Digital Commons Network^™

An Applied Research Study On Improving Special Education Identification And Support For Grades 3-6: Assessing The Impact Of The Tier 3 Process, Nickie Malone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Addressing the urgent need for effective literacy instruction, especially for students with diverse learning needs, is paramount in today's educational landscape. This dissertation investigates the implementation and impact of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) framework, particularly the Tier 3 process, at AUES in grades 3-6. The study aims to shed light on the systemic gaps in special education identification and support, evolving pedagogical approaches, and the role of educators and institutions in shaping literacy outcomes.

Grounded in the principles of equity and inclusion, the MTSS framework emerges as a promising avenue for providing personalized support and instruction tailored to …

Listening To Black Holes Ring: High-Precision Ringdown Modelling, Lorena Magaña Zertuche

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

After decades of promise, gravitational waves from a binary black hole system were detected on September 14, 2015 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Since then, close to 100 new gravitational-wave detections, including those from neutron star and neutron star-black hole binaries, have been made jointly by the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA (LVK) collaboration. LIGO's fourth observing run (O4) has begun, and signals on the order of one per week are expected. This rate will only increase as third-generation ground-based detectors will be getting hundreds of thousands of gravitational-wave signals when they go online in the next decade. Moreover, …

Efficient Design Of Neural Network Hardware Accelerator For Enhanced Performance In Deep Learning Systems, Tamador Nadem Mohaidat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Artificial intelligence (AI) hardware accelerator is an emerging research for several applications and domains. The hardware accelerator aims to provide high computational speed while retaining low cost and high learning performance. The main challenge is to design complex machine learning models on hardware with high performance. In this thesis, the aim is to develop the hardware implementation of perceptron within a neural network. Innovative hardware-based approaches are explored to optimize perceptron networks, enhancing accuracy, reliability, and fault tolerance while minimizing resource requirements and power consumption.

A thorough investigation into machine learning accelerators and associated challenges was initially conducted. The hardware …

Single Versus Dual Response Demands In An Event-Based Prospective Memory Task With Context, Anne Elizabeth Vogel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prospective memory (PM) refers to memory for future-based intentions. Previous research has explored how contextual information can support PM performance by lowering the cost to the ongoing task. For example, a study by Smith et al. (2017) demonstrated that knowing the contextual information of proximity to PM targets can affect attentional resource allocation. This was seen empirically as faster reaction times (RTs) when participants knew they were far from the target location, but longer RTs as participants knew they were approaching a target location. However, Vogel and Smith (in prep) found discrepancies in this pattern. This current study investigated these …

Application Of Direct Powder Extrusion 3d Printing Technology In Printing Multi-Layer Structure Tablets, Honghe Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is a widely used technique to manufacture drug delivery systems due to its precision, efficiency, and tailored prescription capability. Although fused deposition modeling (FDM) is the most commonly used technique in the pharmaceutical sciences, there are several limitations. Direct powder extrusion (DPE) 3D printing is a novel technique that was improved from traditional FDM. Material powder blends are fed into the cartridges of the 3D printer directly, without filament manufacturing, avoiding investigation and modification of filament property improvement. Chapter 1 introduces the fabrication of core-shell geometries for controlled-release tablets using direct powder extrusion 3D printing, demonstrating the …

Atomistic Simulation Of Pfas And Graphene: Interactions For Water Applications, Bashar Moufeed Awawdeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The contamination of drinking water by per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) is a global issue. PFAS have been widely utilized in a variety of applications, including water and stain-resistant coatings, fire suppression foams, cosmetics, paints, and adhesives. They have been detected in soils and rivers globally due to their widespread use and resistance to degradation. The strong C–F bonds of PFAS make them exceedingly stable and hard to remove. In order to remediate PFAS contamination in the environment, it is essential to develop selective adsorbent materials that can effectively capture a wide range of PFAS structures. On April 10, …

Mindfulness And Mathematics: The Relationship Between A Mindful Teacher And Mathematics Intervention, Ave Mayeux

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents in American classrooms are currently required to fulfill multiple roles, making them particularly vulnerable to stress due to intense academic demands and social pressures. This stress can be particularly challenging for adolescents who struggle with stress, anxiety, depression, and/or self-regulation. Previous research indicates a positive correlation between mindfulness practices and reduced anxiety, improved social skills and interactions, enhanced academic performance, and better self-perception. This self-study explored the implementation of mindfulness exercises in a mathematics intervention classroom by adapting and creating appropriate resources, and facilitating mindfulness exercises suitable for adolescent students. Data in this self-inquiry study was generated through meticulous …

