Digital Commons Network^™

The Influence Of Teaching Digital Resources Of Myplate On Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practice (Kap) For Healthy Eating Habits Of Children, Afaf Alsofyani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the influence of teaching digital resources of MyPlate on the nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to healthy eating habits among first and second-grade students. A pre-and post-assessment of this quasi-experimental research study measured the baseline KAP levels of 45 participants regarding healthy eating habits. Students were divided into three groups: digital MyPlate (n =16), pencil-and-paper (n =15), and control (n =14). Following the pre-assessment, an intervention was conducted involving teaching MyPlate and the five food groups. A post-assessment was then implemented to measure the change in KAP levels resulting from the intervention. …

Trauma Informed Schools: Investigating K-12 Educator Perceptions From Professional Learning To Implementing Practices, Kelsey Cupp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to further the understanding on how access to trauma-informed professional learning changed research-based practices in classroom and school-wide settings in K-12 schools. The guiding question for this quantitative study was: How has trauma-informed professional learning influenced changes in research-based practices in school-wide and classroom settings in K-12 schools? This research assessed the perceptions of elementary, middle, and high school teachers in one school district to investigate access to trauma-informed professional learning and potential changes in research-based practices in school-wide and classroom settings. Participants were teachers, in Northeast Tennessee, employed in urban schools implementing …

Pilz Domain-Containing Proteins Regulate Motility In Acinetobacter Baumannii, Gabriel Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Acinetobacter baumannii is an increasingly multidrug-resistant pathogen contributing to hospital-acquired infections, necessitating a greater understanding of how it interacts with its surroundings. Many bacteria utilize different methods of bacterial motility to move about and interact with these surroundings. A bacterial second messenger, cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), can regulate various motility factors that are potentially advantageous for survival in and adaptation to their environment. Concentrations of c-di-GMP are regulated by specific synthesizing and degrading enzymes. Controlled levels of c-di-GMP allow interaction between the c-di-GMP and its binding effectors that induce changes in bacterial phenotypes such as biofilm formation and motility. A …

Characterizing Enterobacter Cloacae Genetic Elements Responsible For Interactions With Candida Albicans, Abigail Suarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polymicrobial interactions are an important, yet understudied area of research. Candida albicans is the most common human fungal pathogen. The bacterial genus, Enterobacter, is a source of nosocomial acquired infections and increased drug resistance. Our lab has previously discovered that Enterobacter preferentially adheres to C. albicans hyphae. From an E. cloacae transposon library screen, six candidates displayed reduction in C. albicans attachment. These candidates were identified genetically and characterized for involvement in attachment to C. albicans. A fluorescent plasmid was introduced into E. cloacae to measure and observe adherence to C. albicans in planktonic and biofilm growth. In vivo …

Strength And Endocrine Adaptations From The Combined Use Of Accentuated Eccentric Loading And Cluster Sets During A Strength Endurance Training Block, Kurt Mcdowell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the chronic effects of accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) paired with cluster sets (CS) on dynamic and maximal strength, the endocrine system, and body composition. Seventeen recreationally active subjects (male = 11, females = 6, age = 23.05 ± 4.07, height = 172.09 ± 9.98, body mass = 81.29 ± 22.18, back squat to body mass ratio = 1.55 ± 0.33, bench press to body mass ratio = 1.06 ± 0.28) participated in one familiarization week, 2 weeks of testing, and 4 weeks of training. A strength-endurance block (4 wks) was used for …

Poly (Adp-Ribose) Polymerase-1 (Parp1) Expression In The Frontal Cortex And Hippocampus In Major Depressive Disorder (Mdd) And Suicide, Ramona Faith Fulkerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that has a complex pathophysiology. In this study we evaluate the expression of PARP1 and the downstream alarmin protein high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in two brain areas that have demonstrated pathology in MDD. MDD donors were compared to controls. MDD subgroups that died by suicide were also compared to those that did not die by suicide. Immunoblotting to determine PARP1 and HMGB1 protein expression was performed in white and grey matter from the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. In BA10 white and grey matter, PARP1 protein expression was significantly …

Co-Rumination, Psychological Inflexibility, And Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescence, John Parigger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two risk factors for anxiety and depression in adolescence were examined: co-rumination, which occurs when friends excessively talk about problems; and psychological inflexibility, which occurs when one avoids negative feelings and fails to act on values. I hypothesized that psychological inflexibility would exacerbate the effect of co-rumination on adolescent anxiety and depression. Participants were 167 adolescents (Mage = 14.60 years, SD = 1.3; 65.7% cisgender males) who completed standard measures as part of an online survey. Results indicated no moderation effect, but there were main effects of co-rumination and psychological inflexibility on depression symptoms. Co-rumination may relate to …

