Digital Commons Network^™

Ego-Feeling And Ego-Boundaries: An Examination Of The Work And Legacy Of Paul Federn, Samuel Selinger

Dissertations and Theses

Paul Federn was an important figure in the early development of psychoanalysis. He was, besides Sigmund Freud himself, the only founding member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society who was still a member when the society was disbanded by the Nazis in 1938. He was also an early pioneer in the use of psychoanalysis toward the understanding and treatment of psychosis, and was among the very first to consider the importance of the ego to psychoanalytic understanding of the mind and mental illness. This dissertation examines Federn’s key ideas-- ego-feeling and ego-boundaries-- their influence on later psychoanalytic formulations by Winnicott, Lewin, …

The Relationship Between Discrimination And Alcohol Use Among Latinx College Students In The Context Of Covid-19, Mahtab Tuba

Dissertations and Theses

Latinx are the largest minority group in the United States. Ethnic discrimination is a common experience among this population—especially among young adults. Prior work has suggested an association between discrimination, psychological well-being, and alcohol use. Research has also highlighted that social support may buffer the impact of discrimination upon Latinx mental well- being and alcohol use. The present study investigated the relation between the appraisal of discrimination and alcohol-related outcomes (i.e. frequency of use, binge drinking, alcohol- related consequences and risky behavior) of Latinx college students in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated social support as a moderator …

Shear Thickening In Dense Bidisperse Suspensions By Dynamic Simulation, Nelya Malbranche

Dissertations and Theses

Shear thickening, which corresponds to an increase of viscosity with shear rate, is ubiquitously observed in many concentrated suspensions and, as such, has implications for many industrial materials and geological phenomena. Controlling shear thickening is of significant importance, and many studies have been devoted to it. Recent works link shear thickening to the shear-induced transition from a lubricated particle interaction at low shear stress to a predominantly frictional interaction at high stress. In this dissertation, we investigate bidispersity and focus on mechanisms contributing to the viscosity evolution in rate-dependent suspensions, something that has not been addressed before. We perform detailed …

Exosome- And Microrna-Based Therapeutic Approach For Tendinopathy, Angela Wang Ilaltdinov

Dissertations and Theses

Tendinopathy, characterized by degeneration and chronic inflammation, is a significant clinical burden. Current treatments focus on symptom management but do not sufficiently address its underlying pathology; however, stem cell-based approaches aimed at repairing diseased tissues may overcome this limitation. Therapeutic effects of stem cells may be due in part to paracrine actions, including some mediated by exosomes – extracellular vesicles secreted by cells that play a role in cell communication. MicroRNA (miRNA), small non-coding RNA carried by exosomes, are likely responsible for many exosome effects. Exosomes and miRNA therapies show promise in treating diseases such as cancer and arthritis, but …

Amplifying Agency And Presence Of Native American Women In 21st Century Literature, Rachel Mitchell

Dissertations and Theses

This project analyzes Native American women's voices and agency through their presence in a variety of 21st-century literary genres. The texts illuminate a clear presence of Native American authors who actively write Native American female characters that are powerful and take agency over their bodies and stories. The examples of Native American female characters allow readers to see more realistic and relatable figures within literature. Chapter one focuses on the empowering Native American female protagonists in Larissa FastHorse’s What Would Crazy Horse Do? (2019) and Mary Kathryn Nagle’s Sovereignty (2020). The playwrights offer crucial insight into more empowering and complex …

Effective Mental Health Accommodations For Occupational Therapy Students And Practitioners, Allison Jo Naber

Dissertations and Theses

The process of transitioning from high school to higher education and from academic programs outside of the health sciences to the workplace is documented; however, the transitional experiences of those in the health professions and occupational therapy specifically are less understood. This dissertation research aimed to identify the formal accommodations and informal adaptations occupational therapy students and entry-level practitioners have employed to address their mental health needs as they transition from the classroom to fieldwork or capstone and entry-level practice. The link between empirical literature, theories surrounding transitions, and the Occupational Adaptation Model provided the foundation for this research. This …

