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Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Comparative Analysis Of Spray Pattern Deposition In Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (Cots) U.S.-Manufactured Uncrewed Aerial Application System (Uaas), James Mackey Ikerd Ii
Comparative Analysis Of Spray Pattern Deposition In Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (Cots) U.S.-Manufactured Uncrewed Aerial Application System (Uaas), James Mackey Ikerd Ii
Theses and Dissertations
Uncrewed aerial application systems (UAAS) are increasingly used for agricultural spraying, but spray deposition uniformity and effective swath width can vary between platforms. This study evaluated spray-pattern deposition and effective swath width for two commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) UAAS platforms during manual and autonomous flight operations. Manual, single-pass testing was used to assess preliminary performance and spray characteristics for both UAAS. Further autonomous multi-pass and single-pass evaluations were conducted to assess deposition uniformity and in-swath variability for both UAAS utilizing two methods of evaluation: Operation Self-regulating Application & Flight Efficiency (S.A.F.E.) pattern testing for manual flight evaluation and the Swath Gobbler …
They Not For Us: Reimagining Social-Emotional Learning For Black Youth, Jennifer Chinecherem Ani
They Not For Us: Reimagining Social-Emotional Learning For Black Youth, Jennifer Chinecherem Ani
Theses and Dissertations
Social-emotional learning (SEL) interventions are often implemented within a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports framework and have been found to be effective in improving students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes. However, SEL interventions are typically implemented as a Tier I intervention and there is limited research on SEL interventions implemented in Tier II. Additionally, SEL interventions have received criticism for not being culturally relevant for minoritized populations, especially Black students. This study aims to seeks to extend the current literature on making cultural adaptations of an SEL intervention, specifically for Black elementary students using the Ecological Validity Model (EVM). …
Development Of A Gis-Based Research Data Preservation Platform For Historically Significant Wood Preservative Research Field Sites, Lorali Gene Pace
Development Of A Gis-Based Research Data Preservation Platform For Historically Significant Wood Preservative Research Field Sites, Lorali Gene Pace
Theses and Dissertations
Wood protection research plots have played a critical role in the development and evaluation of preservative treatments used throughout North America, including decades of research associated with Mississippi State University’s Department of Sustainable Bioproducts. However, without spatial documentation, much of this research history and institutional knowledge is at risk of being lost. This study develops a GIS-based research preservation platform to document, organize, and preserve historic wood protection testing data. Using ArcGIS Pro, field-collected spatial data, historical records, aerial imagery, and ArcGIS Online technologies, a digital geodatabase and interactive web application were created to organize research locations and connect them …
An Evaluation Of Three Remote-Sensing Technologies Applied To French Colonial Fort St. Pierre, Mariah Gonzales
An Evaluation Of Three Remote-Sensing Technologies Applied To French Colonial Fort St. Pierre, Mariah Gonzales
Theses and Dissertations
This research is focused on the eighteenth century French Colonial Fort St. Pierre located in the Lower Mississippi Valley. Fort St. Pierre stood from 1719 to 1729 before being destroyed as a result of the Natchez revolt. With such a short existence, this fort has not been the subject of much research. With no archaeological features on the surface, the site was chosen to employ three remote-sensing methods to build the first digital rendering of the site and to measure the efficacy of each method in archaeological investigations. This study used LiDAR, Ground Penetrating Radar, and Magnetic Gradiometry to identify …
A Comparative Study Of Synthetic Aperture Radar Focus Algorithms For Maritime Surveillance Applications, Madison M. Forrest
A Comparative Study Of Synthetic Aperture Radar Focus Algorithms For Maritime Surveillance Applications, Madison M. Forrest
Theses and Dissertations
Maritime Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery is frequently degraded by vessel motion and ocean-induced dynamics that violate the stationary scene assumptions of conventional SAR image formation, resulting in azimuth defocus and reduced image interpretability. Autofocus techniques are commonly employed to mitigate these effects; however, their relative performance in maritime environments and the tradeoffs between image quality and computational complexity remain areas of ongoing investigation. This work presents a comparative evaluation of three established SAR autofocus algorithms—Phase Gradient Autofocus (PGA), Minimum Entropy (ME), and the Doppler Parameter Estimation Algorithm (DPEA)—applied to real-world maritime SAR imagery. The study utilizes X-band SAR data …
Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Use Of Representations To Compare Fractions In Area, Length, And Set Contexts, Sarah Salisbury
Elementary Preservice Teachers’ Use Of Representations To Compare Fractions In Area, Length, And Set Contexts, Sarah Salisbury
Theses and Dissertations
Mathematics teachers’ knowledge of rational numbers is very important due to the prominence of fraction concepts across the K-12 curriculum. Preservice teachers (PSTs) typically only have a procedural understanding of fractions and lack conceptual understanding (Newton, 2008). PSTs struggle to construct pedagogical representations that correctly show the size of parts and wholes (Lee & Lee, 2019). The purpose of this study was to investigate PSTs’ ability to compare fractions by examining their selection and creation of appropriate and accurate fraction representations in context, including the use of area, length, and set representations. The purpose was also to determine the extent …
Development And Comparison Of Retained Ownership Decision Methodologies For Feeder Cattle Owners, William John Simmons
Development And Comparison Of Retained Ownership Decision Methodologies For Feeder Cattle Owners, William John Simmons
Theses and Dissertations
Cattle producers retain ownership through the feeding phase in the hopes of increasing profits. Because not all cattle generate positive profits, retention decisions on an individual basis substantially affect overall profitability. This study develops, simulates, and evaluates among others a new prediction methodology intended to help improve profitability. The method is an integrated framework combining a novel multilevel (hierarchical) growth model, futures basis-adjusted price forecasting, and production cost estimation to predict which animals are expected to be profitable. Individual performance data were collected for 12,066 in-sample (2003 to 2011) to predict growth and profits for 12,496 out-of-sample cattle (2011 to …
Toward Secure Genomic Intelligence: Privacy-Preserving Deep Learning Frameworks For Cancer Classification And Collaborative Analysis, Yibo Dong
Theses and Dissertations
Genomic data contains highly sensitive personal information, yet cancer classification and collaborative medical research increasingly depend on sharing such data across institutions. Existing privacy-preserving approaches for deep learning, including differential privacy (DP) and standard federated learning (FL), leave critical vulnerabilities: DP degrades model utility through noise injection, while FL relies on a trusted aggregation server that remains susceptible to gradient-based attacks. This dissertation develops, evaluates, and optimizes a series of privacy-preserving deep learning frameworks specifically designed for genomic cancer classification. First, a systematic benchmarking study evaluates DP, FL, and fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) across three deep learning architectures (fully connected …
Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) Seedbank Decay And Susceptibility To S-Metolachlor And Glufosinate In Mississippi, Nestor Cordero
Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus Palmeri) Seedbank Decay And Susceptibility To S-Metolachlor And Glufosinate In Mississippi, Nestor Cordero
Theses and Dissertations
Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) is one of the most troublesome herbicide-resistant weeds in U.S. agriculture. This study evaluated (1) seed persistence across soils collected from major row-crop production areas in Mississippi by investigating the influence of soil physicochemical and microbial properties on seed viability and (2) the prevalence of resistance to S-metolachlor and glufosinate among Mississippi populations. A seed burial experiment using soils from 57 locations representing 10 counties showed that seed viability declined substantially between 4 and 6 months after burial. Although soil physicochemical properties were associated with variation in seed viability, no single factor consistently explained …
Profiles Of Body Image In Emerging Adults And Associations Across Sociocultural Influences, Alligrace Story
Profiles Of Body Image In Emerging Adults And Associations Across Sociocultural Influences, Alligrace Story
Theses and Dissertations
The Tripartite Influence Model of body image suggests that multiple sources of appearance-related pressures (i.e., family, peers, significant others, and media) impact body image and disordered eating behaviors via appearance-related comparisons and internalization of body-related ideals (i.e., thin-ideal internalization and muscular-ideal internalization). Previous research has shown support for the Tripartite Influence Model of body image among various demographic groups. The current study identified and examined profiles of emerging adults based on their reported body esteem and body appreciation. Body esteem was measured using the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA; Mendelson et al., 2001), and body appreciation was …
