Digital Commons Network^™

Meta-Analysis Of School Climate And Well-Being Of Lgbtq Youth: A Case Study Of Alabama’S Public School Climate Toward Sexual Minority Students, Minoo Vafai

Theses

Decades of research demonstrates that adolescents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning (LGBTQ), are at higher risk of peer victimization, harassment, and bullying compared to heterosexual youth. It is reported that 3 out of every 4 LGBTQ students are verbally harassed and 1 out of every 3 is physically bullied (Kosciw et al., 2014). Exposure to constant victimization, harassment, and bullying can subsequently pave the way to a host of negative psychological and educational outcomes. The current research is a systematic review and a meta-analysis of school climate and its impact on the LGBTQ students. This research …

The Socioeconomic Impact Of Indian Gaming On Kumeyaay Nations: A Case Study Of Barona, Viejas, And Sycuan, 1982 - 2016, Ethan L. Banegas

Theses

This study will use the reservations of Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan to measure the socioeconomic impacts of gaming within the Kumeyaay nation. It will also draw on information available from other gaming tribes. To organize my research, I will use the following categories: health, education, economics and infrastructure. Within these four topics I will cover: investment capital, poverty, higher education, internet access, alcohol addiction, suicide rates, obesity, diabetes, and other socioeconomic indicators. Once this is accomplished I will assess the social and economic impact of gaming on Barona, Viejas, and Sycuan and include the possible implications to heal historical trauma …

Towards A New Approach For Teaching Religious Education In Catholic Schools, Anne-Marie Irwin

Theses

How should Catholic Religious Education look in the twenty-first century? Today’s challenges are many, including diverse student faith backgrounds and levels of teachers’ religious knowledge, understanding and commitment. There are differing curriculum structures, time and space constraints, challenges in accessing suitable resources, and the authentic use of proven pedagogical practice.

This study was a journey that explored these challenges. It followed a path opened by Maria Montessori, trodden in turn by Sofia Cavalletti and, more recently, developed by Gerard O’Shea into a way for teaching religious education in Catholic schools. This was a design-based research study that adapted, trialled and …

Beauty Brand Versus New Media: How Have Communications Tactics Changed Within A Large Cosmetic Brand & How Have They Incorporated New Media Pr Tactics, Ruth Walsh

Theses

This research study aims to investigate and analyse what is working in the cosmetic PR industry for beauty brands; bloggers; and beauty consumers. There has been limited research conducted into this important topic and less so into the PR tactics used by large cosmetic brands. This thesis first examines that said limited scope of literature that relates to the cosmetic PR industry but not well and it further examines the viewpoints of well-known PR professionals. From this research, a triangulation approach to data collecting was outlined and conducted that included two interviews with beauty industry experts; a PR professional, a …

An Application Of Time Series Methods To Investigate Eu Dairy Commodity Price Dynamics, Dennis Bergmann

Theses

Fundamental changes to the common agricultural policy (CAP) have led to greater market orientation which in turn has resulted in significantly changed price dynamics of EU dairy prices. These changed dynamics include sharply increased price variability of EU farm gate milk prices as well EU dairy commodity prices such as butter and Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP). In addition it was expected that EU dairy prices will align to Word dairy prices. This alignment of prices would also see an alignment of volatility levels which were significantly higher for World dairy prices than EU dairy prices. The aim of this thesis …

An Examination Of The Awareness And Practices Of Human Resource Professionals In How They Are Measuring The Effectiveness Of Employee Reward Practices, Eva Bermingham

Theses

Human Resource (HR) Analytics and the benefits that can be gained Irom the utilization of such has become a contemporary topic of interest in recent years. To clarify, HR Analytics is simply an evidence based approach to management. The prevalence of globalization and increased market competitiveness has commanded that organizations work more efficiently. The power of the use of HR Analytics in creating these unique business specific efficiencies can no more be ignored, and it has become ob\ious that Human Resources in its continuous evokitba has placed a greater focus on the business results that existing data can bring them …