Performance Of A Selective Amplify-And-Forward Scheme For Two-Users With Two-Relays In Rayleigh Fading And Log-Normal Shadowing Channels, Mahdia Tahsin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Relays serve as virtual antennas in wireless networks, fostering spatial diversity between the source and destination to enhance coverage, signal quality, and network reliability. Among the various relay-assisted communication approaches, amplify-and-forward (AF) is widely favored for its reduced computational complexity. The selection of an optimal relay is crucial for maximizing network performance, constituting a significant challenge in wireless communication. Hence, optimal relay selection has emerged as a pivotal area of research. In this thesis, we investigate the potential benefits of implementing relay selection schemes in AF relay networks featuring two source-destination pairs and two relays. Our analysis focuses on two …

Acoustic Localization In Reverberant Environment, Xing Yang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main goal of this dissertation is to develop algorithms to accurately locate and detect underwater oil leakages through sounds emitted by oil-induced bubbles recorded by passive hydrophones. These algorithms aim to create an early warning system to prevent or identify catastrophic oil spills from pipelines, wellheads, and seafloor seepage.

On Saturation Numbers Of Double Stars, Lei Zhong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A graph G is H-saturated if G contains no copy of the graph H, but for any missing edge e of G, there exists a copy of H in G+e. The saturation number of H, denoted by sat(n, H), is the minimal number of edges among all H-saturated graphs with n vertices. The study of saturation number begins with a beautiful result presented by Erdös, Hajnal, and Moon [14] who calculated the saturation number of a complete graph along with the identification of the unique graph achieving this number.

An Evaluation Of Comprehensive Professional Development Program To Improve Teacher Quality And Student Engagement, Elois R. Nicholson-Booker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this applied research study, using program evaluation, was to improve professional development for teachers to build their capacity in student engagement. This applied research study used three elements: professional development, professional learning communities, and observation-feedback, to improve teacher quality and to increase student engagement. The goal of the professional development element was to increase teacher capacity in student engagement by equipping teachers with research-based strategies to implement in individual classrooms. The goals of the professional learning communities (PLCs) was to support teachers in implementing research-based strategies to increase student engagement and to increase the level of collaboration …

The Evaluation Of An Induction And Mentoring Program To Improve Teacher Turnover, Tulawna Desha Belcher

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This action-based, applied research study aims to address and evaluate the improvement of teacher retention through an effective new teacher induction and mentoring program for teachers in their first years coupled with professional learning to build their capacity. Teacher retention is an issue in every state in the United States. High teacher attrition rates cause the supply of teachers to decrease, and the changing demands of the educational needs of students contribute to the ongoing issue of teacher retention (Davis & Fowler, 2020). With the recent pandemic, teacher shortages have worsened, causing more pressure on administrators and district personnel to …

Examining The Relationship Between Toddlers’ Sleep Patterns, Negative Parenting, And Executive Function, Morgan Elizabeth Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Negative parenting can often be described as having three domains (i.e., laxness, verbosity, and over-reactivity, Arnold et al., 1993; Rhoades & O’Leary, 2007), which may have relations to toddlers’ behaviors, like executive function (EF) and sleep. However, this field is understudied, especially in early childhood development. One possible explanation for the lack of research in this field is that it can be difficult to study executive function in toddlers due to variability in the stability of regulatory behaviors and emerging regulatory abilities at this age range. Although positive sleep patterns (e.g., quality and quantity) have been linked to executive function, …

Exploring African American Female Students' Choice Of Stem Major At Rust College, Shatara Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In comparison to the rest of the United States population, African American women are undeniably inadequately represented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). As one of the oldest historically black colleges in Mississippi, Rust College has the social responsibility to increase the presence and contributions of minorities in STEM. Since the enrollment of African American females is greater than that of African American males at Rust College, the college has the fortuity to assist in increasing the diversity in STEM for both race and gender. This DIP utilizes Intersectionality Theory as the conceptual foundation to explore …

Dependence And Mixing For Perturbations Of Copula-Based Markov Chains, Mathias Nthiani Muia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work explores the impact of perturbations of copulas on dependence and mixing properties for stationary ergodic Markov chains. We focus on two types of copula perturbations and establish their impact on the mixing properties of the Markov chains they generate. Examples are provided to illustrate the different perturbations explored. Furthermore, we delve into the analysis of a discrete Markov chain that is based on the Frechet family of copulas. The objective of this study is to explore the impact of discrete marginals on copula-based Markov chains. We analyze the mixing properties of such models to emphasize the difference between …

