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Lack Of Access To Education And Economic Opportunities As Root Causes Of Youth Migration From The Western Highlands Of Guatemala, Alvaro Quinteros Gonzalez

Master's Theses

This thesis examines how the relationship between limited access to education and economic opportunities contribute to the migration of young people out of this region. The qualitative research addresses two main questions: a) What challenges do young people in the Western Highlands of Guatemala face in accessing the education system and employment opportunities? And b) How does the lack of education and economic opportunities influence young people’s decision to migrate? Three focus groups were conducted with young individuals from the western highlands, and six semi-structured interviews were held with stakeholders and organizations working in this region.

The thesis concludes that …

Unilateralism’S Double-Edged Sword: Understanding The Impact Of The United States’ Unilateral Actions Towards Afghanistan And Iraq, Kayla Amanda Matthews

Master's Theses

This thesis will explore the effects of the United States' unilateral actions throughout the war on terror. Has the United States pursuing unilateral actions in Afghanistan and Iraq equated to an increase in anti-Americanism, leading to increasing terrorist acts that endanger its national security? The answer is yes. Although, from what this research will reveal anti-Americanism begins to be refueled in these countries but not due to any current direct conflict between the above-referenced nation-states and the United States. Previous research reveals that the United States' relationship with unilateralism was not a new phenomenon that arose during the war on …

Reverse Engineering Of Binary Programs Using Graph Attention Networks, Sai Nikhila Kanigiri

Master's Theses

Understanding the functionality and behavior of binary code is essential for many software engineering tasks, including malware analysis, vulnerability detection, and program optimization. However, automating this process is challenging due to the complexity of machine code and the significant manual effort required from experienced software engineers. In this paper, we present BinGAT (Reverse Engineering of Binary Programs using Graph Attention Networks), a method for classifying binary programs into algorithmic categories using Graph Attention Neural Networks (GNNs) based on their Control-Flow Graphs (CFGs). Given a binary program, BinGAT extracts its CFG through static analysis and transforms the assembly instructions within each …

An Analysis Of The Armorettes’ Mission To Help The Atlanta Lgbtq+ Community, Edwin Hernandez

Master's Theses

The Armorettes are a self-proclaimed camp drag troupe that have been performing in the Atlanta drag scene since 1979. First formed as a cheer group for a softball team associated with The Armory, a well known gay bar at the time, they quickly added drag performance and charity work to their name. The group came to be as the HIV/AIDS epidemic began affecting Atlanta. Atlanta was hit hard by the disease. Several comorbid factors contributed to the disproportionate numbers seen in the city beginning in the 1980s. They quickly took on the mission of raising money for charities and organizations …

The Prescribing Of Gender, A Scope On The Societal Ideologies Showcased Within Le Roman De Silence, Derrian Fernandez

Master's Theses

Culture is constantly evolving, its ideologies cementing themselves within our minds, shaping how we as a society guide ourselves through living in such. Social class, religion, gender, all are forms of identity that have a place, and a certain understanding and standing within our culture and society. Through this understanding of ourselves, we are defined, creating multiple forms of distinct expression to help differentiate our place further. A pope is expected to wear a certain attire just as a bride is expected to. The same ideology trickles down, creating demarcations of attire that subsequently ingrain themselves into our culture and …

Transgressive Fiction And The Problem Of Negative Affect: A Case Study Of Samuel Delany’S Hogg, Brian Thornton

Master's Theses

Samuel Delany began drafting Hogg in March of 1969 and worked on it intermittently before completing the novel in October of 1973.1 Yet Hogg remained unpublished until 1995 before finally seeing the light of day “during the ‘transgressive turn’ in American literature” (Mitchell 1). As such, the novel is historically situated along what Jonathan Mitchell calls a “dual temporality,” which “allows the novel to be located as an intervention in two key moments in America’s LGBT+ history: first, the developments in identity politics coming out of the socio-political cultural shifts of the 1960s; and, second, the post-AIDS awareness 1990s”.

