Digital Commons Network^™

Bridging The Geometric And Quantum Information Of Structured Light, Andrew Alexander Voitiv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this Dissertation, we review the several advances we have developed for preparing and measuring the geometric and quantum information of structured light. The geometric phase acts as a memory of transformations undertaken by physical processes; quantum entanglement underpins quantum information science which explores the theoretical and technological applications of nonclassical correlations. Beginning with classical light, we demonstrate novel experiments and measurements of geometric phase that are enabled by spatially structuring laser beams. We then extend those concepts to complement the richer possibilities within quantum optics. Our work covers new abilities in tailoring and measuring the phase content of spatially-structured …

Digital Dialogue: Emancipatory Dialogical Practices In Virtual Collaborative Problem-Based Learning, Chelsie Ruge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Societal shifts increasingly demand that people work across social and geographic borders, often virtually, to solve complex problems in the areas of education, environment, healthcare, poverty, technology innovation and ethics, and more. This collaboration requires critical and emancipatory dialogue and problem-solving.

This qualitative multiple case study examined two online professional studies graduate-level courses that employed collaborative problem-based learning to engage with social-justice related themes, one that explored inclusive educational practices, and one that explored the negotiation of global environmental treaties. The purpose of this study was to investigate how students engaged in emancipatory dialogical practices and determine the factors that …

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

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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

The Foundations Of Civilian Supremacy: Civil-Military Relations During The American Civil War, Riley Callahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The American Civil War was the defining event that shaped civil-military relations in the United States. This master's thesis explores the multifaceted dynamics between civilian and military leadership during this crucial period in American history. It examines the relationship between civilian political authority and the military establishment, while incorporating the related roles of Congress, public opinion and international influences. The research explores the decision-making processes, the balance of power, and the impact of leadership styles and personalities on civil-military interactions during times of armed conflict.

This thesis explores in particular the significance of President Lincoln's leadership, his ability to manage …

Leadership In Extreme Contexts: An Emerging Typology, Ashley Williams

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the relationship between leadership and extreme contexts through the lens of rural hospitals facing environmental jolts. Rural hospitals offer a unique setting for this research, given their inherent geographic isolation, lack of resources, and the critical role these facilities play in their communities. Through a qualitative analysis of interviews with Chief Executive Officers of rural hospitals, this research takes a grounded approach to build theory surrounding how leadership not only shapes but is shaped by extreme contexts and environmental jolts. The research results in four primary contributions. Namely, this study extends existing typologies on leadership in extreme …

The Role Of Care Practices, Mutual Aid, And Racial Formation In Black Newcomer Practitioners’ Lived Experience Within Organizations: A Critical Qualitative Inquiry, Annie Zean Dunbar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black newcomers, defined as people who have migrated to the United States regardless of legal status, are one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups. (Morgan-Trostle et al., 2016). Within this population, a small percentage work within the social service sector with other migrants. Using critical qualitative methods, a critical phenomenological methodology and semi-structured interviews, a sample of 17 participants were asked about their experiences of living and working in the U.S. social service sector. The study uses racial formation theory (Omi & Winant, 2014) to conceptualize how participants experienced their racial identity formation and how racism shapes their personal and professional …

Progressive Paradox In Political Rhetoric: The Hart-Celler Immigration Act Of 1965, Amanda Rolston Henderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the interplay between U.S. norms for inclusion, the embedded role of religion within these norms, and how political rhetoric challenges or sustains them. Using a historical lens, I outline key moments in U.S. history, unravel central ideologies entrenched in U.S. narratives, and illuminate the ideographic function of the key concepts land, family, and work. These terms serve as conduits for conveying complex systems of meaning, which are entrenched in societal assumptions and concretized through political discourse and action.

These dynamics are demonstrated in a case study of the discourse surrounding the Hart-Celler Immigration Act …

Rhetorical Resonances: An Affective Logic Of Emergence In Space And Time, Craig R. Weathers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explores the affective circulation of controversy in contemporary public discourse through a rhetorical ecological approach. It addresses the problem of how flattened conceptions of power and social movements cast in binary opposition prevent effective deliberation around public controversies. The research method involves analyzing three case studies through a new framework for rhetorical studies, called a logic of emergence, to consider the resonance and trajectories of actants (individuals, groups, and institutions) in conflict. The first case study examines the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville and the discursive equating of antifa and the Alt-Right. The second case analyzes the …

A Phenomenology Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Chinese International Students In The Us During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Linlin Wu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study investigates the lived experiences of Chinese international students during the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to delve into how these individuals articulate their experiences during the pandemic, with a particular focus on how their geographical location influenced their experiences. To achieve this, the study employs an innovative approach, integrating a phenomenological method with comparative analysis to elucidate the similarities and differences between students who remained in the US and those who returned to China.

