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Seminarians In The Person-Of-The-Therapist (Pott) Training : A Phenomenological Study, Tomichan Moonnanappillil

Dissertations

This dissertation presented a transcendental phenomenological study conducted among eight seminarians in one of the theological schools in Southern Texas, who attended the personof-the- therapist (POTT) training program during the fall semester of 2019. This study aimed to examine seminarian participants' experiences in POTT training, their influence on their selfawareness, and their impact on their emotional maturity and the ability to make responsible life choices. The study was guided by an existential-humanistic philosophical orientation as an overarching theoretical orientation with the subjective epistemological worldview and socialconstructionism paradigm. Findings indicated POTT training positively impacted seminarian participants' human formation, which was foundational …

The Mobility Of Long-Lived Radioisotopes And Their Burial In The Marine Environment, Neil Redmond

Dissertations

Marine sediments record chemical signals that reflect past environmental conditions. It is important to establish how these signals are created and whether they may be altered over time so that they can be useful for reconstructing ocean history. Measurements of uranium isotopes are used as a novel proxy for sedimentary diagenetic processes (Chapter 2). Because ²³⁴U can be ejected from mineral lattice during the decay of ²³⁸U, it creates a pool of U in porewater that is potentially mobilized and then deposited elsewhere in the core. We found that alpha-recoiled ²³⁴U is sensitive to differences in sediment …

Pathways To Offending: Domestic Sex Trafficking, Julie Williams

Dissertations

Multidisciplinary professionals across criminal justice, public policy, education, and health and

human services have all attempted to understand the complex phenomenon of sex trafficking to assist victims, correct offenders, and prevent future abuse. However, current research has struggled to agree on terms, definitions of terms, best measures of prevalence, and recommendations to address sex trafficking in the United States. This review of current literature aims to offer a synthesized framework to conceptualize domestic sex trafficking perpetrator behaviors (what they do), their uses of force, fraud, and coercion (how they do it), and their motivations and justifications/rationalizations for those behaviors (why …

Sibling Experiences With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Analysis, Katherine Golden

Dissertations

This study explored the lived experiences of adult siblings of a child with autism utilizing the framework of ambiguous loss theory (Boss, 1999). An exploratory analysis of the sibling experience began with the research question: What are the lived experiences of adult siblings of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder? Further analysis used the theoretical framework of ambiguous loss theory with the secondary question: How have adult siblings been affected by ambiguous loss in their experiences with a sibling with autism spectrum disorder? Heidegger’s (1962) hermeneutic phenomenological approach was utilized to guide the semi structured in-depth interviews and to analyze …

Stream-Evolving Bot Detection Framework Using Graph-Based And Feature-Based Approaches For Identifying Social Bots On Twitter, Eiman Alothali

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the problem of evolving social bots in online social networks, particularly Twitter. Such accounts spread misinformation and inflate social network content to mislead the masses. The main objective of this dissertation is to propose a stream-based evolving bot detection framework (SEBD), which was constructed using both graph- and feature-based models. It was built using Python, a real-time streaming engine (Apache Kafka version 3.2), and our pretrained model (bot multi-view graph attention network (Bot-MGAT)). The feature-based model was used to identify predictive features for bot detection and evaluate the SEBD predictions. The graph-based model was used to …

The Impact Of The Wiki-Enhanced Tblt Approach On High School Students’ Writing Skill In A Boys’ Public School In Al Ain, Uae, Abdullah Mahmoud Taha

Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of the wiki-enhanced task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach on students’ writing skill in the context of English as a foreign language (EFL) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In addition, it explored the students’ and teacher’s views and perceptions toward the implementation of the wiki-enhanced TBLT approach. The study data were collected quantitatively and qualitatively from two classrooms in a public high school in the UAE, which consisted of 30 students. The quantitative data were collected via a pretest–posttest design from the two assigned groups of students: the control and experimental groups. The qualitative data …

