Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of Water Level Fluctuations On Fish Populations In Eastern South Dakota Rivers, Benjamin Schall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Riverine systems are highly dynamic, and changes in flow conditions can impact the population dynamics of fishes. Increased flows from historical averages in eastern South Dakota rivers have likely impacted fish populations. The goals of this study were to 1) better understand the changes in resource use by Blue Suckers Cycleptus elongatus through retrospective eye lens stable isotope analysis, 2) determine the effects of record flooding in the James River on complex woody habitat and Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris population structure, and 3) assess the influence of river discharge and temperature on Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and Flathead Catfish condition …

Enzyme Susceptibility And Functionality Of High Protein Retentates And Reconstituted Ingredients, Khushi Dubey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the effects of processing history on the enzymatic susceptibility and functional properties of high-protein dairy ingredients, with a specific focus on ultrafiltered (UF) and microfiltered (MF) retentates and spray-dried powders. While retentates and powders are often used interchangeably in industrial applications, processing steps, such as drying, can induce structural and physicochemical changes that affect protein functionality and enzyme accessibility. Milk protein concentrates (MPC) and micellar casein concentrates (MCC) were standardized to 10% protein and subjected to enzymatic treatments, including proteolysis (Alcalase and rennet) and crosslinking (transglutaminase and laccase). Structural modifications were evaluated using capillary gel electrophoresis, non-protein …

Finding Value In Professional Learning: Developing Teacher Learning That Is Internalized And Implemented In Practice, Stephanie Dossett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study was designed after the researcher engaged in multiple mandated professional learning experiences with faculty members who expressed dissatisfaction with their learning experiences, did not desire to engage in learning on the mandated topics, and wanted to engage in different types of learning opportunities. The problem was centered around dissatisfaction with professional learning among teachers and the lack of implementation of their professional learning in the classroom. The goal was to gather feedback that could help leaders design mandated learning for teachers that they would find satisfaction in and implement in their classroom. The study used semistructured qualitative …

Assistant Principals’ Perspectives And Experiences Concerning Their Influence As Instructional Leaders On Student Achievement In Title I Schools, Courtney J. Charles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative descriptive study explored the perspectives and experiences of assistant principals in Title I schools in the context of their instructional leadership responsibilities. The study examined the relationship between assistant principals as instructional leaders in Title I schools and student achievement by addressing research questions related to curriculum implementation, data-driven decisions, school culture, instructional support, and professional development. Moreover, this study used purposeful sampling to select 13 assistant principals from Title I schools, and data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Marzano’s focused school leader evaluation model served as the framework for interview questions. …

Mind The Gap: Intergenerational Perspectives On Mental Illness Within Ghanaian American Communities, Ama Danso-Ayesu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explores attitudes toward mental illness among Ghanaian immigrants and

first-generation Ghanaian Americans, with particular focus on factors that influence

stigma. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model, the study utilized the

Community Attitudes Toward Mental Illness (CAMI) Scale to measure four dimensions

of stigma, including authoritarianism, benevolence, social restrictiveness, and community

mental health ideology. A comparative, cross-sectional design was employed to examine

differences between immigrant and American-born participants. The findings revealed

generational differences where Ghanaian immigrants reported higher levels of

authoritarian and socially restrictive beliefs, while first-generation Ghanaian Americans

demonstrated more benevolent and inclusive attitudes. Interpreted through the ecological

systems …

Likes For Love: Examining The Relationship Of Sociocultural Factors On Social Media Influences Of Instagram Use For Young Black Women, Cheria S. Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years there has been a push toward studying ethnic minority women related to the psychological implications of image and beauty, as historically the focus has been on the experiences of European women (Awad et al., 2015). Black women must process sexual development, attitudes, and behaviors through the lens of the sexual scripts and stereotypes of their ethnic group and must negotiate between mainstream and culture specific norms of sexuality (Daniels and Zurbriggen, 2016; Jerald et al., 2017). The presence of these scripts signifies a difference between Black women and other races about how they may internalize and react …

