Digital Commons Network^™

Paradoxical Insomnia, A Chronic Insomnia Subtype In Patients With Temporomandibular Disorder, Christy Chan

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this secondary data analysis study is to determine: 1) if individuals with Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) present subjective-objective discrepancies in sleep parameters derived from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to their respective polysomnography (PSG) counterparts for the presence of sleep misperception and 2) to examine specific PSQI-sleep measures that showed significantly higher rates of disturbance in TMD participants in relation to subjective daytime dysfunction and objectively short sleep. The first hypothesis is that there will be an absence of subjective-objective correspondence on specific sleep measures only in TMD participants, while in control participants, it is expected that …

Information, Communication, And Technology In Developing Countries: The Impediment To Nigeria Economic Growth, Fatima Ali Muhammed

Dissertations and Theses

Technological revolution has shifted the world to a post-industrial society as information communication and technology (ICT) govern the centrality of human interaction. ICT has become widely influential at all levels of life, especially socially and economically.

In the 21st century, innovative technologies have become a crucial element of accelerating all factors of production to deliver rapid and effective results in every sector of the economy. The Internet, as a component of ICT, has become the global computing network that facilitates the access, analysis and dissemination of infinite information rapidly using advanced technology.

Policy makers, researchers, business leaders, academics are all …

Third Party Mediation: Comparative Case Study On The Effectiveness Of Foreign Intervention In Intra-State Armed Conflicts In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Libya, And Myanmar., Vanessa Vuji

Dissertations and Theses

The intervention of third-party mediators is often critical in the resolution of intrastate armed conflicts. Their success hinges on such factors as the mediator’s skill and perceived impartiality, the support of the United Nations Security Council and clarity of their mandate, the timing of their interventions (the ‘ripeness’ concept) and the involvement of civil society. The purpose of this research will be to assess the effectiveness of third-party interventions in the Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, Libya, and Myanmar conflicts on the basis of these criteria. The parameters evaluated during the case studies show that third-party mediation may jeopardize the …

The Impact Of Perceived Social Support On Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Elizabeth Eng

Dissertations and Theses

Individuals who have experienced repeated and interpersonal trauma often develop symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), along with additional features relating to disturbances in self-organization (DSO), which is now known as Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). CPTSD has been seen to be associated with adverse outcomes such as somatic symptoms, attachment insecurity, and overall lower life satisfaction (Karatzias et al., 2018; Kuhar & Zager Kocjan 2022; Maercker et al, 2022). Due to these additional features relating to DSO, CPTSD has been identified as distinct from PTSD, and so it has been important to investigate these unique symptoms. One such symptom …

How Adults Use Reddit To Cope With Being Children Of Divorce, Tamera A. Joseph

Dissertations and Theses

How do adults on social media describe their experiences as a child of divorce? The purpose of this study was to explore how posts on the social media platform Reddit are used by people to reflect on their parents’ divorce when they were younger. Reddit is a social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website. The platform allows users to post content such as links, posts, images, and discussion boards. Posts on the website are organized by subjects called “subreddits”. In these subreddits, users discuss topics from news, philosophy, entertainment, and life experiences. Existing public data of archived and …

Internalized Gender Role Stereotypes Within Young Women And The Presentation Of Somatic Symptomatology Of Major Depressive Disorder, Michelle Miselevich

Dissertations and Theses

Evidence suggests that two distinct disorders are currently being diagnosed as depression. One, somatic depression, involves depression plus several somatic symptoms while the other, pure depression, involves depression without as much somatic symptomatology. Somatic depression has been hypothesized to afflict women who view themselves non traditionally and thus do not agree with traditional stereotypes of women. Measures of agreement with negative stereotypes of members of their own group have been found in several groups to be positively related to depression. This may apply among women to pure depression. Thus, women who exhibit pure depression are hypothesized to exhibit agreement with …

Interaction Of Adhd Severity And Neighborhood-Level Ses On Preschoolers’ Risk For Obesity At School-Age, Ramya V. Jayanthi

