Digital Commons Network^™

Using The High-Probability Instructional Sequence To Increase Compliance With Vocal Imitation In Children Diagnosed With Developmental Delays, Kimberly Derque

Theses

Previous studies have evaluated the effects of the high-p instructional procedure involving motor imitation on the levels of compliance with vocal imitation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study replicated Hansen et al. (2018) by demonstrating the effectiveness of high-probability (high-p) instructional sequence involving motor imitation to improve compliance with vocal imitation in three preschool age children with developmental delay. A multiple baseline across participants was implemented to show the procedure's effects on compliance with vocal imitation responses. The EESA subtest of the VBMAPP was administered before and after the intervention to determine the level of vocal …

An Investigation Of The Sub-Lethal Impacts To Pollinators From Pesticides, Emily Beahm

Theses

In order to feed a growing global population, agricultural practices must utilize pesticides to maintain high yields. Responsible use of pesticides should be based on literature confirming their efficacy and safety. When pesticides are not adequately investigated prior to their release, there can be severe consequences. Many highly effective pesticides, such as the class neonicotinoids, were allowed to be used commercially prior to thorough assessment of their environmental risks, resulting in consequences that largely have fallen to the exposed pollinator populations. To avoid similar outcomes, I tested the popular biopesticide Botanigard which contains Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus previously exposed …

Using Behavioral Skills Training To Promote Online Safety Skills In Individuals With Developmental Disabilities, Robert Lynn

Theses

Abstract

Children are spending more time online, which is putting them at risk of encountering online predators. There have been attempts to minimize the occurrence of these encounters, but most of these involved instructional training and parent supervision. One alternative intervention for addressing safety skills that has been shown to be effective is behavior skills training (BST), which is a procedure based on behavior analytic literature. BST involves instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of BST on the acquisition of online safety skills in adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities. In-situ …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Behavioral Skills Training For Teaching Implementation Of Natural Language Paradigm Program To Staff In An Early Intervention Setting, Abigail Kinnear

Theses

Due to the prevalence of language delays in children with ASD, it is important to provide effective treatment and ensure highly trained staff to implement language programs. Natural Language Paradigm (NLP) is a naturalistic approach that includes individualized motivating variables, natural reinforcers, and direct response to reinforcer contingencies to increase vocal communication and generalization of skills. Behavioral skills training (BST) is an effective strategy that uses instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback to teach staff to implement specific programs. The current study replicated Seiverling et al. (2009) study on evaluating the effectiveness of using BST to train three staff to implement …

Teaching Adults With Developmental Disabilities To Ask "Why?", Mya White

Theses

Mands for information play an important role in language development and are important for successfully acquiring new information from one’s environment. Still, many individuals cannot effectively ask Wh- questions to mand for information, even though they may have extensive tact, intraverbal, and receptive language skills. Recently, Valentino et al. (2019) investigated procedures to teach the MFI “Why?” to children with language delays under the control of the establishing operation and examined the extent to which teaching resulted in generalization. The purpose of this study was to extend Valentino et al. protocol with three adults with developmental disabilities. The procedure involved …

Integrative Approaches To Evaluate Challenges Faced By Songbirds During Migration And Associated Physiological Trade-Offs, Gabriella L. Orfanides

Theses

Migration is a demanding time for birds, and birds face numerous physiological, behavioral, and environmental challenges. As migratory birds balance the costs of numerous stressors during migration, this could result in detrimental physiological trade-offs. Understanding the trials and trade-offs that birds encounter during migration has important conservation implications. I utilized two component studies to better understand challenges encountered by migratory songbirds as well as to identify physiological metrics that may provide insight into these challenges. For the first study, I used nested PCR and DNA sequencing to determine parasite prevalence and diversity of avian haemosporidians in Canada Warblers (Cardellina canadensis) …

Generation Z’S Perspective On Work-Life Balance: Case Of Kosovo, Lorine Bajrami

Theses

This capstone project examines the perspective of Generation Z in Kosovo toward work-life balance by specifically looking at their preferences regarding flexibility, remote work, and the compromise of work-life balance with other work-related factors. People who are born between 1996 and 2010 belong to the Generation Z cohort, which is characterized by profound digital savviness, mental health awareness, preference for flexibility in workplace, and strong desire to balance work and personal life. The data for analyzing the Gen Z’s perspectives on life work-balance is collected through an online survey (n=174) and two focus group discussions. Global reports and existing research …

Digital Transformation Of The Accounting And Audit Industry In Kosovo, Lis Musa

Theses

This capstone project analyzes how Kosovo's audit and accounting industry is being affected by digital transformation. Its aim is to explore how digitalization affects skills gaps, job accuracy, company costs, and productivity in different sectors at a time when technological breakthroughs are drastically changing industry. Professionals from Big 10 accounting and audit firms as well as a local Kosovo accounting business were interviewed to gather insights on the potential and difficulties brought about by digital tools and technologies. Research findings show that digital transformation is considerably bridging the skills gap in the industry, imposing constant professional development and adjustment to …

