Digital Commons Network^™

Incidental Exposure, Political Activity And Perceived Trust., Brianna Berry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study examines the concept of incidental versus traditional exposure to information through the context of a police brutality incident. Incidental exposure on social media is when a person is exposed to information or imagery without prior warning. It is hypothesized that 1) individuals who are incidentally exposed to a graphic police brutality event will be more likely to participate in politics and 2) will have lower perceived trust in the government. This randomized study utilizes two treatments (incidental exposure and traditional exposure) and a control group. Analysis of the data shows that support for H₁ is only …

Genetic And Functional Analysis Of Rat Mammary Cancer Susceptibility., Emily L Duderstadt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer genetic susceptibility is modulated by high to low penetrance risk alleles. Population frequencies of high and moderate penetrant predisposing mutations are rare and responsible for a small percentage of population cases. Most genetic variation in breast cancer susceptibility is low penetrance common variants where causal genes and risk-associated mechanisms are largely unknown. Comparative genetics uses animal models to isolate and mechanistically evaluate genetic susceptibility to human disease. Rat strains have different susceptibility phenotypes to chemical-induced carcinogenesis. Selective breeding and genetic linkage analysis using a 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) rat mammary carcinogenesis model have identified Mammary carcinoma susceptibilityquantitative trait loci …

Space To Lead: Cognitive Coaching As Mindful School Leader Practice., Jennifer Helm Cox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anxious, stressed school leaders can adversely affect the climate and culture of the communities they serve. The multiple roles a principal must fulfill for their schools leave little room for renewal, self-development and reflection leaving principals feeling drained of energy and a true sense of continual mastery, leaving them with low self-efficacy and primed for burnout. Leaders engaged in growing their flexibility, mindful awareness, professional and personal development may be more resilient, agile, and responsive to the high demand of school administrator’s job. This study examined the experiences of 5 principals in a suburban school district as they engaged in …

The Effects Of Great Leaps Reading On The Reading Fluency Of Elementary Students With Reading And Behavioral Deficits., Gwendolyn Shultz Ashley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an examination of one reading fluency intervention presented in digital form. It begins as an overview of the academic challenges faced by students classified as emotional behavioral disorder in our P-12 schools, due to challenges accessing the curriculum. Children that also have reading fluency deficits have an even more difficult time accessing grade level curriculum. Several theories of education are presented, with a focus on instructivist theory. Instructivist theory focuses on such methodology as Applied Behavior Analysis, which includes Discreet Trial Training and direct instruction.Repeated reading is included. All of these are components of Great Leaps for …

A Qualitative Look At Secondary Trauma Through The Lived Experiences Of Elementary Teachers., Terri L Davenport

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined the lived experiences of elementary educators working with traumatized students. Secondary trauma among other professions such as social workers and first responders is well-documented (Bride et al., 2007). Research on the impact it has on educators is still limited (Hill, 2011). This dissertation provides evidence that educators are directly impacted by the work that they do to support and educate their students. A phenomenological approach is used to explore the troubling personal challenges educators face while working with traumatized students. The study examines elementary teachers’ experiences using the Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) lens as a theoretical …

Shifting Sands., Rachid Tagoulla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Shifting Sands is a re-exploration of the presentation of North Africans in colonial postcards, an examination of identity, and a critique of the modern Western museum. Since the inception of photography, colonizers used this medium- especially in the form of postcards- to categorize and exoticize Eastern peoples in order to more easily subjugate them. Shifting Sands is a series of reconstructed colonial postcards which challenges colonial-era stereotypes of North African peoples. The colonial gaze, represented by the camera lens, is subverted through a lensless image-making process in which sand is used to remove the subject from the colonial gaze and …

Ga-Based Iii-V Semiconductor Photoanodes For Solar Fuels And Novel Techniques To Investigate Their Photocorrosion., Sahar Pishgar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Solar energy is one of the most abundant renewable energy sources. However, the diurnal variation of the sun as well as seasonal and weather effects, limits the widespread global implementation of solar energy. Thus, Cost-effective energy storage is critical to overcome the intermittent nature of solar energy available on the earth. Photoelectrolysis of water to oxygen and hydrogen fuel is a promising large-scale solution to store intermittent solar energy in a dense and portable form. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting, or artificial photosynthesis, research strives to develop a semiconductor photoelectrode with both high efficiency and long-term stability. Semiconductors of the III–V class …

Multi-Style Explainable Matrix Factorization Techniques For Recommender Systems., Olurotimi Nugbepo Seton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black-box recommender system models are machine learning models that generate personalized recommendations without explaining how the recommendations were generated to the user or giving them a way to correct wrong assumptions made about them by the model. However, compared to white-box models, which are transparent and scrutable, black-box models are generally more accurate. Recent research has shown that accuracy alone is not sufficient for user satisfaction. One such black-box model is Matrix Factorization, a State of the Art recommendation technique that is widely used due to its ability to deal with sparse data sets and to produce accurate recommendations. Recent …

