Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Space Efficiency Of Deep Neural Networks, Aliakbar Panahi

Theses and Dissertations

Language models employ a very large number of trainable parameters. Despite being highly overparameterized, these networks often achieve good out-of-sample test performance on the original task and easily fine-tune to related tasks. Recent observations involving, for example, intrinsic dimension of the objective landscape and the lottery ticket hypothesis, indicate that often training actively involves only a small fraction of the parameter space. Thus, a question remains how large a parameter space needs to be in the first place — the evidence from recent work on model compression, parameter sharing, factorized representations, and knowledge distillation increasingly shows that models can be …

Effect Of Adolescent Sleep Quality On Appetite, Dietary Intake, And Body Mass Index, Janell Faye Juelich

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose and Background: Several factors have been associated with excess weight gain in adolescents, including loss of sleep. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of sleep quality, quantity, latency, and hygiene on appetite, dietary intake, and body mass indices (BMI) of adolescents.

Theoretical Framework: Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory guided this study to examine the relationship of adolescents’ sleep effects on their appetite, dietary intake, and BMI.

Specific Aims: 1. To analyze demographics, sleep quality, sleep quantity, sleep latency, and sleep hygiene of adolescents and determine the levels of appetite, dietary intake, and BMI levels of adolescents. …

Development Of A Dynamic Force Sensor, Olusola Andrew Bolaniran

Theses and Dissertations

Sensors are employed for various applications in different industries. Chief of these applications is in the process and equipment monitoring. Most sensors used in the equipment monitoring are mostly after-market devices. This research answered the question of how can we include the condition monitoring of equipment into the design phase of the equipment. This research developed a dynamic force sensor using a PolyVinyliDene Fluoride (PVDF) film. The piezoelectric film attached to a fixed-fixed substrate which serves to support film and the properties of which the sensor equations were based. The sensor was tested in the laboratory by subjecting it to …

Intron Retention Of Jarid2 Regulates Gene Expression During Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination, Jacob Robert Bierstedt

Theses and Dissertations

Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) is the developmental process in which cell fate decisions in the bipotential gonads are influenced by temperature and drive the gonad toward one of two distinct organs, an ovary or testis. In species with TSD, temperature establishes the gene expression patterns required for cell fate decisions and gonad differentiation. However, the precise mechanism that temperature regulates gene expression is unknown. Here we have shown that Jarid2, which encodes a Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) accessory protein, exhibits temperature-dependent intron retention that results in three distinct transcripts encoding distinct proteins with functional similarities and differences in TSD. …

Mental Health Impact Of Forced Marriages, Neha Batool

Theses and Dissertations

To address the mental health impact of forced marriage in the United States, this study examined the lived experiences of nine women who were forced to marry between the ages of 10 and 25. Semi structured interviews, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and Feminist Standpoint theory were utilized to explore their experiences prior to, during, and after their forced marriage, with a particular focus on their psychological wellbeing, coping mechanisms, help seeking behaviors, barriers, and needs. A total of eight superordinate themes emerged that highlighted the role of gender socialization, intergenerational violence and trauma, and adverse childhood experiences in forced marriages, …

Building Active Intersectional Allyship In Middle School Youth, Maura Ferguson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how an understanding of concepts of the framework of intersectionality may build resilience and increase ability for middle schoolers to learn to be active, effective allies for one another. Allyship is discussed as a necessary skill to learn and not a label one can self-select. A literature review is presented with a specific focus on intersectionality; trauma, resilience, and long-term impact of childhood trauma; and active allyship. These concepts are then framed through a social work lens, focusing on micro, mezzo, and macro levels. As human connection is critical for psychosocial health, this thesis then presents a …

Educators’ Perceptions Of Youth Behavioral Health Training In Schools Across North Dakota, Elisa Laura Diederich