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) oftentimes emerges during the preschool years. School-age children with ADHD are at an increased risk for obesity as compared to their non-ADHD peers, but it is unknown if this risk is observed in younger children. Socioeconomic status (SES) is negatively related to both ADHD and obesity, but how SES interacts with ADHD to affect later obesity is unknown. This study aimed to examine if preschool ADHD diagnosis and severity interacted with neighborhood-level SES to increase risk for overweight/obesity and greater growth in BMI at school-age. We hypothesized that ADHD severity/diagnosis would be associated with greater growth …

Pakistan, India And The Indus River Basin, Muquadas Ilyas

Dissertations and Theses

Water is a fundamental need of all living things. The right to clean water is classified as a human right under United Nations Resolution 64/292.As such it is the responsibility of governments to ensure its citizens are not deprived of this essential resource. In doing so, effective water management is crucial to provide clean water that is accessible to everyone regardless of any challenges such as geographical constraints or political disputes. This thesis explores the water management efforts of Pakistan and India. These countries are facing a water crisis, whereby numerous citizens have died due to dehydration and diseases contracted …

The Makings Of Creativity And Empathy: Maps Of Maternal Representations, Anielle M. Fredman

Dissertations and Theses

ABSTRACT

The Makings of Creativity and Empathy: Maps of Maternal Representations

by

Anielle M. Fredman

Advisor: Sasha Rudenstine, Ph.D.

The present study investigates the relationship between maternal fantasy of the child and their relationship, and children’s unconscious processes. In addition, the study aims to ascertain the link between maternal representations and aspects of the child’s intrapsychic world, including ego functioning, object relations, and processes of separation-individuation.

Maternal fantasy was measured in an original way with a tripartite typology of Positive, Mixed-Complex, and Contradictory Representations, applied to the Parent Development Interview-Revised Short (Slade et al., 2004), adapted from the Working Model …

Immigrant Therapists’ Perceptions Of Transference, Countertransference, And Racial Experiences In The United States, Lian Malki-Schubert

Dissertations and Theses

There has been a steady increase in the percentage of immigrant therapists in the US. In psychology doctoral programs, the number of foreign-born students has doubled between 1997 and 2016. The present study aimed to examine the perceived impact of therapists’ immigrant identity when working with US-born and foreign-born clients, as little research has been dedicated to this topic. Another central theme this study sought to explore was immigrant therapists’ perspective shifts on racial identity upon arriving in the US. Given that race is a social construct that is culturally bound, the study investigated immigrant therapists’ perceptions of racial identity …

Compassion-Based Resilience Training (Cbrt) For Frontline Healthcare Workers In Contact With Covid-19 Patients, Michael Perez Sosa

Dissertations and Theses

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has had deleterious consequences for the mental health of frontline healthcare workers worldwide. One systemic review of the literature found high prevalence rates of anxiety (67.55%), depression (58.89%), and stress (62.99%) reported by this population (Vizheh et al., 2020). Additionally, high rates of burnout and symptoms associated with trauma have also been ubiquitous during the pandemic for frontline healthcare workers. The purpose of this study is to investigate Compassion-Based Resilience Training (CBRT) as a remotely delivered intervention for frontline healthcare workers in contact with COVID-19 patients to reduce symptoms associated with stress, depression, anxiety, burnout, and …

The Moderating Roles Of Racial Discrimination And Covid-19 Stress On The Association Between College Students’ Cannabis Use And Psychosocial Functioning, Shannique Richards

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract

The Moderating Roles of Racial Discrimination and COVID-19 Stress on the Association between College Students’ Cannabis Use and Psychosocial Functioning

By

Shannique Richards, MA

Advisor: Sarah O’Neill, PhD

Greater use of cannabis is linked to poorer psychosocial outcomes. Rates of cannabis use are particularly high in racial/ethnic minoritized (REM) and socioeconomically disadvantaged college students. Cannabis use has been correlated with exposure to trauma. REM and socioeconomically disadvantaged college students report higher rates of trauma exposure, including discrimination and health and social disparities than their White peers. This study examined exposure to two types of potentially traumatic events (racial discrimination …

An Exploration Of The Relation Between Psychological Functioning And Reactions To Global Climate Change For Late Adolescents In New York City, Emma Routhier