Combined In Silico And Experimental Approaches Of Pharmacognosy To Resolve Complex Natural Product Issues, William Michael Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the identification of useful bioactive natural products can often involve tedious dereplication measures to decipher complex mixtures, much emphasis is placed on methods that can effectively characterize natural products. Several in silico methods, such as quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs), molecular docking, and quantum calculations, provide researchers with valuable tools to overcome the challenge of complex natural product mixtures. To exemplify the abilities of computational methodologies to further the field of pharmacognosy, this dissertation elaborates on several research projects involving computational approaches in pharmacognosy, including: (1) global assessment of pregnane X receptor (PXR) agonism via multiple QSAR models, (2) differentiation …

Designing Ris-Assisted Uav 3d Trajectory Using Deep Reinforcement Learning, Linsong Li

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly employed as temporary base stations or access points to facilitate data transfer between ground terminals (GTs). However, in urban environments, UAV-GT communication links often face challenges due to obstructions from buildings and other obstacles, resulting in reduced data transfer efficiency. Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) provide a promising solution by reflecting signals to enhance communication quality between UAVs and GTs. This thesis addresses the critical challenge of responsive UAV trajectory optimization in RIS-assisted communication networks. A novel approach is proposed, integrating federated learning with reinforcement learning techniques, specifically Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) and Deep Deterministic …

Developing And Validating A Novel Screening Instrument For General Psychological Distress, Steven M. Bishop

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study presents the results of both factor analyses in developing the General Psychological Distress Screener (GPDS), and provides preliminary data of its predictive validity. As a new screening instrument, the GPDS assesses mental fatigue and emotional distress in adults and predicts certain psychiatric disorder diagnoses. Drawing upon network analysis principles, two studies were conducted to construct and refine the GPDS. Study 1 identified the variable constructs from psychopathology networks that were used in Study 2. Study 2 used principal axis factoring to develop a 4-factor solution, which was subsequently reduced to a 2-factor model for improved interpretability. Confirmatory Factor …

Increasing Minority Student Enrollment: An Applied Research Study On Increasing The Enrollment Of Minority Students In Advanced Placement Courses, Tamekia Helm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Addressing the disparity in Advanced Placement (AP) course enrollment among minority students at Greater High School is the focus of this research. Through an extensive review of the literature, the study examines the various factors contributing to this gap, including access limitations and systemic barriers. Additionally, teacher perceptions, student attitudes, and parental involvement are explored to understand the influence on AP course enrollment decisions. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews, data is collected from students, teachers and parents to gain comprehensive insights.

Proposed solutions to enhance AP course enrollment include targeted outreach initiatives and support for minority students. …

Weak Disorder Limit On Diamond Hierarchical Graphs With Vertex Disorder In The Critical Case, Casey Reid Lochridge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We compare three models for a directed polymer in a random environment (DPRE): the rectangular lattice, the branching lattice, and the diamond hierarchical lattice. Our focus is primarily on the diamond model, in which the polymers traverse a recursively defined diamond graph with a random environment composed of random variables indexed by the vertex set. The diamond graphs are constructed iteratively according to a given branching parameter b ∈ {2, 3, 4, . . .} and segmenting parameter s ∈ {2, 3, 4, . . .}, and our main result concerns the critical case b = s. In this case, …

Contrastive Learning, With Application To Forensic Identification Of Source, Cole Ryan Patten

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Forensic identification of source problems often fall under the category of verification problems, where recent advances in deep learning have been made by contrastive learning methods. Many forensic identification of source problems deal with a scarcity of data, an issue addressed by few-shot learning. In this work, we make specific what makes a neural network a contrastive network. We then consider the use of contrastive neural networks for few-shot learning classification problems and compare them to other statistical and deep learning methods. Our findings indicate similar performance between models trained by contrastive loss and models trained by cross-entropy loss. We …

Various Surfactant Soil Conditioner Effect On Plant Nutrient Concentration, Soil Nutrient Depletion, Soil Volumetric Water Content, Plant Biomass And Yield In Corn, Timothy Veldkamp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil conditioners help improve soil structure by increasing aeration, water infiltration and water holding capacity leading to nutrient availability and reduced irrigation needs. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of multiple soil conditioners (SC1, SC2, SC3, SC4, and SC5) on corn (Zea mays L.) and their ability to reduce irrigation by 30%. This was evaluated in the field in 2022 and 2023 by Aurora, SD using a Randomized Complete Block Design with six replications. Conditioners were applied as broadcast pre-emergence treatments with 70% irrigation. Control treatments of 70% and 100% irrigation, respectively were included. SC1 application …

Whole Genome Crispr-Cas9 Screens Identify Genes Contributing To Viral Entry And Phagocytosis, Md Saddam Hossain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary technique for genome editing where Cas9 nucleases can be targeted to specific genomic sites by single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) containing roughly 20-nucleotide sequences that are complementary to the target region. Double strand breaks created by Cas9 are repaired through non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) in most cells, resulting in insertions and deletions leading to frame shift mutations in coding regions. Thus, the CRISPR-Cas9 system can be exploited for systematic evaluation of gene function relationships by whole genome screening. We also developed a CRISPR whole‐genome screen and counter‐screen strategy based on a pseudoviral platform that allowed identification of genes specific …

