Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploratory Study Of Flora Poaching In Central Appalachia, Mckinley Bowers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of flora poaching among conservation officers, park rangers and botanists within Central Appalachia. Though some work has sought to understand poaching in other forms, such as animal poaching, little is known regarding the poaching of plants. This is especially true within the Appalachian Region. Several research questions were explored in this study, including the types of flora being poached, the characteristics of poachers, poaching tactics utilized, and deterrence measures that are currently in place. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 individuals working in the field. Findings contribute to the …

Poly (Adp-Ribose) Polymerase-1 (Parp1) Expression In The Frontal Cortex And Hippocampus In Major Depressive Disorder (Mdd) And Suicide, Ramona Faith Fulkerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that has a complex pathophysiology. In this study we evaluate the expression of PARP1 and the downstream alarmin protein high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in two brain areas that have demonstrated pathology in MDD. MDD donors were compared to controls. MDD subgroups that died by suicide were also compared to those that did not die by suicide. Immunoblotting to determine PARP1 and HMGB1 protein expression was performed in white and grey matter from the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. In BA10 white and grey matter, PARP1 protein expression was significantly …

An Examination Of The Physical And Technical Demands Of The Competitive Season For Ncaa Division I Male Soccer Players, Emmanuel Espinoza

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this dissertation were to examine the physical and technical demands of collegiate NCAA D-I male soccer players over the course of a competitive season. The following are the major findings of the dissertation:

Study 1 – GPS normative data was calculated by position using data from 5 seasons (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022). GPS data was compared by position for 5 different GPS-derived metrics. No statistically significant differences were found in any field or lab testing data by position. Statistically significant relationships were found between physical match performance variables of TD and SPR with both YYIRT-1 and …

Co-Rumination, Psychological Inflexibility, And Internalizing Symptoms In Adolescence, John Parigger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two risk factors for anxiety and depression in adolescence were examined: co-rumination, which occurs when friends excessively talk about problems; and psychological inflexibility, which occurs when one avoids negative feelings and fails to act on values. I hypothesized that psychological inflexibility would exacerbate the effect of co-rumination on adolescent anxiety and depression. Participants were 167 adolescents (Mage = 14.60 years, SD = 1.3; 65.7% cisgender males) who completed standard measures as part of an online survey. Results indicated no moderation effect, but there were main effects of co-rumination and psychological inflexibility on depression symptoms. Co-rumination may relate to …

Informed Consent Document Delivery: Effects On Appalachian Caregivers' Comprehension, Trust In Researchers, And Willingness To Participate, Tess A. Simpson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether altering an informed consent document (ICD), in ways that either promote or inhibit accessibility, would affect potential participants’ willingness to participate in a child development laboratory-based study. Specifically, I was interested in assessing the willingness to participate of historically underrepresented groups, especially Appalachian caregiver-child dyads. I altered three parameters of a previously approved and employed ICD to explore whether these parameters impacted Appalachian caregivers’ comprehension of the study, willingness to participate, and trust in the researchers. The manipulated parameters included reading level, utilization of illustrative pictures, and inclusion of text-to-speech …

Use Of Computational Methods To Determine The Relative Thermodynamic Stability Of Myricetin, Quercetin And 4-Methylesculetin For Use As Spin Traps, Cole Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research conducted focused on the oxidative intermediates of antioxidants known as Myricetin, Quercetin, and 4-Methylesutin by calculating the reaction mechanism. During this research, computational quantum chemistry on selected parts for the 3 antioxidants previously mentioned were performed to find the most stable intermediate to act as a spin trap. The hypothesis is that the intermediates found can act as spin traps which will allow longer preservation of a free radical to be identified using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. This may be because the buildup of excess free radicals in a system leads them to cause damage down to …

Effect Of Chemical Enhancers On Transdermal Delivery Of Amiloride For Management Of Resistant Hypertension, Oluwatosin Tabitha Leshaodo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Amiloride, a diuretic used for managing resistant hypertension, is hindered by low oral bioavailability and Gastrointestinal side effects, impacting patient compliance. This study investigates transdermal delivery as an alternative to reduce pill burden and improve adherence. Using dermatomed porcine ear skin, the research examined the passive transdermal delivery of amiloride and the effect of various chemical enhancers, including oleic acid, oleyl alcohol, tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, individually or in combination. A validated High-Performance Liquid Chromatography method, adhering to Internal Council for Harmonized guidelines (ICH), was employed for quantitative analysis. In vitro permeation studies, conducted using porcine skin and …