Counselor Perspectives On Substance Use Treatment In Pennsylvania As Medical Cannabis Laws Evolve, Renee L. Ludwig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis, once primarily regarded as a recreational or “party” drug, has undergone a significant shift in public and medical perception over the past two decades. It is now increasingly recognized as a therapeutic agent prescribed within clinical settings. While substantial research has examined the general use of medical cannabis, relatively little attention has been given to its implications for substance use counselors treating clients who use medical cannabis during treatment for substance use disorders. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of substance use counselors regarding client use of medical cannabis and to investigate how such use …

The Experience Of African American Male Counselor Educators Navigating Racial Battle Fatigue, Quincy J. Stephenson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A qualitative phenomenological approach was used in this research to explore the lived experiences of African American male counselor educators (AAMCEs) in historically or predominantly White universities who have obtained tenure and promotion. The need for equitable support, recruitment, and retention of faculty of color in counselor education has received more attention from universities in recent years. Although some advancement has occurred, AAMCEs continue to be underrepresented in academia, especially counselor education. There has been research concerning the impact of racism on and resilience of AAMCEs; however, there is a lack of research concerning how this specific population navigates racial …

(Un)Intended Consequences Of Race In Medicine: The Ethics Of Race-Based Medical Practice And The Perpetuation Of Structural Racism, Allegra Merriweather

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that race-based medicine acts as a form of structural racism that is ethically indefensible. While it may be claimed to be a neutral diagnostic tool, the medical use of race as a biological proxy only further enforces the very hierarchies it purports to remediate, reinscribing inequity from conception to death. Building off Jacques Ellul’s work on Technique, we interpret race-based medicine as a self-perpetuating system that values procedural expediency over moral accountability. In nine chapters, the analysis follows the ways this technique is manifested in genetics and assisted reproduction, where commodified racial selection preserves social hierarchies; in …

The Other Side Of The Wall: A Study On The Impact Of Paternal Incarceration On African American Children, Chance M. Wideman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation explores the long-term psychological, relational, and systemic impacts of paternal incarceration on adult children. Guided by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Theory, Attachment Theory, and Family Process Theory, this study examines two research questions:

(1) What types of childhood trauma are associated with paternal incarceration?

(2) How does the childhood trauma associated with paternal incarceration impact one in adulthood?

The study draws on three in-depth narrative interviews with adults who experienced paternal incarceration in childhood. These interviews, framed as dialogic and reflexive spaces, illuminate the deep and layered consequences of incarceration across the lifespan.

Five central findings emerged: …

Behavior Analytic Food Reinforcement Use And Guidelines In Interventions For Children With Autism, Christopher Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reinforcers create opportunities to increase behaviors in applied behavioral analysis, with healthy and unhealthy foods offering high reinforcing value. The use of food raises ethical and health concerns, so researchers and behavior analysts often avoid food reinforcement altogether. Kronfli et al. (2024) indicate healthy food alternatives bring about similar rates of responding as snack foods, potentially reducing ethical and health concerns. This research presents the question: To what degree are food reinforcers used in behavioral interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder? This review analyzes behavioral research articles containing the words “food,” “edible,” “autism,” and “children” in the context of …

Patterns Of Historical And Contemporary Distribution And Occurrence Of Imperiled Fish Populations In East Texas Streams, Maggie F. Moses

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

East Texas supports a very diverse freshwater fish fauna, yet many of these species are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN). In this study, I investigated historical and contemporary distribution trends of ten fish species listed as SGCN within the Neches, Sabine, and Cypress River basins in East Texas. Specifically, I examined regional and local environmental variables influencing their distributions and occurrences at both time periods. At the regional scale, I developed ecological niche models (Maxent) using occurrence data from 1940–1999 (historical) and 2000–present (contemporary, including surveys from 2023–2025) to evaluate changes in habitat and identify key regional …

A Sedimentary Source Of Rare Earth Elements In The North Atlantic, Rylee D. Lindner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individually and as a series, the Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are powerful geochemical tracers of environmental processes. However, ambiguities in the oceanic budgets of the REEs hamper their application. Growing evidence suggests a sedimentary benthic flux via the pore water is the major source of REEs to the ocean, with extrapolated estimates of this flux being equivalent in magnitude to that “missing” from modern budgets. However, existing pore water REE data are available from only a few locations globally with no representative dataset from the open North Atlantic. This data scarcity limits our ability to constrain flux estimates and understand …

