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Third Trimester Plasma Metabolites Associated With Gestational Diabetes: An Ancillary Analysis Of The Healthy Beginnings Trial, Rodrigo D. Rosario

Master's Theses

Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) results in complications affecting both mother and child. The implementation of metabolomics to assess metabolite alterations is needed to better understand its etiology. Prior research by our lab in first trimester samples of GDM patients indicated altered fatty acid utilization and purine degradation products.

Objective: Metabolomics analysis was conducted on third trimester (28 -35 weeks) plasma samples to observe differences associated with GDM.

Methods: Fifty samples taken from the Healthy Beginnings trial and their corresponding data were included in the study. Plasma samples were analyzed using UPLC-MS with metabolomic assays for primary metabolomics, aminomics, and …

A Study Of Non-Computing Majors' Growth Mindset, Self-Efficacy And Perceived Cs Relevance In Cs1, Jae Hyuk Yoo

Master's Theses

As the demand for programming skills in today’s job market is rapidly increasing for disciplines outside of computing, CS courses have experienced spikes in enrollment for non-majors. Students in disciplines including art, design and biological sciences are now often required to take introductory CS courses. Previous research has shown the role of growth mindset, self-efficacy and relevance in student success within CS but such metrics are largely unknown for non-majors. In this thesis, we surveyed non-majors in CS1 at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo during the early and late weeks of the quarter to gain insights on their growth mindset, …

The Relationship Between Vitamin D Intake, Sun Exposure, Handgrip Strength And Hg Alc Levels In College-Age Adults, Janelle Melancon

Master's Theses

Vitamin D is known for its importance to bone health and calcium metabolism and plays a role in insulin resistance. Recent research has recognized its role in insulin secretion, inflammatory response, and adipose tissue changes as possible reasons for its association with insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. The CDC (2019) reported that 20% of adolescents are now living with prediabetes. Most individuals with prediabetes progress to type 2 diabetes within ten years. Because many studies have focused on adults of all ages, it is important to research young adults. This study aimed to determine prevention efforts; therefore, the younger adult …

An Assessment Of On-Campus Food Pantry Management And Nutrition Environment At Louisiana Colleges And Universities, Courtney Hammons

Master's Theses

The use of the Nutrition Environment Food Pantry Assessment Tool (NEFPAT) along with an examination of food pantry management systems will fill a needed gap in the understanding of the effectiveness of college on-campus food pantries. This descriptive, exploratory research study is designed to assess 4-year and 2-year higher education food pantries in the state of Louisiana. Specifically, food pantry management, nutrition education provided, and available food items will be assessed using the validated Nutrition Environment Food Pantry Assessment Tool (NEFPAT). This study assessed: (1) the characteristics of the food pantry management system, including the presence of nutrition professionals; (2) …

Exploring Communication Strategies Used By Speech-Language Pathologists And Nursing Professionals Prior To And During The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic, Madeline Baretta

Master's Theses

In 2019, a novel virus was discovered and spread resulting in a global pandemic. Individuals with severe cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) experienced critical illnesses such as pneumonia, hypoxemic respiratory failure/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and complications from prolonged hospitalization (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020e). Some individuals with severe cases required mechanical ventilation in the acute care setting (Bernstein, 2020). Due to the rapidly evolving nature of the pandemic, this study was developed to better understand the practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), nursing professionals, and healthcare organizations prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic with particular …

Demographic Predictors Of Math Anxiety In Elementary School Children, Melissa Flowerdew

Master's Theses

Due to the increasing interest of math anxiety in elementary level children, the present study explored math anxiety contextual factors through Bandura’s (1999) Social Cognitive perspective. Using the Children’s Anxiety in Math Scale, researchers gathered data from 40 primary-level children to explore four demographic predictors--grade-level, special needs identification, gender identity, and socioeconomic status-- of mathematics anxiety through a hierarchical regression model. Findings indicated demographic variables accounted for over one-third of the variance in math anxiety scores at 38.2% (grade level: 12.3%, SNI: 8.4%, gender identity: 13.2%, SES: 4.1%). With the exception of socioeconomic status, all predictors were significant. These findings …