Dengue And Climate Change: Assessing Potential Future Areas Of Concern For Transmission In The United States, Matthew Beer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Global climate change severely impacts human life, particularly health, as rising temperatures and extreme weather affect physical and mental well-being. Climate change can also alter the risk factors and epidemiology of infectious diseases, notably vector-borne diseases (VBDs), including those transmitted by mosquitoes. The Aedes mosquito, responsible for dengue, poses a significant threat due to its prevalence vector. Dengue prevention lacks effective methods beyond vector control, and the current vaccine has limitations, emphasizing the need for intensified research and prevention strategies to mitigate the expanding dengue burden worldwide. The goal of these studies was to establish a novel risk index …

Transatlantic Memory And Identity: The Legacy Of Colonel Heg And The 15th Wisconsin In Norway And Norwegian America, Remi Berg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While memory studies of the American Civil War flourishes, ethnic and immigrant perspectives remain obscured. This project attempts to uncover how Norwegian-Americans remembered the 6000 Norwegian immigrants who fought in the Union Army. It explores the processes behind commemoration of Colonel Hans Christian Heg and the 15th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment from 1914 to 1928. It reveals that Norwegian-Americans commemorated Colonel Heg on three different and connected levels. Nationally, Norwegian-Americans raised a statue of Heg in Wisconsin after the individual determination of Waldemar Ager to challenge nativism and Americanization. Transnationally, Ager cooperated with the organization Nordmands-Forbundet who facilitated the erection of …

Changes In Blood Lactate And High Intensity Exercise Endurance During A Strength - Endurance Accumulation Training Using Accentuated Eccentric Loading, Nicholas Goode

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of accentuated eccentric load (AEL) resistance training and changes in work capacity, high-intensity exercise endurance (HIEE) and lactate metabolism. Seventeen recreationally trained subjects (11 males and 6 females) (mean ± SD: age = 23.2 ± 4.2 yrs, BM = 81.3 ± 22.2 kg, height = 172.1 ± 10 cm, male relative back squat (BS) [MD1] strength (1RM*BM^-1) = 1.64 ± 0.32 kg*kg^-1, female relative BS strength = 1.39 ± 0.32 kg*kg^-1) participated in the study. Subjects completed a week of familiarization to participate in …

Dismantling Barriers: Exploring Effective Support Systems For African American Success In Stem At Community Colleges, Traci L. Ramsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the barriers and effective support systems for African American male students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at community colleges. Given that African Americans represent a significant portion of community college students but a disproportionately small percentage of STEM graduates, this research sought to identify the factors contributing to this disparity. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the support systems that can enhance academic and social success for African American men STEM majors. Questionnaires, semistructured interviews, and archival records were the data collection methods used to examine African American male students …

Harry Potter And The Immersive Space: A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter, Kendra Bolin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The ability of humans to share stories has changed over time. From myths shared around a campfire to the introduction of cinema, we can now tell massive, immersive stories on an epic scale. One example of this is the storytelling present in theme parks. Present-day theme parks are continuously growing and expanding each year both in size and attendance. The continued success of these theme parks and the rhetorical influences of their audiences is a cultural phenomenon that deserves rhetorical scrutiny. My analysis looks at how one theme park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, Florida, immerses guests …

Shame, Guilt, And Behavioral Responses To Conflict In Organizational Life: A Correlational Study, Lori Anne Shaw

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the relationship between self-conscious emotions, namely shame and guilt, and constructive and destructive behavioral responses to conflict among working adults in the United States. Researchers have underscored the importance of task-focused conflict and adaptive leadership in fostering positive conflict outcomes. However, the connection between shame and guilt and behavioral responses has yet to be explored. Drawing upon the Conflict Dynamics Profile and the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3, this correlational study examined the associations between shame and guilt and 15 distinct behavioral responses to conflict among a sample of 203 participants, mostly women employed full-time. The cross-sectional survey …

Texas High School Counselors’ And Advisors’ Ccmr Self-Efficacy: An Exploratory Descriptive Study, Amanda R. Jolivet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last 20 years, there has been a growing emphasis on ensuring high school graduates are prepared for college and career in the 21st century. This is especially true in Texas, a state that has not only instituted college, career, and military readiness (CCMR) policies but has also monetarily incentivized schools and districts for meeting specific CCMR accountability metrics. Although Texas high school counselors and advisors are responsible for ensuring students across the state have access to CCMR information, support, and resources, not much was known about Texas high school counselors/advisors’ self-efficacy as it relates to postsecondary planning or …

Examining Enrollment & Engagement In A Hospital-Based Violence Prevention Intervention Study At A Level 1 Trauma Center, Leigh Frederick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Violence is a significant healthcare issue that affects the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Violence prevention and intervention programs are a powerful way to stop the revolving door of violent injury in our hospitals and communities. The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (HAVI), develops and connects violence intervention programs, promotes equity for victims of violence globally, and is dedicated to engaging patients during the window of opportunity when they are recovering in the hospital after a violent injury to reduce the chance of retaliation (related to the injury) and recurrence. A small body of research shows …

