Computational Modeling Of Lamina Cribrosa Biomechanics, Lydia Schwartz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The lamina cribrosa is a critical structural component of the optic nerve head and is believed to play a central role in the development of glaucoma. Understanding how its geometry and microarchitecture influence the mechanical behavior is essential for improving computational models of the optic nerve head. However, the complex structure of the lamina cribrosa presents a difficult challenge for experimental and computational investigations. In this study, two computational modeling approaches were developed to investigate the influence of structural representation on lamina cribrosa biomechanics. A curvature-based continuum model was used to examine the effects of the anterior surface geometry, parameterized …

Development And Evaluation Of Ros-Responsive Thioketal-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles For Dual Drug Delivery Of Moxifloxacin And Curcumin In Wound Healing, Saiganesh Pothuraju

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic infected wounds remain a major clinical challenge because elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the wound microenvironment sustain inflammation, damage regenerating tissue, and limit the effectiveness of conventional antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapy. To address this problem, this study aimed to develop ROS-responsive thioketal-capped mesoporous silica nanoparticles (TK-MSNs) for the dual delivery of moxifloxacin (MOX) and curcumin (CUR) to support the management of infected wounds. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) were synthesised using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), followed by template removal, amino-functionalization with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), and sequential loading of MOX and CUR. ROS-responsive capping was then achieved using …

With Equity And Inclusivity For All: Self-Reported Preparedness Of Band Directors To Teach Students With Exceptional Needs, Kendra Jenkins Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The traditional memory theory of personal identity relies on an implicit storage model of memory to explain how the self persists over time. This model assumes that memories endure as stable representations that can be accurately retrieved, and that such representational continuity grounds diachronic identity. However, contemporary cognitive science demonstrates that remembering is an active and reconstructive process. Each act of recall reorganizes and transforms prior experience during the window of ecphory. This reconstructive reality poses a significant philosophical challenge. If memory is inherently unstable and transformable, it cannot straightforwardly ground the kind of continuity the theory requires.

In this …

The 6th United States Volunteer Infantry: The Last Of The Galvanized Yankees, Seth Ihde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the formation, service, post-war life, and impact of the 6th United States Volunteer Infantry Regiment. This regiment and the five preceding it consisted of Confederate POWs who enlisted in the Union Army between 1864 and 1865. The project intersects with a few different historiographies, including Confederate nationalism/dissent and the military’s role in westward expansion. The 6th was formed from soldiers in Camp Douglas, Illinois, Camp Morton, Indiana, and Camp Chase, Ohio. The soldiers were predominantly young and poor southern farmers. These men represent a form of southern dissent to Confederate nationalism and the claims of the Lost …

Physicochemical Interactions At The Ionic Liquid-Polymer-Biological Nanointerface, Sara Xuan Edgecomb

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Treatment of central nervous systems (CNS) disorders remains a critical challenge in drug delivery. The blood brain barrier (BBB) is an obstacle preventing targeted delivery. Small and large drug molecules are unable to cross the BBB, highly limiting drug therapies. Only invasive techniques and symptom care are currently employed for neurological diseases.

This demands an innovative drug delivery approach to improve efficiency of targeted delivery to the brain, hence polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) being a promising solution. With their advantageous tunability, they can encapsulate various biomolecules and perform specific targeting. Ionic liquids (ILs) have become a novel surface modification of NPs …

The Tugaloo Effect: Preliminary Analyses Of Population Genomics And Parasitism In Salamanders Of Northeast Georgia, Tyler Lewis Brock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Tugaloo River is a 50-mile-long stretch of river that serves as an important political and biogeographical boundary in far northeastern Georgia and northwestern South Carolina. The extreme topography, complex geological and hydrological history, and unique assemblage of soils, flora, and fauna of the Tugaloo region make it a prime candidate for study. I used the diverse salamander community there to conduct two studies. Study 1 investigated how the population genomics of select species in the genera Desmognathus and Plethodon were impacted by ancient drainage modifications from the Pleistocene which included not only the Tugaloo River but also the Tallulah, …

Foundations And Scope Of Moral Standing, Vikas Beniwal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates the foundational grounds of moral standing. I contend that sentience, while frequently cited as the primary criterion, lacks sufficient justification when asserted as a necessary condition. I propose an alternate feature as sufficient grounds of moral standing.