The analysis identified four principal themes among students in the US: 1) Online Learning Challenges, (2) Social Life Adaptation, (3) …

The Effect Of Novel Microtubule Modulators On Experimental Lewy Body Disease, Anuj S. Jamenis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In Lewy body disorders, α-synuclein aggregates are believed to destabilize the microtubular framework. However, microtubules are a challenging therapeutic target, as excessive rigidity or flexibility afforded by microtubule modulators may be neurotoxic. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate dual-acting microtubule- stabilizing/destabilizing agents in cellular and animal models of early-stage Lewy body disease.

In Aim 1 we tested the dual-acting tricylic pyrimido[4,5-b]indole analogs AG161-47 and AG161-41 in an in vitro preformed fibril induced model of Lewy body disease. We found that both compounds reduced preformed fibril-seeded α-synucleinopathy without toxicity in primary hippocampal cultures. AG161-47 subtly impacted microtubule …

Design, Synthesis, And Biological Evaluation Of Novel Heterocyclic Compounds For The Treatment Of Cancer And Neurodegenerative Disorders, Saloni Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impairs memory and cognitive judgment, mostly in older people. It is the leading cause of dementia in late adult life. The hallmarks of AD include neuronal loss, neuroinflammation, a build-up of extracellular amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques, intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, and extracellular neuritic plaques. Current treatment, although useful, is not adequate. Identification of therapeutic agents with the potential to alter the progress of AD is a high priority. Recent studies suggest that the Sigma-2 receptor is an attractive target for the development of disease-modifying AD drugs. Preventing the binding of Sigma-2 receptors …

Understanding The Misunderstandings: Using Deliberative Democracy And Communication Ethics To Overcome Societal Polarization In Post-Truth America, Jessica Neu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work contributes to communication scholarship by advancing the discussion of deliberative democracy to include communication ethics and popular culture artifacts to use as case studies in an exploration of how to engage in a type of dialogic civility that acknowledges identity politics without allowing it to be a barrier to progress in a post-truth society. As such, this work provides a sense of how to engage in conversation that recognizes and hears the Other in a way that makes all stakeholders uncomfortable. From this discomfort comes growth, as individuals do not necessarily need to completely alter their ideologies, morals, …

The Transformation Of Arab Narrative From Oral To Virtual Reality: A Media Ecology Perspective, Eman Alaslani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the evolution of communication in Arab culture from orality to virtual reality (VR). Through the lens of media ecology, it investigates the development of media technologies, particularly VR, and their influence on Arab storytelling, communication, and cultural identity. Making use of the theoretical perspectives of Marshall McLuhan, Walter J. Ong, and Neil Postman, this project explores the potential of VR to reshape Arab storytelling and cultural expression. The paper further discusses the historical, social, and technological dimensions of VR as a medium with the power to alter human communication and perception. This project surveys the effects of …

Remembering The Civil War In Indian Territory: Conflict, Commemoration, And The Birth Of A State, 1861-1965, Sarah Elliott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project argues that the Civil War was the mechanism by which Indian Territory transformed into the white-dominated U.S. state of Oklahoma, both in population and identity. Factions of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole Nations in Indian Territory allied with the Confederacy at the outset of the war. During Reconstruction, the federal government used these alliances to justify harsh treaty terms that dissolved tribal sovereignty and dispossessed these nations of much of their land. Initially, the federal government resettled other forcibly removed Indigenous peoples on this confiscated land, but the late nineteenth century, the Dawes Allotment Act and …

A Narrative Inquiry Into Contingent Music Faculty Experiences, Herbert Midgley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increasing reliance on short-term or contingent faculty reflects a shift away from tenure-track positions. Tenure-track faculty reduction is significant in academic disciplines such as music. This qualitative narrative inquiry study explored the professional experiences of contingent music faculty through semi-structured interviews. Narrative inquiry allows for individual participant voice in which this study examined participant relationships with faculty colleagues, employment experiences at higher education institutions, and working conditions. Implications of this study include new ways of understanding support structures from colleagues and institutions for contingent music faculty members, deeper perspective about the current state of teaching at their universities, and …

Cultural Diversity In The Body Of Christ: An African American Theological Reading Of The Book Of Revelation, Charles Gilmer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study will attempt to facilitate a more helpful reading of the text of John’s Apocalypse by placing it in an appropriate literary and historical context, deploying an African American hermeneutic, informed by the work of African American commentators such as Brian Blount, Allen Dwight Callahan, Clarice Martin, and Shanell T. Smith to develop from the text of the Apocalypse its ecclesiological content for a contemporary audience. As the church writ large (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and indigenous expressions) wrestles with its increasing global presence and the cultural and linguistic diversity which that expanded presence creates, this study will attempt to …