Dissertations and Theses

Climate change poses a potentially unique generational crisis, as it threatens the viability of the very world that the current adolescent generation stands to inherit. While some studies have begun to appreciate the specific experience of adolescents as it pertains to climate change, they attend to young people’s behavior or self-reported feelings. The present study aims to employ psychoanalytic constructs, with attention to the unconscious determinants of psychic life and behavior, in an empirical examination of this topic, and to introduce a level of sensitivity to the vicissitudes of the adolescent period that have not previously been addressed in the …

Early Adversity, Emotion Regulation, Object Relational Functioning, And The Moderating Effect Of Gender Identity: A Community Sample Study, Victoria Schilder

Dissertations and Theses

Introduction: Clinical and social psychological literature have long demonstrated group status, culture, and social support as equally integral and influential factors which contribute directly both to the quality of one’s lived experience, and to the development and experience of one’s sense of identity or selfness. For example, acceptable norms regarding behavior, dress, and emotional experience – particularly when an individual does not live up to societal standards – have been demonstrated to contribute to deleterious internalizations surrounding self-confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem. More specifically, the social and cultural implications of being identified as “female” versus “male” have been found to be …

Immigrant Risk, Self-Discontinuity, And The Role Of Nostalgia, Leila Talhouk

Dissertations and Theses

Background: There are conflicting theories and data about immigrants’ health in the host country (e.g., immigrant risk vs. paradox), which have encouraged researchers to examine more nuanced factors related to immigration to clarify these inconsistencies. This two-part study aimed to shed light on these discrepancies by investigating psychoanalytic concepts that have not yet been empirically tested. The study focuses on immigrant self-discontinuity, a migration- induced disruption in one’s sense of self-sameness and unconscious sense of going-on-being, manifesting in moments of disorientation, disorganization, or dissociative-like experiences. There is no adequate instrument to measure this construct; as such, Part 1 of the …

Understanding The Impacts Of Freshwater Fluxes On The Biogeochemistry Of The Coastal Arctic: A Case Study Of Prudhoe Bay, Francesca Lingo

Dissertations and Theses

The Arctic region, undergoing significant environmental changes due to rapid warming, faces alterations in air temperatures, melting permafrost, declining sea ice, and changes in riverine inputs. These shifts have profound implications for Arctic coastal ecology and biogeochemical cycles. This study, focusing on Alaska's North Slope, explores the influence of freshwater fluxes on water optical properties, vital for accurate satellite remote sensing interpretations. Our approach combined field measurements, existing data, and satellite remote sensing retrievals to identify biogeochemical gradients and their seasonal and interannual variations. A novel finding was the unique CDOM composition in Prudhoe Bay, characterized by a lower molecular …

Fine Characterization Of Leafing Phenology In The Brazilian Atlantic Forest By Optical And Microwave Remote Sensing, James B. Bell

Dissertations and Theses

Tropical forests provide important ecosystem functions in the global biosphere, but they remain among the most poorly understood elements of land surface models, especially with regard to their seasonal dynamics. For instance, in seasonally dry forests, the pattern of the annual green-up in their canopies closely follows annual patterns of rainfall. The same, however, does not occur in wet forest canopies which are dominated by evergreen trees. In the latter, water is not scarce enough to limit leaf photosynthetic function. Canopy leafing phenology in these forests is therefore poorly characterized by optical remote sensing methods which are not sensitive to …

Examining Indigenous Engagement In The Formulation Of Nationally Determined Contributions (Ndcs): A Comparative Study Of Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, And Bolivia, Viviana K. Gonzalez

Dissertations and Theses

This study assesses the extent to which indigenous peoples have been included in the National Determined Contributions (NDCs) of four Latin American countries: Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia. By examining the consequences of their exclusion, the study highlights the political marginalization of indigenous peoples. In addition, the study explores avenues for voicing indigenous concerns through regional organizations such as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (ICHR). By identifying lessons for Latin American states and advocating for regional cooperation, the research aims to strengthen the position of indigenous peoples in international climate negotiations …