Perceptions Of Educators To Recognize And Respond To Suicidal Ideation Of Secondary Students, Clary Aaron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative phenomenological study explored how secondary teachers in East Tennessee perceive district-provided suicide prevention training and its role in supporting students experiencing suicidal ideation. Eleven middle and high school teachers who had previously made a crisis referral participated in semi-structured interviews. The study examined teachers’ experiences, perceived strengths and limitations of training, and needed resources. Findings revealed that teachers felt confident recognizing warning signs, especially behavioral changes, when strong student relationships existed. However, training was often described as repetitive, generic, and minimally engaging. Social media and limited support systems were seen as major stressors for students. Teachers emphasized relationship-centered …

Resource Allocation Trade-Offs Between Longevity And Reproduction In Daphnia Magna, Amelia Pearson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although trade-offs between longevity and reproduction have been described for a long time, the genetic mechanisms by which organisms modulate allocation of resources between these two essential processes remain poorly understood, due to their complex nature and their modification by existing nutritional states and environmental cues. Daphnia magna represents a valuable model for investigation in this area due to their moderate lifespan and cyclic parthenogenetic mode of reproduction, allowing for the easy study of gene by environment interactions. This dissertation first investigates the change in mortality, reproduction, activity, and gene expression when fully fed Daphnia and calorically restricted Daphnia are …

Branding The Protector And Helper: How The U.S. Army National Guard Presents Itself In Humanitarian Outreach, Aaron Otoo Acromond

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how the United States Army National Guard constructs and communicates its humanitarian identity during domestic disaster response through official social media. Addressing limited scholarship on how hybrid military institutions frame their roles in domestic crises, the research applies qualitative content analysis to visual and textual posts from official Facebook and Instagram accounts during three disasters: Hurricane Ian (2022), the Hawaii Wildfires (2023), and Hurricane Helene (2024). The analysis identifies three communication themes: operational preparedness and technical capacity, humanitarian assistance to affected civilians, and collaboration with civilian agencies. These narratives portray the National Guard as a professional and …

Stochastic Universal Differential Equations For Epidemiological Modeling: Uncertainty Quantification In Disease Transmission Dynamics, Alice Menaya Armah-Bonney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Epidemic forecasting requires not only predictions of expected case counts, but also quantification of uncertainty, although existing surrogate modeling frameworks for agent-based models remain fundamentally deterministic. In this thesis a Stochastic Universal Differential Equation framework is presented that extends the deterministic Universal Differential Equation approach by incorporating a learnable stochastic diffusion term, enabling calibrated probabilistic forecasts while preserving the mechanistic interpretability and computational efficiency of the deterministic baseline. In doing so, a two-phase training algorithm is introduced to ensure stable convergence and the framework is validated against the ensemble output from ExaEpi, an exascale agent-based model of a COVID-19 outbreak …

University Student Mental Health: Service Utilization, Equity Gaps, And Strategies To Improve Access, Richard Mutua Kilonzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student mental health and access to care are pressing concerns in higher education. This study assesses mental health outcomes and access to campus mental health services at East Tennessee State University. Survey data from the 2023–2024 Healthy Minds Study were analyzed to report the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation across the student population. The study evaluates disparities in these outcomes and barriers to care across student groups, with particular attention to equity-impacted students, especially sexual and gender minority students.

