Digital Commons Network^™

Emotion, Sensory Processing, And Prosody In Neurotypical And Autistic Young Adults, Annika Henderson

Theses and Dissertations

There is a paucity of research regarding autistic adults, yet as autistic individuals grow to adulthood, they are often met with several barriers because of their differences from the neurotypical (NT) population. Given the demands of adult social interaction, some of the social difficulties experienced by autistic adults are likely related to emotion processing and prosody function. With sensory processing differences added as a diagnostic criterion for autism within the last decade, an investigation into its relationship with emotional processing, another marked difficulty for this population, is warranted. There are logical connections between sensory processing, emotion, and prosody, such that …

Exploring Posttraumatic Growth In Aphasia: A Qualitative Investigation, Camille Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored posttraumatic growth (PTG) in people with aphasia and is the qualitative arm of a larger mixed-methods study. After an initial experimental session, 23 people with aphasia (PWA; 12 females and 11 males) completed a 60-minute semi-structured interview during which participants expanded on previously-given questionnaire responses and then answered five additional open-ended questions about communication in their daily life. Interviews were transcribed orthographically and coded using reflexive codebook analysis. A stakeholder with aphasia was consulted to gain insight from an insider's perspective about whether codes and themes captured the experiences of aphasia. Reflexive codebook analysis revealed two themes. …

The Reversibility Of Effects Of Combination Inhaled Corticosteroids On Sustained Phonation Pressure And Flow In Ex Vivo Rabbit Larynges, Elisabeth Barlow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the reversibility of the adverse effects of combination inhaled corticosteroids (ICs) on vocal fold health as part of a five-year study. This pilot study tested the hypothesis that the adverse effects of ICs may be induced and then reversed, using a benchtop model and rabbit larynges measuring sustained subglottic pressure and airflow. Eighteen rabbits were assigned randomly to 5 subgroups, including baseline, induction experimental, induction control, reversibility experimental, and reversibility control. Baseline rabbits did not receive any treatment. Both experimental groups, induction and reversibility, were administered Advair until visual-perceptual ratings were noted. …

Design Of A Transparent Cryogenic Silicon Carbide Probe Card With Tungsten Probe Tips, Ryan Beazer

Theses and Dissertations

DoD EO/IR applications continue to push imaging technology. Next generation advances require new material systems, novel device structures, as well as the improvement and development of read out integrated circuits. The common methodology used to assess devices and materials is to process test chip structures and focal plane arrays. Test chips have advantages over focal plane arrays; such as, variable area and stand alone devices and can be measured as a function of bias and temperature; however, focal plane arrays are the heart of the imager, but are measured through the read out integrated circuits, which can add complexity to …

Investigation Of Intramolecular Oxidopyrylium-Based [ 5 +2 ] Cycloadditions, Kwabena Darko

Theses and Dissertations

The cycloaddition reaction is an important transformation in the field of organic chemistry since it serves as an indispensable tool in organic synthesis. The oxidopyrylium-based [5+2] cycloaddition reaction has received enormous attention in chemical synthesis due to its usefulness in the formation of seven-membered heterocyclic ring systems present in bioactive natural products.1,2,3,4 In spite of the tremendous attention paid to this reaction, there still exist stereo and regioselectivity limitations. Further investigation is critical in light of these limitations. The intramolecular oxidopyrylium-based [5+2] cycloaddition is known to afford these ring systems with high stereo and regioselectivity since with the intramolecular type …

Understanding The Experiences Of Mothers Of Children With Stunting In Two Egyptian Communities Focusing On The First 1000 Days, Rana Abdelgawad

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Egypt’s stunting prevalence is 13% with multiple initiatives and programs tackling child malnutrition. While many of them are promising, not all address the child’s first 1000 days, in addition to missing the cultural aspect for the Egyptian population which affects their dietary practices and health seeking behaviors.