Microbiota, Diet And Medication In Human Gut Disorders, Adam Clooney

Theses

The microbiota, a community of micro-organisms in a particular environment, have been intensely researched in the past decade and interest appears to continue to increase. The human body is richly populated with bacterial cells (3.8x10'^) and alterations in these communities are associated with disease. The work presented in this thesis explores aspects of microbiota research methodologies with regard to optimisation and concerns over a lack of reproducibility. Additionally, we investigated the effects of medication, in particular Proton Pump Inhibitors, on the human gut microbiota, along with comparisons between the microbiota of patients with active and inactive Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Microbiota …

A Diagnostic And Control Programme For Johne’S Disease On Irish Dairy Farms, Aideen Kennedy

Theses

Johne’s disease (JD) is an enteritis of ruminants with potential zoonotic implications. JD diagnosis and control present difficulties given JDs prolonged subclinical nature. In order to improve JD control in Ireland, PhD aims included conducting a national survey documenting high-risk husbandry practices employed on Irish farms, thereby targeting areas for improved management. Furthermore as JD has been associated with on-farm economic losses internationally, this research programme aimed to analyse production losses associated with testing JD ELISA positive on Irish dairy farms. A longitudinal study was also conducted to assess if successful JD control can be achieved using gold-standard protocols. Due …

Development Of A Dynamic Cfd Model For Offshore Oscillating Water Columns With Non-Linear Interactions, Ken O'Connell

Theses

This thesis focuses on the development of a state of the art modelling technique for offshore Oscillating Water Column (OWC) type Wave Energy Converters (WEC) using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Current literature indicates a limited amount of work has been completed on studying these devices containing non-linear time dependent flow phenomenon. Initially, a 2D Numerical Wave Tank (NWT) is studied to reduce discretisation error in order to reproduce accurately propagating waves. Further development into a 3D domain permits the geometrical requirements of an OWC type spar buoy to be included.

In parallel, a single Degree of Freedom (DOF) model is …

Semiconductor Materials And Devices For 2 Micron Generation, Dzianis Saladukha

Theses

In the last century, semiconductor research has led to significant changes in the fields of communication, medicine, the environment, and many others. Semiconductor devices provide a relatively simple and effective way to convert electrical energy to light and vice versa. Devices based on semiconductor materials of various kinds provide interaction of an electromagnetic signal in the range of wavelengths with a medium. Examples of such devices are LED lamps, photovoltaic cells, thermometers, gas sensors, cameras, and many others. The study of various semiconductors broadens the range of application of photonics. This work is based on the study of materials which …

Implementing Sensory And Emotional Intelligence Into Architectural Design Education In Ireland., Aoife Hayes

Theses

The 21^st century, as a whole, has seen massive developments in smart technologies, environmental strategies and architectural form. The 3D built environment is advancing on a daily basis, but has become a very two dimensional experience, frontloaded with screened imagery and visual stimuli, which has encouraged a trend of ocular-centric dominance. Unfortunately, as a result of this, the human experience is often lost. The prioritisation of the multi-sensorial human experience is not only at threat from this visual predominance, but also environmental concerns and economy seem to hold a greater place on the hierarchy. Research carried out by the …

Development, Implementation, Evaluation And Validation Of A Haemophilia Nurses’ Education Program In South Africa, Jill Smith

Theses

Haemophilia is a rare, inherited bleeding disorder found in all races and ethnic groups. Intervention regimens are more complicated in developing countries, such as South Africa, where numerous challenges present impediments to effective health care. This study investigated the value of the Haemophilia Nurses’ Education Program (HNEP) in the South African context where no comparable program of training for haemophilia nurses exists.