The Inclusion Of Vocal Health In The School Curriculum: A National Survey Of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists And Speech-Language Pathology Assistants, Kate Mathews

Master's Theses

The human voice is an important tool of expression and a defining quality of self. Additionally, many occupations require, at least in part, a functioning voice for job completion (Titze et al., 1997). It is not surprising, then, that a dysfunctional voice may be disruptive and have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life. Unfortunately, disorders of voice are common, and perhaps even more so than many may realize (Bhattacharyya, 2014; Hartley et al., 2016; Roy, 2003; Roy et al., 2005). Several voice disorders, however, are preventable through the very same vocal health education means used in voice …

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Knowledge, Confidence Levels, And Practice Patterns With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury In The Schools, Jessica Munson

Master's Theses

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) play a key role in serving children with cognitive-communication disorders in both medical and school settings. However, there remains little evidence regarding school-based SLPs’ service delivery for children following concussion or mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and how they rate their confidence, knowledge, and skills providing these services. The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge, confidence levels, and practice patterns for providing services to pediatric students with mTBI among school-based SLPs. A 43- item survey was developed to assess current concussion knowledge, and to allow for comparison to previous and future surveys on knowledge, confidence, …

The Well-Being Of Business Professionals Through The Participation Of Golf With Coworkers And Clients, Marisa Hisaki

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore and understand how participation of golf influences the well-being of business professionals and how organizations could incorporate activities such as golf to their management practices. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews (Kvale, 1996) were utilized in this study to explore and understand how golf influences the well-being by expressing their experience of the phenomenon of the effects of golf. Seven participants were interviewed, where three were insiders and four were outsiders. The age of the participants ranged from 23-68 years, with the average being 49.7 years. Of the seven participants, six were male and only …

The Effects Of Parent-Implemented Demanded Eye Contact As A Component Of Eid On Child Compliance, Halley Claire Blanchard

Master's Theses

Effective instruction delivery (EID) is an eight-step strategy that has been shown to be effective at increasing child compliance across classroom and clinical settings (Everett et al., 2005; Ford, 1998; Mandal et al., 2000; Scoggins, 2005). Component analyses investigating the relative importance of eye contact components of EID have obtained mixed results in clinical settings (Everett et al., 2005; Faciane, 2001; Faciane, 2004). Additionally, applied studies evaluating the effectiveness and treatment integrity of interventions delivered through telehealth have been largely behavior-analytic in nature (Lee et al., 2015; Seuss et al., 2013; Stich & Samaha, 2015; Wainer & Ingersoll, 2014). The …

Haunted And Hunted: The Gothic And The Ghostly In The Light And Asylum, Adam Dunnells

Master's Theses

Young adult Gothic horror fiction acts as a coming-of-age story wherein the protagonists must confront the metaphorical and literal ghosts while simultaneously attempting to establish a sense of identity. Applying Gothic theory and ghost theory to the ghostly stories in young adult Gothic horror demonstrates how certain young adult Gothic stories represent the struggle of adolescents as they mature into adulthood and search for their identities. I use Madeline Roux’s Asylum (2013) and D.J. MacHale’s The Light (2010) as case studies to analyze how ghostly antagonists directly oppose adolescent protagonists on their coming-of-age journeys. Analyzing these young adult Gothic horror …

Depressive Symptoms And Marijuana Outcomes In College Students: The Mediating Role Of Protective Behavioral Strategies For Marijuana, Nicholas Militello

Master's Theses

The present study evaluated the sequentially mediating role of protective behavioral strategies for marijuana (PBSM) and marijuana use frequency on the relationships depressive symptoms had with hazardous marijuana use and marijuana-related negative consequences in college students Participants were 338 (50.3% male) undergraduate college students age 18 to 25 (M = 22.10; SD = 1.97) who reported marijuana use in the past 30 days. Participants reported their gender and completed measures of depressive symptoms, PBSM use, marijuana use frequency, marijuana-related negative consequences, and hazardous marijuana use through an online survey from a 2018 project. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with …