التطور اللغوي في العربية المعاصرة من خلال باب الأدوات (تحقيقات في ضوء مقولة الخطأ والصواب ومقاربات في التفسير), خالد حسین دلكي

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Blockchain-Enabled Ehr Sharing In Healthcare Federation: Sharding And Interblockchain Communication, Faiza Hashim

Dissertations

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) are crucial components of the healthcare system, facilitating accurate and efficient diagnosis. Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution to improve EHRs sharing among medical practitioners while ensuring privacy and security. By leveraging its decentralized, distributed, immutable, and secure architecture, blockchain has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare system. However, due to security concerns, blockchain networks in healthcare typically operate in private or consortium modes, resulting in isolated networks within a federation. Scalability remains a significant challenge for blockchain networks, as the number of participating nodes increases within each network of the federation. Consensus mechanisms …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Photocatalytic Activity Of Photoactive Mofs And M-Hof Under Simulated Visible Light Irradiation, Lamia Ali Siddig

Dissertations

The increasing global energy demand has resulted in environmental issues, leading to a shift in research towards sustainable and renewable energy sources. Among these, solar energy is the most abundant natural resource available. One of the most profitable ways to utilize sunlight is through chemical transformation using photocatalysts. In this regard, we reported the synthesis of different stable porous materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and metal hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (M-HOFs). The MOF photocatalysts are bismuth-gallate (Bi-gallate), a mixed ligand manganese-based MOF (Mn^II₃(tp)_6/2(bpy)₂. (dmf)) and a new hexagonal layer manganese MOF compound named …

Bismuth And Lanthanides In Mixed Metal Oxides To Metal– Organic Frameworks: Synthesis, Cherectarization, And Photocatalytic Performance, Reem H. Alzard

Dissertations

Known as rare–earth elements (REE), lanthanides (Ln) found in f–blocks of the periodic table, have gained much interest because of their unique characteristics including magnetism, photoluminescence and catalysis. Having a diverse range of coordination geometries, lanthanides can result in different complexes and materials. Herein, three classes of materials containing selected lanthanides such as lanthanide bismuth mixed metal oxides (Ln–Bi oxides), 1D lanthanide coordination polymers (Ln–CPs) and lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (Ln–MOFs) were investigated. Simple route sol– gel method was used to prepare Ln–Bi oxides while Ln–CPs and MOFs were prepared by solvothermal condition. The materials were characterized using multiple analytical, spectroscopic …

Effect Of Collaborative Pre-Task Planning On The Writing Quality Of Intermediate Efl Learners Within The Task-Based Language Teaching Approach, Osama Naeem Alzoubi

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the collaborative pre-task planning taking place prior to writing within the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) framework. The primary aim of this dissertation is to examine how providing time for PTP, considered as a problemsolving activity, has the potential to more positively enhance L2 writers’ performance and motivation to write than writing tasks performed with no planning time. Through a mixed methods experimental design, intermediate school students were distributed into a control and experimental group and conducted a pre-test and post-test to enable the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data over a ten-week period. The actual writing …

Molecular Mechanisms Of Natural And Synthetic Compounds Against Breast And Colon Cancer, Aysha Hamad Alneyadi

Dissertations

Cancer is a complex disease with various causes, including genetic mutations, viruses, chemical agents, and lifestyle factors. Although numerous studies have been conducted to develop a cure or novel medications for cancer, no standout treatment has been found. In this project, the use of various natural and synthetic compounds as potential cancer treatments was investigated using triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and colon cancer cells. The cancer therapy strategies investigated were based on plant-derived therapuetic approaches including an essential oil (Origanum majorana essential oil), a pure phytochemical (Carnosol), and newly developed synthetic drugs (Chromenes drevatives; C1 and C2). This study …

Enhancing The Bioactivity And Functionality Of Camel Whey By Enzymatic Hydrolysis And Conjugation With Quercetin, Waqas Nabi Baba