Controlling The Size And Surface Chemistry Of Nickel Nanoparticles Via A Modified Polyol Method, Gladel Saintilme

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study presents a detailed exploration of the synthesis, morphological tuning, and physicochemical characterization of nickel nanoparticles (NiNPs) engineered for catalytic applications in aqueous environments. Using a modified polyol method adapted from Couto et al., nanoparticles were synthesized under controlled thermal and chemical conditions with nickel chloride hexahydrate, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and sodium borohydride in ethylene glycol according to a modified version of this synthesis protocol.1 The reaction temperature and reactivity of the reducing agent were found to significantly influence particle size. Reaction temperatures were varied between 120° C and 170° C, resulting in nanoparticle sizes between 23 ± 7 …

Do Algal Endosymbiont Communities In Coral Outplants Change Over Time? A Spatio-Temporal Analysis Of Algal Symbionts In A South Florida Coral Restoration Experiment, Milena Nesic

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Increasingly frequent marine heatwaves and bleaching events threaten the persistence of corals on Florida’s Reefs. Active restoration through outplanting is being implemented across multiple species and regions, yet its effectiveness under rising thermal stress remains uncertain. We analyzed Symbiodiniaceae ITS2 sequence data from outplants of three coral species, Pseudodiploria clivosa, Montastraea cavernosa, and Orbicella faveolata, sampled before (2023) and after (2024) a mass bleaching event. Multivariate analyses revealed species-specific yet regionally divergent trends: southern restoration regions exhibited pronounced shifts toward thermotolerant Durusdinium, while northern regions remained comparatively stable. Although fine-scale ITS2 variation contributed to community heterogeneity, genus-level shifts …

A Generative Ai Pipeline For Rare Road Scenario Augmentation From Existing Training Datasets, Debarghya Goswami

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autonomous Vehicle (AV) systems have the potential to transform the transportation ecosystem significantly by improving safety and accessibility. One of the core components of any AV is a real-time object detection system. It helps an AV localize its position in the surrounding environment and perform tasks such as maneuver planning and obstacle detection. To make a deep-learning-based object detection system safe and robust, it must be trained on diverse and rare scenarios that can occur in road conditions. However, it is expensive and time consuming to manually create training datasets containing rare road objects or conditions. Synthetic training data can …

Mass Spectrometry- And Genomic-Based Characterization Of Novel Glycosphingolipid-Producing Bacteria And Their Glycosyltransferases, Tahir Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are a type of membrane-lipids commonly found in eukaryotes, as well as in bacteria from the order Sphingomonadales. In these bacteria, GSLs replace lipopolysaccharides as key structural and functional components of the outer membrane. These molecules play a crucial role in maintaining membrane integrity and helping bacteria adapt to environmental stresses. Additionally, they hold significant potential in biomedical research due to their ability to modulate the immune response through interactions with the CD1d receptor. Despite their important biological and biomedical roles, the diversity and biosynthesis of bacterial GSLs are far less understood compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. In …

Geochemical Analysis Of The Eagle Ford Shale In Webb And Dimmit Counties, Tx, Natalie G. Girlinghouse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Late Cretaceous Eagle Ford Shale of South Texas is a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic succession that serves as both a prolific hydrocarbon source and reservoir. This study integrates chemostratigraphy, mineralogical analysis, and elemental ratio proxies to reconstruct depositional environments and assess controls on detrital influx, paleoproductivity, and redox conditions across multiple cores in Webb and Dimmit counties. Major, trace, and redox-sensitive elements were evaluated alongside Total Organic Content (TOC) and carbonate content to identify stratigraphic trends and environmental shifts.

