Digital Commons Network^™

Gesture Assessment Of Teachers In An Immersive Rehearsal Environment, Roghayeh Barmaki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interactive training environments typically include feedback mechanisms designed to help trainees improve their performance through either guided- or self-reflection. When the training system deals with human-to-human communications, as one would find in a teacher, counselor, enterprise culture or cross-cultural trainer, such feedback needs to focus on all aspects of human communication. This means that, in addition to verbal communication, nonverbal messages must be captured and analyzed for semantic meaning. The goal of this dissertation is to employ machine-learning algorithms that semi-automate and, where supported, automate event tagging in training systems developed to improve human-to-human interaction. The specific context in which …

Investigating The Moderating Effects Of Optisism, Hope, And Gratitude On The Relationship Among Negative Life Events And Psychological Distress And Life Satisfaction, Abdi Gungor

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The literature has documented that negative life events such as divorce, financial issues, or relationship changes lead to various psychological concerns including depression, anxiety, or suicidal behaviors. However, several variables affect how people cope with negative life events. Among those variables, optimism, hope, and gratitude have been emphasized in the literature, and their relationships with several psychological outcomes have been studied. However, little is known about the effects of these variables on negative life events and their relationship to psychological distress and life satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between negative life events and psychological …

Effects Of Mixed-Reality Peer Interactions On Workplace Problem-Solving Of Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities, Caitlyn Bukaty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) are known to have deficits in problem-solving skills within the realm of social communication, which may pose a barrier to employment (Livermore & Goodman, 2009). The ability to provide appropriate verbal responses is critical to success in an inclusive workplace for people with ID (Alber, Heward, & Hippler, 1999). Foley and colleagues (2013) found individuals with ID with strong communication skills were more likely to be engaged in independent employment than peers with weak communication skills. Furthermore, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA; 2014) mandated improved access to inclusive employment opportunities for people with …

The Role Of Virtual Avatars In Supporting Middle School Students From Culturally And Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds On Science In After School Programs, Benjamin Gallegos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students who receive additional educational supports in afterschool programs were the focus of the investigation. This study was conducted to measure what effects a TeachLivE avatar, a mixed-reality virtual environment, used in combination with a video game, had on the activation of prior knowledge in science for students in rural middle school. The delivery of the biology science lessons on cell structures and processes were delivered using the video game, Cell Command. The TeachLivE adult avatar was customized as a biologist who spoke to students in the treatment group about science concepts prior to playing the science video game. Unexpected …

Project Ican: A Stem Learning And Persistence Model For Postsecondary Students With Disabilities, Aaron Koch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Education and work in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) are of utmost importance in a post-modern society. Yet American performance in the STEM disciplines has waned over recent years. In order to recapture a global advantage in STEM, efforts are being made by educators and policy makers to compile and implement instructional supports. Of particular interest to this study are post-secondary students with disabilities (SWDs) who persist and learn in STEM degree paths. This population is an "untapped resource" with limitless potential for contribution to the collective fields of STEM (Leddy, 2010, p. 3; Alston, Hampton, Bell, & Strauss, …

The Influence Of Perceived Organizational Support, Perceived Coworker Support & Debriefing On Work-Related Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, And Secondary Traumatic Stress In Florida Public Safety Personnel, Anastasia Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between perceived organizational support, perceived coworker support, and debriefing on the one hand, and compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress on the other hand in Florida law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and dispatch public safety workers. In order to explore the relationships between these constructs, the research questions examined the relationships of the work environment of Florida public safety by administering surveys gauging perceived organizational support, perceived coworker support, psychological resilience, and debriefing activities that the personnel participate in. The Professional Quality of Life: Compassion Satisfaction and Compassion …

Keeping Quiet: Investigating The Maintenance And Policing Of Male-Dominated Gaming Space, Christopher Charles

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the near parity between the number of female and male gamers (Entertainment Software Association, 2014), studies on gender in videogames illustrate a culture that typically reflects hegemonic masculinity and excludes women on a multitude of levels. Because these interactions occur within real and virtual space (both online and within games), a holistic approach is warranted to analyze these mechanisms of oppression. This paper seeks to uncover the ways by which gaming culture is maintained and policed as a male-dominated space, through qualitative data collection. By using ethnographic, participant observation at a large, multi-genre convention the experiences of both male …

Mathematical Modeling Of Infectious Diseases With Latency: Homogeneous Mixing And Contact Network, Keith Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In mathematical epidemiology, the standard compartmental models assume homogeneous mixing in the host population, in contrast to the disease spread process over a real host contact network. One approach to incorporating heterogeneous mixing is to consider the population to be a network of individuals whose contacts follow a given probability distribution. In this thesis we investigate in analogy both homogeneous mixing and contact network models for infectious diseases that admit latency periods, such as dengue fever, Ebola, and HIV. We consider the mathematics of the compartmental model as well as the network model, including the dynamics of their equations from …