The HNEP has been in operation in South Africa for some fifteen years. The researcher, as one of the key instigators of the HNEP, was keen to determine whether the course was delivering the outcomes that had been …

A Chemical Foundation For Native American Use Of Cercis Canadensis And Zanthoxylum Clava-Herculis, Kelly Marie Steinberg

Theses

This thesis project studied the bark of North American plants, Cercis canadensis and Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, plants used medicinally by the Cherokee Indians. The C. canadensis bark was analyzed through Soxhlet extraction, column chromatography, and thin layer chromatography to isolate its nonvolatile components. Collection and analysis of NMR experiments- proton, carbon, HSQC, HMBC, and COSY, led to identification of the compound lupeol. The C. canadensis and Z. clava-herculis bark essential oil was collected with Likens-Nickerson hydrodistillation and analyzed through GC-MS and chiral GC-MS. Major components of the C. canadensis bark oil include 1-hexanol, hexanoic acid, (2E)-hexenoic acid, oleic acid amide, and …

Application Of Machine Learning Models To Cftr Enhancer Discovery, James M.J. Lawlor

Theses

Cystic Fibrosis is a Mendelian genetic disorder causing production of hyper- viscous mucus, which damages organs including the lungs and digestive system, and is the result of absent or defective production of the chloride transport protein CFTR. CFTR expression varies between organs, developmental stages, and individuals. We develop and optimize a machine learning pipeline to identify enhancers—binding sites for regulatory proteins—near CFTR. We segment A549, Caco-2, Calu-3, and PANC-1 genomes, train a sequence-based classifier on the predicted enhancer segments, and use the classifier score to predict sequence variants’ enhancer activities. Our optimizations appreciably improve the resulting enhancer predictions. We present …

Implementing Active/Passive Atmospheric Profiling Observations To Enhance Dual Polarization Radar Hydrometeor Classification Algorithms For Winter Precipitation, Christina G.A. Leach

Theses

A Northern Alabama winter storm from February 20-21, 2015 is examined to determine the characteristics of precipitation transition. The primary data sources include profiler data from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) Mobile Integrated Profiling System (MIPS) and two dual polarization radars, the Advanced Radar for Meteorological and Operational Research (ARMOR) C-Band and the NOAA KHTX WSR-88D S-Band radar. Using typical precipitation fall speeds, integrated liquid water from the MIPS MPR, 915 MHz profiler Doppler spectra, and temperature, a hydrometeor identification process was developed. A hydrometeor classification algorithm developed by Colorado State University was performed on the radar data. …

Identifying Physical Processes In Supercells For Nowcasting Severe Weather Potential, Austin D. Vacek

Theses

Discriminating if a supercell will become tornadic still remains a difficult forecasting challenge due to similar resemblance in development and structure. This study evaluates rapid decreases in lightning, termed lightning dives, relative to physical processes of kinematic and microphysical properties in identifying supercell tornadic potential and severe weather production. Three supercell cases experiencing tornadogenesis or significant low-level rotation within a dual-Doppler lobe and the North Alabama lightning mapping array were examined from the 2016 Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment-Southeast (VORTEX-SE) field campaign. The occurrence of a downdraft enhancement generally preceded a triggered lightning dive, with lag …

Variation In Larval Behavior Across The Ecologically Distinct Host Populations Of The Cactophilic Drosophila Mojavensis, Joshua Coleman

Theses

Ecological host shifts likely have a major impact on the evolution of species. The host shift can result in an organism being faced with significant chemical, nutritional, volumetric, and other challenges, which may lead to adaptation. Host shifts can lead to speciation by prezygotic isolation, and even reinforcement through postzygotic isolation. This study looks at behavioral differences in terms of larval activity in populations of Drosophila mojavensis which have experienced host shifts. The mean speed of the four populations of D. mojavensis larvae were measured, and considered in the ecological context. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA library was prepared …

Kinetic Analysis Of The Hypergolic Reactivity Of Dimethylpiperazines With Red Fuming Nitric Acid, Kenneth Haines

Theses

This research investigated the hypergolic reaction that occurs between dimethylpiperazines with red fuming nitric acid. An advanced laser diagnostic system was designed previously to measure chemical delay times. This equipment was utilized to study the effects of temperature, fuel to oxidizer ratio, the presence of dinitrogen tetroxide in the oxidizer and the presence of methanol in the fuel. A comparison was made with dimethylpiperazine isomers and derivatives of hydrazine previously studied.

