Digital Commons Network^™

Mysci: A New Approach To Teaching Biological Science Laboratories, Korli Alford

Master's Theses

According to the National Science Foundation’s report “Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action,” project-based learning creates effective graduates and future collaborators. Instructors who are able to adapt their course to meet the unique interests of their students create graduates who are more likely to engage with peers and to retain the information taught throughout the class. The goal of this project was to develop a course based on student-driven, evidence-based learning. Five major and 12 minor, student-selectable labs were implemented in the initial test reported herein. A total of seven undergraduate students and three graduate …

Customization Of Aneurysm Scaffold Geometries For In Vitro Tissue-Engineered Blood Vessel Mimics To Use As Models For Neurovascular Device Testing, Camille D. Villadolid

Master's Theses

Cerebral aneurysms occur due to the ballooning of blood vessels in the brain. Rupture of aneurysms can cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which, if not fatal, can cause permanent neurologic deficits. Minimally invasive neurovascular devices, such as embolization coils and flow diverters, are methods of treatment utilized to prevent aneurysm rupture. The rapidly growing market for neurovascular devices necessitates the development of accurate aneurysm models for preclinical testing. In vivo models, such as the rabbit elastase model, are commonly chosen for preclinical device testing; however, these studies are expensive, and aneurysm geometries are difficult to control and often do not replicate …

Application Of Elastodynamic Finite Integration Technique (Efit) To Three-Dimensional Wave Propagation And Scattering In Arbitrary Geometries, Sean M. Raley

Master's Theses

Over several decades, railroad Ultrasonic Testing (UT) industry techniques have primarily been developed through simple analytical modelling and experimental approaches. However, with present-day computational capabilities, we can use numerical techniques like the Elastodynamic Finite Integration Technique (EFIT) to fine-tune systems for complex applications before the fabrication process begins. EFIT is well-established as a useful method in numerical analysis of ultrasonic wave propagation with distinct advantages over the Finite Difference Time Domain method. Several software packages exist that use EFIT as the primary method for simulating the behavior of ultrasonic waves over time in 2 or 3 dimensions, but none of …

The Impact Of Pretrial Supervision Conditions: Evaluating Pretrial Release Orders Of One Colorado County, Anthony Mark Azari

Master's Theses

Pretrial risk assessments are tools that have been created to address concerns associated with monetary bail in the United States. A pretrial risk assessment tool provides an objective analysis of an arrested person to determine whether he or she will reappear in court or will be rearrested upon being released from jail. One of the goals of pretrial risk assessments is to reduce the financial bail burden the criminal justice system poses on suspected defendants by providing a tool to determine the relative risk defendants pose in the community. Another goal of pretrial risk assessments is to reduce jail overcrowding. …

Identifying The Need For Self-Management Education In Adult Patients With Type-2 Diabetes In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Le Thi Minh Thu

Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis project was to identify the need for self-management through investigating the existing knowledge about diabetes self-care and their perception of diabetic control in adult patients with type-2 diabetes Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The 16-Item Diabetes Self Management Questionnaire (Schmitt et al., 2013) and a cross-sectional design was used in this study to explore the diabetes self management related to four subscales such as glucose management, dietary control, physical activity, health-care use and a sum scale as the perception of diabetic control among fifty five participants who were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes in Tan Phu …

Comparing Terrestrial And Extraterrestrial Lava Surface Roughness Using Digital Elevation Models From High Resolution Topography And Structure From Motion, Davitia Hannah James

Master's Theses

If patterns of lava flow surface roughness at large and small scales can be tied features at similar scales using observations of active volcanoes, then roughness across a lava flow can be related to eruption characteristics such as rate of flow, viscosity, and underlying slope. This will further current understanding of emplacement rates and styles during the volcanically active period of mars’ history. Additionally, describing the effect of the Martian environment on volcanism is necessary to learn the full range of possible volcanic activity in the Solar System. This will also provide insight regarding volcanic hazards here on Earth. To …

Challenges For Nursing Students In The Clinical Learning Environment, Huyen Thi Tran

Master's Theses

The study aimed to survey the problems/challenges nursing students of Hong Bang International University (HIU) reported facing in the clinical environment. These factors might be a barrier or motivation for a student's clinical learning. In addition, collecting the information through this research helped explore the real difficulties that might exist when students practice clinical care. This data will help to develop appropriate recommendations to improve the quality of training as well as reduce the burden on nursing students. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Sixty-nine third-year nursing students (58 females and 11 males) of the Bachelor of Nursing Program from …

Shall We Dance: Responses Of Participants To A Dance Class Designed For Parkinson’S Patients, Brittni Lynn Mcalister