Implementation Of A Mobile-Based Mindfulness Intervention To Lower Perceived Stress Levels In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Wendy S. Carley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project analyzed the effect of the daily use of a mindfulness-based mobile application on associate degree nursing undergraduate prelicensure students’ perceived stress levels. Nursing students experience elevated stress levels that may be reduced through mindfulness behaviors. Undergraduate, prelicensure nursing students participated in establishing the impact of mindfulness on perceived stress levels in a quantitative pre/postintervention study. The evidenced-based studies chosen for this review consisted of randomized controlled trials, pilot studies, pre/posttest designs, systematic reviews, and quantitative and qualitative studies. The investigator collected presearch data using a pre/posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management program in reducing …

An Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of Black Women In Senior Leadership Roles At Cccu Member Institutions, Tuccoa Polk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry qualitative research study explored the lived experiences of Black women in senior leadership roles at Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) member institutions. Using Black feminist thought as the theoretical framework, this research study centered on the voices of 10 current or recently retired Black female senior-level leaders at CCCU campuses. The research study focused on one central research question and three subquestions that examined the challenges and barriers experienced by the participants, the role of mentorship in their leadership journey, and the impact of the participants’ Christian faith in their career trajectory to senior leadership …

African American Women’S Experience With Invisibility And Hypervisibility In The Workplace: Does It Matter To Career Advancement?, Elisha R. Peters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions in the workplace although they are the most educated in the workplace. This study explores the lived experience of African American women who work for the federal sector and their career advancement into leadership and managerial positions. A qualitative method was used, and the participants consisted of Black women who worked for the federal sector who had either promoted to a leadership position within the last 3 to 5 years or aspired to be in a leadership position.

Interviews were conducted via Zoom, and in vivo coding was used to …

Diversity Management And Organizational Resilience Among Midsized Cccu Institutions In Christian Higher Education, Kristopher M. Sutton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative cross-case analysis was developed to investigate how diversity management strategies were implemented and whether they coexist with organizational resilience capabilities at three U.S. private, midsized Christian-affiliated institutions of higher education associated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities. The researcher collected data from a senior-level chief diversity officer at each institution to determine how their diversity strategy was managed and whether a mature diversity program was concurrently present with organizational resilience capabilities. Data were collected using two primary instruments: the Diversity Management Competencies Questionnaire and semistructured interviews focused on organizational resilience. The collected data were supplemented …

Parental View On Hpv Vaccination, Rebecca Elaine Rhodes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection widely seen in the United States. Millions of Americans are affected by it each year, especially those in their late teens and early 20s. Although most infections will resolve on their own, 1 in 10 will lead to health problems such as cancer. The HPV vaccine can prevent over 90% of associated precancers and cancers. However, uptake of the HPV vaccine and its completion among adolescents are significantly lower than other recommended adolescent immunizations, falling short of the Healthy People 2030 goal of 80% coverage. Understanding parental attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions …

Exploring Principal Turnover In Oklahoma, Brett Bradley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schools that maintain the same principal for 5 or more years report increased student achievement, increased teacher retention, and a positive school culture. The problem is that over 70% of principals will not remain in the same school for 5 years and the average principal turnover rate in the United States is 22%. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore

principal turnover in Oklahoma from 2011–2024 by answering the following research questions: What is the average principal turnover rate for principals in Oklahoma? Is there a significant difference in elementary and secondary principal turnover rates? Is there a …

Impact Of Workplace Spirituality On Turnover Intention, Employee Engagement, And Job Satisfaction: An Empirical Study On Allied Health Care Professionals In The United States, Kerene A. Hoilett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare organizations may experience high expenses, turnover costs, and low morale, which may limit their ability to keep allied healthcare employees engaged and satisfied, resulting in high turnover. Yet, little is understood concerning the impact workplace spirituality may have on job outcomes such as turnover intention, job satisfaction, and employee engagement among allied healthcare workers in the United States. Job embeddedness and social exchange theories guided this study. An online survey incorporating workplace spirituality, turnover intentions, job satisfaction, and employee engagement was administered to 133 United States allied healthcare employees. Descriptive and inferential analyses were used to describe the data …

Make It Funny! Developing A Novel Humor-Based Digital Positive Psychology Intervention To Investigate The Influence Of Duchenne Laughter And Mirth On Psychological Distress In Daily Life, Joshua Semko

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The aim of the present research was to develop a novel digital humor-based PPI (Make it Funny!) to investigate the influence of Duchenne laughter and mirth on psychological distress in daily life. Participants (N = 159; Age_­median­ = 39 years; 47.77% biologically female; 68.15% White) were tasked with completing Make it Funny! or a placebo activity every day for 7 days. Duchenne laughter frequency had a small negative cross-sectional moderation effect on the relationship between the occurrence of stressful events psychological distress (t(79.71) = -2.33, b = -10.89, p = .022). Within participants, Duchenne laughter …