Theses and Dissertations

During the 2019 North Dakota legislative session (the 66th Legislative Assembly), Senate Bill 2149 was introduced to amend the North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) at Title 15.1 Elementary and Secondary Education, Chapter 07 School Districts, Section 34, which addresses behavioral health (including mental health) in an educational setting. This bill was enacted.The purpose of this flexible design qualitative study was to investigate experiences teachers, principals, and school counselors have had related to their students’ mental and behavioral health. Furthermore, this study investigated the perceptions North Dakota educators have had related to professional development on student behavioral health. Finally, this study …

Effects Of Hiv-1 Gp120 On Intracellular Levels Of Iron And Reactive Oxygen Species: Implications For Lysosomal Stress, Koffi L. Lakpa

Theses and Dissertations

Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S.A are living with HIV-1. The development of antiretroviral therapeutics has increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH). Yet, there is a growing concern for aging HIV-positive individuals because about 50% of PLWH develop neurological impairments, termed HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). There are no treatments for HAND and the mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis remain unclear. Several factors are implicated in HAND pathogenesis, such as HIV-1 coat protein gp120, endolysosome and mitochondrial dysfunction, and elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Endolysosomes are acidic organelles that contain readily releasable stores of cations, …

The Relationship Between Digit Ratio (2d:4d) And Muscular Fitness: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Brooke Pasanen

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Digit ratio (2D:4D), a marker of prenatal testosterone exposure, is a weak negative correlate of sports/athletic/fitness performance. While numerous studies have examined the relationship between 2D:4D and physical fitness, there has never been a comprehensive study that has synthesized studies examining relationships between 2D:4D and muscular fitness. Objectives: To systematically review and meta-analyze the relationship between 2D:4D and muscular fitness measured as handgrip strength (HGS). Methods: This study systematically searched five electronic databases, reference lists, topical systematic reviews/meta-analyses, and personal libraries in November 2020. Peer-reviewed, cross-sectional studies that reported Pearson’s correlation coefficients between objectively measured 2D:4D and HGS were …

Decentering From Distress In The Moment: A Brief Randomized Control Trial, Sheila Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

The utility of mindfulness techniques to regulate emotions and enhance distress tolerance is an area of expanding research interest. Decentering, a mindfulness mechanism believed to exert therapeutic influence, is the realization that thoughts, feelings, and reactions are transitory patterns of mental activity. Existing research indicates that decentering may occur through brief mindfulness interventions. Most studies concerning brief mindfulness induce a state of mindfulness prior to a task to examine its influence on dependent variables, such as cognitive or emotional outcomes after mindfulness. This study is novel and fills a gap in the literature regarding the utility of inducing state mindfulness …

Girls In Stem, Carrie Leopold

Theses and Dissertations

The recruitment and retention of women in STEM have historically been a struggle. Several causes, such as social factors, stereotypes, and classroom environments, all play a role (Blackburn, 2017). Recruitment efforts are often focused on middle school students. Nevertheless, research shows that children as young as kindergarten already have a preconceived notion about math (Ceci et al., 2014), such as it is too difficult or girls are not 'smart enough' to be successful. By the time some of these girls enter middle school, it can be challenging to change their mindset. Therefore, we need to focus not only on the …

Virginal Apprehensions Within The Liminal Monastic Space Of The Nun Of Watton, Aimee Alicia Melicher

Theses and Dissertations

The Nun of Watton is a treatise by Ælred of Rievaulx focusing on the scandalous affair of a nun becoming pregnant by a lay brother, and through a series of events is miraculously transformed back into a virgin like state. In my thesis, I will be examining the properties of the space that the nuns of Watton inhabit and how the functions of the space affected the events that occurred by applying Henri Lefebvre’s spatial theory. Additionally, I will be arguing that the Nun received a miraculous abortive churching. Those actions protected the purity of the monastery and the people …