Isomotive Dielectrophoresis For Enhanced Analyses Of Cell Subpopulations., Mohamed Zakarya Rashed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the relentless dream of creating a true lab-on-a-chip device is closer to realization than ever before, which will be enabled through efficient and reliable sample characterization systems. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a term used to describe the motion of dielectric particles/ cells, by means of a non-uniform electric field (AC or DC). Cells of different dielectric properties (i.e., size, interior properties, and membrane properties) will act differently under the influence of dielectrophoretic force. Therefore, DEP can be used as a powerful, robust, and flexible tool for cellular manipulation, separation, characterization, and patterning. However, most recent DEP applications focus on …

The Rise Of The Nones: Religion, Leaners, And Their Connection With Partisanship In America., Kevin C. Orr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is based on the rise of the so-called “nones” in America - those who do not identify as religious - which has been a rapidly increasingly subgroup in the country. Along with the increase of the nones, religious belief and religious behavior have also been decreasing, showing a larger trend across the nation of a society detaching from religion. Nonetheless, religion in politics is still very visible. Additionally, another subgroup of America, the “leaners” - those who identify as Independents who lean towards Democrat or Republican - are a similar type of group to the nones in their …

Distribution And Ecological Effects Of Azteca Chartifex/Trigona In The Barro Colorado Nature Monument., Rachel Leann Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the behavior and ecology of a conspicuous and behaviorally dominant ant species in the tropical rainforest of Panama. Competition with aggressive species is an important factor that shapes local community structure. Eavesdropping on the chemical communication systems of such behaviorally dominant species can help heterospecific species to avoid negative interactions. I review the chemical communication system and known ecological effects of the Neotropical canopy ant, Azteca chartifex/trigona (Chapter 1). There are over 40 known compounds produced by Azteca workers, yet how these compounds impact heterospecific species is unclear in many circumstances. I assessed if heterospecific …

In Bloom: Nurturing The Liberation Process Of Performer And Character As Rose In August Wilson's Fences., Paula O. Lockhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rose Maxson is the 43-year-old matriarch of the Maxson household in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Fences. She is a character with an inviolable spirit. The unwavering force she possesses rattles the pages as she relives past loves, loss, experiences heartbreak. Imagine, how I, a then 24-year old devoid of the immense life experience that Rose encompasses found my way into her. The answer is through nurture. To nurture is a process of feeding, protecting, or rearing someone or something. It is a journey with or without a destination. Rose is in a constant state of nurturing her family, …

Development And Applications Of In-Vitro And In-Silico Models Of The Cardiovascular System To Study The Effects Of Mechanical Circulatory Support., Moustafa Meki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality globally. With ongoing interest in CVDs treatment, preclinical models for drug/therapeutic development that allow for fast iterative research are needed. Owing to the inherent complexity of the cardiovascular system, current in-vitro models of the cardiovascular system fail to replicate many of the physiological aspects of the cardiovascular system. In this dissertation, the main concern is with heart failure (HF). In advanced HF, patients may receive Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) as a bridge to transplant or destination therapy. However, LVADs have many limitations, including inability to adapt to varying tissue demand …

Assessing The Role Of Chronic Arsenite Exposure In Disrupting The Egfr Signaling Axis., Christine Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic arsenic exposure is a risk factor for the development of pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer, but the exact mechanism is not yet fully understood. Many previous studies have relied on acute arsenic exposure (i.e. 1-10 uM arsenic for 24 hours) to study arsenic toxicological effects. However, acute exposure does not reflect the levels or duration of arsenic associated with environmental exposure, or drinking of contaminated well water. This dissertation differentiates the effects of acute versus chronic arsenic exposures on the EGFR signaling axis and suggests possible mechanisms for chronic arsenic-induced pulmonary diseases. The EGFR is a receptor tyrosine kinase …

Comparing Instructional Techniques On Memory Retention, Retrieval, Application And Self-Efficacy Of Grading Criteria Used For Student Self-Assessment., Michael James Metz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose/Objectives: Study examined the effects of active engagement (ENG) and spaced retrieval practice (SRP) on the self-assessment (SA) competencies among D1 dental students. Methods: D1 dental students (N = 120) were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions (n=30) in this experimental 2X2 research study: no ENG/ no SRP (control); no ENG/ SRP; ENG/no SRP; ENG/ SRP. Outcomes included content mastery (30 item multiple-choice exam) and application knowledge (simulated dentoform assessment) of the course grading rubric for SA. Results: Results indicated a statistically significant main effect for ENG and SRP on both outcome variables. Specifically, ENG …