Determining Subgroups That Exist Among Us Firearm Owners, Allison Eileen Bond

Master's Theses

Objective: The present study sought to identify and verify unique classes of firearm owners that exist within the United States (US) and to determine the sources that each class deemed credible to discuss safe firearm storage for suicide prevention. Methods: The study is composed of three parts, each with its own unique sample. Part 1 (N = 1,018) utilizes a nationally representative sample of firearm owners. Part 2 (N = 1,064) consists of firearm owners from Mississippi, Minnesota, and New Jersey. Lastly, Part 3 examined the samples from Mississippi (n = 308), Minnesota (n = 379), …

Comparison Of Supported Liquid Extraction And Solid Phase Extraction Of Methamphetamine From Urine And Method Validation By Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Taylor Hood

Master's Theses

Applications of SLE (supported liquid extraction) is a relatively new extraction technique that is not widely used in forensic toxicology. SLE is also easier and less time consuming than traditional LLE (liquid-liquid extraction) and SPE (Solid phase extraction). This work will compare the extraction efficiencies between SLE and SPE for methamphetamine from urine with detection and quantitation using GC-MS (gas chromatography- mass spectrometry). The SLE cartridges provide better analyte recoveries, eliminate emulsion formation, and allow for shorter processing time than other extraction techniques. The SPE cartridges used have a mixed-mode non-polar/strong cation exchange retention mechanism to extract basic analytes like …

Matching Equation: Teacher Rates Of Praise And Reprimands, Meleah Ackley

Master's Theses

Previous matching equation literature has demonstrated variability in student behaviors matching onto available reinforcement rates. While some studies have found that student on-task behaviors matched contingent teacher attention around half the observations (Martens et al., 1990), other studies have found that first grade students’ on-task behavior matched contingent teacher attention more than half of observations (Shriver & Kramer, 1997). However, no studies in the current literature have used teacher behaviors as the primary dependent variables (i.e., B1 and B2 in the matching equation). The current study sought to extend the Generalized Matching Equation (GME) further into the classroom, given the …

“My Bruises Are Inward:” A Study Of Mental Trauma In The American Civil War, Cody Turnbaugh

Master's Theses

War is traumatic. Since the American Psychiatric Association first recognized post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 1980, living veterans of combat have been diagnosed at an alarmingly high rate. However, mental trauma related diagnoses have existed for centuries, including several that were identified around the time of the American Civil War. This thesis argues that Civil War soldiers experienced mental trauma related to their military service. It does so through three lenses. Focused on the mental trauma among Northern veterans, this study investigates in particular the relationship between mental trauma and socioeconomic status. It analyzes the experiences of both white and …

The Effects Of Segmenting Worksheets On Independent Seatwork With Elementary Students Delivered In A Remote Manner Using Parents As Interventionists, Lauren Peak

Master's Theses

Students have a limited amount of time each day to complete independent assignments. These assignments prioritize the learning opportunities provided to students. Learning opportunities or the chance to practice with feedback is highly effective, and additional repetition enhances the learning experience. By increasing student's time-on-task, they will be provided more learning opportunities. This study sought to discover if segmented work could increase the number of problems completed, digits correct per minute and on-task behavior. An alternating treatment design across four participants allowed for the comparison of segmented worksheets and whole worksheets. Additionally, parents served as the interventionist in this remote …

A Meta-Analysis Of Youth Gender Prejudice Interventions, Molly Ackerman-Pulliam

Master's Theses

This meta-analysis of youth gender prejudice interventions provides an estimate of the overall effectiveness of empirical efforts to reduce expressions of gender prejudice or promote gender egalitarian attitudes among child and adolescent samples. Studies eligible for inclusion were quasi- or fully-experimental designs with child and adolescent participants ranging from 5-17 years of age that quantitatively measured gender prejudice reduction or increases in an egalitarian view of gender. The final sample of 31 studies were located via database searches using both general and specific keywords and Boolean operators. Effect sizes for measures of gender prejudice were calculated using Cohen’s d as …