Analysis Of Toxic Chemical Agents And Therapeutics For Toxic Inhaled Agents’ Exposure, Khadija Bilkis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

When inhaled, toxic inhalation agents (TIAs) such as cyanide (CN), ammonia and sulfur compounds (e.g. methanethiol (MeSH)) can be fatal. Many TIAs cause cellular hypoxia, cytotoxic anoxia, apnea, respiratory failure, neurodegenerative disorder, circulatory collapse, seizures, and potential death by blocking mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase. All TIA’s have the potential to be employed as chemical warfare agents, terrorist weapons, or dangerous occupational gases. Although many TIAs are potential threats, there are minimal FDA-approved treatments for these substances useful in a mass-casualty situation. Recently, cobinamide (Cbi) has come to light as a potential antidote for MeSH poisoning. However, methods for analyzing MeSH …

Title Character: A Novel, Di Bei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Inspired by true events, Title Character: A Novel tells the intimate and fraught relationships of Asian female artists during a pandemic in Idaho: Jade, a rebellious girl born amid the one-child policy in Beijing, writes her love story into a script; Pearl, an ambitious actress raised in rural China, stars in Jade’s film and dates the method actor who plays her lover. Strung together by one film, young women of the Asian diaspora mirror and maneuver each other, while playing out their performances of self with art as their arena.

A Case Study Of The Mississippi Teacher Corps (Mtc) Program Graduate School Experience As It Relates To Mtc Postgraduate Teacher Retention, Sandra Evelyn Carver Hubbard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation in practice (DiP) is to explore the relationship, if any, between the Mississippi Teacher Corps Graduate School experience and the expressed reasons of some of its teachers to either leave their placement school; teach in another critical-needs school in Mississippi, but not remain long-term; teach in another state; or exit the profession of classroom teaching after completion of the program. This study will only focus on teachers who left their placement school, another critical-needs school in Mississippi, or classroom teaching after 5 years. These five years include the two years while participants were in the …

Spins And Kicks: An Analysis Of Dynamical Properties Of Compact Binaries Using Gravitational Waves, Sumeet Kulkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The detection of over 90 compact object mergers involving black holes and neutron stars as gravitational wave events by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors over the course of three observing runs has ushered in the new era of gravitational wave astrophysics. Within a decade, we have transitioned from a detection to the population era, with a combined catalog of these events making it possible to study the population properties of compact objects, estimate their local merger rate, and provide clues as to how they can form binaries. This dissertation focuses on two particular displays of the dynamical dance …

Utilizing Embedded Mathematics Instructional Coaching When Implementing High-Quality Instructional Materials, Shannon E. Priest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Professional development is essential for teachers to grow in their profession. However, often professional development is a one size fits all approach, and it occurs outside of the teachers’ classroom. This causes teachers to not fully implement new strategies when they return to their classroom. One way to overcome this is to utilize instructional coaching. As our school district began implementing new high-quality instructional materials without guidance, I took on the role of serving as an embedded mathematics instructional coach.

For this qualitative self-study, I acted as an embedded mathematics instructional coach and provided research-based teaching activities to peer teachers …

Energy Efficient Communications For Signal Detection Using Wireless Sensor Networks, Shailee Yagnik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We consider a wireless sensor network where several sensors receive observations to detect the presence or absence of a deterministic signal in Gaussian noise. In this context, we consider two problems. In the first problem, subject to power constraint across all sensors, we focus on optimizing individual sensor transmit power to enhance the probability of correct decision performance. In the second problem, we concentrate on achieving energy savings by an implementation of sequential transmission involving ordered transmission process from the sensors to a fusion center (FC). Both problems have a focus on energy savings, with ordered transmission requiring timing and …

Development Of Multiple Dosage Forms Using Fused Deposition Modeling 3d Printing Coupled With Hot-Melt Extrusion Dissertation, Peilun Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the integration of Hot Melt Extrusion (HME) and Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing as a novel continuous manufacturing process for pharmaceutical dosage forms. Emphasizing the creation of personalized and complex drug delivery systems, this work highlights the potential of 3D printing technology in revolutionizing pharmaceutical manufacturing by offering customized dosage, precise API distribution, and efficient production with minimal waste. The first chapter delves into the fabrication of bilayer tablets utilizing HME in conjunction with dual-nozzle FDM 3D printing, examining the mechanical properties of HME filaments and the printing quality through a novel 3D printed tablet retention …