Ni & Cu Complexes Supported By A Family Of Pentadentate Ligands For Reactivity With Activated Oxygen Species, Victoria G. Snider

Theses

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) naturally occur as side products of oxidation reactions in aerobic organisms, however high concentrations of ROS can cause tissue damage and even cell death. Thus, aerobic organisms have developed several mechanisms of defense against ROS that include catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes. This thesis details the design and synthesis of novel nickel superoxide dismutase (NiSOD) and copper zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) biomimics which were probed for reactivity with superoxide and hydrogen peroxide. The metal complexes are supported by nitrogen rich, macrocyclic ligands that were designed to alter the electronic environment of …

Predictive Networking And Optimization For Flow-Based Networks, Michael Arnold

Theses

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) were used to classify neural network flows by flow size. After training the neural network was able to predict the size of a flows with 87% accuracy with a Feed Forward Neural Network. This demonstrates that flow based routers can prioritize candidate flows with a predicted large number of packets for priority insertion into hardware content-addressable memory.

Schema Matching And Data Integration With Consistent Naming For Protein Crystallization Screens, Midusha Shrestha

Theses

Many companies have developed commercial screen kits of different combinations of chemicals for protein crystallization trials. Typically, scientists may use screen kits from various companies for crystallizing a single protein. The data representation as well as naming conventions used by these different companies make the automated analysis of crystallization experiments difficult and time-consuming. Matching headers among the input and output screens need to be identified and then the data has to be copied under corresponding headers in the output file. In order to reduce the human effort required to deal with this problem, we present an algorithm based on linguistic …

Validating Petri Net Models Of Cyberattacks, Nicholas M. Christensen

Theses

As part of a team project modeling computer system vulnerabilities and cyberattacks, this research focused on Petri net models and validation methods for them. First, the chosen target, Metasploitable, was scanned for vulnerabilities, which were matched to Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC) entries. For a preliminary validation, the models were compared with the entries. Then a dynamic validation was applied to two models of CAPEC entries and to one model of a known backdoor, Ingreslock. Three experimental cyberattacks were compared with their respective models, giving partial validation. The results of the comparison show that this dynamic method was …

Feasibility Of Physiological Monitoring Embedded In Smart Stuff, Jonathan E. Pryor

Theses

This thesis evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of smart physiological sensors embedded in smart objects of everyday use. The wide acceptance of Smart Stuff, our term for intelligent objects integrated into Internet of Things (IoT), opens new opportunities in various application fields such as healthcare and smart homes. With the proliferation of IoT platforms, there is an opportunity for embedded physiological monitors in everyday devices. We designed and developed The Touch and Pulse Sensor (TAPS) that integrates a photoplethysmographic (PPG) and capacitive touch sensor (for detection of handling), and integrated the sensor with the smart water bottle. We ran a …

From Logology To Dramatism : Kenneth Burke And Kurt Vonnegut As Critical Companions, Eryn Johnson

Theses

Although Kenneth Burke originally theorized language as symbolic action and Dramatism with literary analysis in mind, he remains unthought of by literary scholars. With the aim of reclaiming Dramatism for literary analysis, I grapple with Fredric Jameson’s criticisms of Burke in order to show how Dramatism maintains potential for productive literary analysis, particularly in regard to ideology. In doing so, I apply Burke’s Dramatistic method to a series of Kurt Vonnegut novels in order to investigate the similarities between Burke and Vonnegut as well as to demonstrate a fruitful literary analysis by way of Burke’s method.Though their writings differ generically, …

Utilizing Sysml Viewpoints To Improve Understanding And Communication Of Human Mental Models Within System Design Teams, Elizabeth Anne Patterson