Trust, Transparency, And Transport: The Impact Of Privacy Protection On The Acceptance Of Last-Mile Drone Delivery, Jurgen Heinz Famula

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A common set of problems commercial delivery companies face is finding ways to increase the efficiency and reliability of the “last mile” of a package’s journey, all while reducing operating costs. This need for efficiency has driven many companies to explore using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, to get packages to their final destination. Although UAVs have great potential to help increase efficiency in commercial package delivery, this comes at a potential cost to the privacy of people who intersect the flight paths of these unmanned vehicles. This thesis explores the effect of a mobile phone application for commercial …

Bridging Design And Perception: Novel Tools And Technologies For Creating Effective Human-Robot Interactions, Benjamin Dossett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores human perception of robots through the use of novel tools and technologies. First, the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) data presentation on human perception of robots is investigated. A study conducted with the AR human-robot teaming system found that robot performance significantly influenced participants’ perceptions, overshadowing the impact of matching or mismatching robot confidence feedback. Second, the DU Want to Build-A-Bot platform is presented, which enables participatory robot design and opens the door for novel research of how robot design affects human perception. The Build-A-Bot platform enables the collection of diverse robot designs, facilitating machine learning analysis …

The Role Of Edc3 In Drosophila Melanogaster Neuronal Development, Keelan Zius

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Enhancer of mRNA-decay 3 (Edc3) is a component of multiple decapping complexes that regulates the transcriptome by targeting a subset of transcripts for decapping for 5’-to-3’ messenger RNA (mRNA) decay. A missense mutation in the conserved Lsm domain of Edc3 has been reported in two siblings presenting with mild, non-syndromic intellectual disability (ID), however, the role of Edc3 is neuronal development has never been evaluated. Here, we use the Drosophila melanogaster model system to investigate the effects of Edc3 disruption on neuronal development. We found Edc3 reduction leads to significant hyperplasia at the larval neuromuscular junction (NMJ), providing the first …

Collective Case Study Career Critique Of Social Entrepreneurs Who Are Gifted Adults, Joi Lin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation describes a qualitative research study that grows our understanding of the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of social entrepreneurs who are gifted adults (SEGA) so that we may nurture the career development of future SEGA. Research questions for this study probed the career development experiences, supports, and barriers of SEGA and the shared social value they create. The conceptual frameworks for this study are the ecological model for human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1979); the theory of positive disintegration (Dąbrowski, 1964/2016); social cognitive career theory (SCCT; Lent et al., 1994); the perceived instructional arc (Uhrmacher et al., 2017); and …

Cannabis Exposure During Pregnancy And Neural Mechanisms Of Parenting: Assessing Neural Responses To Infant Cues And Parenting Outcomes, Shannon Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As legalization of cannabis and cannabinoids spreads in the United States, access and use of cannabis during the prenatal period has increased. There is limited knowledge on the effects of prenatal cannabis use on the parental brain. One way to identify potential effects of cannabis on parenting is through studying parenting brain functions and behavior. Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has been shown to be associated with lower positive parenting and lower sensitivity to infants, but it is unclear by what mechanisms. The following two studies address this gap in knowledge by examining the association between cannabis use during the prenatal …

Self-Efficacy And Racial Identity For Undergraduate Music Majors, Rachel E. Lim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students’ identities can impact their self-efficacy, or their confidence in their ability to succeed in producing a desired outcome (Bandura, 1997; Klassen, 2004a; Klassen 2004b; Oettingen, 1995; Usher & Pajares, 2008); however, little peer-reviewed research explores the relationship between racial identity and self-efficacy for undergraduate music majors. In the United States, undergraduate music students of color often navigate educational experiences where they do not find their identities represented in the curricula (Ewell, 2020), their faculty (Higher Education Arts Data Services [HEADS], 2020), or their fellow students (HEADS, 2020).

This convergent mixed methods study utilized the theoretical framework of critical race …

Radical Hospitality: Height And Excess Of The Other And The New Host Self, Diako Alikhani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Drawing on Emmanuel Levinas’ ethical framework and its emphasis on the “height and excess” of “the Other,” this thesis explores and develops a sense of “radical hospitality” in Levinas and across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In particular, the thesis explores how encounter with the Other is not only marked by an overwhelming excess, but one which transforms the subject into what I call a “New Host Self:” Where the self is the host who greets the stranger with hospitality, it is ultimately the stranger—the refugee, the migrant—who transforms the host into someone new. Here, the host ultimately receives a gift …