Black Men Wanted: An Instrumental Case Study Exploring The Situational Factors Related To The Retention Of African American Male High School Teachers., Christopher Kevin Flores

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the nation’s high school student population becomes increasingly diverse, the declining number of minority teachers, particularly African American male teachers is becoming an area of concern. This instrumental case study of African American male high school teachers in the Fayette County Public School system in Lexington, Kentucky sought to identify the motivations for teaching, the barriers prior to and during teaching, as well as the roles these individuals are asked to fulfill in their schools. Using purposeful sampling, 10 individuals participated in semi-structured interviews aimed at providing insight to the three research questions related to motivations, barriers, and roles. …

Mapping Three Dimensional Interactions Between Biomolecules And Electric Fields., Joseph Patrick Brian P.E.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electroporation is a technique that induces the formation of open pores in cell membranes by the application of an electric field. Electroporation is widely practiced in research and clinical work for transfection of genetic sequences and drug molecule transport through the membrane barrier. However, a full theoretical explanation of the molecular mechanisms and thermodynamics responsible for pore formation, structure, and longevity does not yet exist. Advances in molecular dynamics simulations have enabled theoretical studies of electroporation with previously unobtainable fidelity spanning biologically relevant timescales. All-atom simulations utilizing the recently developed method of computational electrophysiology demonstrate that pore size correlates to …

Simulation Of Fracture Strength Improvements Of A Human Proximal Femur Using Finite Element Analysis., Waleed Ebraheem Alim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The most common hip fracture in the elderly occurs as a result of a fall to the side with impact over the greater trochanter resulting in a fracture of the proximal femur. The fracture usually involves the femoral neck or the intertrochanteric region. It has recently been determined that the fracture crack of a hip fracture typically initiates on the superior-lateral cortex of the femoral neck and then propagates across the femoral neck, resulting in a complete fracture. The strength of the superior-lateral cortex of the femoral neck is likely determined by the combined properties of the generally thin cortex …

Principal Mentoring As A Retention And Effectiveness Strategy In Comprehensive Improvement Schools., Robert Fulk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines Comprehensive Improvement Schools (CSI) principals’ experiences with mentoring programs and their perceptions of how such programs may mitigate administrative attrition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight practicing CSI principals and the study utilized the pragmatic framework. The interviews captured principal’s experiences with being a principal mentee during their first year of CSI principalship, and what actions or activities in their mentorships aided their retention in the position. The analysis suggested several recommendations for practice in principal mentoring programs to increase school leader retention. At the heart of these recommendations was an emphasis on the importance of …

The Importance Of Noncapped Viral Genomic Rna To Alphaviral Infection And Pathogenesis., Autumn Lapointe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alphaviruses are mosquito-borne arboviruses that have a positive sense, single-stranded RNA genome, which are capable of causing severe disease and thus pose a significant burden to public health. During alphaviral replication, significant quantities of viral genomic RNAs that lack the canonical alphaviral 5’ cap structure are produced and packaged into viral particles, despite the fact that these noncapped genomes cannot be translated and are essentially noninfectious. The production and packaging of the noncapped genomes has been found to be true for infections across multiple vertebrate and invertebrate cell lines and alphavirus species, although the proportion of ncgRNA produced differs. Despite …

Role Of Kvβ2 Subunits In Regulation Of Resistance Arterial Tone., Sean M Raph

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels control vascular resistance and facilitate the augmentation of myocardial blood flow in response to increases in cardiac workload (i.e., metabolic hyperemia). Native sarcolemmal Kv1 channels in arterial myocytes associate with a heteromeric auxiliary complex consisting of intracellular Kvβ1 and Kvβ2 proteins. The Kvβ proteins differentially regulate the function of heterologously expressed Kv channels, as well as native Kv1 channels in excitable cells of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The physiological importance of vascular Kvβ proteins in mediating vasodilation remains unknown. In this study, I tested the hypothesis that Kvβ proteins functionally regulate vascular tone in response …

Teacher Perception Concerning The Role Of Elementary Principals In School Culture And Climate, Robyn Murray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A phenomenological research study was conducted to examine teacher perceptions of elementary principals’ behaviors affecting school culture and climate. The researcher gathered data from participant interviews. Participants were selected using purposeful sampling of teachers identified by their principals as meeting study criteria. The schools in which teachers were selected were also chosen using purposeful sampling based on superintendents’ perceptions of positive principal influence on school culture and climate.