Findings indicate widespread psychological distress alongside persistent barriers, including long wait times, limited-service availability, and stigma-related concerns. These barriers …

Bergsonian Blend: Subjective Temporality Within Modernist Aesthetics Of Mental Illness, Lydia Victoria Gervais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Henri Bergson was a modernist French philosopher who wrote extensively on the topic of the lived experience of time, which he called durée, or duration. His contemporary, Sigmund Freud, was developing psychoanalytic theory in a growing field of psychological study, which serves as a prominent ancestor to modern psychiatry and current psychoanalytical literary studies. Fiction writers of the 1900s absorbed the zeitgeist of melded chronology and consciousness, interweaving themes of time and trauma in their works. Utilizing Henri Bergson’s durée as a philosophical framework, I examine the moralization of time-consciousness in connection with mental illness and investigate representations of …

Malnutrition And Frailty Risk Among Community Dwelling Older Adults In Northeast Tennessee, Shreeyesha Pradhan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Frailty and malnutrition are prevalent conditions among community-dwelling older adults, affecting approximately 10% and 25% of this population, respectively. Despite overlapping symptoms such as functional decline, their relationship remains underexplored in community dwelling older adults. This cross-sectional feasibility study examined the association between frailty and nutritional status among 47 older adults in the East Tennessee Tri-Cities area using the Fried’s Frailty Phenotype (FFP) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Long Form (MNA-LF®). Results indicated 13% were pre-frail, 24% were frail, 21% were at risk for malnutrition, and 2% were malnourished. Regression analyses revealed that self-perceived nutritional status (37.6%), daily meal frequency (29.0%), …

Addressing Substance Use Disorder In Rural Appalachia: Improving Access And Treatment Outcomes For Justice-Involved Individuals, Jessica Muldowney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Opioid use disorder (OUD) represents a critical public health crisis disproportionately affecting justice-involved (JI) populations, with approximately 65% of incarcerated individuals having substance use disorders (James & Beatty, 2006). Rural Appalachian communities face compounded challenges due to limited healthcare access, provider shortages, and cultural stigma surrounding addiction treatment. Despite evidence demonstrating that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) reduces recidivism and overdose deaths, only 20% of correctional facilities offer these services (Klein & Seppala, 2019).

Objective: This mixed-methods study evaluated organizational readiness and infrastructure capacity for implementing evidence-based OUD interventions, specifically MAT programs across three rural counties in northwestern North Carolina.

Methods: …

Feasibility Of Assessing Dietary Patterns And Anxiety In College Students: A Pilot Study Using Nutrition Questionnaires, Gad-7, And Asq, Kylie Ford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anxiety is highly prevalent among college students representing a significant public health concern. Research indicates that dietary patterns may influence mental health outcomes; however, the practicality of collecting comprehensive dietary and psychological data in college populations remains unclear. This pilot study assessed the feasibility of evaluating dietary patterns and anxiety using self-report instruments. Participants completed the Nutrition and Eating Habit questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and the Anxiety Sensitivity Questionnaire (ASQ). Although twenty-one students were recruited, survey completion rates were low, with only seven participants completing the nutrition questionnaire necessary to calculate the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). Descriptive analyses …

Ontogeny And The Effects Of Perinatal Stress In The First Immature Skeleton Of Teleoceras Aepysoma (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae), Joe Gajewski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recovery of an immature fossil rhinoceros (Teleoceras aepysoma) skeleton (ETMNH 32999) from the Gray Fossil Site in Tennessee offers the first insights into the ontogeny of the species. ETMNH 32999 is interpreted to be a subadult male in an age class equivalent to ~17-20% of potential lifespan. Comparative analyses support the hypothesis that subadults of related taxa are typically ~91% of average adult size in most dimensions. However, certain cranial dimensions are substantially lower than expected in ETMNH 32999, averaging only ~74% of the average conspecific adult. Such departure from typical growth rates is suggested to be attributable …

Utilizing Physics Informed Neural Networks For Disrupted Signal Dynamics, Nicholas J. Joyner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) have been used in many applications including engineering and physical sciences. PINNs allow the incorporation of a priori understanding of a process’ structure into the modeling. We attempt to leverage the PINN structure toward the evaluation of disruptions to classical dynamical models by combining elements of ordinary differential equations into our loss function with sigmoidal gating to balance the penalties for deviations from the data with those for structural deviations. This enables the identification of the signal structure and the limits of disruption influence. As a use case, we consider stock value from 2019-2021, which expresses …