Goal: Determine what challenges mothers face for their child’s nutrition and what learnings from exemplars countries can help Egypt reduce the malnutrition and stunting problem

Aim: Finding insights about the factors influencing child nutrition during 1st 1000 days and what programs can be implemented based on successful past experiences in exemplar countries. …

Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterium Correlation With Geochemical Characteristics Of Soil And Basalt In Hawaii, Leeza Marie Wells

Theses and Dissertations

Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) cause opportunistic lung disease though environmental exposure pathways. Among the United States, Hawaii has a significantly higher infection rate. Preliminary studies have shown certain environmental factors, such as phosphorus and other select soil geochemical characteristics, to be statistically significant to NTM occurrence. However, a model to predict NTM occurrence based on soil geochemistry had yet to be attempted. A selection of 40 NTM positive and 40 NTM negative soils from Oahu were selected for a geochemical analysis to search for possible correlations to mineralogy and elemental abundances that may promote, or inhibit, NTM growth in the environment. …

Microaggressions That Students From Underrepresented Groups Experience In Communication Sciences And Disorders, Samantha Berryhill

Theses and Dissertations

This study explored microaggressions that underrepresented students in Communication Sciences and Disorders experience. Phase I included a survey that was sent out to 276 undergraduate and graduate students at one university with 14 questions. Students were asked to identify with demographic variables, rate their sense of belonging, and discuss microaggressions they had experienced. Phase II comprised of individual interviews with six participants that further explored their experience as an underrepresented student in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Interviews were transcribed and coded using a content analysis. Across the two phases, quantitative, mixed-method, and content analyses were completed. Interviews were transcribed and …

Neurodivergent College Students And Therapy Dogs In Higher Education, Georgia Jean Majka

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine neurodivergent students in higher education and their experience with The Shreiber Family Pet Therapy Program at Rowan University to investigate whether therapy dogs reduce anxiety levels and provide relaxation. In addition, this study provides recommendations for The Shreiber Family Pet Therapy program at Rowan University to promote the program and its purpose on campus. These resources are important when discussing the neurodivergent student population in higher education, which this research study discusses, based on previous research and the results found from this quantitative approach. This study also makes recommendations for Rowan University …

Sex-Specific Variation In Deep Brain Shape Is Attenuated In Schizophrenia - An Enigma Consortium Meta-Analysis, Delaina Brooke Cimmino

Theses and Dissertations

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is characterized by a disconnect from reality that manifests as various clinical and cognitive symptoms, as well as consistent neurobiological abnormalities. However, unique sex-related differences have been observed regarding clinical presentation that imply separate brain substrates. The present study characterized deep-brain morphology using shape features to understand whether the neurobiology of schizophrenia varies as a function of sex. This study analyzed multi-site archival data from 1,579 male (M) and 836 female (F) participants with SCZ, as well as 1,934 male and 1,828 female healthy controls (CON) from twenty-four cross-sectional study samples from the ENIGMA Schizophrenia Workgroup. Harmonized shape …

Adversary Aware Continual Learning, Muhammad Umer

Theses and Dissertations

Continual learning approaches are useful as they help the model to learn new information (classes) sequentially, while also retaining the previously acquired information (classes). However, these approaches are adversary agnostic, i.e., they do not consider the possibility of malicious attacks. In this dissertation, we have demonstrated that continual learning approaches are extremely vulnerable to the adversarial backdoor attacks, where an intelligent adversary can introduce small amount of misinformation to the model in the form of imperceptible backdoor pattern during training to cause deliberate forgetting of a specific class at test time. We then propose a novel defensive framework to counter …

Can Community Resilience Be Achieved? An Investigation Of Subjective Household Resilience, Place Meanings, And Individual Perceived Preparedness To Respond To Environmental Threats, Anh Minh Ly