Multi-Purpose Device For Analyzing And Measuring Ultra-Short Pulses, Naman Anilkumar Mehta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intensity auto correlator is device to measure pulse widths of ultrashort pulses on the order of picoseconds and femtoseconds. I have built an in-house, compact, portable, industry standard intensity auto correlator for measuring ultrashort pulse-widths. My device is suitable for pulse-widths from 500 ps to 50 fs. The impetus for developing this instrument stemmed from our development of a multicore-fiber laser for high power laser applications, which also produces very short pulses that cannot be measured with an oscilloscope. As techniques for measuring short pulse-widths have been well studied, what made my journey exciting was the process of taking an …

The Contribution Of Missouri River Reservoir Side-Channel And Floodplain Habitats To Mainstem Fish Populations: The Effects Of Losing Connectivity Between Hipple Lake And Lake Sharpe, William Joseph Radigan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Catastrophic flooding of the Missouri River in 2011 has had lasting effects on floodplain habitats (i.e. floodplain lakes) and side-channel habitats (e.g. canals, side-channel embayments, stilling basins, and tributaries) in Lake Sharpe, SD. Floodplain and side-channel habitats are rare habitat in Lake Sharpe, a mainstem Missouri River reservoir, and are thought to be crucial habitat for prey and sport fish. Hipple Lake, the only warm-water floodplain embayment in Lake Sharpe, is in danger of losing connectivity to the reservoir because of sedimentation resulting from the 2011 flood. To evaluate Hipple Lake’s natal and adult contribution to Lake Sharpe’s fishery, otolith …

Spatial-Temporal Stochasticity Of Electric Vehicles In Integrated Traffic And Power System, Sadhana Shrestha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A penetration of a large number of electric vehicles for charging their batteries in the grid can have a negative impact to the grid. To prevent a negative effect to the grid, the behavior of electric vehicles must be accurately modeled and their charging schedules must be coordinated. Therefore, it is necessary to determine where and how much charge is available in electric vehicles in the distribution system. In this thesis, a state transition algorithm is designed to determine a stochastic model of electric vehicles to simulate electric vehicle movement in an integrated traffic and power network. Dijkstra’s algorithm is …

Techniques For Automated Parameter Estimation In Computational Models Of Probabilistic Systems, Faraz Hussain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main contribution of this dissertation is the design of two new algorithms for automatically synthesizing values of numerical parameters of computational models of complex stochastic systems such that the resultant model meets user-specified behavioral specifications. These algorithms are designed to operate on probabilistic systems – systems that, in general, behave differently under identical conditions. The algorithms work using an approach that combines formal verification and mathematical optimization to explore a model's parameter space. The problem of determining whether a model instantiated with a given set of parameter values satisfies the desired specification is first defined using formal verification terminology, …

Non-Dispersive Infrared (Ndir) Gas Sensor Utilizing Light-Emitting-Diodes Suitable For Applications Demanding Low-Power And Lightweight Instruments, Kyle Thurmond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gas sensors that are low-power, light-weight, and rugged, while also remaining low-cost, have considerable appeal to areas from automotive to space flight. There are increasing demands for higher efficient vehicles with lower emissions in order meet regulations that are meant to mitigate or lessen the effects of climate change. An affordable, fast response sensor that can measure transient carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) has broad application which can lead to more efficient, fuel flexible engines and regulations of harmful emissions. With compact, economical, low-power sensors that are able to continually monitor gases that are characteristic of burning materials, …

Transcriptional And Post-Transcriptional Regulation Of Gene Expression, Jun Ding

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Regulation of gene expression includes a variety of mechanisms to increase or decrease specific gene products. Gene expression can be regulated at any stage from transcription to post-transcription and it's essential to almost all living organisms, as it increases the versatility and adaptability by allowing the cell to express the needed proteins. In this dissertation, we comprehensively studied the gene regulation from both transcriptional and post-transcriptional points of view. Transcriptional regulation is by which cells regulate the transcription from DNA to RNA, thereby directing gene activity. Transcriptional factors (TFs) play a very important role in transcriptional regulation and they are …

Biophysical Sources Of 1/F Noises In Neurological Tissue, Alan Paris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High levels of random noise are a defining characteristic of neurological signals at all levels, from individual neurons up to electroencephalograms (EEG). These random signals degrade the performance of many methods of neuroengineering and medical neuroscience. Understanding this noise also is essential for applications such as real-time brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), which must make accurate control decisions from very short data epochs. The major type of neurological noise is of the so-called 1/f-type, whose origins and statistical nature has remained unexplained for decades. This research provides the first simple explanation of 1/f-type neurological noise based on biophysical fundamentals. In addition, noise …