Informed Consent Document Delivery: Effects On Appalachian Caregivers' Comprehension, Trust In Researchers, And Willingness To Participate, Tess A. Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether altering an informed consent document (ICD), in ways that either promote or inhibit accessibility, would affect potential participants’ willingness to participate in a child development laboratory-based study. Specifically, I was interested in assessing the willingness to participate of historically underrepresented groups, especially Appalachian caregiver-child dyads. I altered three parameters of a previously approved and employed ICD to explore whether these parameters impacted Appalachian caregivers’ comprehension of the study, willingness to participate, and trust in the researchers. The manipulated parameters included reading level, utilization of illustrative pictures, and inclusion of text-to-speech …

Effect Of Chemical Enhancers On Transdermal Delivery Of Amiloride For Management Of Resistant Hypertension, Oluwatosin Tabitha Leshaodo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Amiloride, a diuretic used for managing resistant hypertension, is hindered by low oral bioavailability and Gastrointestinal side effects, impacting patient compliance. This study investigates transdermal delivery as an alternative to reduce pill burden and improve adherence. Using dermatomed porcine ear skin, the research examined the passive transdermal delivery of amiloride and the effect of various chemical enhancers, including oleic acid, oleyl alcohol, tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, individually or in combination. A validated High-Performance Liquid Chromatography method, adhering to Internal Council for Harmonized guidelines (ICH), was employed for quantitative analysis. In vitro permeation studies, conducted using porcine skin and …

Dengue And Climate Change: Assessing Potential Future Areas Of Concern For Transmission In The United States, Matthew Beer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Global climate change severely impacts human life, particularly health, as rising temperatures and extreme weather affect physical and mental well-being. Climate change can also alter the risk factors and epidemiology of infectious diseases, notably vector-borne diseases (VBDs), including those transmitted by mosquitoes. The Aedes mosquito, responsible for dengue, poses a significant threat due to its prevalence vector. Dengue prevention lacks effective methods beyond vector control, and the current vaccine has limitations, emphasizing the need for intensified research and prevention strategies to mitigate the expanding dengue burden worldwide. The goal of these studies was to establish a novel risk index …

Changes In Blood Lactate And High Intensity Exercise Endurance During A Strength - Endurance Accumulation Training Using Accentuated Eccentric Loading, Nicholas Goode

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of accentuated eccentric load (AEL) resistance training and changes in work capacity, high-intensity exercise endurance (HIEE) and lactate metabolism. Seventeen recreationally trained subjects (11 males and 6 females) (mean ± SD: age = 23.2 ± 4.2 yrs, BM = 81.3 ± 22.2 kg, height = 172.1 ± 10 cm, male relative back squat (BS) [MD1] strength (1RM*BM^-1) = 1.64 ± 0.32 kg*kg^-1, female relative BS strength = 1.39 ± 0.32 kg*kg^-1) participated in the study. Subjects completed a week of familiarization to participate in …

Texas High School Counselors’ And Advisors’ Ccmr Self-Efficacy: An Exploratory Descriptive Study, Amanda R. Jolivet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last 20 years, there has been a growing emphasis on ensuring high school graduates are prepared for college and career in the 21st century. This is especially true in Texas, a state that has not only instituted college, career, and military readiness (CCMR) policies but has also monetarily incentivized schools and districts for meeting specific CCMR accountability metrics. Although Texas high school counselors and advisors are responsible for ensuring students across the state have access to CCMR information, support, and resources, not much was known about Texas high school counselors/advisors’ self-efficacy as it relates to postsecondary planning or …

Dismantling Barriers: Exploring Effective Support Systems For African American Success In Stem At Community Colleges, Traci L. Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the barriers and effective support systems for African American male students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at community colleges. Given that African Americans represent a significant portion of community college students but a disproportionately small percentage of STEM graduates, this research sought to identify the factors contributing to this disparity. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the support systems that can enhance academic and social success for African American men STEM majors. Questionnaires, semistructured interviews, and archival records were the data collection methods used to examine African American male students …

Examining Enrollment & Engagement In A Hospital-Based Violence Prevention Intervention Study At A Level 1 Trauma Center, Leigh Frederick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Violence is a significant healthcare issue that affects the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Violence prevention and intervention programs are a powerful way to stop the revolving door of violent injury in our hospitals and communities. The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI), develops and connects violence intervention programs, promotes equity for victims of violence globally, and is dedicated to engaging patients during the window of opportunity when they are recovering in the hospital after a violent injury to reduce the chance of retaliation (related to the injury) and recurrence. A small body of research shows …

Implementation Of A Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention To Lower Perceived Stress Levels In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Wendy S. Carley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project analyzed the effect of the daily use of a mindfulness-based mobile application on associate degree nursing undergraduate prelicensure students’ perceived stress levels. Nursing students experience elevated stress levels that may be reduced through mindfulness behaviors. Undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students participated in establishing the impact of mindfulness on perceived stress levels in a quantitative pre/postintervention study. The evidenced-based studies chosen for this review consisted of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, pre/posttest designs, systematic reviews, and quantitative and qualitative studies. The investigator collected presearch data using a pre/posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program in reducing …