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on enhancing the bioactivity and emulsifying properties of camel whey through peptic hydrolysis and conjugation with quercetin, respectively. Peptic hydrolysis of camel whey using pepsin was performed using a general full factorial design (33) to study the effects of temperature (30, 37, and 45°C), times (120, 240, and 360 min), and enzyme concentrations (0.5, 1, and 2%) on antihypertensive and antilipidemic properties. The generated hydrolysates showed higher inhibition of pancreatic lipase (0.465 to 7.5 mg/mL), cholesterol esterase (0.240 to 1.243 mg/mL), and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) (0.197 to 1.307 mg/mL) compared to control camel whey. Various bioactive …

An Inaugural, Qualitative Examination Of The Relationships Between People With Gender Nonconforming Expression And Social Anxiety, Chrystiana Jones

Dissertations

The focus in this research was on the experience of social anxiety associated with people with gender nonconformity. The study involved consideration of the issues people with gender nonconformity face as well as the mental impact that often occurs as a result of the rejection of other people in their lives, including their family and friends, as well as how and in what ways gender nonconforming people are affected by negativity in their environment. Data related to the problems that develop with such people, in particular the impact of stigmatization, discrimination, and social anxiety on people with gender nonconformity were …

Impact Of Covid-19 On Latinx And Black Communities, Carolina Zuluaga

Dissertations

This critical literature review project explored the impact of COVID-19 on Latinx and Black communities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of September 28, 2022, around 16% of COVID-19 cases in the United States were among Latinx people, and 14% of cases were among Black people (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022). Since COVID-19 began, clinicians have become more conscious of the effects of health disparities within racial and ethnic minorities, which has warranted increased advocacy by educating health and mental health providers and creating and providing resources to these communities and clinicians. The review …

A Program Evaluation Of Prekindergarten Program In One School District, Alicia Eubank

Dissertations

I explored the potential impact of position and salary change on prekindergarten teachers in a public-school district in a southern state. I provided an educational, economic, political and moral/ethical analysis in partial support of this change for the district.

The current policy in the district is that the school year prekindergarten teaching positions are considered non-instructional. However, the summer prekindergarten program teachers are certified teachers as per state requirements. The new policy will make all prekindergarten teaching positions require state certification. This change would give them the financial pay and benefits included with the position change and keep them in …

Motion-Resistant Pulse Oximetry, Ludvik Alkhoury

Dissertations

The measurement of vital signs ? such as peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO₂) and heart rate (HR) levels ? by a pulse oximeter is studied. The pulse oximeter is a non-invasive device that measures photoplethysmography (PPG) signals and extracts vital signs from them. However, the quality of the PPG signal measured by oximetry sensors is known to deteriorate in the presence of substantial human and sensor movements contributing to the measurement noise. Methods to suppress such noise from PPG signals measured by an oximeter and to calculate the associated vital signs with high accuracy even when the wearer …

Trustworthy Machine Learning Through The Lens Of Privacy And Security, Thi Kim Phung Lai

Dissertations

Nowadays, machine learning (ML) becomes ubiquitous and it is transforming society. However, there are still many incidents caused by ML-based systems when ML is deployed in real-world scenarios. Therefore, to allow wide adoption of ML in the real world, especially in critical applications such as healthcare, finance, etc., it is crucial to develop ML models that are not only accurate but also trustworthy (e.g., explainable, privacy-preserving, secure, and robust). Achieving trustworthy ML with different machine learning paradigms (e.g., deep learning, centralized learning, federated learning, etc.), and application domains (e.g., computer vision, natural language, human study, malware systems, etc.) is challenging, …

Ai Approaches To Understand Human Deceptions, Perceptions, And Perspectives In Social Media, Chih-Yuan Li

Dissertations

Social media platforms have created virtual space for sharing user generated information, connecting, and interacting among users. However, there are research and societal challenges: 1) The users are generating and sharing the disinformation 2) It is difficult to understand citizens' perceptions or opinions expressed on wide variety of topics; and 3) There are overloaded information and echo chamber problems without overall understanding of the different perspectives taken by different people or groups.