The Inclusion Of Rape And Other Non-Consensual Sexual Acts In Self-Insert Fanfiction, Diana Rose Humble

Dissertations and Theses

As the internet grew in popularity, fanfiction followed suit. As of April 2022, there are over 9,188,000 works posted on Archive of Our Own, one of the internet’s most popular fanfiction hosting sites. A large number of the stories posted on this site feature a concept known as self-insert, where an author chooses to write themselves into their own story as a central character. Instead of naming their self-insert characters, many authors will use the tag y/n—meaning “your name”—to expand the fantasy to include all readers. Curiously, a subsect of self-insert fanfiction features rape or non-consensual sexual acts perpetrated against …

A Mixed Methods Approach To Understanding Participant Perspectives On Return Of Individual Research Results, Jyoti Angal

Dissertations and Theses

Provision of individual research results to participants is a critical component of the research process. While there is general interest amongst researchers in returning individual research results, a lack of understanding of the personal value of results for participants has hindered the return of individual results. This is especially true for non-genomic research results such as surveys, laboratory test results, or imaging results. This study examined the participant perspectives on the return of individual research results in a diverse cohort of 1587 mothers currently enrolled in the Environmental Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. A mixed-methods approach was used to delineate …

Abomination, Elias Joel Donstad, Anneliese Donstad

Dissertations and Theses

Abomination is a collection of creative nonfiction essays through which I examine my sexual and gender identity alongside negotiating the trauma of my childhood, adolescences, and early adulthood. I specifically interrogate how evangelical Christianity acted as a traumatizing agent in its focus on the total depravity of humanity and demonization of queerness. I explore the various ways language impacts and constructs individuals and their experiences. The essays in this collection partly come together to form a narrative of my life; however, this collection is not arranged to be chronological. There is no singular narrative arc. While the essays are interconnected, …

Assessment Of Vertical Accuracy From Uav-Lidar And Structure From Motion Point Clouds In Floodplain Terrain Mapping, Andrew Muller

Dissertations and Theses

Remote sensing technologies are being applied to a variety of uses because of the increase in access to various products (digital sensors, UAVs, software) and its ability to model relatively large areas in a short amount of time. While these new technologies are beginning to be adopted, validation of their merit in floodplain terrain mapping is lacking. The main goal of this study is to evaluate the vertical accuracy of digital elevation models (DEMs) generated with UAV-based LiDAR and Structure from Motion (SfM), also known as photographic LiDAR or PhoDAR. Airborne (manned aircraft) LiDAR has been applied to river research …

Distribution And Characterization Of Rhyolites Of The Strawberry Volcanics -- Evolution Of A Major Rhyolite Field Associated With Columbia River Basalt Magmatism, Eastern Oregon, Usa, Chanel Leigh Dvorak

Dissertations and Theses

The Strawberry Rhyolites constitute a significant rhyolite field among the largest in Oregon. Aerial coverage of approximately 386 km² and an overall estimated volume of ~67 km³ using a median thickness for each unit. On the other hand, the total volume could be greater than 100 km³ if greater thicknesses apply. The Strawberry Rhyolites, a largely unknown mid-Miocene silicic volcanic rocks, crop out amongst voluminous flood basalt flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) in eastern Oregon. The eruptive activity of the Strawberry Rhyolites is currently constrained to span a period of about 2 million years, …

The Dark Realism Of Miyazawa Kenji: Social Activism In The Science-Fiction Children's Story, The Life Of Gusukō Budori, And Its Precursor Work, Elsiemae Ann Ito

Dissertations and Theses

Miyazawa Kenji (1896-1933) is widely known in Japan as a children's story writer and poet, but he was also grounded in real life as a teacher, soil scientist, and farmer. Recognizing the harsh realities for farmers in his native Iwate, he nonetheless dreamed of an ideal world, as seen in his stories. To better understand the dark realities of life in Iwate, Japan, Miyazawa changed his occupation from teacher to farmer, focusing more on social activism that would better the lives of the people in his community. His late children's story, The Life of Gusukō Budori (Gusukō Budori no …

