Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating The Role Of Tetherin Protein In Multivesicular Bodies Fusions In Lung Cancer Cells, Md. Rakib Miah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cells rely on the secretion of exosomes to communicate with one another and this process is potentially mediated by a protein called tetherin, which anchors exosomes to the cell surface to limit their spread. Tetherin protein has attracted a lot of attention because of its capacity to hinder the propagation of viruses by attaching virions to the surface of host cells. Treatment with interferon-alpha (IFNα) increases the production of tetherin, although it is not known how this affects tetherin localization and exosome-mediated communication. This thesis looks at how the expression of tetherin, which IFNα boosts, affects the dynamics of intercellular …

Applications Of Computer Vision In Biomechanics And Orthopaedics, William Stewart Burton Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning has emerged as a key technology for enabling advanced computer vision systems. These systems now permeate many industries, and have enhanced traditional processes through autonomous interpretation of visual data. In the field of orthopaedics, the increasing prevalence of imaging highlights a need for similar tools. In many cases, however, direct translation of available frameworks fails to resolve the complex problems currently facing this field. Stringent performance requirements, complex visual environments, data scarcity, and implications for patient safety represent domain-specific factors which pose unique challenges to proven techniques. Novel approaches are needed to realize the full benefits of visual …

School Administrators’ Perspectives On Dyslexia And Transformational Leadership And Implications For Teacher Placement, Christina M. Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on the perceptions of secondary-level administrators about dyslexia instruction and their decision-making process in teacher placement within a Texas school district. Using transformative leadership theory, the researcher’s aim was to address the instructional needs of students with dyslexia and help catalyze educational change. The research involved a qualitative descriptive approach to explore administrators’ perspectives and practices. Findings revealed that dyslexia affects approximately 15%–20% of the U.S. population. Despite intellectual capabilities, individuals with dyslexia face persistent struggles in reading and writing because of neurobiological differences. The specific problem addressed was the lack of understanding among school administrators about …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Black Entrepreneur Women’S Personal Development And Its Effect On Their Self-Identity, Mayrion Ann Washington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore Black entrepreneur women’s personal development and its effect on their self-identity. The study specifically aimed to explore personal development, entrepreneurship, and self-identity as they related to and affected Black entrepreneur women, in the United States, and their experiences with oppression, challenges, barriers, intersectionality, and systemic subordination. Historically, Black entrepreneur women have experienced systematic oppression and faced increased challenges that have and continue to negatively affect their entrepreneurial progress and their self-identity. Preliminary findings from the literature found that when Black entrepreneurial women engage in personal development, the results are reflected in …

Narratives Of Latina Leadership In Hispanic Serving Institutions In Texas, Deborah Ina Gonzalez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to understand the experiences of Latinas in Hispanic Serving Institutions Leadership Roles during middle adulthood and their perceptions of the factors, if any, that may influence their leadership development in Hispanic Serving Institutions in Texas. As the increased Latina student populations increase in Hispanic serving institutions it is crucial for students to see themselves in the leaders that influence them. Using the narrative life stories and LatCrit as the theoretical lens this study provided themes regarding the factors that influence leadership development during middle adulthood of the participants. Through the life stories, the study’s findings described and …

The Erosion Of Identity: A Study Of The Influence Of Racial Microaggressions On K-12 African American School Leaders, Rayfield J. Lavan Iii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored the experiences of African American educational leaders in navigating racial microaggressions in the workplace, specifically within K-12 educational settings. Using Taxonomy of Racial Microaggressions and emotion regulation theory as frameworks, this research examines how these leaders manage, respond to, and cope with various forms of racial bias while maintaining their professional identities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with African American leaders, and thematic analysis was used to identify recurring patterns of microaggressions and corresponding emotion regulation strategies. Key findings reveal that participants frequently encounter microaggressions such as assumption of inferiority, criminality, and second-class citizenship, with …

Transgender Education In School Nursing To Decrease Stigma And Promote Self-Efficacy, Brandy Shannon-Loyola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Doctor of Nursing Practice project evaluated whether transgender education provided to school nurses and healthcare technicians decreased stigma and promoted self-efficacy. Concerns that transgender individuals have voiced were that they felt healthcare professionals could not effectively care for transgender patients, which may be due to personal or religious beliefs or lack of knowledge concerning the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. Participants included credentialed school nurses and healthcare technicians in secondary education settings. The method consisted of a presurvey, education in the form of a handout, followed by a postsurvey to determine if education was successful. The Wilcoxon …

Understanding The Barriers Of General Education Teachers Implementing Inclusive Practices, Sonya Garrette Woodfork

