feedback), evaluate themselves (self-assessment), and can view others’ work (learning by example). This dissertation research explores the resulting learning effects. Contributions to both educational and Information Systems research include extending an early PL model and experiments that applied the PL approach to examinations, by validating and testing new constructs based on user activity and critical thinking. In addition, the study explores a …

Reserve Price Optimization In Display Advertising, Achir Kalra

Dissertations

Display advertising is the main type of online advertising, and it comes in the form of banner ads and rich media on publishers' websites. Publishers sell ad impressions, where an impression is one display of an ad in a web page. A common way to sell ad impressions is through real-time bidding (RTB). In 2019, advertisers in the United States spent nearly 60 billion U.S. dollars on programmatic digital display advertising. By 2022, expenditures are expected to increase to nearly 95 billion U.S. dollars. In general, the remaining impressions are sold directly by the publishers. The only way for publishers …

Towards Quality By Design (Qbd) Of Pharmaceutical Oral Films Loaded With Poorly Watersoluble Drugs, Eylul Cetindag

Dissertations

Oral films are an emerging drug delivery dosage form with numerous advantages such as ease of handling, the possibility to circumvent the first-pass metabolism, better patient compliance, capability for continuous manufacturing, and as a platform for personalized medicine. As films are different from other final dosages by their dimensions and their matrix form, further research is required to better understand the impact of excipient and drug on product performance to assure a consistent and good quality product. Therefore, this dissertation aims to contribute towards the processability and manufacturability of films by examining the impact of the materials and processes. First, …

Exploring Fused Deposition Modeling (Fdm) Three-Dimensional Printing Tablet Design Options For Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Guluzar Gorkem Buyukgoz

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the use of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) based three-dimensional (3D) printing approach for developing patient-specific dosage forms and addressing related technical challenges in such drug delivery systems. The first main objective is to explore pharmaceutical tablet design options using novel FDM 3D printing technology as the drug delivery platform such that drug form and tablet properties are tailored by considering patient age-specific formulations and dissolution control. Of the five different design options, two proposed options meet the main objective of providing similar drug release, whereas the popular option of fixed drug concentration but differing tablet size could …

From Roundabout To Roundabout: Tahrir Square (1869- 2021), Mariam Abdelazim

Dissertations

Tahrir Square not only represents a symbol of liberation but also reflects the modern history of Egypt. Its several physical changes signify the rise and fall of the monarchy, colonialism, modernism, nationalism, capitalism, echoing a constantly changing definition of the Egyptian public space. And while the surrounding façades physically define the square, either the authorities or the public control its activities.

Khedive Ismail founded the square around 1869 as a roundabout on his “Paris along the Nile” modern city. Between 1882 and 1947, the site became the barracks’ location for the British troops who colonized Egypt. In 1952, an Egyptian …

Using Visual Storytelling To Design Solutions-Based Approaches To Homelessness, Peggy Peattie

Dissertations

Despite millions of dollars spent over several decades on assistance programs, the nation’s homeless population has increased for the last four years in a row. The number of people reporting as homeless for the first time doubled in San Diego between June 2019 and June 2020. Trying to impose a one-size-fits-all model of care on a population comprised of unique individuals has resulted in many homeless opting for the street rather than subjugating themselves to rules they feel do not treat them with respect and dignity. Yet, the perspectives of homeless individuals are excluded from decision-making dialogue around policies and …

The Influence Of Gender, Weight, And Age On Osa Progression In Rem And Nrem Sleep, Alan M. Jones

Dissertations

In the United States, it is estimated that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which greatly increases the risk of many adverse health conditions, affects over 25 million adults with prevalence rates that have drastically increased over the last two decades, likely due to the obesity epidemic. Research has identified several explanatory variables of OSA, but studies have indicated that OSA incidence and severity is mainly determined by three variables: gender, weight and age.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects and importance of gender, weight, and age on OSA levels (as measured by respiratory disturbance index (RDI) values) …

An Explanatory Sequential Study Of Cadet Commitment At The United States Air Force Academy, Justin Pendry

Dissertations

Character and leadership are the essence of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). USAFA’s mission is to develop leaders of character responsible for defending this nation. Our country has the most lethal Air Force this world has ever known. The men and women entrusted with protecting its citizens must be committed to the highest standards of ethical leadership. To accomplish this, USAFA provides a robust education and training program with extensive opportunities for cadet development. However, achieving USAFA’s vision of creating the nation’s best leaders of character relies upon cadet trust in the process and commitment to their development …