Snail As A Dual Dna/Rna Binding Transcription Factor, Smruthi Rudraraju

Theses and Dissertations

Transcription factors (TFs) are a class of proteins that recognize and bind to specific DNA sequences to regulate gene transcription. This process often involves the recruitment of other proteins, including chromatin remodelers and RNA polymerase. Because of their crucial role in gene expression, transcription factor activity is generally tightly controlled. Aberrant transcription factor activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of most diseases. Techniques such as chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing have helped researchers determine which genomic sites are bound by TFs.Experimentally determined TF binding sites are much fewer than the total number of predicted DNA binding sites present in …

Negative And Positive Attention Bias In Anhedonia And Anxious Arousal: Can Depression And Anxiety Be Distinguished By Patterns Of Engagement And Disengagement Bias?, Helen Sawaya

Theses and Dissertations

Negative and positive attention bias (AB) is the preferential allocation of attentional resources to negative and positive stimuli in the environment, respectively. AB has been studied in various clinical and non-clinical populations and the process has been linked to symptoms of depression and anxiety. Findings so far suggest that negative AB is a trait-based factor that predisposes individuals to anxiety and depression. Positive AB appears specific to a depressed state, yet findings generally remain mixed. Measures of AB have been recently critiqued for their poor psychometric properties. This study addresses three gaps in the literature to further our understanding of …

Gender Differences In Social Presence In Gender-Segregated And Blended Learning Environments In Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Eid Alotaibi

Theses and Dissertations

The present study aimed to achieve one of the goals of the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, which is the improvement of the quality of teaching approaches and learning outcomes. Additionally, the vision strives for equality among students in all educational institutions, including equality among men and women, who are mostly segregated in all aspects of life (e.g., education). One of the major issues in the online portion of blended learning environments is the lack of social presence. Therefore, the present study used a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design to investigate the influence of gender on the perception of social presence levels …

The Production Of Bio-Based Chemicals And Materials From Renewable Sources, Ian Foerster

Theses and Dissertations

Widespread concern with the impacts of global emissions and climate change plays an active role in driving global renewable markets, developing scientific research communities, and setting environmental pollution regulations. Efforts to confront this rise in global emissions are primarily focused on the reduction and replacement of non-renewable fuels and materials. It has become increasingly apparent that reducing global greenhouse gas emissions will require more than just the replacement of fossil fuels, but the development of technologies to convert a diverse set of renewable feedstocks into fuels, chemicals, and materials.The goal of the work documented herein, was to expand the breadth …

Impacts Of Vertical Grid Resolution On The Representation Of A Convective Environment, Caitlyn Mensch

Theses and Dissertations

In a pre-convective environment, modeled atmospheric conditions can be presented as discrete parameters, which serve as valuable resources both in forecasting potential severe weather events and also in assessing changes in convective potential over time. However, the value of these parameters may depend on the vertical resolution of the simulation that is used to do the calculation. Upper-air radiosonde sounding data from various research campaigns (e.g., PECAN, DC3, TRMM-LBA, etc.) in both midlatitude and tropical convective regimes are analyzed and later interpolated to the pressure levels in a range of atmospheric reanalysis and operational models. Indices such as CAPE, CIN, …

"The Last Major Front": Special Education's Transition To Adulthood And North Dakota, Matthew David Mccleary

Theses and Dissertations

The thesis examines the development and implementation of special education’s transition policy in the United States and North Dakota from the 1980s to the 1990s. Researchers have primarily sought to further evidence-based practices in preparing adolescents with disabilities for adulthood, but the history of this effort has rarely been discussed. In the late 20th century, policymakers, researchers, and educators attempted to turn around negative socio-economic outcomes for people with disabilities by helping youth with disabilities and their families plan for the future and get connected to post-school services and employment. Assumptions about people with disabilities influenced transition programming and the …

Using Machine Learning On Diverse Datasets To Predict Drug-Induced Liver Injury, Temidayo Adeluwa