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the effects of place meanings and perceived individual preparedness on subjective household resilience and socio-psychological community resilience. Earlier research has shown an active controversy of whether place meanings and individual preparedness could transform into the perception of household resilience and community resilience. Thus, while place meanings, in a transformative norm, perform like place attachment and may support adaptation to change and strengthen the perception of resilience, it can present in forms of place dependence or inflexibility which might be a barrier for household and community resilience. Similarly, individual preparedness is claimed to be essential but insufficient to …

Computation Offloading Design For Deep Neural Network Inference On Iot Devices, Asmika Boosarapu

Theses and Dissertations

In recent times, advances in the technologies of Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) have significantly increased the accuracy and speed of a variety of smart applications. However, one of the barriers to deploying DNN to IoT is the computational limitations of IoT devices as compared with the computationally expensive task of DNN inference. Computation offloading is an approach that addresses this problem by offloading DNN computation tasks to cloud servers. In this thesis we propose a collaborative computation offloading solution, in which some of the work is done on the IoT device, and the remainder of the work …

Validating A Predictive Early Kindergarten Dynamic Assessment Of Word Level Reading And Language, Taylor Jordan Cena

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the preliminary psychometrics to revisions to the decoding subtest of the Predictive Early Assessment of Reading and Language (PEARL) dynamic assessment and to further examine the predictive validity of the language subtest of the PEARL. Specific aims were to (a) determine if kindergarten students made gains on the PEARL decoding subtest from pretest to a delayed standard posttest and to a delayed novel posttest, indicating that floor effects were mitigated, (b) to examine if there was variance in the delayed standard posttest and novel posttest scores, (c) to determine if there was …

A Multimodal Immune System Inspired Defense Architecture For Detecting And Deterring Digital Pathogens In Container Hosted Web Services, Islam Khalil

Theses and Dissertations

With the increased use of web technologies, microservices, and Application Programming Interface (API) for integration between systems, and with the development of containerization of services on operating system level as a method of isolating system execution and for easing the deployment and scaling of systems, there is a growing need as well as opportunities for providing platforms that improve the security of such services. In our work, we propose an architecture for a containerization platform that utilizes various concepts derived from the human immune system. The goal of the proposed containerization platform is to introduce the concept of slowing down …

Perceptions Of Tattoos And Piercings In Higher Education, Diane Elizabeth Duncan

Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to examine the perceptions of faculty and staff at Rowan University towards professionals with visible body modifications (VBM), specifically tattoos and piercings, in higher education. Five main research questions were addressed: (i) What are the attitudes towards professionals with VBM at Rowan University? (ii) How might the display of VBM affect Rowan University’s values and objectives? (iii) How are professionals with VBM perceived by hiring managers at Rowan? (iv) In what ways do perceptions differ across campus units at Rowan University regarding professionals with VBM? (v) What kind of environment does staff and faculty at Rowan University …

Case Study: Reading Multicultural Literature To An Emergent Reader In The Home, Kiyna Twisdale

Theses and Dissertations

This case study was conducted to find what happens when a parent reads multicultural books to their young child at home. The qualitative data collected was used to determine the child’s reactions to the similarities and differences between them and the characters, as well as how multicultural books can be used to address sensitive topics and complex themes in the home. A caregiver, the researcher, collected data from read aloud sessions with her five-year old daughter. After reading seven multicultural books together, the research found that the child was able to make simple and concrete connections with the physical appearance …

The Rise Of Right-Wing Populism And Foreign Aid In Electoral Democracies: The Case Of Us Trump, Ahmed Hamdy

Theses and Dissertations

Populism has always been controversial in academia despite being undertheorized. The 21st century has witnessed a global trend of the rise of right-wing populism in electoral democracies that led to major consequences including regional disintegration as the case with Brexit in Europe and rising anti-multilateralism in the United States under the Trump administration. Whereas academic literature attempted to scrutinize correlation between the rise of populism and its effect on foreign policy, the literature on populism and foreign aid is quite scarce. This study aims to appraise the rise of right-wing populism on foreign aid in electoral democracies, focusing on the …

