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A Standardized Pipeline For Isolation And Assembly Of Genomes From Symbiotic Bacteria In Whole Louse Genomic Sequence Data., Mohammad Mikail I. Bala

Theses and Dissertations

Many insects are known to harbour intracellular and heritable bacteria (endosymbionts), which provide their hosts with adaptive traits. Whole insect gDNA shotgun sequencing projects often sequence the genome of endosymbiont, in addition to the insect’s genome. There are approximately 600 whole genome shotgun libraries from insects available on the public repository (NCBI), which can be mined to obtain endosymbiont genomes. The assembly and annotation of endosymbiont genomes can contribute towards the exploration of their role as obligate symbiotic partners. However, de novo assembly of an endosymbiont genome, continues to be challenging, when the host and/or enteric bacterial gDNA is present …

Religiously Responsive Pedagogy In Christian Schools: A Qualitative Exploration Of Faculty Perceptions Of Faith Integration, Andrea R. Woodard

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study introduced a theoretical framework of Religiously Responsive Pedagogy (RRP) and explored the ways in which RRP is enacted in Christian schools, along with the barriers and supports that may exist for effective RRP within those schools. The study investigated PK-12 faculty perceptions of faith integration, responsiveness to students, and school support in order to develop this new framework. Twelve teachers participated in a semi-structured interview via Zoom, which included four scenarios to probe teacher perspectives on RRP. The data was coded recursively using Boeije’s (2002) constant-comparative method.

The primary research questions addressed were:

• How do teachers at …

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Treatment Access And Outcomes For Craniofacial Care: Patient And Parent Perspectives, Benjamin F. Lowe Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose was to evaluate whether craniofacial patients and their parents have adequate access to care, perceive this care as high quality, and believe that the incorporation of telehealth visits would benefit their current system of craniofacial care. Methods: An original survey was developed and sent to families in treatment with the Virginia Commonwealth University craniofacial team. The tool was used to gather demographic information and assess opinions toward access to, outcomes of, and telehealth services for craniofacial care. Patients 18 years and older took the survey for themselves, while patients under 18 years old had a parent/guardian take …

Marine And Human Environmental Factors Influence Vibrio Parahaemolyticus And Vibrio Vulnificus In Vitro Biofilm Processes On Plastics, Ryan Eric Leighton

Theses and Dissertations

Marine bacteria often exist in biofilms as communities attached to surfaces, like plastic. Growing concerns exist regarding marine plastics acting as potential vectors of pathogenic Vibrio, especially in a changing climate. It has been generalized that Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus often attach to plastic surfaces. Different strains of these Vibrios exist having different growth and biofilm forming properties. This work evaluated how temperature and strain variability affect V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus biofilm formation and characteristics on glass (GL), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). This work also evaluated how human body related factors like temperature, …

Oceanographic Applications Of A Monolithic Spatial Heterodyne Raman Spectrometer, Amanda Carol Agrawal

Theses and Dissertations

Carbon dioxide enters the ocean through a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources, and has a significant impact on ocean acidification, the marine buffering system, and bioavailability of life-essential carbonate ions. As carbon dioxide dissolves it reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which then rapidly dissociates into hydronium, bicarbonate, and carbonate ions. Some hydronium ions protonate carbonate to form bicarbonate, driving the carbonate concentration lower while there is a net increase in hydronium concentration. Monitoring the carbonate equilibrium system in the ocean is a complex analytical problem, where speciation is often measured or calculated indirectly ex situ. It …

An Examination Of A Traditional Business Curriculum And Its Effect On Students’ Level Of Moral Decision Making, Brian M. Rothschild

Theses and Dissertations

The questionable decisions of prominent business leaders in major industries in the last two or more decades has called into question the ethical training corporate leaders receive and their ethical decision-making abilities. The research has been extensive but inconclusive as to whether a traditional business curriculum has the effect of developing the moral decision-making abilities of business majors at universities who may end up in industry leadership positions. Therefore, this applied dissertation was designed to contribute to the literature by providing additional information regarding using ethics as a theme throughout a traditional undergraduate business curriculum.