The Contributions Of Philosophical Anthropology To Healthcare Ethics, Bura Koroba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The first principles of bioethics, autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice have contributed immensely to healthcare ethics. The procedural approach streamlines the decision-making process, protects vulnerable subjects, and fosters stability and trust in the patient-caregiver relationship. Yet, the principles are demonstrably insufficient, riddled with limitations and loopholes that could stand in the way of care.[i] Several recommendations have been proffered to remedy the deficiencies. Value ethics, for instance, has been touted as a proficient addendum to the foundations established by the principles. Still, these have not sufficiently addressed all arising issues in bioethics. Besides the challenges encountered in decision-making, opposing …

The Moral Legitimacy Of Ethics Consultation, Jason Lesandrini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the moral legitimacy of ethics consultation in healthcare. It delves into the historical development of ethics committees and the shift towards ethics programs, addressing clinical and organizational ethics challenges. The work explores the field of clinical ethics, its professionalization, and the role of ethics consultation services, highlighting their expanding scope and complexity. The discussion includes the formation of professional standards for ethicists and the development of graduate programs in bioethics. Central to the dissertation is the question of whether ethics consultation is morally legitimate, a query yet to be adequately answered. The text scrutinizes various models and …

On The Cultivation Of Relational Leadership Mindsets Among Graduate Supervisees In The Mental Health Professions: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis, Cristina Bucur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In counseling supervision, leadership is often associated with supervisors’ skills, role, position, and responsibilities. However, supervisees need to learn and practice how to lead also: for example, how to promote others’ well-being, how to support, and advocate for others and self. Graduate supervisee relational leadership in the mental health professions is an intrinsic part of the purposive aspect of counseling supervision. Relational leadership in graduate counseling supervision is a purposive, interpersonal, facilitative, growth oriented, and process-based service in which leaders -expert facilitators and mentors- seek to cultivate leaders, not followers. Relational leadership is mutuality-affirming and mutuality-promoting (e.g., open dialogue, mutual …

Ejagham Mysticism In The Funeral Practices Of The Mgbe (Ekpe) And Moninkim Institutions: Insights For Research Methodology And Theological Epistemology., Besem Etchi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The knowledge of the divine broadens and deepens as each location contributes the history, elements, and practices related to its divine revelation. This dissertation contributes from the Ejagham locations of Cameroon and Nigeria. The Ejagham precolonial institutions of Moninkim and Mgbe (Ekpe) were tuition-paid training schools for personal development and prophetic leadership. Their structured curriculum to train one’s personal and social ejong (personality), towards the Ejagham organizing principles of beauty and excellence, is replete with Ejagham mysticism and indigenous epistemology. Unfortunately, Moninkim has been misrepresented in years of scholarly research as a girl’s seclusion and coming-of-age-for-marriage rite and Mgbe (Ekpe) …

Aristotle's Division Of The Sciences And The Impossibility Of A Science Of Everything, Christopher Lutz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Aristotle’s division between practical, productive, and theoretical sciences is widely acknowledged, and it is uncontroversial to say that it organizes his texts. However, contemporary scholarship often treats the division of the sciences as a mere organizational structure without investigating its underlying principles. My dissertation seeks to correct this oversight by investigating the logical principles of Aristotle’s division of the sciences in the Posterior Analytics’ account of scientific knowledge (ἐπιστήμη). My central argument is that Aristotle sees the sciences as inherently divided, so that a demonstrative science of everything is impossible. By understanding why science is divided, we are better …

Patagonian Precarity: Extractive Tourism And Subaltern Activism In El Chaltén, Argentina, Kaitlyn C. Sisco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the relationship between extractive tourism and social activism in Southern Andean Patagonia. Its central goal is to unpack the systems that structurally marginalize subaltern populations and inspire their resistance. Through ethnographic attention to El Chaltén, Argentina, I investigate how extractive tourism generates various forms of social activism that manifest in social dimensions such as class and gender. In El Chaltén’s ecotourism terrain, feminine and dissident experiences have been historically devalued. I argue that El Chaltén is a crucible for subaltern, structurally marginalized activism. The extractive tourism industry—tied to housing/land inequality and gender violence—generates and catalyzes various forms …

Circumcision—Deal With It! A Clinical Ethnography Of Intactivism At American Intersections, Benjamin M. Gaddes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On a routine trip to the grocery store, or while scrolling online, you might encounter the provocative and puzzling discourse of Intactivism, a viral, single-issue social movement that opposes infant male circumcision, and wonder “Huh? Why is this here, now?” This project situates Intactivism in a history of circumcision and anti-circumcision that spans from ancient Sumerian tents to the front pages of Reddit. It takes an immersive qualitative clinical ethnographic approach, nested in a broader cultural psychology that is non-reductive and pluralistic, to articulate an Intactivist ethos in its public and private dimensions. Methods include participant-observation, interviews, and framework discourse …