Results reveal distinct geochemical signatures between the Upper and Lower Eagle Ford Shale, with the Lower Eagle Ford characterized by elevated Al-rich …

Third-Person Direct-Object Anaphora In Translation From English Into Brazilian Portuguese: A Corpus-Based Study Of Juvenile Texts Reflecting Orality, Marcella Cascione Cerqueira Netto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The third-person accusative clitics in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) are virtually extinct in spoken language and informal writing, although formal texts and contexts still retain them. Speakers often mark third-person direct objects using the stigmatized full pronouns (syncretic with the nominative forms), null objects, or full noun phrases (NPs), also referred to as lexical NPs. The realization of these forms is not arbitrary; it is influenced by the semantic properties of the referents, particularly animacy (mainly humanness) and specificity. Animate referents [+animate] tend to be realized with overt pronouns, whereas inanimate [–animate] ones tend to be used with null objects. This …

Current Knowledge And Perspectives Of Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport In An Athletic Environment, Meredith Rebecca Morgan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sport performance personnel are in a unique position to directly impact athletes. While the primary individuals who manage athlete health are physicians, sport dietitians, and certified athletic trainers, sport coaches and strength and conditioning coaches also play an impactful role in an athlete’s performance and well-being. Using an original survey, this study investigated REDs knowledge by certified athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches and sport coaches. The survey was employed to assess sport performance professionals’ general knowledge of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) and low energy availability (LEA) and opinions on the role of health professionals in REDs identification, …

From Awareness To Action: Improving Advanced Directives With The Five Wishes In College Aged Young Adults, Dina M. Giovanetti

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quality improvement project aimed to increase early education, initiation, documentation, and completion rates of advance directives (ADs), specifically the Five Wishes, among college-aged young adults (18–24 years old) in a concierge primary care setting. The project addressed the low engagement and completion rates of ADs in this population, which can result in inadequate end-of-life care planning. The initiative involved training all staff members through collaborative instruction, informational sessions, and personalized provider-patient discussions. A convenience sample of eligible patients was identified via chart review. Inclusion criteria included English-speaking young adults aged 18–24, regardless of comorbid conditions who were members of …

Creating A Growth Mindset: A Mixed-Methods Program Review Research Study On The Effects Of Social–Emotional Learning On Retained Third-Grade Students, Casshaunda Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Mississippi’s public elementary schools, third-grade students are faced with promotion–retention decisions from the third-grade state assessment and, when retention is the outcome, students often experience negative emotional outcomes. In our school setting, the challenge is how better to help our retained, third-grade students to cope with retention and to grow a strong mindset of self-efficacy towards academic achievement after experiencing retention. This mixed-methods program review research study was conducted to institute a social–emotional learning intervention program in our existing MTSS behavioral program offered to Tier III (at-risk) students. I followed an intervention program to foster a growth mindset for …

Avaren-Fc's Effects On Lymphoma Cells., Jacob Hahn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the therapeutic potential of Avaren-Fc (AvFc), a novel lectin fusion protein that integrates the Fc region of human IgG1 with the engineered lectin Avaren, specifically targeting lymphoma. The study delineates the in vitro binding capabilities of Avaren-Fc with a human B-cell lymphoma cell line, a canine B-cell lymphoma cell line, healthy canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and healthy human PBMCs. AvFc was shown to exhibit significant binding to human lymphoma cells. Furthermore, the direct cytotoxicity of Avaren-Fc against canine lymphoma cells, canine lymphoma cells and healthy canine PBMCs was assessed. It was found that there is …

Enzymatic Depletion Of Adenosine To Potentiate Cancer Immunotherapy., Omar Sadi Sarkar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have revolutionized cancer treatment, but many patients still do not respond well. To improve therapeutic outcomes, chemotherapy is often combined with immunotherapy, as chemotherapy is known to promote immunogenicity. However, many patients develop resistance to this combination therapy, and the reasons behind it are not fully understood. In this study, we explored how platinum-based chemotherapy, specifically cisplatin, affects tumor signaling to create an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). We found cisplatin triggers ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM)-mediated DNA damage signaling and induces higher expression of prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) via a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mediated pathway. We speculate DNA …