The study included 141 freshman …

Comparing 1:1 And Small-Group Instruction With Preschool Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Danyel Hen

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to evaluate alternative and effective forms of instruction for young students with autism spectrum disorder. The researcher examined and compared the difference in the instructional formats of 1:1 discrete trial teaching and small-group discrete trial teaching. Targets were chosen in receptive language and preacademic concepts, and differences were compared based on skill acquisition, speed of acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of skills. The participants engaged in the 8-week intervention phase of the study by following an alternating treatments design schedule during their designated center time rotations in the classroom. All participants engaged in 1:1 discrete trial …

The Lived Experience And Perceived Challenges Of Child Protective Investigators Who Place Children In Foster Care, Elizabeth Presume

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the difficulties and coping mechanisms associated with child welfare professionals’ interactions with vulnerable children who provide vulnerable populations with emotional, physical, mental, and psychological support. This responsibility impacts their personal life and professional performance since their regular involvement with the children and the following aspects, such as case resolution, in-depth discussions about trauma, and home visits, are emotionally and mentally taxing. The researcher conducted a phenomenological study with nine child protective investigators via an asynchronous online focus group on the Google Groups platform. The participants were all employed in the United States child welfare department, held …

A Qualitative Study Of Library Staff’S Understanding Of Disability And Attitudinal Barriers In Libraries, Lisa A. Ferrara

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to examine how library staff understand disability and attitudinal barriers, and to learn how they use this information when planning and implementing library programs and services. Individuals with disabilities are an underserved population in libraries. Although they could benefit from the programs and services that libraries have to offer, individuals with disabilities often experience barriers to participation that prevent them from using libraries. One area that has been understudied is that of the attitudinal barriers experienced by individuals with disabilities.

Participants were recruited through professional library associations throughout the United States using a screening questionnaire. …

Cultural Diversity In Education: Examining The Challenges And Issues Of Lgbtq Students Enrolled In A Tertiary Education Institution In The Bahamas, Terry Laverne Rolle

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examined the challenges and issues faced by LGBTQ students attending a tertiary education institution in The Bahamas. Utilizing a phenomenological analytical process, seven individuals gave information regarding their lived experiences in a tertiary institution in The Bahamas. Data for this research study were collected through two 60-minute in-depth interview sessions. This qualitative study was guided by the theoretical frameworks of the planned approach to change and the theory of resilience, both of which were used to inform the elements of the research. Many research studies have been conducted in regard to the experiences faced by LGBTQ students …

Relations Between On-The-Job Stress, Mental And Physical Health, And Job Satisfaction Of Correction Officers, Sarah Chandebal

Theses and Dissertations

This research study aimed to examine the direct and indirect relationships between on-the-job stress, physical and mental health, and job satisfaction for correction officers. Correction officers have one of the most stressful jobs in law enforcement, however, they are one of the most understudied groups in their field. It is therefore important to examine how stress can affect these correction officers. In this study, the predictors of stress for correction officers were discussed, along with the impact that this stress can have on their physical and mental health. Ultimately, as their health declined, it was hypothesized that the job satisfaction …

An Analysis On The Effects Of Melodic Based Communication Therapy On Verbal Behavior In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Meghan Kathleen Casperson

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to analyze the effect Melodic Based Communication Therapy has on minimally verbal children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, particularly tact responses and their generalization in the natural environment. MBCT is a replicable protocol for pairing melodies with target words to elicit speech in children with neurodevelopmental and language impairment. There is a call for the MBCT’s replication to widen the research on this approach in natural settings and across children with ASD and other developmental disabilities.