The Relationship Between Different Forms Of Exercise And Adhd Symptomatology, Matthew A. Reynolds

Master's Theses

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with executive function deficits as well as negative life outcomes in both childhood and adulthood. Current treatments to reduce symptoms of ADHD include stimulant medications that act as catecholamine agonists. These medications often cause undesirable side effects, to which end better understanding the effects of non- pharmacological treatments on symptoms of ADHD is critical. Research conducted in children suggests that exercise may be an effective tool for symptom reduction. However, the relationship between exercise and ADHD symptoms remains unclear for adults. The aim of this study was to address this …

The Relationship Between Trait Mindfulness And Servant Leadership, Harmeet Parmar

Master's Theses

In recent years, servant leadership has become a widely studied leadership style. Literature has focused on the outcomes of servant leadership, and only a few studies have looked at the antecedents of servant leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine trait mindfulness as an antecedent of eight dimensions of servant leader behaviors. It was hypothesized that trait mindfulness would have a positive relationship with the servant leader dimensions humility, authenticity, and standing back. In addition, a research question was posited to see if trait mindfulness would have a relationship with the other dimensions of servant leadership including empowerment, …

Perception Correction: Addressing Social Stigmatization Around Bdsm And Mental Health, Erin Afana

Master's Theses

Mainstream society’s characterization of activities and subgroups as abnormal can result in a long history of being shamed and pathologized, leading to discrimination and stigmatization. BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadomasochism) is an alternative lifestyle with a variety of identities, characteristics and practices that are viewed by many as being outside of societal norms. The consequences of this can be seen in how society, in general, views BDSM participants, how the criminal justice system responds to issues involving BDSM, and how the mental health system perceives those who participate in BDSM activities. The purpose of this thesis …

Analyzing Intramural Sport Participation At The State University Of New York College At Cortland 2021, Stephen D'Alessandro

Master's Theses

SUNY Cortland has historically had a robust and active Intramural Sports program. The program saw 2,380 students participate during the Spring 2016 semester, but that number has steadily declined in recent years. In the Fall 2019 semester, the participation rate had fallen to 1,482 participants. Research has been conducted on the topic, although it is not applicable to SUNY Cortland. Past research on intramural participation has focused on constraints to participation, finding a lack of time a primary constraint However, the research is 15 years old and conducted at universities with vastly different demographics than SUNY Cortland. The purpose of …

Los Zetas, Neoliberalism, And Popular Opposition: A Study In Linkages, Gina R. Lyle

Master's Theses

Los Zetas are considered by security analysts to be a transformative force within transnational criminal organizations (TCO), exporting their unique model throughout Mexico. Los Zetas’ idiosyncratic interventions include their diversification of criminal operations, professionalization of TCO security, sophisticated use of media and technology, extreme forms of violent coercion, and decentralized command structure. This project aims to complicate the narrative that Los Zetas emerged because of top leaders’ sadistic tendencies or due to an inherently violent culture in Mexico by reframing the group’s evolution within historical processes. Moving beyond Los Zetas, this project examines how persons affected by Los Zetas’ indiscriminate …

Upending The "Racial Death-Wish": Black Gay Liberation And The Culture Of Black Homophobia, Kailyn Pope

Master's Theses

This thesis analyzes the origin and impact of Black homophobia found in activist spaces of mid- to late-twentieth-century American society. Black gay Americans were subjected to intersecting forms of systemic and cultural oppression that were exceedingly hard to escape due to both the homophobia in Black spaces and the racism in gay spaces. Black gay activists and artists thus had to create their own avenues of expression where they and others could fully embrace what it meant to be Black and gay. This work utilizes a Black feminist framework to explore the roots of Black homophobia and how this type …

Cultivating Creativity In Aerospace Systems Engineering To Manage Complexity, Kenneth Lucas Dodd