Data analysis provided insight to the researcher into the phenomenon being explored in this study. Teachers were asked to participate in an individual interview with the researcher and provide answers to open …

Preclinincal Development Of Avaren-Fc: A Novel Lectin-Fc Fusion Protein Targeting Cancer-Associated High-Mannose Glycans., Matthew William Dent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the anticancer activity of Avaren-Fc (AvFc), a novel lectin-Fc fusion protein or “lectibody” targeting cancer and virus-associated high-mannose glycans. Previously, we have shown that AvFc recognizes a broad selection of established cancer cell lines from a wide array of tissue types, can potently induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) against them, and exhibits anti-cancer activity in vivo. However, the exact mechanism of action remains elusive. We hypothesized that the primary mechanism of action is through Fc-mediated effector functions, and the purpose of this dissertation is to explore this question through the use of Fc variants that either …

How Therapists Decide To Self-Disclose To Their Clients: A Grounded Theory Study, Sydney Morgan Reed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

One challenge therapists face when working with clients is whether or not to self-disclose personal information. Therapists may wonder whether it is ethical, and if so, what types of self-disclosure are appropriate, what impact self-disclosure will have, and how to self- disclose. Although much research exists on the benefits and costs of therapist self- disclosure (TSD), the literature on the decision-making process of TSD is scarce, particularly for marriage and family therapists. The objective of this study was to develop a general theory of the decision-making process surrounding therapist self-disclosure for marriage and family therapists. The researcher developed this theory …

Religiosity, Outgroup Contact, Postconventional Religious Reasoning, And Their Associations With Christians' Prejudice Against Sexual And Gender Minorities., Lucas Huckaby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the last few decades there has been a resurgence of work investigating topics around religion and spirituality (R/S), with the majority of the literature demonstrating associations with positive outcome variables. However, R/S factors have also shown significant relationships with some negative outcomes, most notably prejudice towards sexual and gender minorities (SGM). Following the call of researchers, this study investigates the hypothesized positive relationship between postconventional religious reasoning (PRR), defined as an individual’s ability to engage in critical thinking around R/S ideas while also demonstrating increased perspective-taking, along with other known covariates of prejudice against SGM (religiosity, outgroup contact) to …

Becoming Culturally Responsive: A Guide For Music Educators., Bailey Haynes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As America sees an increase in minority groups, providing an education that is beneficial and responsive to all cultures is a growing focus in the education system. One of the many roles of a music educator is to expose students to allmusic and music that is most meaningful to the students. Music educators are charged with providing students with musical instruction that is well rounded, and that will aid in the personal and educational growth of learners. Through culturally responsive teaching, defined as “a research-based approach towards teaching that connects students’ cultures, languages, and life experiences with that they …

Telling Principals' Leadership Stories: Administrative Perceptions Of Promoting Teacher Leadership., Adam Whitney Hicks Ed.D.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Numerous definitions, leadership roles, and methods of approaching teacher leadership are discussed in various areas of research; however, no efforts have been made to analyze the administrators who consciously cultivate it in their staff. Using a phenomenological design, this study identified twelve administrators—four elementary, four middle school, and four high school principals—who were found to cultivate teacher leadership, and explored both how these leaders defined teacher leadership, as well as examined how they worked to consciously cultivate it among their staff. Burns’ Transformational Leadership Theory (1978) is the study’s theoretical framework. The findings of the study outline a new definition …

The Shifting Role Of Teachers: A Case Study On Teachers’ Perceptions Of Personalized Learning In A Rural School District., Steve Miracle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This case study will explore teacher perceptions of the implementation of personalized learning as a means of supporting teachers in the process of transitioning to a new model of teaching and learning. A review of research revealed that there are many versions of personalized learning based on as many different definitions of what personalized learning is and what it looks like in the classroom. It is due to the lack of one consistent model that implementation can be problematic for schools and districts. As teachers are on the front line of implementing personalized learning their perceptions are important to future …

I'M Still Valid: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study Of Part-Time Phd Students' Motivation And Satisfaction., Heather A Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Doctoral attrition rates are consistently documented at approximately 50% in the United States, and attrition rates are typically higher for all students who pursue degrees on a part-time basis, regardless of degree level. Yet an increasing number of students are deciding to pursue research doctorates on a part-time basis. This growth in the part-time PhD student population requires an understanding of the factors that affect their persistence. I investigated part-time PhD student persistence through an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach to understanding the relationship between motivation and satisfaction through the lens of Self-Determination Theory. Findings suggest that part-time PhD students …

Harnessing The Power Of Trained Immunity In The Setting Of Pancreatic Cancer: A Novel Mechanism Of Immune Trafficking And Tumor Control., Anne Elena Geller

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite the success of immunotherapy in many types of cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has yet to benefit. Innate immune cells are critical to antitumor immunosurveillance and recent studies have revealed that these populations possess a form of memory, termed trained innate immunity, which occurs through transcriptomic, epigenetic, and metabolic reprograming. Though trained innate immunity has mostly been investigated in the context of infection, the induction of trained innate immunity could also protect against tumors, and specifically pancreatic tumors. Here, we demonstrate that yeast-derived particulate β-glucan, a known inducer of trained immunity, traffics to the pancreas following IP administration. This causes …