Tips For Higher Education: A Research-Informed Framework For Designing Trauma-Informed Professional Support Practices In Higher Education, Kelli Wallace
Theses and Dissertations
This capstone project addresses the need for structured trauma-informed professional preparation within higher education as institutions continue responding to increasing student adversity, trauma exposure, mental health concerns, and barriers to academic engagement and persistence. The purpose of the project is to develop Tips for Higher Education: A Research Informed Framework for Designing Trauma-Informed Professional Support Practices in Higher Education. The project examines the research-supported elements that should be included in a trauma-informed professional preparation framework, the competencies and learning domains needed by faculty, advisors, and student-support professionals, and the ways professional learning should be structured and sequenced to support sustainable …
Ethnic Identity And Career Adaptability Among African American High School Students: Exploring The Roles Of Perceived Barriers And Social Support, Zion J. Kamau
Theses and Dissertations
African Americans are subjected to systemic racial discrimination and bias in the labor market. Data on labor force participation collected by the U.S. Census Bureau between 1970 and 2010 were investigated for the purpose of identifying trends, and it was found that race and ethnicity significantly influence an individual's labor market position and employment outcomes (Byars-Winston et al., 2014). African Americans were more likely to hold positions earning less, requiring fewer skills, and associated with a lower social status. There is a misconception that the phenomenon occurs only in adulthood, but it is also observed during adolescence. The U.S. Bureau …
Wellness In The Workplace: An Assessment Of The Mississippi State University Extension Service Workplace Environment And Its Effect On Employee Mental Health And Overall Wellbeing, Tashmia S. Prowell
Wellness In The Workplace: An Assessment Of The Mississippi State University Extension Service Workplace Environment And Its Effect On Employee Mental Health And Overall Wellbeing, Tashmia S. Prowell
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to identify perceived stressors within the Mississippi State University Extension Service (MSU-ES) workplace environment and to determine the impact of these stressors on employee mental health and overall wellbeing. This study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional research design collecting data through a quantitative web-based survey developed in Qualtrics and adapted from the NIOSH Worker Wellbeing Questionnaire. To examine the research questions and hypothesis guiding this study, quantitative data were analyzed using Stata MP 19.5. After a data scrub, 213 usable responses were yielded. Associations between variables were examined using descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The …
The Role Of Latinx And Hispanic Identity In The Presentation Of Hoarding Symptoms, Caitlyn Ashley Nix
The Role Of Latinx And Hispanic Identity In The Presentation Of Hoarding Symptoms, Caitlyn Ashley Nix
Theses and Dissertations
Although people who identify as Hispanic and Latinx make up approximately 19% of the United States population (U.S. Census Bureau, 2023), most research into hoarding disorder is comprised of White, non-Latinx samples. Thus, the current study investigated Hispanic and Latinx ethnicity as a predictor of several facets of hoarding disorder. Previous literature has shown lower risk for Hispanic and Latinx individuals in terms of several physical health outcomes when compared to individuals of similar socioeconomic status (Markides & Coreil, 1986), though mental health outcomes have more variation by subgroup (Barragán et al., 2020). Previous research has also shown that collectivistic …
Enhancing Social Emotional Learning Interventions For Black Adolescent Girls Through Staff Training, Shundrell Mcmullan
Enhancing Social Emotional Learning Interventions For Black Adolescent Girls Through Staff Training, Shundrell Mcmullan
Theses and Dissertations
Black girls often face systemic inequities rooted in discriminatory practices and policies in the educational system contributing to adverse social-emotional outcomes unless mitigated by intentional protective supports. Many schools have adopted social emotional learning (SEL) programs; however, their effectiveness for culturally diverse students are often challenged. The present study examined the impact of Sisters of Nia, a race-conscious and gender-responsive intervention designed to enhance protective factors and social-emotional well-being among six adolescent Black girls. Student outcomes, including academically engaged behaviors and positive peer interactions, were primarily evaluated using a single-subject A/B design. Students’ self-esteem and racial identity were also measured …