Parental View On Hpv Vaccination, Rebecca Elaine Rhodes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection widely seen in the United States. Millions of Americans are affected by it each year, especially those in their late teens and early 20s. Although most infections will resolve on their own, 1 in 10 will lead to health problems such as cancer. The HPV vaccine can prevent over 90% of associated precancers and cancers. However, uptake of the HPV vaccine and its completion among adolescents are significantly lower than other recommended adolescent immunizations, falling short of the Healthy People 2030 goal of 80% coverage. Understanding parental attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions …

Diversity Management And Organizational Resilience Among Midsized Cccu Institutions In Christian Higher Education, Kristopher M. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative cross-case analysis was developed to investigate how diversity management strategies were implemented and whether they coexist with organizational resilience capabilities at three U.S. private, midsized Christian-affiliated institutions of higher education associated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The researcher collected data from a senior-level chief diversity officer at each institution to determine how their diversity strategy was managed and whether a mature diversity program was concurrently present with organizational resilience capabilities. Data were collected using two primary instruments: the Diversity Management Competencies Questionnaire and semistructured interviews focused on organizational resilience. The collected data were supplemented …

Impact Of Workplace Spirituality On Turnover Intention, Employee Engagement, And Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Study On Allied Health Care Professionals In The United States, Kerene A. Hoilett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare organizations may experience high expenses, turnover costs, and low morale, which may limit their ability to keep allied healthcare employees engaged and satisfied, resulting in high turnover. Yet, little is understood concerning the impact workplace spirituality may have on job outcomes such as turnover intention, job satisfaction, and employee engagement among allied healthcare workers in the United States. Job embeddedness and social exchange theories guided this study. An online survey incorporating workplace spirituality, turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and employee engagement was administered to 133 United States allied healthcare employees. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to describe the data …

Exploring Principal Turnover In Oklahoma, Brett Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools that maintain the same principal for 5 or more years report increased student achievement, increased teacher retention, and a positive school culture. The problem is that over 70% of principals will not remain in the same school for 5 years and the average principal turnover rate in the United States is 22%. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore

principal turnover in Oklahoma from 2011–2024 by answering the following research questions: What is the average principal turnover rate for principals in Oklahoma? Is there a significant difference in elementary and secondary principal turnover rates? Is there a …

Make It Funny! Developing A Novel Humor-Based Digital Positive Psychology Intervention To Investigate The Influence Of Duchenne Laughter And Mirth On Psychological Distress In Daily Life, Joshua Semko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present research was to develop a novel digital humor-based PPI (Make it Funny!) to investigate the influence of Duchenne laughter and mirth on psychological distress in daily life. Participants (N = 159; Age_­median­ = 39 years; 47.77% biologically female; 68.15% White) were tasked with completing Make it Funny! or a placebo activity every day for 7 days. Duchenne laughter frequency had a small negative cross-sectional moderation effect on the relationship between the occurrence of stressful events psychological distress (t(79.71) = -2.33, b = -10.89, p = .022). Within participants, Duchenne laughter …

Trust, Transparency, And Transport: The Impact Of Privacy Protection On The Acceptance Of Last-Mile Drone Delivery, Jurgen Heinz Famula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A common set of problems commercial delivery companies face is finding ways to increase the efficiency and reliability of the “last mile” of a package’s journey, all while reducing operating costs. This need for efficiency has driven many companies to explore using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to get packages to their final destination. Although UAVs have great potential to help increase efficiency in commercial package delivery, this comes at a potential cost to the privacy of people who intersect the flight paths of these unmanned vehicles. This thesis explores the effect of a mobile phone application for commercial …

The Role Of Edc3 In Drosophila Melanogaster Neuronal Development, Keelan Zius

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Enhancer of mRNA-decay 3 (Edc3) is a component of multiple decapping complexes that regulates the transcriptome by targeting a subset of transcripts for decapping for 5’-to-3’ messenger RNA (mRNA) decay. A missense mutation in the conserved Lsm domain of Edc3 has been reported in two siblings presenting with mild, non-syndromic intellectual disability (ID), however, the role of Edc3 is neuronal development has never been evaluated. Here, we use the Drosophila melanogaster model system to investigate the effects of Edc3 disruption on neuronal development. We found Edc3 reduction leads to significant hyperplasia at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ), providing the first …

Collective Case Study Career Critique Of Social Entrepreneurs Who Are Gifted Adults, Joi Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes a qualitative research study that grows our understanding of the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of social entrepreneurs who are gifted adults (SEGA) so that we may nurture the career development of future SEGA. Research questions for this study probed the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of SEGA and the shared social value they create. The conceptual frameworks for this study are the ecological model for human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979); the theory of positive disintegration (Dąbrowski, 1964/2016); social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994); the perceived instructional arc (Uhrmacher et al., 2017); and …

Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy And Neural Mechanisms Of Parenting: Assessing Neural Responses To Infant Cues And Parenting Outcomes, Shannon Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As legalization of cannabis and cannabinoids spreads in the United States, access and use of cannabis during the prenatal period has increased. There is limited knowledge on the effects of prenatal cannabis use on the parental brain. One way to identify potential effects of cannabis on parenting is through studying parenting brain functions and behavior. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has been shown to be associated with lower positive parenting and lower sensitivity to infants, but it is unclear by what mechanisms. The following two studies address this gap in knowledge by examining the association between cannabis use during the prenatal …

Self-Efficacy And Racial Identity For Undergraduate Music Majors, Rachel E. Lim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students’ identities can impact their self-efficacy, or their confidence in their ability to succeed in producing a desired outcome (Bandura, 1997; Klassen, 2004a; Klassen 2004b; Oettingen, 1995; Usher & Pajares, 2008); however, little peer-reviewed research explores the relationship between racial identity and self-efficacy for undergraduate music majors. In the United States, undergraduate music students of color often navigate educational experiences where they do not find their identities represented in the curricula (Ewell, 2020), their faculty (Higher Education Arts Data Services [HEADS], 2020), or their fellow students (HEADS, 2020).

This convergent mixed methods study utilized the theoretical framework of critical race …

Minimum Wage: Theoretical And Empirical Debates, Ghofran Alrebh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to explore the evolution of research methodologies in the minimum wage debate, focusing on the contrasting perspectives of the neoclassical and institutional models. By examining the changes in research methodologies employed by economists from these two schools, this study seeks to shed the light on the shifting paradigms and the impact of these changes on our understanding of minimum wage policies and their implications. This highlights the limitations of relying on one economic school of thought in understanding socio-economic phenomena complexations and policy decisions. As well as it creates the necessity to critical evaluation of the method …

Culturally Responsive Leadership For Newcomer Students: A Case Study Of An Elementary Newcomer Program School Leadership Team, Ahmad Fayaz Amiri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study focuses on the pivotal role of an urban elementary school leadership team with a newcomer program. It aims to uncover how school leadership decisions, practices, and policies address the diverse needs of newcomer students. Challenges faced by newcomers, including economic and social needs, cultural adjustments, and potential feelings of alienation despite academic success, are explored. The tension between preserving home culture and adapting to a new one adds complexity to newcomer students’ identity formation.

This study examines the practices of a newcomer school leader who addresses the diverse needs of vulnerable newcomer students. With schools being …

Reconciling Moral Dissonance: A Framework For Re-Integrating Moral Orientation With Life Agency During Warfighters’ Struggles With Military Moral Injury, Jeffrey L. Zust

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation uses case studies to critically examine the Three Mirror Model (TMM) as a framework for understanding the formation and healing of Military Moral Injury (MMI). I adapt the work of Stephen Brookfield and Neal Krause to evaluate using the TMM as a methodology for dealing with the complex issues of MMI within a military deployment cycle (training, warfighting, and healing) (Brookfield 2012, 2017; Krause 2022). Specifically, I use theorists, researchers, healers, and warfighters as key stakeholders to identify and critically examine the intersections of disciplines and the subsets of models where warfighters’ moral orientations and moral agency form …

Neuroinflammation In Alzheimer’S Disease Mouse Brain Following Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Lujain Almuhanna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a common form of head injury, with mild TBIs (mTBIs) making up 75-90% of the TBI severity scale. It’s been suggested that repetitive mild TBIs (rmTBIs) may enhance effects of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). With dementia linking TBI and AD together, we investigated the memory hub of the brain - the hippocampus. Astrocytes and microglia are two glial cells that respond to neuroinflammation and therefore imaged in hippocampal regions of the 3xTg-AD mouse brain. We hypothesized that AD brain pathology (i.e., neuroinflammation) would be accelerated in 3xTg-AD mice following rmTBIs early in life. Analyses revealed that …

Sources Of Sexual And Romantic Education: Associations With Sexual Minority Men’S Sexual Experiences And Romantic Relationship Quality, Charlie Huntington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with sexual minority identities experience a variety of poorer mental and physical health outcomes, including those related to sexual and romantic quality, relative to heterosexual individuals (Beaulieu et al., 2017; CDC, 2021). These poorer romantic, sexual, and psychological outcomes may be attributable in part to lacking access to affirmative and relevant modeling of sexual minority experiences, such as through sex education (Gillespie et al., 2022; Keiser et al., 2019). This study aimed to understand how sexual minority men learn – in ways potentially both helpful and unhelpful – about romantic relationships and sexual activity, and how these experiences are …