Implication Of Georgian Democratic Backsliding, Sarah Middleton

Master's Theses

The last several years have demonstrated a dramatic political shift in Eastern Europe. While the war in Ukraine may be the most well known instance of this, the lesser studied nation of Georgia has seen many notable changes as well. At the hands of a growingly oppressive government, Georgian Dream (GD), the country has experienced democratic backsliding in the form of authoritarian-like policy changes and closer ties with authoritarian states. This has incited widespread protesting and calls to reinstate democratic practices. GD has seemingly deserted its former Western-oriented goals and the financial support these connections bring in favor of relations …

Optimizing Growth Conditions Of Chlorella Algae For Enhanced Biomass And Oxygen Production, Supreme Ogheneovo Oghenerhoro

Master's Theses

Increasing Earth's carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels contribute immensely to global warming. At the same time, future Mars colonization requires innovative systems for oxygen production. This study explores how Chlorella algae can help control environmental challenges on Earth, support life on Mars, and produce biomass as an alternative to renewable energy. Chlorella is known for its high photosynthetic efficiency in capturing CO2 for growth, producing O2 and biomass used for biofuel production. It was studied under varying CO₂ concentrations and pressure conditions. Each experiment was performed using a photobioreactor setup and optimized algae growth conditions. These were assessed to understand its …

Imitation And Text Relationships In Tomás Luis De Victoria's Missa O Magnum Mysterium, Natasha Ann Monroe

Master's Theses

Unusual musical relationships surrounding the compositions of Tomás Luis de Victoria have intrigued scholars for decades, but their purpose remains hidden. Robert Stevenson has suggested that textual connections can be found alongside these musically similar passages. I revisit this suggestion by analyzing an imitation mass by Victoria: Missa O magnum mysterium based on his motet O magnum mysterium. When trying to understand any intentional textual connections, it is necessary to consider the composer's broad perspective. In the case of Missa O magnum mysterium, the logical starting points are Victoria's life-long involvement with the Catholic Church and the feast …

“But Where Are Those Good Old-Fashioned Values?”—The Racial Politics Of Animated Satire In Family Guy, Jordanne Greenidge

Master's Theses

Few animated shows have shaped American pop culture quite like Family Guy. Known for its rapid-fire cutaway gags and irreverent humor, the series has remained a television mainstay since its debut in 1999, despite frequent criticism and even two cancellations. Created by Seth MacFarlane and based on his 1995 student film The Life of Larry, Family Guy has built its reputation on pushing the boundaries of taste, especially when it comes to race, gender, and politics. Though often defended as satire, the show’s use of racial humor raises questions about its true impact: Do its portrayals of Black characters challenge …

The Adirondack Frontier: Reclaiming A Vital Role In Shaping The Nation, Peter Nelson

Master's Theses

The traditional version of Adirondack history from the revolutionary period to the middle of the nineteenth century, which portrays the region as unexplored primeval wilderness, is nineteenth-century romantic mythology. It ignores thousands of years of Indigenous habitation and misrepresents early Euro-American activity in the region as well. In fact, from the earliest days of colonial exploration of North America until the middle of the 19th-Century, New York's Adirondack region was a dynamic American frontier, as important in shaping the destiny of the nation as the Northwest Territory or, later, the West. Activities in the Adirondack frontier contributed to the decimation …

“From The Synagogue To The Streets”: Outsider Rabbis, Mississippi, And The Civil Rights Movement, Holli Elaine Parker

Master's Theses

The historiography of Jews in the Civil Rights Movement is extensive, and recent scholarship has reevaluated the relationships between Jews and civil rights organizations. The role of southern Jews in critical states, such as Mississippi, is often amalgamated into one category: supportive but scared. The focus on two rabbis known for their outspokenness regarding racial equality, Charles Mantinband of Hattiesburg and Perry Nussbaum of Jackson, is central to most southern Jewish studies. However, it neglects aspects of their background. Neither rabbi was a native Mississippian nor accepted as truly Southern due to the stances they took regarding racial equality. Charles …