For The Good Of Association: The Call-And-Response Communication Ethics Of The Early Naacp, Rodney Adam Lyde

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an exploration of the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), from the standpoint of communication studies. In particular, this dissertation is based on the research of several crucial, communicative artifacts, including: “The Call” penned by William English Walling; the addresses, speeches, and the panel discussion of the Negro National Conference; and the editorial of the first issue The Crisis magazine. The contention is that the communication of the NAACP was catalyzed by a communication ethic, nominated as call-and-response communication ethics. Therefore, this dissertation elucidates the four practices of call-and-response communication ethics: …

Development Of A Rapid Bacterial Quantification Method Based On Droplet Microfluidics, Shawn Bliss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The capacity to identify bacteria quickly and accurately is critical for applications such as medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety. For instance, sepsis diagnosis requires blood cultures that take as long as 1-5 days, preventing timely intervention and increasing mortality rate. Here, we propose the joint use of microfluidics and a machine learning algorithm for rapid bacterial cell capture and quantification. The combination of high-throughput droplet microfluidics and a support vector machine (SVM) enables analysis and quantification of bacterial samples within as short as 4 hours. We have performed successful encapsulation of pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, …

The Ecclesiology Of Catalino G. Arévalo: Inculturation, Mission, And Liberation In The Philippine Context, Zachary Ryan Dehm

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Catalino G. Arévalo, S.J., was an eminent Filipino ecclesiologist of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Through his work for the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in particular, he played a significant role in the reception of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) in Asia and in the development of inculturation as a theological norm. Yet, Arévalo offered no systematic articulation of his theology of the church. By examining his work spanning seven decades, this dissertation traces the development of Arévalo’s ecclesiology and offers five foundational principles necessary for gaining a systematic understanding of his thought: (1) ecclesiology must be situated within …

Perinatal Ethics: The Role Of Ethics Consultation Around Parental Dilemmas Before And After Birth, Giulia Adele Dinicola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, “Perinatal Ethics: the Role of Ethics Consultation around Parental Dilemmas Before and After Birth,” aims to examine the nuances of clinical ethics consultations in the field of perinatal ethics. Perinatal ethics entails ethical quandaries that emerge during a life-changing shift in prospective parents’ lives: pregnancy, childbirth, and the first days to months of their child’s life. Although pregnancy and childbirth often come with happy and joyful memories; this is not always the case. When fetal anomalies are diagnosed either with prenatal screening tests, or when maternal health complications develop during pregnancy, or when delivery-related emergencies occur during childbirth, …

The Contribution Of Pope Francis’ Integral Ecology To Global Ethics, Salvatore Enzo Del Brocco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The defense of the dignity and inviolability of human life has always gained prominence in the doctrine of the Catholic Church. With Pope Francis' concept of integral ecology, Catholic bioethics is expanded to a broader understanding. His vision of integral ecology, global bioethics, and solidarity emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things and the importance of caring for one another and the planet. It calls us to recognize our common humanity and to work together for the common good by facing the numerous emerging problems of our times, which threaten the dignity of human life and the future life of the …

The Ethical Justification Of Medical Interventions Across The Spectrum Of Healthcare For Patients Preceding The Age Of Consent: The Tension Between Surrogate Consent And Minor Assent, Erin Scroggins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation, The Ethical Justification of Medical Interventions Across the Spectrum of Healthcare for Patients Preceding the Age of Consent: the Tension Between Surrogate Consent and Minor Assent, will aim to provide ethical justification for medical intervention for patients preceding the age of consent. To begin, decision-making for medical intervention in all forms will be examined. Followed by, beginning of life interventions into complex and controversial situations for medical intervention which then leads into end-of-life considerations for patients preceding the age of consent. These chapters will pose various ethical considerations for some more contentious dilemmas. It has been pondered …

Impact Of Glycerophosphocholine Metabolism On Phenotypes In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae And Schizosaccharomyces Pombe, Victoria Hrach

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glycerophosphocholine (GPC) is an abundant metabolite in eukaryotes. In baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, GPC can be produced via deacylation of the major membrane glycerophospholipid phosphatidylcholine (PC). My lab has identified a novel pathway to re-synthesize PC from GPC by acylating it at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions; this pathway has been termed the PC Deacylation-Reacylation Pathway (PC-DRP). We previously characterized the acyltransferase Gpc1 and its ability to synthesize one-tailed lyso-PC from GPC, as well as that noting that GPC1 is upregulated in inositol-free conditions and results in more saturated PC. Here, I add to this basic characterization by establishing …