Theses

In modern design of complex systems, there is lack of consideration of social elements in Socio-Technical Systems. The Human Mental Model is a vital part of multidisciplinary system design, and can contribute to the potential for system failure when not considered during the design phase. This thesis will examine the Systems Modeling Language (SysML) viewpoints and views to determine whether they illustrate elements of human mental models, and increase communication between individuals holding different perspectives. Two models were created in SysML, the first comparing SysML to mental model graphs, and the second was the Lynx X-ray Observatory, a project in …

Analysis Of Rediscovered Data From Apollo 17'S Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment : Evidence For Events Associated With Sunrise, Deanna Phillips

Theses

Rediscovered data from Apollo 17’s Lunar Seismic Profiling Experiment (LSPE) are a new untapped resource for probing lunar structure. LSPE, the last seismic instrument deployed on the Moon, was designed to detect artificial seismic signatures, but also listened passively from 1976 to 1977. This 40-year-old data went unstudied due to the cancellation of the Apollo program. The analyses presented here show no evidence for correlations with the Apollo 12-16 seismic event catalog. However, the LSPE geophones have also been used as a small-aperture seismic array to identify local thermally-induced events. Supporting evidence comes from a strong association with Apollo 17 …

The Effect Of Misleading Identification On Juror Decision-Making, Brandi A. Cook

Theses

The goal of this study was to determine how varying witness information influenced jury verdicts for an individual identified in a photographic lineup. Participant-jurors (N = 145) read a criminal case and eyewitness testimony transcript before choosing a guilty or not guilty verdict for a selected individual. The witness’s quality of view, familiarity with the perpetrator, and neighbors’ input (hearsay) were manipulated. Identifications based on a facial view generated the same guilty rate as an identification based on culprit clothing or neighbor input. A witness with a very poor view received significantly less guilty verdicts. Verdict confidence did not differ …

Examining The Role Of Different Types Of Pressure In Math Anxiety And Math Performance, Kenneth C.E. Hammett

Theses

Math anxiety can negatively impact individuals’ performance on math tasks, especially those tasks with high working memory demands. Individuals who are highly math anxious often avoid situations that involve performing math tasks. The level of anxiety experienced by individuals may be affected by different pressure situations. The present study examined the role of different types of pressure (speed, accuracy, or combination [speed + accuracy]) in math anxiety and math performance. Results indicated that experiencing anxiety during a math task has a negative impact on math performance. Results also indicated that speed pressure might be more detrimental to math performance than …

Women's Imprisonment And Recidivism: An Illustrative Analysis Of Boronia Women's Pre-Release Centre (Western Australia) And Progressive/Open Prison Systems In Norway And Sweden, Cheryl M. Botello

Theses

Boronia Women’s Pre-release Centre (Boronia) is a minimum-security level correctional facility located in Perth, Western Australia. Boronia has adopted a progressive/open imprisonment approach to incarceration that is fairly unique within the Southern Hemisphere. This thesis examines Boronia as a progressive/open prison via an illustrative case study analysis and investigates if it does produce a recidivism rate that is comparative to the international progressive/open prison sector. Boronia’s facilities, policies, programs and recidivism rates, are reviewed against two international progressive/open women’s prisons - “Ravneberget” in Norway, and “Ystad” in Sweden. Scandinavian prisons were chosen, as they are known for producing some of …

Reliability Of Micro Mechanical Low Frequency Energy Harvesters For Implanted Cardiac Pacemakers, Sunny Jay

Theses

The aim of this project was to develop methods to assess the suitability and reliability of silicon-based piezoelectric micro-electro-mechanicai systems (MEMS) energy harvesters to capture the kinetic energy of the heartbeat in an implanted cardiac pacemaker. The major challenges of the work were that harvesters for vibration frequencies below 100 Hz have not been widely reported and the system requires reliable operation over a long lifetime. In this work device modelling was used for harvester design assessment. Experimental test methods and equipment were developed to produce data to validate the device models and to assess device reliability. A 2D analytical …