Does Resilience Moderate The Relation Between Caregiver Behaviors And Post-Traumatic Symptoms In Young Adults?, Akila Uma Gopalkrishnan

Master's Theses

Exposure to a potentially traumatic event (PTE) is not an uncommon experience for children and adolescents. After exposure to adverse events, youth may experience significant maladjustment and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). As such, researchers continue investigating potential risk and protective factors contributing to youth post-trauma adjustment. Considering their critical role in children’s development, caregivers likely play a key role in youth post-trauma adjustment. However, the field lacks studies on caregiver behaviors following youth PTE exposure and on factors, such as resilience, that could influence how children respond to stress and caregiver environments. I aimed to evaluate: (a) how perceived caregiver …

A Herpetofaunal Inventory Study Of Two National Wildlife Refuges In The Mississippi Delta And Associated Evaluation Of Trapping Efficacy, Andrew Holzinger

Master's Theses

The objectives of this project were to record the diversity and distribution of amphibian and reptile species present at Panther Swamp and Hillside National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) and to quantify trapping efficacy as a result of various methodologies under different habitat variables. The primary methods employed were two varieties of drift fence trap arrays consisting of 100-foot sections of silt fencing with buried 2.5-gallon buckets as pitfall traps and box traps placed at the end of each fence to capture larger organisms. When conditions permitted, aquatic trapping was also employed across the Refuges. A total of 55 species were documented, …

Movement Ecology And Trophic Dynamics In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico: Implications For Fisheries Management, Calvin Chee

Master's Theses

The northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) is a diverse and productive region for living marine resources. The region supports lucrative commercial and recreational fisheries ranging from low-trophic-level species, such as penaeid shrimps and forage fishes, to high-trophic-level predators (e.g. Yellowfin Tuna). This thesis contributes to the region’s ecological knowledge, with the primary aim of enhancing management efforts and providing direct management advice to two important fisheries. In Chapter 1, we develop a traditional per-recruit model for Southern Flounder, as well as a spatiotemporally integrated per-recruit model that incorporates the spatial distribution of fishing effort and the stock’s movement ecology. Fish …

Dewatering Of Chlorella Algae Using Co2 Gas Hydrate Formation For The Biofuel Production, Sumeet Oak

Master's Theses

When microalgae are processed for producing biofuel, dewatering the algae is an important step, particularly when combined with extracting valuable byproducts like algal oil. Conventional methods like centrifugation and filtration can be harsh on the algae and usually need high-energy inputs. In this work, the new application of CO2 gas hydrates as an algae dewatering agent was investigated. A CO₂ hydrate, CO2-nH2O, where n (n>5.75), is a nonstoichiometric compound where water molecules with hydrogen bonds are structured in an ice-like fashion to form polyhedral cavities. CO₂ gas hydrates are crystalline because gas molecules are trapped in a lattice of …

Postmortem Detection Of Substance P And Met-Enkephalin Expression As A Possible Indicator For Pain Estimation Prior To Death, Amy M. Lischin

Master's Theses

Substance P (SP) and Met-Enkephalin (MET) are neuropeptides critical to the central nervous system (CNS) and are released as immediate responders to physical stressors like pain. In blood, SP and MET adapt based on an incident-death time interval to suggest the potential to use these as biomarkers in the assessment of pain prior to death. The mRNA and DNA manipulations of RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, and RT-qPCR allowed for investigation into SP and MET gene expression (TACl, TACRl, OGFR) in those who experienced chronic tissue damage (e.g. domestic abuse) as compared to those who underwent an acute pain event (e.g. …

A Comprehensive Analysis Of The Production Of Biofuels From Nanno 3600 Microalgae And Algae Native To Connecticut Via Greener Alternative Extraction Solvents For Lipid Recovery, Juhkory Najar