Using Literature Circles To Strengthen The Overall Literacy Skills And Reading Performance Of Emergent Bilingual Students, Shannon A. Pruett

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of literature circles on strengthening the literacy skills and reading performance of two emergent bilingual students. As guided reading groups help reinforce students’ ability to read, it is key to implement additional instructional strategies that will assist in improving emergent bilingual students’ reading, writing, and language skills. Harvey Daniels (2002) described literature circles as an effective classroom tool in supporting the overall literacy skills of emergent bilingual students: “Young bilingual children, no matter what their linguistic background, are able to have rich discussions if they have regular opportunities to engage …

Examining The Validity Of The Cubed Narrative Language Measures Listening And Reading Subtests, Trevor David Read

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the concurrent and predictive validity of the CUBED Narrative Language Measures Listening and Reading subtests to evaluate their psychometric properties as defined by Deno (2003). Method: Evidence of concurrent validity for the NLM Listening and Reading subtests was examined using data from 1,146 preschool through third grade students. The NLM subtests were compared to similar subtests from other assessments administered at approximately the same time. Evidence of predictive validity was examined using data from these same NLM subtests from 1,512 kindergarten through third grade students, including 71 third grade students for …

A General Model For Noisy Labels In Machine Learning, Glenn Dawson

Theses and Dissertations

Machine learning is an ever-growing and increasingly pervasive presence in every-day life; we entrust these models, and systems built on these models, with some of our most sensitive information and security applications. However, for all of the trust that we place in these models, it is essential to recognize the fact that such models are simply reflections of the data and labels on which they are trained. To wit, if the data and labels are suspect, then so too must be the models that we rely on—yet, as larger and more comprehensive datasets become standard in contemporary machine learning, it …

“Tribal Rights Are Important Rights”: The Origins, Travails, And Impact Of The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribe V. The State Of New Jersey, Brianna Marie Dagostino

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis was to study the lawsuit case of the of Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation V. John J. Hoffman and to showcase how modern-day racism ultimately led to their federal lawsuit in 2015. Racism and racist biases over Indian gaming has affected not just the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape tribe, but tribes all over the country and has severely hindered tribes in the state and federal acknowledgment process. There are also other tribes that have had lawsuits over racial biases of Indian gaming, which will be discussed within the thesis. By using oral histories from tribal members and allies …

Investigating Eco-Evolutionary Interactions Between Hosts And Members Of Their Gut Microbiota, Logan A. Sauers

Theses and Dissertations

Evolutionary and ecological interactions between hosts and their associated microbial communities, their microbiota, and between members of these communities are vital to understand. Microbial communities are widespread across diverse host taxa and hosts receive a variety of well-documented benefits from their microbial communities. Despite the importance of understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics for colonization outcomes and the benefits these communities provide to their hosts, our current knowledge in this area remains incomplete. For example, we do not know the full extent of coevolution and specific relationships between hosts and microbes, and between the microbes themselves, across host taxa. Questions remain about how …

Transition Planning And The School To Prison Pipeline: A Phenomenological Study Investigating The Lived Experiences Of Alternatively Placed High School Black Males With High Incidence Disabilities, Brandon Garrett Thornton

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better inform researchers and practitioners on best practices to ensure that their transition planning practices are person-centered and culturally responsive. Using a phenomenological approach, purposeful sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews regarding the shared educational lived experiences of two alternatively placed Black high school males with high incidence disabilities with respect to their transition planning. Participants perceived their transition planning to be student-centered, and expected favorable employment outcomes. Additionally, the participants’ choice to be alternatively placed played a role in their perception of transition outcomes. School personnel also played a pivotal …

The Effects Of Time Pressure On Speech Fluency In Aging Adults: Comparisons With Divided Attention, Caleb Henderson Sanford