A multiple baseline design across participants was used to determine the impact MBCT has on the tact responding in …

Preferred Practices To Retain Black Female Caseworkers Employed In Child Welfare, Anna Koehle

Theses and Dissertations

The problem addressed by this study was that the turnover rate among social workers has been highest for Black female child-welfare caseworkers. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of Black female child-welfare caseworkers and effective strategies for retention. Ten experienced Black female caseworkers in child welfare were interviewed; participants represented five U.S. states. Participants were asked about mentorship programs, preservice training, financial incentives, major concerns related to retention, and recommendations for retention initiatives to specifically address the needs of Black female caseworkers. Themes emerged related to Black female caseworkers in child welfare. Mentorship programs …

The Lived Experiences Of Esl Nontraditional Rrts While Preparing To Challenge The National Board For Respiratory Care Clinical Simulation Exam, Jose A. Lammoglia

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide information to respiratory therapy graduates from two-year associate in science programs, faculty, and administrators about the cognitive and noncognitive strategies employed by graduates to prepare and pass the CSE. To date, no available information on the role played by the lived experiences of Rt graduates while preparing to challenge the CSE. The researcher developed a questionnaire to conduct a qualitative phenomenological descriptive lived experience survey of ESL Hispanic nontraditional graduates from associate of science programs in South Florida who took the NBRC national board examinations between January 2015 and March 2022. An analysis …

A Case Study Investigating The Strategies Used By Preclinical Osteopathic Medical Students To Successfully Transition To Their Clinical Years, Natacha Villedrouin

Theses and Dissertations

Osteopathic medical students experience academic challenges during their preclinical years of medical school due to the rigorous medical school curriculum. Prior research identified several challenges experienced by these students and the need to explore resilience strategies which can be employed to address those challenges.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe the specific strategies used by osteopathic medical students to navigate the academic and personal challenges faced during their preclinical years to persist and successfully transition into the clinical years of the medical program in a large medical school in South Florida. There is a …

Evaluating Growth Rates Of The Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea Virginica) And Water Quality For Oyster Restoration Sites At City Island, Bronx, Ny, Cody L. Jernigan

Theses and Dissertations

Oyster growth and water quality were monitored at four sites at City Island, Bronx, NY, to determine suitability for oyster reef restoration. Significant growth occurred at two sites and water quality was not indicated as a contributing factor. Oyster growth at all sites indicate appropriate conditions for oyster reef restoration.

Methods For Drone Trajectory Analysis Of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus), Jillian D. Bliss

Theses and Dissertations

With the increase in the use of UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) for marine mammal research, there is a need for the development of methods of analysis to transform UAS high resolution video into quantitative data. This study sought to develop a preliminary method of analysis that would quantify and present a way to visualize the dynamics and relative spatial distribution and changes in distribution of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the waters of Turneffe Atoll, Belize. This approach employs a previously developed video tracking program ‘Keypoint Tracking’ that enables manual tracking of individual dolphins and the creation of …

Nikki S. Lee’S Self-Stereotyping And Refiguring Cultural Stereotypes, Somi Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines a Korean Conceptual photographer, Nikki S. Lee’s performative photographs and film in the series of Projects (1998-2001) and Parts (2002-2005). Through a theoretical analysis of her self-representation in disguise, my research explores established Western stereotypes as well as the artist’s fluid identity in relation to other cultures.

Going Cold Turkey? Changes To Faunal Subsistence In The Northern San Juan Region From Basketmaker Ii Through Pueblo Iii, Tenaya Gatrell-Bedard

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research in the Northern San Juan Region of the American Southwest has revealed a pattern of change in subsistence patterns from the Basketmaker II through Pueblo III periods. Jonathan C. Driver describes the pattern as: cottontail in Basketmaker III (500 to 750 CE) and Pueblo I (750 to 900 CE), deer in Pueblo II (900 to 1150 CE), and turkey in Pueblo III (1150 to 1350 CE). The transition from deer to turkey as the main subsistence has been recorded at several sites throughout the Northern San Juan Region and is thought to be caused by the overhunting of …