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The inclusion of students with disabilities has become more prevalent in general education classrooms advocating for children to be educated in the least restrictive environment. This participatory action research aimed to investigate the effects of general education teachers’ lack of sufficient preservice training and attitudes on learning outcomes for children with special needs placed in inclusive learning environments. The participatory action research took place on one elementary and one early childhood campus. Data collection methods took place via triangulation using data from interviews, journals, and surveys. There are many barriers to successfully implementing inclusion in general education classrooms. This study …

Biocargos: Capture And Release Gels For Room Temperature Cell Storage., Justin Jacobson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, cryovials on dry ice or liquid nitrogen vapor transportation vessels are primary ways utilized to transport mammalian cells from one location to another. Due to the safety concerns of dry ice and liquid nitrogen, associated costly shipping charges, and limitations of proper packaging and labeling of materials, these conventional shipping techniques are unacceptable. It is urgent to develop a safe and environmentally friendly protocol to preserve and ship the biological samples from one place to another. In this research, a method was developed for an ecofriendly and safe protocol to preserve cancer cells. The cell viability of cell line …

The Use Of Peracetic Acid And The Advanced Oxidation Process In Water Purification., Spencer Shipman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Next Round Brewing project was a project that sought to use treated wastewater to make potable drinking water using peracetic acid (PAA) and the advanced oxidation process and break the stigma around reclaimed water. In experiments, PAA was an efficient biocide which reduced the level of pathogens to within EPA standards. When PAA was coupled with the advanced oxidation process all organic matter was also reduced to within acceptable levels, and no biocide was left over in the final product, meaning PAA properly dissociated into harmless byproducts. A series of experiments are presented that vary concentrations of PAA, effluent …

Principals' Perspectives Of The Impact Of Faculty Engagement, Self-Efficacy, And Resiliency On First-Year African American College Student Retention, Hattie Marie Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study examined principals’ perceptions of the impact of faculty engagement, student resiliency, and student self-efficacy on the retention of first-year urban and rural African American college students. The aim of the study was to determine why students from this demographic leave their higher education institutions after the first year. In the United States, about 30% of students, regardless of race or ethnicity, drop out of college after the first year. Further, given 6 years, about 50% of students drop out before obtaining a degree. Researchers have identified African American students as having a high college dropout rate. This …

Unlocking Academic Success: Exploring The Interplay Of Relational Capacity In Educational Leadership And Student Achievement, Veronica Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explored the factors that influenced secondary teachers’ perceptions relational capacity between teachers and students and their influence on student achievement within educational settings. The study was grounded in the recognition that relational capacity plays a pivotal role in fostering supportive teacher-student relationships, which were essential for enhancing academic outcomes and overall student well-being. The research problem addressed the need to understand how enhancing relational capacity in education could positively influence student achievement by creating an environment where students felt valued, understood, and motivated to excel academically. Using a qualitative approach, this research employed semistructured interviews as the primary …

Coastal Flood Risk In The Context Of Climate Change And Urbanization In Northeastern South Carolina, Hongyuan Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Researchers and the public now widely recognize the seriousness of coastal flood risks. Various changes in natural processes, such as altered rainfall patterns, increased tropical cyclone intensities, and sea-level rise, are consequences of global warming induced by heightened greenhouse gas concentrations. To comprehensively understand coastal compound flooding, it is crucial to consider multiple processes and their interactions. Moreover, the growth of coastal cities and the concentration of people and assets in these areas make them increasingly vulnerable to flooding events. Accurately estimating the future flood risks faced by coastal communities necessitates addressing the compounding effects on coastal flood risk, taking …

It Is All Relative: Intergenerational Postsecondary Education And Economic Mobility, Leslie Jean Barrett Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explores the intricate relationship between intergenerational postsecondary education and economic mobility by focusing on the nuanced themes of environment and exposure, encouragement and expectation, and experience and equal opportunity. Drawing from the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), this research seeks to unravel the nuanced mechanisms through which familial and societal influences shape individuals' educational trajectories and economic outcomes across generations.

The study is conducted through an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) in which 10 participants provide meaningful insights of their interpretation of experiences in an eight open-ended question interview. Participants are postsecondary education graduates in the age range of …

Perceptions Of Low-Income Parents On Kindergarten Readiness: A Qualitative Study, Farrah Woodberry Owens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a significant amount of research documenting the importance of school readiness and its implication for life-long consequences (Jarrett & Coba-Rodriguez, 2017, 2018; Kang et al., 2017; Malsch et al., 2011). Parents play a critical role in supporting the acquisition of all skills needed to prepare children for school readiness. Readiness refers to being prepared with the necessary skills to access learning (Saracho, 2023). The purpose of this study is to explore the practices and perceptions of low-income parents on kindergarten readiness skills in the Hollywood School District (HSD) as measured by the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA). Students in …