Ap Art History For Marshall Public Schools, Gage Bunting

Theses

Advanced Placement Art History (AP Art History) is a course that, while being one of the less popular AP offerings, exists in thousands of schools already. College Board is the institution that facilitates these courses and sets the requirements each school must follow in order to offer the course. With that said, there is not a rigid requirement that all courses be taught in the same manner, and because of that, the curriculum of this project was adapted to enhance learning for students of Marshall High School.

The art department of Marshall High School has evolved in recent years and …

Intersectional Feminist And Queer Activists’ Agendas In The Contemporary Arts: The Use Of Socio-Politically Fueled Motifs As Subjects In The Field Today, Florence V. Bonner

Theses

This paper explores the Intersectional Feminist and Queer activist's work in the Contemporary arts through a reconsideration of the existing scholarly literature and the use of social media platforms from the third wave of Intersection and Transnational Feminist and Queer work. Looking specifically at motifs that connotate to the bodies of people assigned female at birth, there are recognizable impacts at both micro and macro community levels. This research is done in an Intersectional Feminist and Queer theoretical methodology to better understand the implications of valuing multifaceted identities in the 21st century. This paper identifies artists and activists who work …

Music Education In The Urban Classroom: Issues Of Equity And Access, Lakeisha Walker

Theses

Music education in urban classrooms plays a crucial role in shaping students' overall development and academic success. The field of music education is not immune to the challenges of equity and access that exist in urban settings. It is essential to address these issues to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to participate in music programs and reap the countless benefits that come with them.

The importance of this topic in the field of music education cannot be overstated. Research has shown that students who participate in music programs demonstrate improved academic performance, enhanced cognitive skills, and increased creativity. …

Elucidation Of Potential Antimicrobial Properties Of Chalcones, Caleb Howell

Theses

The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing concern for the medical and biological community. Increased use of antibiotics has led to increased development of bacterial tolerances. This phenomenon, driven by the principles of evolution, has been exacerbated by the improper antibiotic use of these antibiotics. Often, individuals stop taking antibiotics once symptoms subside, mistakenly believing the infection is cured. This practice allows bacteria or fungi to develop resistance.

These antibiotics have been developed from secondary metabolites. While we have many effective antibiotics we are facing new threats. Chalcones are being looked at for their potential in addressing this issue. …

Three Zafimaniry Carvings From The Southern Highlands Of Madagascar And Their Symbolic Meaning, Emily Krupp

Theses

The Zafimaniry people are a community living in the southern highlands of Madagascar, most known for their geometric, low-relief works of art that they carve onto wooden surfaces throughout their villages. The shapes that make up the designs signify the Zafimaniry people's ideologies, but motifs carved into the homes specifically represent their beliefs about marriage and societal structure. Three metaphorical symbols have been translated within the motifs by the Zafimaniry people as the patriarch, the family, and the community. A comparative cultural study between the motifs on Zafimaniry window shutters and Swahili doorways reveal similarities in material culture, visual elements …

Gustav Klimt: A Modern Representation Of The Pregnant Female Body, Emma Fanger

Theses

This thesis analyzes Gustav Klimt’s Hope I (1903) and Hope II (1907–1908) to explore how the artist offered a revolutionary and rare representation of pregnancy at the turn of the twentieth century. Klimt, a key figure in the Symbolist and Art Nouveau movements, is recognized for his decorative, allegorical, and emotionally charged style. His portrayal of the pregnant female body challenged traditional artistic conventions. This thesis argues that Hope I and Hope II are significant not only for their modern visual language, but also for their contribution to the limited representation of pregnancy in Western art. In addition to examining …

Determinants Of Youth Entrepreneurship In Kosovo, Dren Hima

Theses

This research aims to analyze the determinants of the probability of youth in Kosovo becoming nascent entrepreneurs. Kosovo, a young nation with a youth demographic and post-conflict socio-economic challenges, presents a unique context for studying entrepreneurship. The study focuses on the impact of both demographic and perceptual characteristics of the youth on their entrepreneurial orientation. The empirical analysis combines secondary data with primary data collected through an online survey targeting the youth of Kosovo, aged 18-29. It assesses the impact of various factors, including gender, educational background, household income, entrepreneurial experience, and perceptual variables like opportunity perception, fear of failure, …