Development Of Enzyme-Free Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor Using Cerium Oxide And Mechanistic Study Using In-Situ Spectro-Electrochemistry, Shashank Saraf

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During recent development, it has been demonstrated that cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) have exhibited catalytic activity which mimics naturally existing enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. The underlying mechanism is attributed to the modulation of oxygen vacancies on CNPs lattice by dynamic switching of the oxidation states between Ce3+ and Ce4+ due to the electron transfer resulting from the redox reaction between CNPs and reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Thereby the redox potential of CNPs is dependent on the surface chemistry i.e. the surface concentration of Ce3+ and Ce4+ Currently, the ratio of Ce3+/ Ce4+ …

Effects Of Climate Change And Anthropogenic Activities On The Everglades Landscape., Daljit Sandhu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Everglades has been experiencing major changes, both climatic and anthropogenic, such that the landscape is experiencing additional stresses and forcings leading it away from its natural equilibrium. The land within and surrounding the Everglades has undergone severe modifications that may have detrimental effects on wildlife and natural features, such as rivers and landscape connectivity. Here in this study, the main focus is on understanding and quantifying hydrologic and geomorphic signatures of climatic and anthropogenic changes on the Everglades landscape. For this, in particular, available data on natural hydrological processes was used, such as rainfall, groundwater elevation, streamflow as well …

Modeling Wastewater Indicators And Effects Of Contaminant Removal Strategies On Groundwater And Spring Discharge In A Karst Aquifer, Erin Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation reports on research related to groundwater and contaminant transport to the Volusia Blue Spring (VBS), an Outstanding Florida Water Body located in Volusia County (Florida). The integration of springshed water quality and contaminant fate and transport (CFT) modeling played key roles in the evaluation of anthropogenic recharge impacts on VBS. To study anthropogenic recharge into the karst limestone aquifer, wastewater effluent, golf course ponds, septic tanks, groundwater monitoring wells, and VBS discharge were sampled for boron, nitrate-nitrogen, nitrate-oxygen and their isotopes spatially throughout the VBS springshed. Data related to natural water features, rainfall, land use, water use, treated …

She's Not Fit For The Business World: An Initial Examination Of Gender, Age, And Weight, Miranda Pelkey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined archetype theory (Marcus & Fritzsche, 2015) that suggests that the intersection of multiple group memberships will create a unique cognitive representation, as it is relates to sex, age, and weight. Following a pilot study to equate photos on attractiveness, perceived competence, professionalism, and intelligence, 183 participants reviewed a fictitious LinkedIn profile in which all information was held constant across participants except the photo. Using a 2 (sex) x 2 (age) x 2 (weight) design (manipulated through the photos), participants rated the job applicant on adjectives associated with proposed sex, age, and weight archetypes and on perceptions …

Fabrication And Investigation Of An Enzyme-Free, Nanoparticle-Based Biosensor For Hydrogen Peroxide Determination, Craig Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electrochemical biosensors often employ enzymes as detection elements. These sensors are highly selective towards target analytes, however the scope of their application is limited by the poor stability of the enzyme. In this study, multi-valent inorganic cerium oxide nanoparticles were used as detection elements for the analysis of hydrogen peroxide. The electrochemical response of the cerium oxide towards hydrogen peroxide analyte is defined through cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. This response was found to be dependent on nanoparticle Ce3+:Ce4+ redox state ratio and this property is exploited to fabricate a biosensor. As produced, the biosensor demonstrated sensitivity at picomolar analyte concentrations. …

Modeling Mass Transfer And Assessing Cost And Performance Of A Hollow Fiber Nanofiltration Membrane Process, David Yonge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bench-scale water treatment testing of three next generation hollow-fiber (HF) nanofiltration (NF) membranes was conducted to characterize divalent ion rejection capabilities and investigate removal mechanisms. Existing mathematical models were investigated to describe solute transport using synthetic magnesium sulfate solutions including the size exclusion model, homogenous solution diffusion (HSD) model, dimensional analysis, and the HSD model incorporating film theory. Solute transport for two of the membranes were described by HSD theory and were predictive of their 90% divalent ion removal. A third membrane was more accurately modeled using size exclusion and was found to be predictive of its 40% divalent ion …

Esperanto: A Diachronic Study Of Language Word Order, Daniel Seth Wilson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Statistical Modeling To Investigate Anatomy And Function Of The Knee, Lowell Matthew Smoger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The natural knee is a hinge joint with significant functional requirements during activities of daily living; as a result, acute and chronic injuries can occur. Pathologies are influenced by joint anatomy and may include patellar maltracking, cartilage degeneration (e.g. osteoarthritis), or acute injuries such as meniscal or ligamentous tears. Population variability makes broadly applicable conclusions about etiology of these conditions from small-scale investigations challenging. The work presented in this dissertation is a demonstration of statistical modeling approaches to evaluate population variability in anatomy of the knee and function of its tibiofemoral (TF) and patellofemoral (PF) joints. Three-dimensional (3D) computational models …