School Administrators’ Lived Experiences In Educational Settings Supporting Students With Exposure To Violence, Craig Karnell Chapman
School Administrators’ Lived Experiences In Educational Settings Supporting Students With Exposure To Violence, Craig Karnell Chapman
Theses and Dissertations
Violence in schools and communities presents persistent challenges for K–12 students, educators, and school leaders, particularly in high-poverty contexts where exposure to violence disrupts teaching, learning, and school climate. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (1979). Ecological systems theory, this phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of school administrators in supporting students exposed to violence in their schools and communities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five purposively selected school administrators working in high-poverty districts and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed four central themes: (a) instructional instability resulting from persistent exposure to violence, (b) the spillover of community …
A Descriptive Quantitative Study Of Non-Traditional Parental Student Support Structures In Texas Community Colleges, Caitlin Connolly
A Descriptive Quantitative Study Of Non-Traditional Parental Student Support Structures In Texas Community Colleges, Caitlin Connolly
Theses and Dissertations
The purpose of this descriptive quantitative study is to determine the type and distribution of parental student support services available at Texas public community colleges, using data collected from the fall of 2024 and 2025. This study was conducted using secondary archival quantitative data from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (2024), Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (2024), Texas Association of Community Colleges (2025), National Student Clearinghouse (2025), U.S. Department of Education (2025), and Texas community college websites. The study collected the following concerning the 52 public Texas community colleges: location, enrollment, student support services available (e.g. campus childcare, family …
Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, And Storage: A Comprehensive Overview, Katheryn Bailey
Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, And Storage: A Comprehensive Overview, Katheryn Bailey
Theses and Dissertations
The average global surface temperature is rising, with the 20th-century average being 2.63˚F/1.46˚C above the pre-industrial average, 56.7˚F/13.7˚C. Therefore, research into CO2 capture technology is being explored and implemented as a method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The main methods of CO2 capture are pre-combustion, post-combustion, oxy-fuel combustion, and direct air capture. These processes utilize solvent-based absorption, adsorption, membrane separation, and chemical looping combustion to separate CO2 from the exhaust gas. Implementation of this technology can come with increased: material cost, energy penalty, and CAPEX depending on the separation technique, existing equipment, inlet CO2 concentration, and partial pressure, etc.. Financial …
Latent Profile Analysis Of Trauma Appraisal: Associations With Psychological Problems And Substance Use Moderated By Emotion Dysregulation In College Students With Trauma History, Tram Nguyen
Theses and Dissertations
Empirical research suggests that trauma-related appraisals have significant mental health implications. A prior meta-analysis reported that maladaptive trauma-related cognitions play a central role in the development and maintenance of poor coping strategies (i.e., substance use) and posttraumatic stress disorder. However, less is known about the relationships among maladaptive trauma cognitions, emotion dysregulation, and risk for substance use. The current study sought to provide a comprehensive examination of the relationships among trauma appraisals, emotion dysregulation, psychological problems, and substance use. A systematic review highlighted the lack of a person-centered approach to trauma appraisal research, as well as a lack of research …
The Impact Of Interactive Digital Tools On Students’ Engagement And Learning Outcomes In Economics, Ashram Ramgarib
The Impact Of Interactive Digital Tools On Students’ Engagement And Learning Outcomes In Economics, Ashram Ramgarib
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined how the integration of digital tools in a constructivist framework improved student learning outcomes and learning engagement in the 12th-grade economics class. The quasi-experimental design was used. Sixty participants took part in the study. Five research questions guided the study. Data collection involved administering a pretest, a posttest, and a survey questionnaire. However, the survey questionnaire was administered only to the quasi-experimental group. Data analysis included calculating percentages, means, standard deviations, t-tests, correlations, and ANOVA. The findings showed that the quasi-experimental group outperformed the control group. The results revealed that 63% of the students in the quasi-experimental …