Examing Fear Conditioning/Extinction And The Role Of The Amygdala In Human Neuroimaging., Olivia Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fear plays a crucial role in survival but can lead to psychological disorders when dysregulated. Fears can be innate due to evolutionary relevance or learned through associative processes, where predictive accuracy of threat is pivotal. Disruptions in fear neurocircuitry contribute to anxiety disorders, characterized by heightened activation and impaired learning. Fear conditioning and extinction paradigms based on classical Pavlovian conditioning have been used to study mechanisms underlying fear learning. Using this experimental model, fear networks in rodents have been described in detail with clear distinction between conditioning and extinction neural functioning. Yet, there is no consensus on the neurobiological processes …

Optical, Mechanical, And Transport Characterization Of Two-Dimensional Magnetic Materials., Hiruni Weerahennedige

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work investigates the structural, magnetic, thermoelectric, and optoelectronic behavior of layered two-dimensional (2D) materials, with emphasis on Fe₃GeTe₂, Ni-substituted Fe₃GeTe₂ alloys, and GeSe. The study aims to clarify how dimensionality, alloying, and external perturbations influence charge transport, magnetic ordering, and light-matter interactions in van der Waals crystals. Single crystals of Fe₃GeTe₂ and (Ni_xFe_1-x)₃GeTe₂ (x = 0-1) were synthesized by chemical vapor transport and characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Angle-resolved polarized Raman spectroscopy resolved symmetry-dependent phonon modes and …

Characterizing The Ethanol Sensitivity Of The Planar Cell Polarity Pathway In Endoderm Morphogenesis And Jaw Development., Raéden Omneil C. C. Rolle Gray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) describes a large range of developmental defects due to prenatal alcohol exposure. It is characterized by neural and facial defects, including jaw hypoplasia. Many factors contribute to the susceptibility of ethanol-induced facial defects, including genetics, yet the genes involved, and the cell events they regulate, are poorly understood. Zebrafish have a large number of tools for genetic manipulation available, share 70% of genes with humans, are fertilized externally and are translucent during embryogenesis, making them great models to study FASD. Previous studies show that two members of the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) pathway, zebrafish vangl2 …

The Ecology Of Arthropod Rain In A Tropical Forest., Andrew Robert Seiler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tropical forests are structured by complex vertical linkages and nutrient exchanges between canopy and understory habitats. These linkages include the downward flux of organisms, the movement of canopy fauna, and the recycling of nutrients through litter and organic matter deposition. This dissertation investigates arthropod rain and its role in connecting the canopy and forest floor processes in a lowland tropical forest in Panama. Chapter 2 quantifies “arthropod rain”, the fall of canopy arthropods into the understory. Using pan and pole traps, I measured the composition, abundance, and biomass of arthropods falling from the canopy and assessed environmental drivers of the …

Safety Evaluation Of Epicertin, An Oral Biotherapeutic Candidate For Treating Ulcerative Colitis: A 28-Day Repeated Dose Toxicity Study., Jimmy Fernando Cifuentes Jimenez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic, relapsing inflammation of the colon and rectum with limited treatment options. Among them, immunosuppressive agents have a high rate of adverse side effects and do not cure the disease. EPICERTIN (EPT), a recombinant variant of the cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) with a C-terminal hexapeptide extension consisting of a KDEL endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention motif, is a promising oral biotherapeutic candidate for the treatment of UC. EPT has demonstrated mucosal healing activity in mouse models of colitis and human colonic explants. EPT's mechanism of action involves binding to GM1 …

Southern / Appalachian Migrants And Urban Development Politics In Uptown Chicago, 1950-1972, Charles Wayne Dowdy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates how ideas of interregional migration were used in service of urban renewal agendas in Uptown Chicago from 1950 to 1972. It argues that The South and Appalachia as regional ideas were impactful in postwar midwestern urban development politics, even as regional identity was less powerful as an adhering force for actual migrants in comparison with factors of race and class. Chapter 1 examines the development and use of the urban enclave model of interregional migration by the Uptown Chicago Commission in the late 1950s. It argues that anxieties around suburbanization and urban decline fueled the production of …