The Perceptions Of Teachers’ Beliefs And Attitudes On Technology Integration: A Suburban Middle School Case Study In The South-Central United States, Trina Lashell Valdez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools have been increasingly challenged with preparing students via technology based on changing standards for students achieving academic success. However, technology integration has barriers, often including teachers’ beliefs and attitudes associated with integrating technology in their classrooms. Therefore, in this qualitative case study, I attempted to understand better the perceptions of teachers, administrators, and professional support staff at Model Middle School about teachers’ beliefs and attitudes regarding technology integration and how to use this knowledge to inform teacher professional development. Data collection consisted of semistructured interviews of teachers, administrators, and professional support staff at Model Middle School via the Zoom …

A Delphi Study Defining Catholic Identity In American Diocesan Catholic Higher Education, Katherine E. Grooms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 60 years, there have been general comments and outcry that Catholic higher education schools simply are not Catholic enough anymore. The concern about the lack of identity started with the decline in ordained leadership and mounting pressures to compete with secular institutions. To measure if Catholic identity has declined, a working definition of Catholic identity is needed. This study employed the Delphi methodology to define Catholic identity among a subset of Catholic higher education institutions—diocesan-sponsored schools. The primary research question was how the identified schools defined Catholic identity, with subquestions that included who was responsible for the …

The Recruitment And Retention Of Professional Volunteers To Mentor Dental Students, Sandra Gibson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The recruitment and retention of volunteers in society is a critical endeavor for many nonprofit organizations that look to serve our communities. For many organizations, it is a way to keep costs down and to supplement the physical resources necessary to keep the organization afloat. This study centered on recruiting and retaining professional dental volunteers to mentor dental students at the Social Wellness Services (SWS: pseudonym) organization in Upstate, NY. The general problem addressed in this study was that many nonprofits need help acquiring highly specialized volunteers, which requires a unique amalgamation of education, skill/experience, selfless attitude, resolve, and available …

Investigating Mixed Effects Random Forest Models In Predicting Satisfaction With Online Learning In Higher Education, Jiaqi (Jackie) Shi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One of the many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increasing prevalence and accessibility of online education. This trend has also introduced challenges for students, instructors, and institutions. This study examines factors affecting online course satisfaction, focusing on individual, instructor, and institutional level characteristics with clustered, separated train and test datasets across two terms. This study compares Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM), Non-clustered and Clustered Random Forest (RF & MERF) models to understand these impacts. This intention is to provide a comprehensive framework comparing traditional HLM with the latest developed MERF models while delving into the effectiveness of RF …

Examining The Effects Of Post-Traumatic Self-Blame And Shame On Response To Laboratory-Induced Pain, Adi Rosenthal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extant research has made clear the link between self-criticism and engagement in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). As posited by the Defective Self Model of NSSI, individuals who experience feelings of self-hatred may perceive pain as deserved and engage in NSSI (Burke et al., 2021). Individuals exposed to interpersonal trauma are at higher risk of engaging in NSSI, and also frequently experience trauma-related self criticism, namely shame and self-blame. More work is needed; however, to understand how self-critical post-traumatic cognitions contribute to risk for NSSI engagement for interpersonal trauma survivors. The current study uses a combination of lab-induced pain and self-report measures …

The Naked Truth Of My Voice: Surveying The Soul Of An Aspiring Educator From Dusk To Dawn: An Arts-Based Auto-Criticism Inquiry, Siddharth Maan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is based on auto-criticism, a new qualitative inquiry that combines educational criticism and arts-based research. It focuses on my own experiences as an aspiring educator who struggles with stuttering and public speaking anxiety. The study aims to describe, interpret, evaluate, and thematize my experiences of dealing with public speaking anxiety and stuttering before, during, and after classroom teaching. In addition, this dissertation highlights the potential contributions of auto-criticism as a methodology to qualitative research and higher education. I utilized journaling to document data. Photos and music were also used to enhance the understanding of my lived experiences and …

Real Time Pii Scanning, John David

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increased amount of web applications and internet software solutions utilizing cloud frameworks has contributed to large data sets of system log messages being generated constantly. These messages may contain sensitive data, creating an additional security risk for the systems and contributing to the need for analysis of such large volumes of data in real time. Large commercial data monitoring systems can solve for these analysis requirements, but they can be costly. We present a solution to analyzing web application log data which ingests it, processes it and visualizes sensitive data found within in real time. Our solution utilizes an …

Heterogeneous Multi-Robot Person-Following In Constrained Environments, Ori A. Miller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maintaining visibility of a person requires effective systems. Security cameras or ground robots might be ideal, but they often fail in uncontrolled or unknown environments. A single ground robot struggles to navigate and track an agent at the same time. This work addresses the challenge by developing a multi-robot system with a slow ground robot and an agile aerial robot. Three methods are evaluated: FORWARD-PF, RL-Person Following (RL), and a baseline closed-loop method. FORWARD-PF proved the most reliable, completing all nine paths and reaching targets nearly twice as fast as RL. Despite completing seven paths, RL faltered on complex tasks. …

Koopman-Based Modeling For Nonlinear Control Of Multirotor Uavs, Simone Martini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This PhD dissertation focuses on adopting the emerging Koopman Operator theory for modeling and nonlinear control of multirotor UAVs, focusing specifically on quadrotors for proof-of-concept demonstration purposes.