Characterization And Interpretation Of Feldspathic Chromite Assemblages (Fcas) In Four Ordinary Chondrites: An Electron Backscatter Diffraction (Ebsd) Study, Kimberly Louisa Maccini

Dissertations and Theses

Feldspathic Chromite Assemblages (FCAs) are chemically distinctive assemblages rich in Na, Al, and Cr that are found in a variety of chondrites. They consist of concentrations of chromite associated mainly with feldspathic material, either feldspar or the glassy material known as maskelynite. Professor Alan Rubin (2003) has proposed that some FCAs formed by shock melting, but the origin of different types of feldspathic chromite assemblages are unclear and have not been studied with more modern techniques such as Electron Backscatter Electron Diffraction (EBSD).

Here EBSD was used to study FCAs in four metamorphosed ordinary chondrites of different shock stages, including …

Nature-Based Solutions In Environmental Planning: Ecosystem-Based Adaptations, Green Infrastructures, And Ecosystem Services To Promote Diversity In Urban Landscapes, Lorena Alves Carvalho Nascimento

Dissertations and Theses

Nature-based solutions encompass strategies that explore ecosystem-based adaptations, green infrastructures, and ecosystem services in environmental planning and landscape management. However, nature-based solutions do not always consider ecological values and perspectives from Black, Indigenous, and Global South population. This dissertation has three independent papers that explore the application of ecosystem-based adaptations, green infrastructures, and ecosystem services in communities unheard by environmental planning agencies. The first paper is a conceptual framework that used literature review and observations of current human-nature interactions to reflect how the criminalization, acculturation, and cultural appropriation of cultural ecosystem services have burdened Black and Indigenous identities. Recommendations for …

Emotional Intelligence And Resonant Leadership: Investigating School Principals' Preparation And Professional Development In Response To Covid-19 And Other Challenges, Ashlie Kaye Miller

Dissertations and Theses

Research has shown that high levels of emotional intelligence and resonant leadership can reduce workplace stress and increase the health, wellness, satisfaction, and performance of employees. Many K-12 principals face a myriad of challenges that tend to produce chronic stress, including the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Yet, it is unclear how the preparation and professional development (PPD) programs available to principals incorporate and encourage resonant leadership practices that are needed to effectively cope with these challenges. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to examine the perceptions of K-12 principals in Oregon regarding: (a) their needs and challenges, especially …

Ecological Exposure And Effects Of Microplastics In Crabs Along The Pacific Coast, Dorothy A. Horn

Dissertations and Theses

Microplastics have been documented across the global oceans as an ubiquitous pollutant. Found in the water column, sediment, shorelines, estuaries, freshwater streams and rivers along with terrestrial soils, flora and fauna. The continuous input of plastic waste into the marine environment doesn't seem to be slowing as the amount of plastic created each year increases globally.

This study investigated (1) the effects of microplastic ingestion in the indicator species, the Pacific mole crab (Emerita analoga), testing the predator avoidance behavior, reproductive output and parasitism effects when an adult female gravid crab had ingested microplastics (2) adult mortality, hatching …

An Examination Of Nurses' Schedule Characteristics, Recovery From Work, And Well-Being, Sarah Elizabeth Van Dyck

Dissertations and Theses

Recovery from work refers to the replenishment of energetic and affective resources depleted while meeting job demands, predominately conceptualized as a process that unfolds throughout the day. This study examined the shift work schedule demands presented by round-the-clock patient care needs on health care providers, and potential recovery opportunities during mid-shift meal and rest breaks. The cross-sectional data were collected via electronic questionnaire among registered nurses (N = 134) working in direct patient care roles in 24-hour healthcare organizations in the Northwestern United States (91.0% female-identified; mean age = 45.3 years). The main effects of adverse scheduling characteristics common …

Antipsychotic Medication Administration In Oregon Assisted Living/Residential Care Settings: Analyzing An Action Situation, Sarah Dys