Theses and Dissertations

A major challenge in drug development is safety and toxicity concerns due to drug sideeffects. One such side effect, drug-induced liver injury (DILI), is considered a primary factor in regulatory clearance. To develop prediction models of DILI, the Critical Assessment of Massive Data Analysis (CAMDA) 2020 CMap Drug Safety Challenge goal was established with an ultimate goal to develop prediction models based on gene perturbation of six preselected cell-lines (CMap L1000), extended structural information (MOLD2), toxicity data (TOX21), and FDA reporting of adverse events (FAERS). Four types of DILI classes were targeted, including two clinically relevant scores and two control …

Teacher Demoralization, Mental Health, And The Moderating Effect Of Shame Resilience, Chelsie Terez Hultz

Theses and Dissertations

The first purpose of this study was to extend the literature on teacher demoralization (Santoro, 2011) by providing the second attempt to measure the phenomenon done by Carlson-Jaquez (2016). Exploratory factor analysis was used to analyze construct validity of an original self-report instrument for the assessment of teacher demoralization analyzed as three sub-scale constructs: shame, lack of autonomy, and uncertainty. Data was collected from a population of K-12 educators in one mid-western public-school district. Participants completed a self-assessment survey shared via email and rated their level of agreement on twenty-one questions. Five demographic questions began the survey’s 26 questions. Data …

Endolysosome Involvement In The Protective Effects Of 17Ơ-Estradiol Against Hiv-1 Protein-Induced Neuronal Injury, Nicole Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Although combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) effectively suppresses HIV-1 infection and increases the lifespan of people living with HIV, up to 50% of HIVinfected individuals are experiencing HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND), with clinical symptoms ranging from mild cognitive impairment to severe dementia, for which no effective treatment is currently available. Synaptodendritic impairments, such as decreased dendritic spines and synaptic loss, that occur in various brain regions including the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus are key pathological features of HAND that correlates closely with neurocognitive impairments. The development of synaptodendritic impairment in HAND in the post-cART era is complicated and not fully understood; …

Chloroplast Genome Evolution In The Klebsormidiophyceae And Streptofilum, Sarah Glass

Theses and Dissertations

The Klebsormidiophyceae are a class of green microalgae found globally in both freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Morphology-based classification schemes of this class have been shown to be insufficient, particularly due to the simple morphology of these algae, the tendency of morphology to vary in culture versus in field conditions, and rampant morphological homoplasy. Molecular studies revealing cryptic diversity have renewed interest in this group. We sequenced the complete chloroplast genomes of taxa in the Klebsormidiophyceae representing the known taxonomic breadth of this class, as well as the chloroplast genomes of three strains of Streptofilum, a recently discovered algal lineage …

Understanding The New Wealthy: Ideologies, Consumption Patterns, And Organizational Strategies For A New Generation Of High-Net Worth Individuals, Ana Brant

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the fact that the Ultra High-Net Worth (UHNWI) belong to the wealthiest, most powerful, and influential group of consumers in the society, and nearly 70% created wealth on their own, current marketing approaches fail to consider what drives consumption behavior of this group of consumers and how can brands maximize their socio-economic impact. Across two studies, I develop a model that guides theory and practice regarding this consumer group. The first part of the first study deployed netnography and grounded theory to understand the ideologies of 30 self-made UHNWI derived from self-presentation on 3,393 Instagram posts. To ensure self-made …

An Exploration Of Successful Housing Outcomes After Homelessness: An Experience Captured Through The Lens Of U.S. Veterans, Janice Filer

Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is experienced by veterans at a higher percentage than nonveterans. Veterans represent eight percent of the homeless population (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2019). Also, the mortality rate of younger homeless veterans is higher than non-homeless veterans (Schinka et al., 2018). Veterans experience the lack of affordable housing, the lack of affordable health care, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and a lack of family or social support (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative research study was to interview prior homeless veterans from Gulf War Era I (1990 - 2001) and/or Gulf …