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the impacts of dual task and time pressure conditions on the speech fluency of 60 neurotypical adults between the ages of 26 and 85. Participants retold short stories in baseline, time pressure, dual task, and combined dual task and time pressure conditions. Dependent variables included five measures of speech fluency: words per minute (WPM), fillers per verbalization, false starts and repetitions per verbalization, extended pauses per utterance, and speech naturalness. Each of these variables was compared between age groups of younger, older, and elderly adults and across conditions. Results reveal that time pressure causes speech rate to …

Mediators Of The Insomnia-Suicidality Association, Zach Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

Rationale: The severity of insomnia symptoms, including difficulty falling asleep and returning to sleep when awakened in the night, are major risk factors for more severe suicidality including suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and death by suicide. As a modifiable risk factor, insomnia is a potential target for suicide prevention. There are several commonly observed gaps in the literature studying the association between insomnia and suicidality including little exploration of potential mediators, limited assessments of insomnia and suicidality, and a lack of sample diversity and representativeness. As such, the models that explain the association between insomnia and suicidality remain unclear and …

Group Therapeutic Relationships Codevelopment In Short-Term Therapy: A Conceptual Replication And Extension Of Lo Coco Et Al. (2019), Tate M. Paxton

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The empirical study of member-group mutual influence in group therapy is an emerging area of study. However, few replications have tried to generalize prior findings related to mutual influence. The aim of this study is to conceptually replicate the longitudinal group actor-partner interdependence models (LGAPIM) employed by Lo Coco et al. (2019) measuring how mutual influence and other factors affect the codevelopment of the group therapeutic relationships. Method: 343 clients were included in this archival analysis. Group Questionnaire (GQ) main subscales, positive bond (PB), positive work (PW), and negative relationship (NR), were gathered from early, middle, and late timepoints. …

Non-Degenerate Two-Photon Absorption And Excited State Line Shapes In Alkali Vapors, Timothy M. True

Theses and Dissertations

The rubidium 5S-5D two-photon transitions were probed between 758-798 nm, where a six order of magnitude change in the cross section was observed and the polarization dependence was seen explicitly. Collisional rates are measured in cesium on the 6P-9S and 5D-10F transitions, with broadening rates as large as 710 MHz/Torr and shifting rates as large as 273 MHz/Torr. We observe Stark broadening on the cesium 5D-10F line shape, with Lorentzian width increasing from 200 MHz to 40 GHz. The influence of electron impact is discussed under these conditions and with 0-20 Torr of helium. Cascade amplified spontaneous emission is seen …

Competencia Bilingüe En La Zona De Tres Fronteras: Un Estudio Sobre El Nivel De Bilingüismo Entre Habitantes De Leticia, Colombia; Tabatinga, Brasil; Y Santa Rosa De Yavarí­, Perú, Thomas A. Robins

Theses and Dissertations

Esta tesis investiga el nivel de competencia bilingüe (la capacidad de un hablante para comprender y producir en dos idiomas) de los habitantes de la región de Tres Fronteras, Sudamérica. Tres Fronteras es el nombre de la zona trifronteriza entre las ciudades de Leticia, Colombia; Tabatinga, Brasil; y Santa Rosa de Yavarí, Perú. En Tres Fronteras, las personas de los tres países pueden cruzar libremente de un país a otro, lo que crea situaciones de contacto lingüístico entre el español y el portugués. Debido a esa situación de contacto lingüístico, muchas personas de las tres ciudades tienen al menos un …

Adolescent's Perceptions Of The Parent's Marital Relationship And The Impact On Their Suicide Risk, Savannah Heaton Hurt

Theses and Dissertations

Suicide risk is rapidly increasing in children and adolescents. It is vital that research explores the causes in child and adolescent suicide risk. Research has failed to identify if the marital relationship may be correlated with this increase in suicide ideation in children. This study set out to determine if a child's perception of their parents' marital conflict impacts the child's suicidal risk. Using the Family Foundations of Youth Development project this study analyzed 1,692 parent and child participants to test if the child's perceptions of the marital conflict impacted their suicide risk and if the parent's own report of …