Master's Theses

In recent decades, complexity in aerospace programs has been increasing, leading to large budget and schedule overruns. Many of the risks of complex system development can be attributed to the inadequacy of linear methods when applied to nonlinear domains, i.e., oversimplification in a program amplifies the amount of risk produced when a system behaves unexpectedly. Effectively managing complexity involves responding to the various sources of complexity, whether it appears in the objective behavior of the system itself or in the subjective behavior of the people developing it. Thus, the engineering of complex systems requires nonlinear modeling methods of the system …

An Inclusive Design Approach To Integrating An External Human Machine Interface With Autonomous Vehicles, Sandra Roksic

Master's Theses

As autonomous vehicles become more prevalent in urban traffic settings, the safety of vulnerable road users, predominantly pedestrians, must be placed in high regard relative to the design of the autonomous vehicle's (AV's) external human machine interface (HMI). Traditionally, there exist communication methods between drivers and pedestrians, such as hand gestures, eye contact, and verbal cues that convey the driver's awareness of the pedestrian's presence. However, with autonomous vehicles, there is a shift in communicative responsibility from the driver to the vehicle itself. It is the vehicle's responsibility to intuitively and clearly indicate its actions to the pedestrian.

This research …

The Ill-Treatment Of Their Countrywoman: Liberated African Women, Violence, And Power In Tortola, 1807–1834, Arianna Browne

Master's Theses

In 1807, Parliament passed an Act to abolish the slave trade, leading to the Royal Navy’s campaign of policing international waters and seizing ships suspected of illegal trading. As the Royal Navy captured slave ships as prizes of war and condemned enslaved Africans to Vice-Admiralty courts, formerly enslaved Africans became “captured negroes” or “liberated Africans,” making the subjects in the British colonies. This work, which takes a microhistorical approach to investigate the everyday experiences of liberated Africans in Tortola during the early nineteenth century, focuses on the violent conditions of liberated African women, demonstrating that abolition consisted of violent contradictions …

The Car (Confront, Address, Replace) Strategy: An Antiracist Engineering Pedagogy, Amman Fasil Asfaw

Master's Theses

The CAR (confront, address, replace) Strategy is an antiracist pedagogy aiming to drive out exclusionary terminology in engineering education.

“Master-slave” terminology is still commonplace in engineering education and industry. However, questions have been raised about the negative impacts of such language. Usage of exclusionary terminology such as “master-slave” in academia can make students—especially those who identify as women and/or Black/African-American—feel uncomfortable, potentially evoking Stereotype Threat (Danowitz, 2020) and/or Curriculum Trauma (Buul, 2020). Indeed, prior research shows that students from a number of backgrounds find non-inclusive terminologies such as “master-slave” to be a major problem (Danowitz, 2020). Currently, women-identifying and gender …

Examining The Ecological And Social Implications Of Parklets And Plazas Across Multiple Urban Scales, Joshua L. Muller

Master's Theses

Faced with population increases but stagnant capital improvements and impacts from global warming, cities around the world are experimenting with smaller-scale and cheaper strategies in order to accommodate the new influx of residents. New York City has led the way in converting low-efficiency intersection space into public plazas with a limited range of permanently installed elements and San Francisco has pioneered the concept of the parklet, which converts two to four street parking spaces into a modular and flexible pedestrian space. I seek to answer two questions about these spaces: What are common factors influencing the viability and successful implementation …

Emotion And Cognition Analysis Of Intro And Senior Cs Students In Software Engineering, Justin Evans

Master's Theses

he software engineering community has advanced the field in the past few decades towards making the software development life cycle more efficient, robust, and streamlined. Advances such as better integrated development environments and agile workflows have made the process more efficient as well as more flexible. Despite these many achievements software engineers still spend a great deal of time writing, reading and reviewing code. These tasks require a lot of attention from the engineer with many different variables affecting the performance of the tasks. In recent years many researchers have come to investigate how emotion and the way we think …