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to describe the responses of participants in a dance class designed for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients. This study had a total of eight participants—six were adults with PD and participants in the Parkinson’s dance classes, one was the other primary instructor of the Parkinson’s dance classes, and the other one was a care partner of a participant in the classes. In this study, the researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data. The researcher sought to observe the experiences of participants in dance classes designed for individuals with PD and interview …

The Efficacy Of "Chat Sheets" As A Conversation Tool For Communicative Access In Aphasia: A Single-Subject Study, Shyanne N. Heise

Master's Theses

Adults with aphasia are frequently denied communicative access in family events, discussions, and daily decision-making. Consequently, recent studies have investigated conversational language interventions for individuals with aphasia (IWA) and their families. Aphasiologists support the use of communication partner (CP) training as an intervention method—through which, people around the IWA learn to use strategies and resources to facilitate successful, interactive communication. While CP training alone can be effective, family members of an IWA may benefit from the use of a supplemental conversation tool to bridge the gap between strategy training and implementation. The purpose of this single-subject A1-B-A2 study was to …

Mechanisms Underlying The Testing Effect, Mary Chapman

Master's Theses

The current experimental study attempted to disentangle retrieval of target information from the context surrounding the information in the testing effect, or the finding that taking a practice test leads to better retention on a final test, for the purpose of discovering the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon. Twenty-three participants studied 30 cue-target pairs over three blocks and then either re-studied the pairs or practiced retrieving the target words for another three blocks. All participants completed a final test in which they recalled the target words for all 30 pairs once and performed a lexical decision task in which they had …

The Evolutionary Diversity And Biological Function Of Phenazine Metabolite Biosynthesis In Burkholderia Spp, Samuel Hendry

Master's Theses

Burkholderia encompass a group of ubiquitous Gram-negative bacteria that include numerous saprophytes, as well as several species that cause infections in animals, immunocompromised patients, and plants. Some species of Burkholderia produce colored redox-active secondary metabolites called phenazines (Phz). In the model opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, phenazines strongly contribute to the competitiveness, formation of biofilms, and virulence in multiple models of infection. Similar depth of knowledge on the diversity, biosynthesis, and biological functions of phenazines in Burkholderiais missing. This project aimed to bridge this gap in knowledge by focusing on phenazine pathways of B. lata and closely related …

Werewolves: A Three-Dimensional Content Analysis Of Films From 1980-2014, Jennifer Lewis

Master's Theses

WEREWOLVES: A THREE-DIMENSIONAL CONTENT ANALYSIS OF FILMS FROM 1980 – 2014 revolves around how monsters function in stories. Monsters represent fears and teach social norms. They are often portrayed as “other”, but more recently the werewolf has appeared in media as more sympathetic (Brannon 2016, 21; Gilmore 2008, 362; Hughes 2009, 97). Limited research has systematically studied how werewolves are represented in the media. This content analysis focuses on how major werewolf characters are represented in 20 films.

The analysis showcases werewolf characters in today’s culture and what it means to be a monster by analyzing hybridity. This study presents …

Response And Recovery Of Horn And Petit Bois Islands, Mississippi, Usa To Tropical Cyclone Impacts: 2004 – 2016, Shara Gremillion

Master's Theses

Horn and Petit Bois islands are two of five Mississippi (MS) barrier islands that provide physical protection from tropical cyclones threatening the MS Gulf Coast, in addition to critical habitat for the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). In September 2004, Hurricane Ivan removed a large volume of sediment from the eastern ends of Horn and Petit Bois islands with its 1-2 m storm surge and ~194 kph wind speeds. Then, in August 2005 Hurricane Katrina severely impacted the two islands again with its 3.5-5.5 m storm surge on Horn and Petit Bois islands, and up to 204 kph wind speeds …

Emotion Reactivity, Emotion Dysregulation, And Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among At-Risk Adolescents: A Multiple Mediation Analysis, Paula N. Floyd

Master's Theses

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as deliberate self-inflicted damage to bodily tissue without the intent to die. NSSI has been identified as a major health concern, as it is related to both poor psychosocial outcomes and increased suicide risk. NSSI is especially important to understand among adolescents, as age of onset is typically during adolescence and prevalence rates are highest among this age group. One of the most well-established correlates of NSSI is emotion dysregulation. While many studies have examined emotion dysregulation and its subcomponents in relation to self-injury, there has been far less work devoted to factors that may …

What's Cookin'?: An Analysis Of Food As A Method Of Control In The Penal System, Zoe Livengood

Master's Theses

According to Garland (2001), the U.S. correctional system is a reflection of the culture of control that exists in American society. One way the correctional system exerts control is through food. This concept partnered with Foucault’s ideas about the evolution of punishment and the criminal justice system as an institution creates the theoretical foundation for food as a method of control in the correctional system.

Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study examined food as a method of control in three southern Mississippi jails in order to understand how food is a contested space for control between jail staff and …

Extended-Range Oscillations And The First Sharp Diffraction Peak In Amorphous Silicon: A Systematic Study, Devilal Dahal

Master's Theses

The first sharp diffraction peak (FSDP), which characterizes the static structure factor of many glassy systems near the wave vector region of 1-2 Å^-1 has been observed depending on the temperature, pressure and the degree of annealing of the system. The presence of the FSDP is indicative of the intermediate range order (IRO). In current work, we study the role of the extended- range oscillations on the parameters of the FSDP, i.e., intensity, position, area, and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) by using high-quality simulated models of amorphous silicon. The radial distance up to half of the …

Effects Of Light And Macroinvertebrate Consumers On Detrital Microbial Biofilms In Streams, Cheyenne M. Brady

Master's Theses

In lotic freshwater systems, aquatic macroinvertebrates are key processors of biofilms that grow upon organic matter. Although macroinvertebrate effects on biofilms may depend on light availability, the combined effects of consumers and light remain unexplored. Here, I conducted experiments to test effects of presence/absence of the omnivorous shrimp Macrobrachium ohione and the shredding caddisfly Pycnopsyche sp. on Liriodendron tulipifera litter biofilms in experimental streams under light or darkness. I measured litter-associated algal, fungal and bacterial biomasses and production rates, as well as litter decomposition, over 49 days. Both experiments exhibited significant positive effects of light on algal productivity and interactions …

Influence Of Varying Inorganic Nutrients Supply On Ergosterol And Glucosamine Concentrations And Biomass Nutrient Stoichiometry In Ectomycorrhizal Fungi, Stephanie S. Koury

Master's Theses

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are critical for the health of forest ecosystems where they can sequester large amounts of carbon in the form of soil organic matter, a matter of growing interest due to anthropogenic climate change. A clear understanding of their growth dynamics and responses to environmental changes is imperative for future work in forest management and the possible mitigation of increased atmospheric CO₂. Six ECM fungal species were grown in liquid culture under varying nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and ratios to assess how exogenous nutrient supplies affect fungal biomass stoichiometry and the degree of elemental homeostasis. Additional …

Vocal Response Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus) To A Novel Stimulus, Lindsey Johnson

Master's Theses

Bottlenose dolphins utilize acoustic signals as their primary mode of communication. Although some aspects of dolphin vocal behavior are well understood, less is known about vocalizations in different behavioral contexts and how these vocal behaviors may indicate habituation and sensitization. The focus of this study was to investigate how bottlenose dolphins respond vocally to a novel stimulus. Archival data from three populations of bottlenose dolphins (N = 20) living in a human-care facility were exposed to a novel apparatus (a mirror) for 10 trials, each lasting 20 minutes. Five of the trials presented the mirror covered with an opaque …

Acute Cardiovascular Response To Low-Load Unilateral, Bilateral, And Alternating Resistance Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction In The Lower Body, Daphney Stanford

Master's Theses

Resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) has been suggested to exaggerate the exercise pressor response over traditional non-BFR exercise. While applying BFR relative to an individual’s arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) and exercising at low-loads seems to produce a comparable cardiovascular response to traditional moderate or high-load training, it is beneficial to identify modifications for reducing the cardiovascular response to BFR exercise. PURPOSE: To determine if unilateral (UNI), bilateral (BI), or alternating (ALT) exercise modalities elicit different cardiovascular responses during BFR exercise. METHODS: 18 participants (13 male and 5 female) performed four sets of UNI, BI, and ALT knee-extensions at …

Multiple Species Of Distinctiveness In Memory: Separating Task Distinctiveness From Statistical Distinctiveness, Matthew Robert Gretz

Master's Theses

Distinctiveness refers to the memorial benefit of processing unique or item-specific features of a memory set relative to a non-distinctive control. Traditional distinctiveness effects are accounted for based on qualitative differences in how distinctive items are encoded at the time of study. This thesis project aims to evaluate whether a different species of distinctiveness—statistical distinctiveness—may provide a separate contribution to memory beyond traditional encoding-based processes. Statistical distinctiveness refers to the relative frequency with which a specific memory item or set is processed. The current study evaluated statistical distinctiveness through a series of mixed groups in which DRM lists were studied …

Examining The Effectiveness Of Electromyography Biofeedback At Improving The Upper Trapezius To Serratus Anterior Muscle Activation Ratio, Julia Evelyn Holton

Master's Theses

Purpose: The upper trapezius to serratus anterior muscle activation ratio is essential for optimal shoulder function. An alteration of this ratio, specifically a decrease in upper trapezius and increase in serratus anterior activation, is a main area of focus in shoulder rehabilitation (Kibler, 1998; Paine & Voight, 1993). Electromyography (EMG) biofeedback has been shown to be an effective rehabilitation technique to address many musculoskeletal disorders but there is limited research on the retention of improvements seen with EMG biofeedback (Ma et al., 2011; Lim et al., 2014; Weon, et al., 2011). The purpose of this study was to determine if …