Advancing The Accuracy Of Watershed Analysis Across Diverse Hydrometeorological And Geologic Regimes Via Classification And Analysis Of Gpm-Imerg Products, Jake M. Longenecker

Dissertations and Theses

The analysis and protection of watersheds, along with spring water resources, depend on the accurate identification of catchments. Building on previous research that correlated spring hydrographs with high-resolution, satellite-based Global Precipitation Measurement – Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for GPM (GPM-IMERG) data, I improve the speed and accuracy of catchment identification and hydrodynamic characterization via an enhanced Empirically Constrained Hydrologic Operation (ECHO) algorithm. This research (1) establishes optimal parameter inputs for the algorithm to enable reliable identification of source point-locations, (2) removes human in-the-loop processing, and thus reduce potential operator bias, and (3) explores the potential for using a limited dataset of …

Ukraine’S Quest For Justice: Accountability For Atrocities Committed In The Russia-Ukraine War, Tetiana Karpus

Dissertations and Theses

The Russian Federation's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, has been marked by numerous documented atrocities, potentially falling under the categories of war crimes and crimes against humanity. This thesis aims to explore whether these apparent human rights and humanitarian law violations merit international prosecution. It also assesses the suitability and feasibility of various mechanisms, such as establishing national courts, "internationalized" or "hybrid" tribunals, or resorting to the International Criminal Court (ICC), drawing insights from past experiences in transitional and retributive justice.

Non-Governmental Organizations And The Implementation Of The Convention On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Discrimination Against Women In Uzbekistan, Sayyora Khaydarova

Dissertations and Theses

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is a landmark international treaty aimed at promoting and protecting women's rights globally. Its implementation is monitored by a Committee of experts which, in so doing, relies extensively on the active engagement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the role of NGOs in contributing to the implementation of norms of CEDAW in Uzbekistan. Thanks to their symbiotic relationship with governmental authorities and the Committee and as shadow reporters, information providers and advocates NGOs have significantly contributed to the country's noticeable but …

The Nexus Of Climate Change And Human Rights: An Examination Of How Social, Political, And Environmental Impacts Of Climate Change Jeopardize The Protection Of Human Rights In The African Sahel, Camden R. Malone

Dissertations and Theses

Climate change is a threat multiplier by its driving forces of environmental stress and scarcity. In the developing world, countries are hit hardest and most frequently by the effects of climate change, such as severe floods, droughts, and desertification. In this thesis, I argue that existing models for the umbrella-term of climate-security underemphasize dimensions of human security through exclusion of HR violations linked to climate such as subjection to food/water stress, compromised health, displacement, and violent conflict. Therefore, the climate-security paradigm should be recast to pay closer attention to its consequences related to human rights protection, which I refer to …

Unity Against Adversity: Examining The Moderating Effect Of A Sense Of Community Between Discrimination And Discrimination-Related Distress Among Racial And Ethnic Minoritized Adults, Kimberly Velazquez

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Racial and ethnic minoritized populations are significantly more likely to develop mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, than White populations. Some of the predominant causes are rooted in the impact of discrimination, and other social determinants of health (SDOH), including adverse experiences. Studies found that discrimination can lead to a distinct form of anxiety described as discrimination-related distress, which has a higher negative association with poor mental health symptoms. It has been suggested that having a strong sense of community (SOC) –a collective sentiment shared by community members regarding their membership, feelings of belonging, …

Topological Photonic Metasurfaces For Light Manipulation And Strong Light-Matter Interaction, Svetlana Kiriushechkina

Dissertations and Theses

High-resolution nanopatterning techniques, such as electron beam lithography, extended opportunities for implementation of the various designs of photonic structures which exhibit exciting physical phenomena in the optical domain. A straightforward fabrication of on-slab nanostructures is advantageous for integration with various photonic on-chip devices. Last decade all-dielectric periodic nanostructures (photonic metasurfaces) boost a growth of novel optical technologies, from ultra-sensitive detectors to compact beam structured lasers. Moreover, they represent one of the most promising platforms in which topological phases can be explored and exploited.