Integration Of Artificial Intelligence And Extended Reality: Process, Implementation, Assessment, And Adoption, Amirarash Kashef
Integration Of Artificial Intelligence And Extended Reality: Process, Implementation, Assessment, And Adoption, Amirarash Kashef
Theses and Dissertations
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Extended Reality (XR) represents a transformative frontier in human–computer interaction, offering the potential for adaptive, intelligent, and immersive systems. Despite recent advances, the mechanisms of effective AI-XR integration, methods for practical implementation, approaches for systematic assessment, and pathways for adoption remain underexplored. This dissertation addresses these gaps by developing a conceptual framework for AI-XR integration and validating it through applied studies across safety, healthcare, and behavioral domains. The work establishes a taxonomy of AI algorithms, XR modalities, and sensor ecosystems. Empirical evaluations demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of AI-XR systems, including real-time monitoring …
Improving Rural Students’ Access To Advanced Mathematics: A Policy-Based Curriculum Study, Alison Shae Blackledge
Improving Rural Students’ Access To Advanced Mathematics: A Policy-Based Curriculum Study, Alison Shae Blackledge
Theses and Dissertations
Students with advanced mathematical readiness in rural high schools face difficulties reaching their fullest potential due to significant opportunity gaps. The limited availability of advanced coursework and a scarcity of STEM opportunities often lead to disengagement and behavioral challenges. This project examines the challenges faced by rural students with advanced mathematical readiness and designs a curriculum framework to expand access, support growth, and sustain engagement. Renzulli’s (1977) Enrichment Triad Model serves as the foundation for a curriculum plan intended to transition students from passive learners to independent mathematical investigators. Three research questions are addressed in this study: (1) Which barriers …
Breaking The Chain Or Passing The Torch? Caregiver Type, Perceived Caregiving, And Extent Of Aggression In Emerging Adult Relationships, Amara Mason
Theses and Dissertations
This study examined how caregiver type (alternate caregiving versus biological parent caregiving), childhood adversity, and parenting styles relate to intimate partner violence (IPV) and attachment outcomes. Guided by Intergenerational Transmission of Violence Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Attachment Theory, the study explored whether alternate caregiving buffered or intensified the effects of early adversity on later relational functioning. College students aged 18–25 from a southern U.S. university completed anonymous self-report measures assessing caregiving experiences, childhood trauma, attachment, and IPV. Measures included the Conflict Tactics Scale–Revised (CTS2), Adverse Childhood Experiences Scale (ACEs), and Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that …
Estimating Leaf Physiological Traits In Eastern Cottonwood And Its Hybrids By Integrating Uav Hyperspectral Images With Statistical And Machine Learning Approaches, Bipin Paudel
Theses and Dissertations
Eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) and its hybrids are high-yield, fast-growing short-rotation woody crops with strong potential in bioenergy and industrial applications. Given their genetic diversity, these species require non-invasive assessment of photosynthetic, leaf biochemical, and water-use efficiency traits. These traits reflect plant physiological status, carbon cycling, productivity, as well as nutrient cycling, and hyperspectral remote sensing provides high-resolution spectral information essential for high-throughput phenotyping. Therefore, this study develops a robust framework to predict physiological traits using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-acquired canopy-level hyperspectral reflectance (~400 nm - 1000 nm, with 2.2 nm band spacing) by integrating linear and non-linear machine learning …
Exploring The Viability Of Variable-Design Policy Approach To Addressing Teacher Retention In Kentucky, Donald R. Smallwood
Exploring The Viability Of Variable-Design Policy Approach To Addressing Teacher Retention In Kentucky, Donald R. Smallwood
Theses and Dissertations
Teacher attrition among early- and mid-career educators threatens the stability of Kentucky's public school workforce, yet the Commonwealth has largely relied on isolated, single-lever retention strategies. This desk-based capstone evaluated the viability of a coordinated, multiple variable policy framework for improving teacher retention in Kentucky. The study identified, appraised, and synthesized evidence, including peer-reviewed studies, state and national policy reports, legislative documents, and Kentucky-specific working-conditions data. Three research questions guided the study, addressing the evidence for coordinated multiple-variable retention approaches, the evidence for each individual policy lever, and the challenges and opportunities within Kentucky's current retention landscape. Content and thematic …