Male Nurses' Experiences Of Gender Stereotyping Over The Past Five Decades: A Narrative Approach, Michael W. Finnegan

Dissertations

Negative stereotyping of men in nursing has been a chronic problem that has a direct effect on males and detracts from efforts to recruit and retain them. At this time in American history (2018), traditionally male-dominated professions are making significant progress toward the goal of a gender-balanced workplace. However, the opposite is not true. Traditionally female-dominated professions are not attracting or appealing to men. In the nursing profession, the number of male nurses is relatively small and has remained relatively fixed over time. Estimates vary between 6-15 percent, with the current average being approximately 11 percent (American Nurses Association, 2014). …

International Students’ Perceived Support And Barriers Adapting To The New Cultural Experience In A Southern California University, Jeanette Ayala

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenology study was to explore the lived experiences of international students’ perceptions regarding the types of support they received to adapt to a new culture experience and barriers to their successful adaptation to a new cultural experience while enrolled in a southern California university.

Methodology:

Qualitative research was the methodology used for this study because it was the approach best suited to gain a better understanding of the phenomena of international students’ lived experiences. The present study involved a qualitative design with a phenomenological inquiry approach. The technique of using semi-structured interviews is a method …

The Impact Of Technology Centered Instruction And Implementation Measures On Student Performance, Daniel Kania

Dissertations

This study was conducted to compare the impact of technology-centered instructional methods on student performance in literacy to the impact of non-digital instructional practices. Additionally, this research was designed to identify specific program implementation measures used during the implementation of the prevailing instructional method and identify what link existed between these measures and the performance of students. The researcher examined quantitative and qualitative data obtained from both public data sources and from a survey administered to teachers in eight school districts in Missouri. The participants responded to questions that provided the researcher with quantitative and qualitative data to be used …

Decreasing Pre-Procedure Anxiety In School-Aged Patients In An Outpatient Surgery Setting Using A Video Prior To Anesthesia Induction, Michelle Charette

Dissertations

Anxiety occurs when a human feels a threat in response to a situation. Having surgery can heighten this psychological reaction, especially in pediatric patients undergoing anesthesia. Many children fear anesthesia for they do not understand what is expected of them nor what to expect when entering an operating room. When anxiety and fear are elevated, it can lead to behavioral changes, increases in postoperative pain, delays in wound healing, and postponement of discharge. Eliminating or reducing anxiety can result in positive outcomes for patients with pain, healing, and discharge. Literature supports the use of an educational video to aid in …

The Marginalization Of Social Studies In Missouri: An Analysis Of Elementary Instructional Time And High School Standardized Assessment Scores, Stephanie Lovette

Dissertations

Social studies education plays a vital role in an evolving American society. Through social studies, students are equipped with skills to become active and informed citizens in a democracy (National Council for Social Studies, 2017a). With the implementation of the No Child Left (NCLB) Act in 2001, educational reforms have increasingly emphasized student performance in mathematics, communication arts, and science (Libresco, 2015). As a result, instructional time has been drastically shifted to these subjects (Heafner & Fitchett, 2015). This mixed-methods study was conducted to explore the impact of NCLB and subsequent federal education policies on the marginalization of social studies …

Relationship Between Perceptions Of Home Discharge Readiness And Parental Health Literacy (Phl) Of Nicu Parents Of Black Preterm Infants, Mia K. Waldron

Dissertations

The United States (U.S.) ranks last among western nations in overall infant mortality rates and ranks second highest in rates of preterm birth among the same nation group (MacDorman, Matthews, Mohangoo & Zeitlin, 2014). The U.S. infant mortality data show that Black infants have the highest incidence among all groups (Ely, Driscoll & Matthews, 2018; Murphy, Xu, Kochanek & Arias, 2018). Infants born prematurely are among those at highest risk for infant death with Black women delivering premature infants at rates higher than all other U.S. groups (Ely, Driscoll & Matthews, 2018; Murphy, Xu, Kochanek & Arias, 2018; Xu, Murphy, …

Communication Technology Within Community Colleges, Nicole Dunne

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore and describe the communication technologies that community college students perceive are effective ways to receive information from their college. A secondary purpose was to explore and describe communication technology channels students perceive would be effective ways to receive information from their college that are not being used.