The Koopman Operator theory is based on the foundation that nonlinear dynamics in the state space may be represented as a linear evolution of some functions in the state space. Thus, using appropriately defined and possibly nonlinear functions of the state variables, called observables, as a new and maybe infinite set of coordinates that are referred to as lifted space, the original nonlinear dynamics appear to be linear. The implications of this theory …

Latinx Sleep Health Disparities In Primary Care: The Role Of Patient-Provider Communication, Amy L. Fraire

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Poor sleep is linked to various adverse health outcomes, and Latinx often experience shorter and poorer sleep relative to non-Hispanic whites (NHWs). Despite growing attention to racial/ethnic sleep health disparities, there is a notable dearth in the literature on patient-provider communication about sleep (Sleep Communication) during primary care visits, particularly among Latinx patients. To address this gap, this study provides initial insights into the incidence of Sleep Communication among Latinx and NHW primary care patients (N = 210), as well as if patient race/ethnicity and Sleep Communication collectively relate to patient satisfaction with their PCP or perceptions of culturally sensitive …

Integrating Authentication Schemes In Augmented And Virtual Reality Classrooms, Naheem Noah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) technologies are revolutionizing educational experiences, but their widespread adoption hinges on addressing critical security and usability challenges, particularly in the domain of user authentication. This research presents an investigation into the security landscape of AR/VR and explores a graphical authentication scheme called “Things” that enhances both security and usability in immersive learning environments. Through a systematic evaluation of popular AR/VR devices and applications, potential vulnerabilities and limitations were identified, such as high usage of pin/passwords which are susceptible to shoulder-surfing attacks, lack of multi-factor authentication, and unclear data-sharing practices. A review of existing knowledge-based …

Developing A Comprehensive Cognitive Model Of Math Achievement, Nina Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recently, downward trends have been reported in U.S. children’s math performance following school disruptions during COVID-19 amidst longstanding concerns for instruction and curricula within the subject. In support of efforts to remedy these declines, the current work presents two studies dedicated to identifying cognitive factors that are most strongly related to math performance, and which therefore offer promising potential targets for assessment and intervention. Both studies use data from the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center, which includes participants ages 8 - 16 and multiple well-validated measures of all constructs of interest. Study 1 tests three alternative latent cognitive models of …

On Salvation And Genre: Fast Sermons In Seventeenth-Century New England, Daniel Patrick Mcgee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fast sermon is an important and overlooked genre in the literary history of colonial New England, one which complicates theories about American puritanism underwritten by the imprecise narrative construct of the jeremiad. This thesis will argue that preachers used fast sermons to shape their communities, respond to major events, and provide competing interpretations of Congregationalist doctrine throughout the seventeenth century. Borrowing from the methodologies of new formalist criticism and Louis Althusser’s theory of material ideology, it will examine common themes, motifs, and rhetorical demands in John Wheelwright’s 1637 Fast Sermon, Thomas Shepard’s 1645 Wine for Gospel Wantons, …

Designing An Educational Robotics Curriculum To Teach Mathematical Concepts While Fostering A Growth Mindset: A Self-Study, Lauren Harter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the development and implementation of a five-day curriculum designed to enhance students' understanding of algebraic concepts through the integration of educational robotics and growth mindset principles. The study is structured around three research questions that investigate influences on decision-making in curriculum design, the alignment of teaching intents with practices, and the impact of self-study on integrating algebra, robotics, and growth mindset principles. Findings reveal themes focused on the importance of research and collaboration, using the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework, intentional curriculum creation, starting somewhere, personal growth and self-reflection, and experiencing and embodying constructivism in action. The …

Making And Breaking Bonds: Studying Intrinsic Chemistry In The Gas-Phase, Luke Metzler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The nature of chemical interactions can be difficult to ascertain in the condensed phase; chemistry can be observed, but with the plethora of variables such as solvation, mixes of counter-ions, and complex equilibria, the true intrinsic chemical properties of a given chemical species may be obfuscated. By conducting research in the gas-phase, many of these variables can be reduced, if not eliminated entirely, which can allow for the careful observation of the true physical phenomena driving chemical reactivity.

The research presented herein focuses on the use of ion-trapping (specifically in a linear ion trap) as a method for unveiling the …