Decentralized And Privacy-Preserving Intelligent Systems Via Federated Learning For Healthcare Monitoring And Financial Security, George Anim
Theses and Dissertations
The rapid expansion of data-driven methodologies in healthcare and finance is increasingly constrained by ethical, regulatory, and security requirements that limit centralized data sharing. Sensitive information—including electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings and inter-institutional financial transaction logs—remains siloed, reducing opportunities for collaborative model development and limiting generalizability across heterogeneous environments. In healthcare, epileptic seizure prediction is challenged by inter-patient variability, scarce and non-IID EEG data distributions, and the need for real-time inference on resource-constrained wearable devices. In finance, anti-money laundering (AML) detection is complicated by decentralized and dynamically evolving transaction networks, temporal-structural dependencies, limited labeled data, and information-sharing restrictions. This dissertation proposes a …
Engineering Identity And Persistence In Community College Students, Joseph Anthony Minutolo
Engineering Identity And Persistence In Community College Students, Joseph Anthony Minutolo
Theses and Dissertations
As our society becomes more technologically advanced, the need for engineers grows. Academia is tasked with preparing future engineers to meet this increasing need. However, as graduation rates continue to hover around 50%, researchers have begun to investigate what aspects of the student experience have a positive effect on the retention of engineering students. One researched topic is the relationship between engineering identity and persistence. Engineering Identity is rooted in the theoretical framework of Identity Theory, whereas Persistence is grounded in Expectancy-Value Theory. Previous research has shown a positive correlation between engineering identity and persistence among traditional university engineering students; …
Designing A Measure Of County-Level Food Access, Logan Mattingly
Designing A Measure Of County-Level Food Access, Logan Mattingly
Theses and Dissertations
Equitable access to food is a central component of food security and a key determinant of health. Yet current approaches to food access measurement remain fragmented and limited. This study introduces the first of its kind data driven, multidimensional, county-level measure of food access in the United States. Drawing on publicly available data, I employ a factor analysis pipeline to construct a suite of latent variable estimates that represent pillars of food access. This model-based approach allows synthesis of these diverse measures into the resulting Food Access Index (FAI), while explicitly accounting for measurement error and addressing missing data. Resulting …
Examining The Effects Of Oral Melatonin Supplementation On Bull Reproductive Physiology, Megan M. Patterson
Examining The Effects Of Oral Melatonin Supplementation On Bull Reproductive Physiology, Megan M. Patterson
Theses and Dissertations
Bull subfertility is a prevalent issue with significant consequences for cattle production. Unfortunately, few management interventions exist to alleviate bull subfertility and improve bull reproductive efficiency. Melatonin, a key regulator of circadian rhythms and seasonal reproduction, improves reproduction in non-seasonally breeding mammals, yet the benefits of oral supplementation in the bull remain underexplored. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the extent to which melatonin supplementation could serve as a management intervention to improve bull reproductive efficiency. Yearling Angus bulls (n = 21) were utilized to examine the effects of 90 days of oral melatonin supplementation on sperm quality, blood plasma …
Two Essays On Institutional Religion And Entrepreneurship, Myles Melancon
Two Essays On Institutional Religion And Entrepreneurship, Myles Melancon
Theses and Dissertations
A large majority of the world is religious. Indeed, religion has long been considered as one of the most influential institutions. However, religion’s influence on economic outcomes—and specifically entrepreneurship—has received only scant attention. In my dissertation, I first draw from New Institutional Economics to develop a mechanism-based framework explaining the specific pathways through which national rates of religious affiliation influence entrepreneurial activity. I then test the direct and indirect relationships between national rates of various religions and entrepreneurial activity. I find a positive relationship between rates of Christian affiliation and entrepreneurial activity and a negative relationship between Islamic affiliation and …