Master's Theses

As the world continues to evolve and expand in both technology and population, the energy demand continues to increase as well to keep up with the production of new products and higher production rates. The depletion of fossil fuels and the considerable amount of greenhouse gases from the use of nonrenewable energy sources fuel the demand for renewable energy sources. These renewable energy sources originate from a variety of places, such as wind power, hydroelectric, and solar. Biomass continues to grow in the renewable energy sector due to its versatility in high lipid content and minimal competition with other biomass …

The Rise Of Cyber Conflict As A Policy Tool: A Comparison Of The United States And The People's Republic Of China, Sophia Radzim

Master's Theses

This thesis explores cyber incident trends and its effects on conflict resolution of interstate relationships between the U.S. and China. Key findings of this research discovered that the U.S. relies on diplomatic negotiations to resolve cyber conflicts and does not utilize an aggressive approach within the cyber domain. China, on the other hand, has aggressively expanded its cyber capabilities. They leverage cyber attacks to promote their technology, military, and economy sectors, while undermining the U.S.’ global status as a political leader and innovator. China’s dominance in cyberspace poses a great threat to the national security of the U.S. Through descriptive …

"It's Not Your Job To Save The World, Young Women": Evangelical Women On Social Media, Ilaria P. Johnson

Master's Theses

Masters research thesis on the role of evangelical influencers on social media in spreading their beliefs on conservative politics, Christian motherhood, and Christian womanhood. Five Instagram accounts are analyzed and profiled.

Using Stable Isotope Analysis To Investigate The Trophic Ecology Of Aquatic Insects, Shelby Ann Medlock

Master's Theses

Despite their abundance on the landscape, ponds and associated macroinvertebrate assemblages have largely been underrepresented in scientific studies, which usually focus on lakes or streams. Similar to other waterbodies, ponds can harbor high levels of invertebrate biodiversity, which is important as aquatic insects are experiencing declines due to habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, and invasive species introductions. To evaluate how these threats impact pond insects and the ecosystem services they may provide, a thorough understanding of their ecology is essential. However, significant knowledge gaps remain, especially regarding trophic levels and species-specific diets. To address these knowledge gaps, I used carbon …

A Preliminary Report Of The Carotenoid Assessment In Adults 50 Years Of Age And Older In Louisiana, Mary-Catherine Feazell

Master's Theses

Fruits and vegetables are at the core of a healthy, balanced diet. They assist in preventing the development of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer (Fadnes, et al., 2022). Aging is a natural biological process followed by disease, cognitive impairment, and a natural decline of the body’s ability to perform at its best. The older adult population is currently the fastest-growing population globally (El-Shebiney et al., 2022). Vitamin A is crucial for several parts of the body to function correctly. Despite the positive effects of Vitamin A on the body, the recommended dietary intake is not …

Yolot: A Recurrent Yolo Model For Robust Video-Based Automotive Object Detection, Dylan Jay Baxter

Master's Theses

Though incredibly effective at detecting objects in isolated frames, modern object detection models are often not designed to take advantage of information present in previous frames of a video stream, despite that data being readily avail- able. To address this shortcoming, this paper proposes YOLOT, a modification of the widely used YOLOv8 object detection model, which seeks to utilize this temporal information with the addition of recurrent structures. In the design of YOLOT, a series of recurrent convolutional modules were inserted at backbone and neck outputs and the final and most effective design was found to be the insertion of …

Open-Minded Cognition And Transmission Of Norms, Mia Jasmine Martinez

Master's Theses

This research aimed to explore general and general normative open-minded cognition, respectively, as shaped by prominent social figures (i.e., normative referents). The administered survey included two distinct measures in attempt to estimate the amount and/or severity of influence each referent possesses over the participants, GOMC (i.e., General Open-Minded Cognition) and GNORM (i.e., General Open-Minded Cognition as determined by normative standards). The research hypothesized the GNORM of the determinants: Caregivers, Teachers, Community Leaders, and Peers, have a statistically significant affect over both the GOMC and GNORM of the participants, due to the fundamental psychological authority each determinant maintains over the participant …