Methodology: This mixed methods research design used quantitative and qualitative data to inform the research questions in relation to community college students’ perception of communication technology effectiveness. The study was a sequential mixed methods study; the quantitative survey results helped to inform …

Contributing Factors To Diaper Dermatitis In The Nicu, Media S. Esser

Dissertations

Purpose: Describe the prevalence of diaper dermatitis (DD) and clinical characteristics of the infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that develop DD. Explore the relationships between clinical characteristics and the development of DD.

Design: Retrospective, exploratory, descriptive study

Setting: Level IV NICU in an urban community in Southeast Wisconsin.

Participants: A convenience sample of 611 infants who were born and admitted to the NICU within 12 hours of life and discharged from the same NICU. A final total of 537 infants remained after exclusion criteria were met.

Methods: Data were collected from the participant's electronic health records from …

Cultural Practices, Knowledge, And Beliefs Of Newborn Care And Health-Seeking In Rural Zambia, Julie M. Buser

Dissertations

Decreasing newborn morbidity and mortality remains a serious global health challenge. For this reason, interventions like maternity waiting homes (MWHs) and the Saving Mothers, Giving Life (SMGL) initiative may improve maternal-newborn newborn health and delivery outcomes. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to explore and describe the cultural practices, knowledge, and beliefs of essential newborn care and health-seeking in the context of MWHs and the SMGL initiative in rural Zambia. Guided by the Ecological Systems Theory, this goal was met through three studies with the following aims: (1) Describe knowledge and beliefs of newborn care and illness from the …

Increasing Breast Cancer Screenings Of African American Black Women, Marlene A. Griggs-Warner

Dissertations

Research shows that African American Black women have a high breast cancer mortality rate due to lack of breast cancer screenings. This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated if culturally-appropriate materials/education increased breast cancer screening rates of African American Black women living in a community in the southern portion of NJ. Kurt Lewin's theory of change encouraged African American Black women to change to healthier lifestyles by encouraging breast cancer screenings. Research also shows that the use of culturally-appropriate tools in clinical settings can improve patient outcomes for this population. Leininger's theory of culture care promoted clinical awareness of the African …

Nurse Perception Of Technology Integration, Adrian D. Hordon

Dissertations

With the increase in technological advancements integrated into hospitals, physician offices, and nursing programs, there is concern regarding the imposition on the clinical foundation of nursing as a human improvement profession during the implementation of technology advancements. Technology can potentially serve as a distraction and even a false feedback loop for improved care, causing an impact on the fundamental quality of patient care. Mobile technology advancement such as Electronic Health Record (EHR) charting and smartphone use in the clinical nurse setting provides both prospects and challenges that have not been widely researched. This dissertation proposal examines registered nurse survey results, …

Preferred Instructional Methods Of Millennial Nursing Students: A Qualitative Study, Brooke Mcatee

Dissertations

The continuing nursing shortage requires nurse educators to understand the best ways students learn to maximize student success and retention. Millennial generation students are currently the majority in the associate degree nursing classroom; therefore, identifying the instructional methods that enhance this generation's learning can influence student success, retention, and preparation for the workforce. The literature reviewed offered conflicting findings, identifying differing instructional methods that enhanced millennial students' learning processes. The purpose of this basic qualitative research study was to determine what instructional methods millennial students identified as aiding in their learning within an associate degree nursing program. An additional research …

The_Instaprep_Project: A Social Marketing Intervention On Instagram To Increase Oral Hiv Prophylaxis In Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, James Q. Simmons

Dissertations

Incidence of HIV diagnoses is higher in Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) than any other socio-demographic population in the United States. BMSM account for 26% of all new HIV diagnoses in the U.S. yet make up an estimated 1% of the U.S population. In 2017, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predicted 50% of BMSM would be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. Oral HIV pre-exposure prophylactic (PrEP) medications developed to prevent sexual transmission of HIV are 95-99% effective. However, Blacks represent only 10% of PrEP prescriptions. Targeted Social Marketing initiatives on Instagram need to be …

Retention, Structural Empowerment, And Dialysis Nursing: Integrating Kanter's Theory And The Refined Nurse Worklife Model, Richard C. Scepura