Media Portrayal Of High-Profile Female Victims Of Sexual Harassment, Chinenye Nwaneri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This rhetorical study investigated how the Nigerian media portray high-profile female victims of sexual harassment. The research was undertaken in response to concerns that media narratives often reinforce gender stereotypes and influence public perceptions of victims. Focusing on the sexual harassment allegations made by senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate president Godswill Akpabio, the study analyzed newspaper coverage from Daily Trust and Vanguard between February and December 2025. Using Critical Discourse Analysis within the framework of Feminist Media Theory, the research examined how language and framing shaped the representation of the female accuser. The findings reveal that media coverage constructed the …

The Relationship Between Sports Related Head Injuries, Mental Health And Academic Performance In University Student-Athletes, Odyssey Keller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student athletes face many challenges when it comes to participating in team sports, one of the most notable being sport-related head injuries. Concussions are a growing concern since they have the potential to impact mental health and academic performance long-term. While many athletes report recovery within weeks, some continue to struggle with impairments in their psychological functioning and overall mental well-being that interferes with academic performance over time. Many of the standardized protocols in place for concussion management vary across institutions. This study aimed to address gaps in the existing literature by assessing concussion history, mental health and academic challenges …

Mechanism Of Formation Of Guanine-Guanine Crosslinks As Products Of One-Electron Oxidation Of 1-Methylguanosine In Acidic Medium, Ibrahim Braimah Mr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) from normal metabolism and environmental exposure may cause oxidative DNA damage. Guanine (G) is the most oxidizable nucleobase. One-electron oxidation (OEO) of G in produces guanine radical cation (G•⁺), which deprotonates to form guanyl radical G(-H)•.This radical exists in two tautomeric forms: G(N1-H)• and G(N2-H)•. Dimerization of guanyl radical yields G-G cross-links (D1/D2); a tautomeric form for dimer formation remains elusive. This study presents the first characterization of G• dimerization products from the OEO of 1-MeGuo in acidic medium. Photolysis at 470 nm in the presence of S₂O₈²⁻ and Ru(II)(bpy)₃²⁺ generates two major stereoisomers (D1AW* and …

Psychometric Properties Of The Interpersonal Style Questionnaire (Isq) And The Patterns Of Thinking Survey (Pots), Genevieve Allison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Self-regulation is a complex concept that includes multiple interacting factors, and it is studied across multiple fields of psychological research. Various theoretical models have been offered to explain this concept. Although models differ in their definitions of self-regulation, all consistently posit that it consists of emotional, behavioral, interpersonal, and cognitive domains. The current study examined the psychometric properties of two novel measures – 1) McVay and Stinson Interpersonal Style Questionnaire (ISQ) and 2) Stinson and McVay Patterns of Thinking Survey (POTS) – utilizing both a clinical and nonclinical sample. Results indicate that these measures are comprised of three factors across …

Modeling Water Quality And Cyanobacteria Blooms In St. Lucie Estuary, Florida, Mohmmad Masudur Rahman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The St. Lucie Estuary (SLE) on Florida’s east coast is vital for diverse aquatic life and provides essential services to local communities. However, the estuary’s health is threatened by water quality deterioration due to nutrient-driven phytoplankton blooms, particularly cyanobacteria, which have increased in frequency over recent decades. These blooms may worsen water quality by reducing dissolved oxygen, altering pH, and increasing turbidity. Moreover, some phytoplankton species, including Microcystis aeruginosa, a freshwater cyanobacteria species, produce harmful toxins, posing risks to both marine aquatic life and human health in this area. Primary nutrient sources in this estuary include watershed freshwater discharges, …

Attachment And Betrayal: Post-Infidelity Attachment Issues With A Focus On Gender, Taylor Forsythe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Infidelity represents a significant relational trauma that may disturb attachment processes such as trust, emotional intimacy, and closeness. There is a gap in the literature on how different infidelity exposures may relate to these attachment responses; more so, there is a dearth of information on the gender differences for attachment issues following any kind of infidelity. The purpose of this study aimed to examine differences in avoidant and anxious attachment across infidelity groups (no infidelity, non-sexual infidelity, sexual infidelity), and a further comparison of gender differences in those groups. Participants (N = 151) completed online surveys in a larger study …