Rethinking The Relationship Between Capitalism And Environmental Sustainability: Locating Nigeria Within The Globe, Chukwuebuka Emmanuel Madu

Master's Theses

The relationship between capitalism and environmental sustainability and how problems arising from this relationship can be resolved globally and locally is vital for those with economic and environmental concerns. The environment that provides human beings with essential survival needs has to be preserved if these needs are expected to be available for future generations while also being enough for the present generation of human beings. One obstacle to protecting the environment is climate change due to global warming. What is responsible for global warming that ultimately leads to environmental unsustainability? This study pursues this question by rethinking the relationship between …

Examining The Sexual Identity Disclosure Process Among Black Queer Femmes And Their Families, Kaylah Denis

Master's Theses

Existing queer identity development theories often overlook the unique intersectional experiences of Black queer femmes (BQF), limiting their applicability and effectiveness in addressing the challenges faced by this population. Traditional models typically emphasize "coming out" to friends and family as a key step towards identity integration and self-actualization. However, these frameworks may not adequately capture the complexities faced by BQF, who navigate tensions between their racial/ethnic and LGBTQ+ identities. This study aimed to: 1) explore BQF experiences related to disclosing their sexual minority status to family members, 2) understand family members' responses to these disclosures, and 3) identify factors influencing …

Transcleral Chemotherapeutic Delivery By Fibrin Sealant In The Treatment Of Retinoblastoma, Christopher Himes

Master's Theses

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular cancer in children, accounting for roughly 9,000 new cases each year—claiming the lives of up to 70% of cases in certain regions of the world. While modern retinoblastoma treatments in developed countries have significantly reduced mortality rates, post-treatment consequences such as vision loss, off-site organ dysfunction, and secondary metastases remain unmet clinical needs. Past studies have confirmed transscleral delivery as an efficacious means to achieve high intraocular drug concentrations possibly superior to the standard systemic regimen of vincristine, etoposide, and carboplatin (VEC) for tumor suppression. This led to several studies exploring the use of …

Justice, Common Good, And Connectivity: A Thomistic Evaluation Of The Role Of Social Media In Shaping Global Integration, J S. Booth

Master's Theses

The growing influence of social media presents important implications for global integration and governance where platforms can rapidly be leveraged to promote cohesion, a sense of community or, sadly, as a powerful tool for societal fragmentation. The challenges and potential benefits of social media usage are examined in the context of a State’s integration responsibilities from a Thomistic ethical and moral perspective which emphasizes the need for justice and promotion of the common good. An assessment will be included on how social media platforms have been utilized to inform and mis-inform citizens under recent governmental integration campaigns and disintegration efforts …

Characterization Of P38alpha And Nitric Oxide Synthase 3 Binding, Gillyan M. Jewett

Master's Theses

P38alpha is a member of the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) family. This family is important for mediating signal transduction pathways through phosphorylation of downstream substrates. Previous work has described the ability of p38alpha to bind and phosphorylate nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) at two sites, the autoinhibitory loop (AI) at S600 and the N-terminal MAPK binding site (NtMAP) at S114. P38alpha has two substrate binding domains, the common docking groove (CD-groove) and a hydrophobic pocket (DEF) that are important in binding and phosphorylating various substrates specific to each pocket. Utilizing biolayer interferometry, this work describes the importance of both …

A Comparative Analysis Of Current Understandings Of The High Priestly Ministry Of Jesus In The Heavenly Sanctuary, Samuel Amirtharaj

Master's Theses

Problem

Seventh-day Adventists consider the subject of the sanctuary to be the kingpin that interconnects all of the other doctrines. Both Adventists and non-Adventists agree that it is the Adventist understanding of the sanctuary that sets them apart from other Christian denominations. Almost since the inception of the Church, there have been many critics of the Adventist doctrine of the sanctuary and its associated teachings, both from within and from without the Church. Former Adventists and non-Adventists alike have discredited the significance of the sanctuary. However, numerous books on the sanctuary have been published recently by Christian scholars; these books …