Dissertations

During this two-phase project, factors that dialysis nurses experience contributing to stress, retention, and the intentions of staying were examined. The theoretical frameworks of Kanter's Theory of Structural Empowerment (KTSE) and The Refined Nurse Worklife Model (NWLM) were utilized in the creation of a learning module regarding structural empowerment. In phase one this was reviewed by an expert dialysis nurse focus group from seven different states with experience in dialysis from seven to forty years. During phase one, the expert panel gave high-frequency domain input including access to support, resources, and the need for strong leadership. The module was adjusted …

The Application Of Motivational Design To Office Hours Conducted Within Fully Online Courses, Mark P. Ferguson

Dissertations

This study investigated the effectiveness of office hours conducted within online classes and created a framework for instructors to use when adapting office hours, office hours structures, and office hours procedures for online educational environments. A mixed-method approach using a sequential explanatory design was used to first gather quantitative information concerning student perception and use of office hour within online classes and student interaction preferences within online classes. This information was then used to in the development of a framework base the ARCS Model of Motivational Design and Social Information Processing Theory for instructors to use when planning and implementing …

When You Play The Game Of Drones, You Win Or You Die: Examining The Role Of U.S. Drone Strikes In U.S. And English Language Allies Newspapers From 2008-2019, Melissa Aho

Dissertations

In the years following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States ramped up its usage of drones and drone strikes around the world. Spanning three United States’ presidents, drone strikes became a regular feature in the US military arsenal. While American newspaper media and citizens have been very pro-drone, global citizens view drones in a far more negative light. This study examines US military drone strikes and English-speaking allied newspapers in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom and evaluates if coverage remains positive or negative depending on the newspaper’s conservative or liberal leanings from 2008–2019. …

Framing Difference: A Content Analysis Of Disability Coverage In Saudi Arabia Newspapers, Majedah Alsewaiah

Dissertations

The problem of misrepresentation and underrepresentation of people with disabilities in printed periodical media raises concerns for stakeholders. Although this problem extends to multiple global cultures, the invisibility of people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia newspapers is particularly concerning. The existence of negative stereotypes that prevent individuals with disabilities from achieving positive progress in their lives is perpetuated by negative frames that the media fosters in its flawed narratives of disability.

The application of the framing theory enables the current study to expand the knowledge of positive and negative frames that exert an influence on stakeholders. Based on the literature …

"Ain’T I A Woman?”: The Intersectional Representation Of Black Women Professional Leaders Above The Concrete Ceiling In Scandal And How To Get Away With Murder, Jessica Love

Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the politics of re-presentation of the two Black leading characters in Shonda Rhimes’s televised series, Scandal (Olivia Pope) and How to Get Away with Murder (Annalise Keating). This textual analysis explores how the characters are re-represented as leaders at the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality using Kimberlé Crenshaw’s (1989) theory of intersectionality. This study also imposes Patricia Hill Collins’s (2005) matrix of domination to explicate how the hegemonic structure of the concrete ceiling conditions their identities and exertion of power in the workplace. To do this, the researcher investigated cultural workplace expectations tied to notions …

Photopolymer Networks With Tunable Command Destruct Properties, William Walker

Dissertations

Photoinduced thiol-catalyzed hydrogen abstraction and beta-scission of acyclic benzylidene acetals is demonstrated as a new route to “command-destruct” polymer thermosets. Using this approach, we show that poly(thioether acetal) networks synthesized via thiol-ene photopolymerization rapidly degrade to alkyl benzoate byproducts when triggered with light, transitioning from solid to liquid within seconds. The light-driven construction and destruction processes, accessible via distinct differences in kinetics, are readily amendable for photopatterning, additive/subtractive manufacturing, and wavelength-selective applications.

The first chapter of this dissertation details the development of command-destruct poly(thioether acetal) networks via a previously unexplored mechanism for polymer degradation. The degradation mechanism is confirmed via …

The Role Of The Msaabcr Operon In Cell Wall Integrity And Programmed Cell Death During Biofilm Development, Bibek G C

Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is an important human pathogen in both community and health care settings. Biggest challenges with S. aureus as a pathogen is its ability to acquire antibiotic resistance and produce robust biofilms. In this work, we investigated the nature of the cell wall defect in the msaABCR operon mutant in the Mu50 (VISA) and USA300 LAC methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Results showed that msaABCR-mutant cells had decreased cell wall thickness and cell wall crosslinking in both strains. These defects are most likely due to increased murein hydrolase activity and/or nonspecific processing of murein hydrolases mediated by increased …