"Am I A Man Or A Muppet": A Rhetorical Analysis Of Generative Ai’S Representation Of Gender, Jessica Boaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how generative artificial intelligence constructs and performs gender roles through a rhetorical analysis of the fully AI-generated podcast Fairytale Forensics. Drawing on theories of constitutive rhetoric, stereotyping, and McLuhan’s approach to the medium, this thesis investigates how AI-generated hosts interpret classic fairy tales while simultaneously reproducing and negotiating gender norms through the lens of prosopopoeia, metonymy and synecdoche. These performances rely on normative gender stereotypes that align with broader societal expectations, thereby potentially reinforcing existing cultural assumptions about masculinity and femininity. Ultimately, it demonstrates that AI-generated discourse does not merely reflect human biases but actively participates in …

Assessment Of Morphological Differences And Genetic Variation In Head Shape Of Florida Pompano Trachinotus Carolinus, Neriah Nicholas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Genomics research can inform selective breeding programs to improve broodstock and seedstock quality for the U.S. warmwater marine finfish aquaculture industry. Florida pompano Trachinotus carolinus serves as a model species for the industry due to its commercial value and ability to spawn in captivity. This study examined a growth abnormality observed in commercially produced juveniles in partnership with Aquaco Farms LLC. Twenty fish were collected, culled, and euthanized by Aquaco staff, then classified into two head types: “normal” and “concaved”. Eleven morphological measurements were recorded before and after freezing to assess head variation and storage effects. DNA from pectoral fin …

A Two-Phase Hippocampal Code Linking Time And Distance Estimation To Action, Raphael Heldman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A critical component of spatial navigation is the ability to estimate elapsed time or distance traveled. How the brain generates such estimates and links them to behavior remains unclear. In this thesis, we identify a previously unrecognized population coding strategy for time or distance in hippocampal CA1, a region critical for navigation and memory. Using novel behavioral paradigms in head-fixed mice combined with electrophysiological recordings, we show that this code is carried by two functionally distinct subpopulations of pyramidal neurons, termed PyrUp and PyrDown, whose firing rates evolve in opposite directions during navigation. Both populations exhibit a common two-phase dynamic: …

Simulated Subjects, Real Responses: Surveying Decision Judgments Across Biological And Artificial Agents, Alara Karatuna

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Silicon participants are large language model generated research participants who are embedded with demographic information, as well as personality measures. The use of silicon participants in the behavioral sciences field is underexplored. This current study generated silicon participants based on human data (N=514), where each silicon participant matches their human counterpart. Both samples were asked to respond to seven decision-making dilemmas that are written from scratch. The dilemmas differ in their severity and represent the ambiguity of social life. Responses of the silicon participants were generated using ChatGPT 4.0. This is the first study that embedded personality traits …

Reproductive Season And Fecundity Reassessment Of Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus Polyphemus) In Southeastern Florida, Riley Waters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) breeding season occurs throughout spring and early summer across its distributional range, but recent research shows that in southeastern Florida, mating also occurs in the fall and winter months. This project evaluates the gopher tortoise’s extended reproductive season in southeastern Florida and female fecundity. The study, conducted at two locations in South Florida: Jupiter, FL and Boca Raton, FL, used field ultrasound equipment and radiographs to identify gravid females and determine clutch size. The data suggest a much earlier start to egg development and nesting, and the possibility of an extended egg development …

Cognition In Pair-Living Owl Monkeys: The Role Of Partner Affiliation In The Willingness To Cooperate To Solve A Cognitive Task, Aaron J. Mencia

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cooperative problem-solving tasks, including the loose-string paradigm, require individuals to coordinate their actions simultaneously to obtain a shared reward. These paradigms have been used extensively to assess social cognition, behavioral coordination, and partner preferences across taxa. Although the loose-string paradigm has been widely tested, it has not been applied to pair-bonded, monogamous primates such as owl monkeys (Aotus nancymaae), which exhibit affiliative behaviors including food sharing and bi-parental care. Investigating cooperation in this species may offer some clarification on whether more stable social bonds are associated with cooperative and cognitive task success as compared to those observed in …