This dissertation addresses these three research challenges with advanced AI and Machine Learning approaches. To address the fake news, as deceptions on the facts, this dissertation presents Machine …

Importance Of Vegetation In Tsunami Mitigation: Evidence From Large Eddy Simulations With Fluid-Structure Interactions, Abhishek Mukherjee

Dissertations

Communities worldwide are increasingly interested in nature-based solutions like coastal forests for the mitigation of coastal risks. Still, it remains unclear how much protective benefit vegetation provides, particularly in the limit of highly energetic flows after tsunami impact. The present thesis, using a three-dimensional incompressible computational fluid dynamics model with a fluid-structure interaction approach, aims to quantify how energy reflection and dissipation vary with different degrees of rigidity and vegetation density of a coastal forest.

In this study, tree trunks are represented as cylinders, and the elastic modulus of hardwood trees such as pine or oak is used to characterize …

Influence Of Material Properties On Granules Prepared By Dry Co-Rotating Twin Screw Extrusion And Counterrotating Batch Mixing, Afstathios Steve Pafiakis

Dissertations

Recently, the pharmaceutical industry has shown interest in continuous granulating technology because of the flexibility it offers as an option that bypasses the costly scale-up process associated with batch manufacturing. However, the granulation mechanism(s) using twin screw co-rotating hot melt extrusion (HME) has not been fully explored, and it is not yet well understood. This leads to costly experiments during development and process reliability problem in commercial manufacturing. The main objective of this dissertation is to increase the mechanistic understanding of the twin screw granulation process of systems containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and a polymer excipient. This is …

Pbm And Dem Simulations Of Large-Scale Closed-Circuit Continuous Ball Mill Of Cement Clinker, Nontawat Muanpaopong

Dissertations

Cement milling is known to be inefficient and energy-intensive. Thus, even small improvements in cement milling's performance could significantly reduce operation costs. This dissertation aims to develop a simulation tool for dry milling and generate a fundamental process understanding, which enables process optimization. To this end, a true unsteady-state simulator (TUSSIM) for continuous dry milling is developed and applied to model various processes: (a) open circuit continuous mills, (b) closed-circuit continuous mills, and (c) vertical roller mills. TUSSIM is based on the solution of the cell-based population balance model (PBM) for continuous milling, which consists of a set of differential …

Coronal Magnetometry And Energy Release In Solar Flares, Yuqian Wei

Dissertations

As the most energetic explosive events in the solar system and a major driver for space weather, solar flares need to be thoroughly understood. However, where and how the free magnetic energy stored in the corona is released to power the solar flares remains not well understood. This lack of understanding is, in part, due to the paucity of coronal magnetic field measurements and the lack of comprehensive understanding of nonthermal particles produced by solar flares. This dissertation focuses on studies that utilize microwave imaging spectroscopy observations made by the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA) to diagnose the nonthermal …

Deep Hybrid Modeling Of Neuronal Dynamics Using Generative Adversarial Networks, Soheil Saghafi

Dissertations

Mechanistic modeling and machine learning methods are powerful techniques for approximating biological systems and making accurate predictions from data. However, when used in isolation these approaches suffer from distinct shortcomings: model and parameter uncertainty limit mechanistic modeling, whereas machine learning methods disregard the underlying biophysical mechanisms. This dissertation constructs Deep Hybrid Models that address these shortcomings by combining deep learning with mechanistic modeling. In particular, this dissertation uses Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to provide an inverse mapping of data to mechanistic models and identifies the distributions of mechanistic model parameters coherent to the data.