Topological photonic structures attract a significant interest owing to their outstanding properties such as a resilience to …

Machine Learning Driven Resource Allocation In Edge Cloud, Arslan Qadeer Dr

Dissertations and Theses

Next generation mobile and immersive applications (e.g., Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Extended reality (XR)), and Internet of Things (IoTs) provide richer functionalities which possess resource-hungry and real-time constraints. To conserve energy and improve performance of such devices, certain computationally heavy tasks can be executed remotely by offloading them to the back-end cloud (BC) and utilizing its abundant compute resources. However, the long distance between a mobile/IoT device and the BC causes huge network delay, thus, deteriorating the user experience of real-time applications. Edge-cloud (EC) and beyond 5G (B5G) wireless communication are envisioned to cope with the above compute …

Molecular Elucidation Of Reaction Mechanisms In Aluminum & Lithium Metal Batteries By Solid-State Nmr Spectroscopy And Electrochemical Methods, Leo W. Gordon

Dissertations and Theses

As society wrestles with the ever-growing climate consequences of burning fossil fuels, the increased demand for electric vehicles and renewable power generation mandates safe, sustainable, earth-abundant, low cost, and energy dense batteries. Different use cases will necessitate different types of batteries; for example, stationary storage systems prioritize minimal expense, whereas mobile applications like electric vehicles emphasize high energy densities. Aluminum and lithium metal batteries hold great promise for next-generation energy storage due to their large specific capacities (2980 mA h g^-1, and 3860 mA h g^-1, respectively). In particular, aluminum metal is low cost, has high …

Use Of Bioheat Modeling To Characterize And Optimize Implantable Medical Devices And Neuromodulation Technologies, Adantchede Louis Zannou

Dissertations and Theses

Medical device development includes prototyping, benchtop characterization, preclinical studies, and clinical trials. Understanding the limitations and potential adverse effects of medical devices prior to their administration in humans is a crucial first step. Optimizing medical devices is essential to employing technology and improving patients care. Computational modeling is widely adopted as a powerful tool to predict stimulation/recording parameter optimization, rapid electrode/device prototyping, investigating novel mechanism of action, and testing working principles of any medical devices. Many implantable neuromodulation technologies including Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS), which provide substantial therapeutic benefit for patient population with lower back pain, produces heat via the …

An Experimental Study Of The Impinging And Freezing Dynamics Of A Colloidal Droplet On Solid Surfaces, Andro Fayek Abdelmalek

Dissertations and Theses

In modern manufacturing, the production of complex components with intricate geometries and varying material compositions has become essential. To meet these demands, additive manufacturing (AM) has gained prominence. Various 3D printing technologies, such as stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), and plastic extrusion, have been developed to produce finished components. However, each technology has its limitations, including restricted printing resolution or limited material selection. A novel idea in additive manufacturing involves the utilization of inkjet printing nozzles with colloidal fluid and implementing the freeze-dry method. This innovative technique entails depositing colloidal droplets onto a freezing substrate using an inkjet head. …

Design And Experimental Observation Of Topological States In Photonic Metasurfaces, Anton Vakulenko

Dissertations and Theses

Topological phases in photonics attract a lot of attention due to their unique properties which allow controlling optical coupling and electromagnetic field distributions in nanostructures. Diverse phenomena supported by photonic topological structures include robust scatter-free waveguiding, an extreme confinement of light, lasing and strong coupling with novel low- dimensional materials. A very convenient integration with on-chip optical devices and also with quantum dots or monolayers of van der Waals materials promise even brighter future for photonic topological insulators as a useful platform for innovative photonic and compact quantum devices.

In the course of my dissertation work, I investigated topological structures …

Scalable Quantum Compilation Approaches For Reliable Quantum Computing, Vedika Saravanan

Dissertations and Theses

Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize various industries, from pharmaceuticals to finance and transportation. Unlike classical computers, quantum computers are based on the principles of quantum mechanics and can perform specific calculations exponentially faster than classical computers. However, quantum computing is still in its early stages of development. It faces several challenges, including the high rate of errors and the limited number of qubits in quantum hardware. Therefore, more efficient and scalable methods are needed to translate quantum algorithms into executable forms on a quantum computer. To overcome these challenges, several research efforts are underway to develop scalable noise-aware …