Akap150 Dynamics In Anterior Pituitary Cells, Kristen E. Dew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cellular communication occurs as a result of changes in signaling pathways. A well-studied signaling pathway is through G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). In gonadotropes, GPCR stimulation by GnRH leads to the activation of protein kinase A (PKA). Activated PKA can phosphorylate ion channels, potentially causing an influx of calcium, depolarization and secretion of hormones. A scaffolding protein known as AKAP150 anchors PKA near L-type calcium channels. In addition, AKAP150 anchors phosphatases, which provides temporal control during signaling events. It was recently shown that AKAP150 is mobile in neuronal dendrites, providing regulation to where the signaling cascade occurs in the cell. …

Multiscale Musculoskeletal Modeling Of The Lower Limb To Perform Personalized Simulations Of Movement, Alessandro Navacchia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational modeling has been used for many decades to inform design and decision-making in several fields of engineering, such as aerospace, automotive, petroleum, and others. However, it still struggles to have a similar impact in fields of medicine, such as orthopaedics. Three of the challenges that have limited the use of computational modeling in the clinical practice and in product development are model validation, personalization, and realism. Validation is a challenge because several internal parameters of the human body, such as muscle forces, are not safely measurable in vivo and, consequently, a thorough comparison between model outputs …

Regional Mechanical Properties And Microstructure Of Ovine Heart Chambers, Shahnaz Javani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical properties of cardiac tissue play an important role in the normal heart function. As a baseline for understanding of physiology and pathophysiology of the heart, and for development and validation of new therapies, it is crucial to first understand the mechanical behavior of the normal heart tissue. Although heart chambers have the same embryonic origin, differences in the development of mechanical properties are expected to manifest over time during the adulthood period. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the passive mechanical properties of all heart chambers through a paired comparison study in an ovine model. Ovine …

Marriage In The 21st Century: From A State Of Confusion To A State Of Being, Gemma Margaret Anne Barriteau

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to interpret the lived-experiences of some individuals who viewed their long-term committed relationships as a marriage. This was done in order to begin to reveal the underlying meaning of marriage for some people in 21st century America. This hermeneutic phenomenological study used Bowlby’s (1969, 1982) Attachment Theory and Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 2005) Bio-ecological Model of Human Development to explore how married individuals bond with each other and adjust to their bio-ecological environments. Van Manen’s (1990) Lived-Existentials were also used to interpret how these participants oriented to their lived experiences and interpreted their life stories.

Prior …

Social Dimensions Of Alzheimer’S Disease Among Caregivers In Oaxaca, Mexico, Jonathan Yahalom

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation provides an analysis of the social construction of Alzheimer’s disease within Teotitlán del Valle, a rural Zapotec-speaking community in Oaxaca, Mexico. It explores how Alzheimer’s disease is locally understood, how this understanding reconfigures traditional meanings of old age, and how broader social issues are negotiated through this reconfiguration. Through 10 months of fieldwork this dissertation draws on ethnographic observations and interviews with 22 family caregivers across 9 households. This study is noteworthy for being the first known investigation in Teotitlán whose primary data was collected in the Zapotec language. Further, this dissertation integrates methods across psychology, gerontology, and …

Variation In The Amphibian Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis: Patterns, Mechanisms, And Implications, Jessica Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many vertebrate stress responses are mediated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal (HPA/I) axis, which involves hypothalamic secretion of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and increased plasma levels of glucocorticoid hormones (GCs) like corticosterone (CORT). Basal HPA/I activity is also imperative to maintaining homeostasis. Despite having crucial roles, HPA/I activity is variable and can be influenced by factors like environment, physiology, and life-history. HPA/I activity also influences reproduction and immunity. To better understand patterns of HPA/I variation (specifically CORT and CRF), we conducted several studies using plethodontid salamanders. Their low-energy lifestyle offers unique contrast to studies of stress physiology in high-energy animals like mammals …

The Social Obligation To Reduce Stigma In Order To Increase Utilization Of Mental Health Services, Melissa Sue Berdell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many mental health organizations have developed campaigns that concentrate on reducing the stigma towards mental health with the intentions of increasing access and utilization for people with mental illnesses that are not receiving appropriate mental health services. The mental health campaigns predominantly focus on establishing awareness and education related to the number of people with mental illnesses and diagnoses so that people will not be ashamed or embarrassed to have mental illnesses or access mental health treatments. However, societal prejudices have caused many people diagnosed with mental illnesses to lose jobs, homes, and families; therefore, in general, people are afraid …