The Influence Of Predation Environment On The Sensory Ecology Of Brachyrhaphis Rhabdophora, Alexandra Grace Duffy

Theses and Dissertations

Across the animal kingdom, predation is a ubiquitous and omnipresent selective agent for a variety of traits. I aimed to address gaps in our knowledge pertaining to how predation shapes animal behavior. Many species of fish naturally occur in drainages that differ in the density of predators and exhibit obvious population divergence, making them ideal study organisms to investigate predator-driven behavioral evolution. In Chapter 1, I conducted a systematic review of the literature. The purpose of this review was to determine if predation acted as a stronger or weaker selective agent on particular behavioral traits (e.g., foraging, mating, antipredator etc.) …

Variation In The M-Opioid Receptor (Oprm1) And Offspring Sex Are Associated With Maternal Behavior In Rhesus Macaques (Macaca Mulatta), Zachary Baron

Theses and Dissertations

A m-opioid receptor (OPRM1) single-nucleotide-polymorphism, found in both humans and rhesus macaques mediates the mother-infant attachment bond. Because mothers treat their sons and daughters differently, it is somewhat surprising that the role of infant sex has not been assessed in the context of a maternal-OPRM1-genotype-by-infant-sex interaction. The present study investigates the effect of maternal-OPRM1-genotype and infant sex on mother-infant behaviors. Over the first six months of offspring life, mother-infant behavioral data assessing attachment quality was collected twice weekly from a large number of rhesus monkey mother-infant pairs (N=161 dyads; n=64 female infants, n=97 male infants). Mothers were genotyped for OPRM1 …

Quantifying Volatile Fatty Acid Concentrations During The Pretreatment And Anaerobic Digestion Process, Sascha Boutelle

Theses and Dissertations

Producing renewable energy from biomass or from the wastewater treatment process has gained momentum in the past 20 years. Anaerobic digestion has historically been used as one step in the waste treatment process, to both reduce the mass of waste that needs to be disposed of and to generate biogas. This process is typically only able to reduce 30-40% of the waste mass because of the recalcitrant nature of the waste streams being treated. Anaerobic pretreatment with the thermophilic bacteria Caldicellulosiruptor bescii (C. bescii) has been proven to increase the percentage of mass digested and consequently increase methane production to …

Understanding The Ahupua'a: Using Remote Sensing To Measure Upland Erosion And Evaluate Coral Reef Structure, Logan Kalaiwaipono Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

Under ever intensifying pressures from land use, climate change, and erosion, tropical islands are among the most vulnerable systems in the world. Terrestrial systems are weakened by intensifying land use patterns, the weakening of which is highlighted when high intensity rainfall events erode sediment and leads to sediment deposition on the marine system. The deposition of sediment on the marine system is a major stressor that can lead to weakened coral reefs and a decrease in marine resources commonly gathered for food. These interactions have led to the emergence of biocultural resource management strategies, one of which is the ahupua'a …

Of Bugs And Wildfires: Tracing The Impacts Of Changing Wildfire Regimes On Aquatic Bacteria And Macroinvertebrates Using Edna, Isabella M. Errigo

Theses and Dissertations

Human disruption of climate, habitat, and ignition has altered the behavior of wildland fire at local to continental scales. In many regions, novel fire regimes are emerging that threaten to exceed the capacity for local management to protect human wellbeing and ecosystem function. Simultaneous changes in climate, species composition, and fire management have resulted in extreme fire behavior in many regions. For the Western United States, the emerging novel fire regime consists of more frequent, severe, and intense wildfires, with annual area burned by wildfire having doubled and high-severity wildfire area having increased 8-fold since the 1980s. The impacts of …

Effect Of Climate History On The Genetic Structure Of An Antarctic Soil Nematode, Abigail C. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations

Historical climate disturbances such as glacial cycling and fluctuating stream, lake, and sea levels strongly influence the distribution and evolutionary trajectories of Antarctic terrestrial species. Antarctic invertebrates, with limited long-range mobility, including the ubiquitous sentinel nematode species Scottnema lindsayae, are especially sensitive to climate disturbances. We tested hypotheses associated with the historical geographic and population genetic structure of this species as it occurs across the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDVs) of Antarctica. In order to reconstruct the influence of climate disturbance and ecological conditions on this species, partial mitochondrial COI gene sequences were sequenced and analyzed from individual S. lindsayae collected …

Assessing The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Of Elementary Teacher Educators On The Inclusion Of Computational Thinking Through Coding, Megan Christine Swanson

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to understand the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of teacher educators regarding Computational Thinking (CT) and coding. All elementary teacher educators in the state of Utah were sent a survey and asked to participate in a follow up interview. Twentynine faculty replied. Five of the 29 survey respondents were interviewed. Teacher educators shared their definitions of CT and coding, which primarily dealt with problem solving and computer programming, respectively. Overall attitudes were positive about incorporating CT and coding, but many participants questioned how it would fit into the already overwhelming nature of the elementary education major. However, those …

Computational Studies Of Dinuclear Catalytic Reaction Mechanisms, James Curtis Coombs Iii

Theses and Dissertations

Heterodinuclear and homodinuclear metal complexes with a direct metal-metal interaction offer the potential for unique catalysis due to cooperativity effects that impact reaction mechanisms, reactivity, and selectivity. Quantum-chemical density functional theory (DFT) calculations can directly examine the origin of dinuclear reactivity and selectivity effects. Chapter 1 provides a short overview of heterodinuclear and homodinuclear catalysts that have been experimentally and computationally examined. Chapter 2 reports our study using DFT methods to understand the mechanism and reactivity of a heterodinuclear Co-Zr catalyst with phosphinoamide ligands that catalyzes a Kumada coupling between alkyl halides and alkyl Grignards. Chapter 3 reports DFT calculations …

The Effect Of Gut Microbiota On Overwintering Success In Mule Deer, Emma Wilcox

Theses and Dissertations

Mule deer are an important rangeland grazer, large prey species, and game animal for the state of Utah, so herd size is monitored and managed actively. A significant cause of population decline is poor overwintering survival, including from the lack of available forage during winter months. Mule deer energy storage is correlated with greater overwintering success, so physical estimates of energy storage including body condition score (BCS), rump fat (RF), and loin thickness (LT), can be used to track and predict a herd's health. Current methods of collecting deer information are costly, time consuming, and cause physical stress to deer, …

The Cholera-Fiend: Cheap Fiction, Medical Professionals, And Entertainment, Sariah Fales Harrington

Theses and Dissertations

First published in 1849, Charles Averill’s The Cholera-Fiend follows three villains as they attempt to artificially propagate cholera for their own villainous purposes in New York City. Gumbo, a Black servant to one of the villains, is meant to be the humorous relief in the text, but Gumbo experiences a calculated dehumanization from human to disabled, which causes him to be more at-risk for a health crisis—such as a tapeworm or cholera—than his white counterparts. Through analyzing the genre of cheap fiction, the views of medical professionals towards Black bodies, and other ways Black bodies were used as entertainment, I …

Biofilm Characterization And The Potential Role Of Edna In Horizontal Gene Transfer In Hospital And Meat Isolates Of Staphylococcus Aureus And Their Biofilms, Ashley Lynne Ball

Theses and Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen responsible for a wide variety of life-threatening diseases such as bacteremia, endocarditis, and pneumoniae. S. aureus has been a major concern in recent years due to the rampant spread of antibiotic resistance. The ability of S. aureus to form biofilms aids in the spread of antibiotic resistance as biofilms are a known hotspot for horizontal gene transfer. Biofilms also protect cells from host immune responses and antibiotics, making these infections very difficult to treat. The matrix of S. aureus biofilms can be made of polysaccharides, protein, and DNA. In these studies, we sought to elucidate …