Dissertations and Theses

Antipsychotic medication use (APU) in assisted living and residential care (AL/RC) settings is an under-studied and controversial health policy issue. APU in older adults with dementia is associated with an increased risk of falls, hospitalizations, and early mortality. I operationalize the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework using a situational analysis approach, an extension of grounded theory methods, to explore the APU in Oregon AL/RC settings. Regulatory deficiency citations, Oregon AL/RC population data, and semi-structured interviews suggest that staff role clarity, organizational characteristics, and perceived agency influence decision-making around APU. AL/RC providers and caregivers are forced to simultaneously balance and prioritize …

Quantum Field Theories, Topological Materials, And Topological Quantum Computing, Muhammad Ilyas

Dissertations and Theses

A quantum computer can perform exponentially faster than its classical counterpart. It works on the principle of superposition. But due to the decoherence effect, the superposition of a quantum state gets destroyed by the interaction with the environment. It is a real challenge to completely isolate a quantum system to make it free of decoherence. This problem can be circumvented by the use of topological quantum phases of matter. These phases have quasiparticles excitations called anyons. The anyons are charge-flux composites and show exotic fractional statistics. When the order of exchange matters, then the anyons are called non-Abelian anyons. Majorana …

The Application Of Design Thinking On Evaluating A User Self-Service Data Analytics/Science Platform, Aheeka Pattnaik

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis is aimed at utilising design thinking and the first half of the double diamond framework to i) set-up a research and select the appropriate participants, ii) gather requirements and define user personas from those eligible participants, and then iii) define the framework for evaluating a user self-service data analytics/science platform. Derived from the author’s own experiences, both as a Business Analyst (BA) and Citizen Data Scientist, with no-, low-, and code-based data analytics and science platforms are being implemented for enabling user self-service analytics – for users who are completely new to the space of data analysis and …

Error Propagation And Algorithmic Design Of Contour Integral Eigensolvers With Applications To Fiber Optics, Benjamin Quanah Parker

Dissertations and Theses

In this work, the finite element method and the FEAST eigensolver are used to explore applications in fiber optics. The present interest is in computing eigenfunctions u and propagation constants β satisfing [sic] the Helmholtz equation Δu + k²n²u = β²u. Here, k is the freespace wavenumber and n is a spatially varying coefficient function representing the refractive index of the underlying medium. Such a problem arises when attempting to compute confinement losses in optical fibers that guide laser light. In practice, this requires the computation of functions u referred to as …

Impacts Of Nontraditional Admissions Criteria On The Admittance And Retention Of Academically At-Risk Student Populations, Kristen Marie Winter

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine impacts of non-cognitive measures in the college admissions process on the retention of academically at-risk student populations. Increasing access to higher education is of benefit to individual and society as a whole. Traditional college admissions practices use standardized testing and GPA, which have been criticized for not being the best sole predictor for college preparedness. The use of non-cognitive measures may increase diversity and equity within the college admissions process.

This study considers students admitted to college through an extended admissions process who have completed short essays addressing non-cognitive measures. These students …

The Distributed Trust Model Applied To The Energy Grid Of Things, Narmada Sonali Fernando

Dissertations and Theses

Electric power system operators can manage distribution system utilization and usage by coordinating end customer usage of distributed energy resources. The end customers in this regard are Service Provisioning Customers, who provide their energy resources to a Grid Service Provider, which in turn dispatches large aggregations of distributed energy resources to provide reliable service to the power system. The security of this system relies upon information protection mechanisms, as described in IEEE 2030.5. However, in addition to preventive security measures, a monitoring function is required to ensure trustworthiness.

Trust models are a method to detect and respond to both expected …

Parenting And Children's Academic Coping As A Dynamic System: Feedforward, Feedback, And Mediators Of Changes Across The School Year, Kristen Elizabeth Raine

Dissertations and Theses

Using a motivational framework based in self-determination theory, the present study investigated the dynamic system between parenting and children's coping, defined as the ways they handle the everyday difficulties they encounter in school, using a sample of 1,020 students in grades three through six drawn from a larger cohort-sequential study. Three overarching research questions were examined using multiple regression that concerned 1) feedforward effects from parents' initial provision of motivational support (i.e., involvement, structure, and autonomy support) to changes in children's academic coping across the school year, 2) feedback effects from children's initial coping to changes in the same parenting …