Chapter 1 provides background information on …

V-Shaped Temperature Dependences And Pressure Dependence Of Elementary Reactions Of Hydroxyl Radicals With Several Organophosphorus Compounds, Xiaokai Zhang

Dissertations

Organophosphorus compounds have brought increasing attention since they are widely used as flame-retardants, which can take effect in combustion via reactions with reactive radicals. These reactions are influenced by variables such as temperature and pressure, resulting in a temperature and pressure dependent rate constant. Studying this reaction kinetics has great importance in both combustion reaction and atmospheric environment.

This study is focused on kinetics of several elementary reactions of combustion importance. The kinetics of hydroxyl radicals were studied using pulsed laser photolysis coupled to transient UV-vis absorption spectroscopy over the 295 - 837 K temperature range and the 1 - …

Development Of Non-Viral Nano-Carriers For Gene Delivery And Covid-19 Vaccines, Zhongyu Li

Dissertations

Gene therapy is one of the most promising medical fields with the potential to effectively advance the treatment of difficult diseases by producing therapeutic proteins or repairing defective gene sequences. However, gene therapy presents severe challenges in delivery including renal clearance, phagocytosis, enzymatic degradation, protein absorption, and cellular internalization barriers, which have been barriers for translation into the clinic. Naked nucleic acids, with their intrinsic negative charge, electrostatically repulse the anionic cell membrane, preventing cellular uptake. Also, they are considered foreign genetic material when introduced into the body and are rapidly cleared by the reticuloendothelial system or degraded by nucleases, …

Development Of Novel Nanocarbon Based Materials And Membranes With Enhanced Biocidal Capabilities For Clean Water Generation, Indrani Gupta

Dissertations

Water scarcity is one of the major challenges facing humanity today, driven by population growth, economic development, and dietary shifts towards more water-intensive animal products. To address this issue, efficient water resource management and recycling of wastewater are essential. However, around 80% of wastewater globally is discharged into water bodies without treatment, posing a risk to ecosystems and human health. Pathogens, or harmful microorganisms, are a primary cause of water impairment and the transmission of waterborne diseases, leading to increased mortality rates. Traditional methods of treating pathogens involve the use of radiation or chemical disinfectants. Nonetheless, these methods have drawbacks, …

Large-Scale And Meso-Scale Ion Dynamics Of The Near-Earth Space Environment, Matthew Cooper

Dissertations

The mechanisms whereby low energy (order of lOs to 100s of eV) solar wind and ionosphere sourced particles are accelerated to high energy (order of 10s to 100s keV) in the Earth's magnetosphere are a trending research topic due to impacts on radiation belt populations, coupling to the high-latitude ionosphere, and energy budgets for collision-less plasma in dipole fields. Ultra-low frequency (ULF, order of 1-100 mHz) Alfven waves observed in the nightside inner magnetosphere during geomagnetic activity are one such acceleration mechanism. Several source processes for these waves, including the micro-scale drift-mirror mode, have been previously suggested but observational evidence …

Improving Recognition Of Depression Among The Adult Patients In Psychiatric Settings, Jane A. Ferraris

Dissertations

Depression rating scales may improve depressive symptom identification. At the project site, there was no consistent process for determining patients' depressive symptoms, so an evidence-based solution was sought. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if the translation of Dunlop et al.'s research utilizing the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-6 (HAMD-6) would impact the rate of identification of depressive symptoms and referrals to psychology for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) among adult patients.

Molecular Simulations Of Mechanical Effects Of Adsorption In Gas And Liquid Phases, Alina Emelianova

Dissertations

Fluids adsorbing in nanoporous solids cause high pressures that affect the solids and the properties of the fluids themselves. This work explores the mechanical response of solids to the adsorption of gas and liquid. Chapter 1 outlines the current achievements in investigating the mechanical response of adsorbents to the adsorption process, specifically, the computational approaches to predict adsorption-induced deformation. Chapter 2 introduces the theoretical and computational methods employed in this work. Chapters 3-7 address the design and application of the computational techniques for such prediction in different systems: mesoporous silica, microporous zeolites, and metal-organic frameworks, and Chapter 8 focuses on …