Implications Of Ai Adoption On Kosovo’S Tech Smes, Agullina Shllaku

Theses

This study explores the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on small and medium-sized tech enterprises (SMEs), namely the extent to which these SMEs are investing in AI technologies, and how that will impact the organizational structure of those SMEs. While most of Kosovo’s tech SMEs have started to engage with AI to some extent, the demand for such services is much lower compared to global levels. This study identifies investment strategies prominent in SMEs, as well as their initiative to internal restructuring instead of hiring. Through a mix of qualitative and quantitative data, this study generates relevant insights from employees …

Impacts Of Professional Development On Researchers, Kayleigh M. Patterson

Theses

In this work, I study the effectiveness of Professional development for Emerging Education Researchers (PEER) using a framework adapted from one that evaluates professional development for teachers. Professional Development (PD) is the process of learning information after one’s main school for job settings. These cover job/career specific skills that are not taught during schooling, since they are normally more specific. While a Ph.D. does set up a lot of specific skills, due to a changing research climate based on discoveries and organizational standards, there are always more skills to learn for a researcher. Therefore, there are professional development for researchers …

Geo-Slam: Using Geometric Hierarchies To Support Localization And Mapping In Forest Environments, Daniel Castellarin

Theses

Robust mapping and localization can be challenging in environments like forests where easily observable landmarks are virtually indistinguishable from each other. In such environments, GPS or robot odometry may also be compromised by the landscape, tree cover, or method of locomotion. Prior work discussed a method for creating geometric hierarchies to describe the relative positions of unlabeled landmarks. Notably, the polygons from these hierarchies were used to perform accurate place recognition from observations containing partial overlap and sensor noise. Here, we use geometric hierarchies to perform robust data association for collections of virtually identical 2D landmarks in direct support of …

Race As A Two-Sided Factor In Perceptions Of Policing: The Intersection Of Community Race And Police Race, Dani Wolfe

Theses

Police practices tend to produce disparate outcomes for people of color. Outcome disparities have been addressed in other industries by increasing representativeness within those industries (i.e., increasing “organizational diversity”), though the outcome of these efforts is less clear in policing. Despite mixed findings, examining the barriers and facilitators to diversity within policing has been a growing focus of related research. While research has been done that investigates the experiences of minority race officers and how the presence of minority race officers may affect perceptions of police integrity in communities, little research has focused on how minority communities perceive minority police …

Designing An Animated Presentation For Educating Physicians And Patients On Opioid Addiction, Jenny Phillips

Theses

The devastating opioid epidemic in the United States continues to wreak havoc, especially on those suffering from opioid addiction. Regrettably, the lack of reliable treatments and understanding of this disease has hindered physicians' ability to provide adequate care. As a result, those affected often feel ashamed and reluctant to seek help due to the growing stigma surrounding opioid addiction. These barriers prevent the successful treatment of this prevalent and treatable disease. To tackle this issue, Dr. Michael Peck and his team have been essential in traveling to different communities and illustrating the truth about opioids and opioid addiction. They developed …

Ego - Acupressure Ar Glasses, Chin Yin Teng

Theses

Acupressure, a time-honored healing practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, is known for promoting relaxation, pain relief, and overall wellness with minimal side effects. Despite its benefits, the practice involves navigating a complex system of 361 acupuncture points, posing a challenge for individuals lacking in-depth knowledge or training. Additionally, professional acupressure treatments can be costly, limiting accessibility. To address these challenges, we have developed Ego, an AR Glasses Smart Assistant designed to make acupressure more accessible and effective for the general public. Ego uses augmented reality to provide an intuitive and user-friendly interface that guides users in locating and applying …

An Evaluation Of The Irish Rugby Football Union (Irfu) Coach Education Framework In School And Club Settings, Kevin Smith

Theses

This thesis aimed to evaluate the Irish Rugby Football Union Coach Education Framework (IRFU-CEF) and its subsequent effect on coach behaviours/perceptions, training session content, and athlete perceptions in multiple rugby union settings. The IRFU-CEF was designed to educate coaches in How to coach, as opposed to more traditional forms of coach education that are typically designed to deliver content of What to coach. A baseline analysis (Study 1) was conducted to examine current behaviours/perceptions in a rugby union coaching environment. An IRFU-CEF intervention (Study 2) was delivered to coaches in the form of a single episode as a coach education …

Towards A Net Zero University Campus, Sarah Ali

Theses

This report explores the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions assessment and reduction strategy for the Rochester Institute of Technology of Dubai (RITD) campus, aiming to contribute towards the UAE's "Net Zero 2050" initiative. The study establishes a comprehensive emissions baseline for the year 2023 using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP), incorporating Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. A dashboard was developed to continuously monitor annual emissions, facilitating data-driven decisions for sustainability. The total GHG emissions for RITD were approximately 5,245,197.68 kg CO2e. The primary sources of emissions were identified as electricity consumption (39%) and commuting (53%), which together constitute …