Infestation Intensities, Attachment Patterns, And The Effect On Host Contest Behavior Of The Tick Ixodes Pacificus On The Lizard Sceloporus Occidentalis, Dylan M. Lanser

Master's Theses

Parasites often have profound effects on the survival and evolution of their hosts, and hence on the structure and health of entire ecosystems. Yet basic questions, such as the degree of virulence of a given parasite on its host, and factors influencing which hosts in a population are at the greatest risk of infection, are vexingly difficult to resolve. The western blacklegged tick-western fence lizard (Ixodes pacificus-Sceloporus occidentalis) system is important, primarily because I. pacificus, a vector of the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is dependent on S. occidentalis for blood meals in its subadult stages, …

Direct Assessment Of Entrepreneurial Minded Learning Through Integrated E-Learning Modules, Aadtiyasinh Rana

Master's Theses

Entrepreneurial Minded Learning (EML) has a significant emphasis in engineering education

today. Several approaches have been used to assess the impact of various EML approaches. Many indirect assessment techniques have been used and a few direct assessment techniques have been developed. The work presented in this thesis investigates the effectiveness of two specific measurement methods to quantify entrepreneurial minded learning in students.

The University of New Haven has adopted the approach of integrating e-learning modules on entrepreneurial topics and related contextual activities into courses as the primary approach of developing an entrepreneurial mindset (EM) in students. This study focuses on …

Influence Of Salt Marsh Vegetation On Carbon Cycling And Microbial Communities, Aidan Barry

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Six Dif Detection Methods, Xueying Gao

Master's Theses

In the context of educational measurement, a test item is identified as differentially functioning across groups when the probability an examinee’s response to it depends on group membership. Methods for detecting uniform and nonuniform DIF have been studied and examined over decades to improve the validity of tests. The current study focused on examining and comparing the effectiveness of six DIF detection methods: the Mantel-Haenszel (MH) procedure, the Logistic Regression procedure, the multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) model, the item response theory likelihood-ratio test (IRT-LR), Lord’s IRT-based Wald test and a Randomization Test based on a R-square change statistic. A …

Proportion Of Mb2 Canals Identified At Different Depths Of Excavation In Extracted Teeth And Comparison With Cbct Prediction, Anshul Mainkar

Master's Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the depth of troughing needed to locate the mesiobuccal 2 canals in maxillary molars. Troughing the pulp chamber floor can locate hidden or calcified mesio-lingual canals. Materials and Methods: This study utilized 29 extracted maxillary first and second molars with mesiobuccal 2 canals confirmed by sectioning the mesiobuccal root in cross-section 5 mm coronal to the apex. A standard access cavity was prepared and mesiobuccal, distobuccal, and palatal canals were located. A groove was troughed palatal to the mesiobuccal orifice and slightly mesial to the line connecting mesiobuccal and palatal canal …

Implementation Of A Scale Semi-Autonomous Platoon To Test Control Theory Attacks, Erik Miller

Master's Theses

With all the advancements in autonomous and connected cars, there is a developing body of research around the security and robustness of driving automation systems. Attacks and mitigations for said attacks have been explored, but almost always solely in software simulations.

For this thesis, I led a team to build the foundation for an open source platoon of scale semi-autonomous vehicles. This work will enable future research into implementing theoretical attacks and mitigations. Our 1/10 scale car leverages an Nvidia Jetson, embedded microcontroller, and sensors. The Jetson manages the computer vision, networking, control logic, and overall system control; the embedded …

The Effects Of Atomic Oxygen On Patch Antenna Performance And Lifetime, Max J. Barta

Master's Theses

The space environment is a volatile and challenging place for satellites to survive in. For Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites, atomic oxygen (AO) is a constant corrosive effect that degrades the outer surface of satellites over long durations. Atomic oxygen exists in the atmosphere between 180 and 675 km and has a relatively high energy at 4.5 eV, which allows AO to break molecular bonds in materials on the surfaces of spacecraft. As the number and complexity of CubeSat missions increase, there is an increased risk that AO degradation on commercial off the shelf parts (COTS), such as antenna, could …

Data-Driven Database Education: A Quantitative Study Of Sql Learning In An Introductory Database Course, Andrew C. Von Dollen

Master's Theses

The Structured Query Language (SQL) is widely used and challenging to master. Within the context of lab exercises in an introductory database course, this thesis analyzes the student learning process and seeks to answer the question: ``Which SQL concepts, or concept combinations, trouble students the most?'' We provide comprehensive taxonomies of SQL concepts and errors, identify common areas of student misunderstanding, and investigate the student problem-solving process. We present an interactive web application used by students to complete SQL lab exercises. In addition, we analyze data collected by this application and we offer suggestions for improvement to database lab activities.