Best Practices For Non-Profit Organizations Using Human-Animal Interaction As An Intervention With At-Risk Youth, Jai Oni Sly

Theses and Dissertations

Non-profit organizations and community programs work with at-risk youth to teach social-emotional skills like empathy, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. This research aimed to examine best practices for community programs that use human-animal interaction as an intervention for at-risk youth. Specifically, the phenomenological study aimed to review the successful strategies that community programs when working with the at-risk youth population. The challenges faced and how these type of community programs measure their success were also important purposes of these research. Participants shared successful strategies, how success is measured as well as challenges and recommendations for other community programs that work with the …

Mentoring In The Training Cycle Of Clinical And Counseling Psychology Doctoral Students: A Critical Review Of The Literature, Hélène Farr

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a critical review and analysis of the literature on mentoring in clinical and counseling psychology training programs. It provides background information on the mentoring process and a detailed analysis of current empirical research pertaining to mentoring in the training cycle of clinical and counseling psychology doctoral trainees through predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship to licensure. The goal of this review is to highlight the importance and benefits of mentorship for mentors, protégés, institutions or universities, and for the profession of psychology. There are few studies focused on mentorship during psychology training, therefore recommendations are made for future …

A Systematic Review Of The Literature On Post-Traumatic Growth In Police Officers After Exposure To Potentially Traumatic Events, Michael Norfleet

Theses and Dissertations

As police departments and officers across the world take on the task of reducing crime and enhancing public safety, their jobs entail the potential of exposure to events that may be experienced as traumatic. In contrast to the larger literature on negative outcomes of potentially traumatic events (PTEs), there is limited knowledge on the potential for post-traumatic growth (PTG) and how clinicians can promote it, generally and in police officers (Westphal & Bonanno, 2007). Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996), “coined the term posttraumatic growth to describe the experience of positive changes that occur as a result of the struggle with major …

The Impact Of Exercise On Adolescents With Depression: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Matthew P. Kloeris

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to summarize and synthesize the research that pertains to the impact of aerobic exercise on adolescents with depression. This review addressed aerobic exercise as a mental health treatment, such as differences between (a) post-intervention and follow-up response and remission rates; (b) exercise in lieu of psychotherapy or exercise as an adjunct to psychotherapy; and (c) response and remission rates amongst minority gender and racial and ethnic groups. The search results produced a total of 2,122 articles. Of which, eight articles were eligible for the present systematic review. Based on the results, it appears …

“Insurance Doesn’T Care About The Patient”: An Institutional Ethnography Of The Influence Of Professional Autonomy On The Provision Care For Medicaid Dental Patients With Disabilities, Stephanie Lau

Theses and Dissertations

In terms of unmet needs for people with disabilities (PWD), dental care is number three behind residential care and employment (Fisher, 2012). Regardless of disability, oral healthcare traverses all disability diagnoses and can be a significant factor in quality of life (Deckler, 2011; Griffin et al., 2007; Norwood & Slayton, 2013). When attempting to secure oral healthcare, people with disabilities face many challenges, including lack of access, lack of provider education on proper care of PWD, and difficulty finding a willing dental provider (Deckler, 2011; Fisher, 2012; Kennedy, 2009).

The purpose of this study was to investigate professional practices and …

Development Of Analytical Methods For Analysis Of Glycosaminoglycans And Their Mimetics In Human Plasma, Rawan M. Fayyad

Theses and Dissertations

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are linear, polydisperse polysaccharides consisting of alternating amino sugars and either a uronic acid or galactose residue. They are ubiquitous components of the extracellular matrix and are present on cell surfaces and in basement membranes. GAGs are highly negatively charged as a result of many sulfate and carboxylic acid groups, and are extremely heterogeneous in both their structure and in their physicochemical properties. This complexity in structure is attributed to the alterations in residue types, glycosidic bond linkage, sulfation levels, sulfation positions, and chain lengths during biosynthesis. GAGs interact with a wide number of proteins and modulate various …