Sustaining Boys' Motivation Over The Transition To Middle School: Can Interpersonal Resources Protect Boys From Engagement Declines Across Sixth Grade?, Brandy Anne Brennan

Dissertations and Theses

Recent research has highlighted the challenges boys face in school. Boys are overrepresented on indicators of negative academic outcomes, such as detention, suspension, and dropout, as well as underperformance on state and national tests. Moreover, these effects may be long lasting: Compared to females, male students are less likely to graduate high school, enroll in college, and complete a college degree, and they may be particularly vulnerable in middle school. As students enter middle school, their motivation and engagement normatively decline, and these losses may be especially problematic for boys. Nevertheless, research documents the importance of close relationships with parents, …

Genomic Epidemiology Of Clostridium Difficile Colonization And Transmission In An Intensive Care Unit Cohort, Brianne Ciferri

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

Genomic epidemiology of Clostridium difficile colonization and transmission in an intensive care unit cohort

by Brianne Ciferri, MPH

Advisor: C. Mary Schooling, PhD

Introduction: Clostridiodes difficile (C. difficile) is a leading cause of healthcare associated infections (HAI) in the United States and responsible for an estimated incidence of 223,900 cases and 12,800 deaths per year^1,2. C. difficile can cause gastrointestinal illness with symptoms ranging from mild diarrheal illness to a life-threatening condition. C. difficile is an opportunistic pathogen in which spores can live in an undisturbed dormant state within the intestinal tract and become …

The Evaluation Of Performance Of Spindle Connector And Its Finite Element Analysis, Suhyun Lee

Dissertations and Theses

The rapid development of machining technology and reliable high-speed machining systems has led to a fast operation of machines. However, machining machines cannot still meet modern requirements in terms of the quality of parts, the machine components, and the life of the tools. The major components of the machining system are machine tools, the spindle interfaces (the contact between the spindle and the tool holder), and tools. The choice of the spindle connector is the main decision, as this defines the limitation of the metal cutting efficiency and considerably influences the deformation of the machine tool. Therefore, it is very …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development: A Narrative Inquiry Examining Insights From Middle School Teachers, Julie Hatling

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout their careers, teachers seek professional growth opportunities to continually improve their craft. This quest has resulted in various learning experiences for teachers that have impacted their practice in differing ways. Bayar (2014) writes that schools traditionally provide training for teachers, professional development (PD), to help in-service teachers grow as professionals. To gain further insight into the topic of teacher PD, this narrative inquiry sought to obtain a better understanding of PD based on teachers’ perceptions of their past PD experiences and how those experiences impacted their professional practice. This study was guided by a central question and sub-questions. The …

Unsettling South Dakota Literature: Countering Lionized Representations Of A Frontier Fantasy Space, Lindsay R. Stephens

Dissertations and Theses

In this dissertation, I challenge the pervasive notion of South Dakota as a settler fantasy space by considering several of its twentieth and twenty-first century literary offerings through the lens of Settler Colonial Studies. Settler colonial ideology has long dominated historical, sociopolitical, and literary narratives in South Dakota, affecting state policy, Lakota and Dakota sovereignty, public school curricula, the state’s economy, and even state and local responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Notions of Manifest Destiny and a Wild West frontier continue to evolve, shift, and resolidify in South Dakota, playing a key role in the perpetuation of institutionalized disenfranchisement and …

Supporting Teachers Through Standardized Testing: Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrator Support, Erica Neeves

Dissertations and Theses

In recent years, standardized assessment has played a major role in the American school system. Standardized testing, sometimes referred to as high-stakes testing, is a measure to ensure accountability and equity. One standardized test, the NWEA MAP assessment, is used to measure growth and proficiency. When students complete the assessment, they receive a Rasch UnIT (RIT) score and a prediction of growth for the next time they take the assessment, as well as a projection of whether or not they are on track for that expected growth (NWEA, 2021). The purpose of this study was to explore teacher perceptions of …