Clinical Validation Of Patient-Specific Inverse Modeling With Surface Temperatures And Physiological And Geometrical Factors In Breast Cancer Detection, Carlos Gutierrez

Theses

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting the lives of many women and taking over 683,000 lives worldwide. Early detection of breast cancer through screening has been instrumental in reducing the mortality rate. However, current screening methods based on mammography have issues with patient discomfort, invasiveness, cost and low accuracy, mainly due to dense breast tissue in approximately 40% of women population. Infrared imaging (IRI) is shown to be noninvasive, cost effective, comfortable, and not affected by breast density. The present work describes a novel patient-specific IRI inverse heat transfer algorithm based on the digital model of …

Effects Of Soil Amendments On Community Structure And Function In Created Wetlands, Lauren Saggese

Theses

Wetlands provide many unique and important ecological functions, making them one of the most valuable ecosystems. When wetland destruction is unavoidable, creation or restoration of wetlands is a mandatory practice in order to recover lost ecosystem function. However, created wetlands often fail to provide functions and services equivalent to natural wetlands. The addition of carbon-rich plant compost has been shown to alter soil characteristics and biogeochemistry in wetlands. However, the impacts on wetland community structure are unknown. I evaluated the impact of long- term leaf-litter compost addition on soil properties, community structure of invertebrates and plants, algal photosynthesis and soil …

Characteristics Of Lactobacillus Helveticus Fermentation Of Camel And Bovine Milks, Kobika Chelladhurai

Theses

In this study, the fermentation of low-fat camel milk (CM) and bovine milk (BM) with Lactobacillus helveticus was compared to fermentation with L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and S. thermophilus at 28°C, 35°C, and 42°C. The fermentation activities were followed by measuring bacterial counts, titratable acidity, pH, and changes in lactose, organic acids, and proteolysis for 96 hours. Although bacterial growth was comparable in CM and BM, the fermented milks showed differences in acidification and proteolysis. Negative correlations between TA (%) and pH were consistent in both CM and BM suggesting similar buffering capacities. In both milks, L. helveticus …

The Effect Of Nuciferine On The Renal Dysfunction Following Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury, Sundus Farag Sallabi

Theses

Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury (IRI) is an inevitable consequence of some surgical procedures and clinical conditions such as renal transplantation and aortic cross-clamping. The pathophysiology of renal IRI includes oxidative stress, an aggravated inflammatory response, apoptotic cell death, and fibrogenesis. These pathophysiological processes underlying renal IRI lead to the development of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). Therefore, there is a need for effective and affordable therapeutic agents, such as phytochemical compounds to mitigate this injury. Nuciferine (NF), is a phytochemical compound extracted from the plant Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn and has been selected for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as demonstrated in the …

Securing The Inbox: Advancing Phishing Email Detection With Fine-Tuned Bert, Fatima Rashed Al Saedi

Theses

In recent years, phishing attacks have persisted as a widespread threat in the contemporary digital environment, presenting substantial risks to individuals and organizations. Cybercriminals are devising increasingly sophisticated strategies to deceive users through malicious emails. In response to this challenge, this research focuses on developing a new tool for detecting phishing emails utilizing the BERT algorithm. The tool aims to enhance email security by accurately identifying deceptive emails and protecting users from potential cyber threats. The primary objective of this study is to investigate how leveraging the BERT algorithm can improve the detection of phishing emails compared to traditional methods. …

Heat Sink With Fins And Phase Change Material For Cooling Of High-Power Electronic Devices, Farooq Fakher Mahmoud

Theses

Electronics are integral to modern life, present in everything from household appliances to advanced computers. The performance and reliability of these devices are closely tied to their operating temperatures. High-power operations can lead to significant heating, necessitating effective thermal management to enhance functionality and prevent failure. This requirement drives the demand for efficient heat sinks, which dissipate the heat generated by these devices. Phase change material (PCM)-based heat sinks have become a popular passive cooling solution, increasingly replacing traditional heat sinks.

This research investigates finned PCM-based heat sinks using numerical simulations validated by existing literature and experimental data. Gallium is …

The Impact Of Outdoor Thermal Comfort On Users’ Walkability: Study Case In Al Ain Square, Al Ain City, Uae, Alyazia Saeed Alnehayan

Theses

Living in a hot dry arid climate limits the walkability of its inhabitants. The excessive heat and dryness of the weather undoubtedly make walking a less tempting, encouraging, and pleasant choice for getting around the city. For that reason, this master thesis analyzes the various strategies used to enhance outdoor thermal comfort. Outdoor thermal comfort is controlled by numerous factors, including street and building orientation, vegetation, shading devices, and water bodies. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between walkability and UTCI values (universal thermal comfort index) in the context of Al Ain Square, a neighborhood in …