Evaluating The Relationship Between Vitamin D Supplementation, Lifestyle, Social Determinants Of Health, Asthma, And Respiratory Tract Infections, Yun O'Donnell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypovitaminosis D is a significant public health concern in the United States associated with inadequate sunlight exposure and insufficient dietary intake. Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that progressively worsens over time. While asthma is typically managed through individual-level treatment approaches, population-level strategies such as vitamin D supplementation and food fortification policies have not been implemented. A five-tier Public Health Impact Pyramid theoretical foundation guided this nonexperimental quantitative cross-sectional study. Data from 2013-2014 and 2017-2018 NHANES (n = 1,456) was evaluated for relationships between vitamin D supplementation, duration of sunlight exposure, and food security index, with asthma, asthma exacerbation severity, …

Effects Of Static Ankle Stretching On Balance And Gait: The Roles Of Age And Parkinson's Disease, Taylor M. Gauss

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation involves the effects of static ankle stretching on balance and gait in adults of different ages and with Parkinson’s disease (PD). A brief introduction in Chapter 1 precedes a detailed literature review in Chapter 2, in which we identify gaps in research on balance and gait following ankle stretching and explain why ankle stretching may serve as a predominant strategy for improving motor performance in aging and PD populations. In Chapter 3, we present the first study identifying whether muscle group selection or stretch duration influences balance in young adults. Results showed that longer durations …

Percy Green: A Legacy Of Tactical Innovation And Leadership In St. Louis' Black Freedom Movement, Christopher M. Fletcher

Dissertations

Abstract

            This study explored Percy Green’s efforts against systemic racism, his innovative protest tactics, leadership qualities and principles, and his lasting impact within the Black Freedom Movement in St. Louis, Missouri, throughout the 1960s and 1970s. A qualitative single-case approach was utilized, analyzing archival records, interviews, a documentary about Green’s activism, newspaper articles, and Green’s own documentation of his work in the movement—all examined through thematic analysis. This process revealed key themes related to Green’s activism. The findings showed that Green employed non-violent, creative, and provocative protest tactics, including civil disobedience and direct action. These strategies revealed hidden racial inequalities, …

Out In The Arena: Examining The Lgbtq+ Experience In Ihsa, Katharine C. Didier

Honors College Theses

This study investigated factors influencing Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) LGBTQ+ riders’ perceptions of inclusion, safety, and belonging, with the hypothesis that teams with diversity and inclusion policies would be perceived as more accepting. An online survey was developed to gather information from self-identified LGBTQ+ IHSA students. Questions covered demographics, team environment, and perceived inclusivity within their equestrian programs. Question types included multiple choice, Likert-type, short answer, and open-ended. IHSA coaches were asked to share the survey link with team members. Students were able to respond anonymously. The survey was open for 8 weeks. Reminders were sent out at 3 …

Genetic Counselors With Doctorate Degrees: Career Profiles Based On Level Of Education, Alise Kathleen Blake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Although genetic counseling is a health care profession requiring a terminal master’s degree, 4 to 6% of genetic counselors (GCs) hold a doctoral degree. The literature lacks information on how GCs who have doctorate degrees professionally differ from those who do not. Drawing from Cultural Historical Activity Theory, this quantitative study examines how post-secondary education, as a primary mediating tool, shapes career profiles within genetic counseling. Three research questions guided this study: (1) To what extent is the distribution of work environment, job title, and professional responsibilities different between GCs who have a doctorate degree and GCs who do not …

Continental Rift Evolution Under Time-Varying Plate Boundary Forces And Mantle Plumes: A Numerical Study, Kuruvitage Chameera Chathuranga Silva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Continental rift evolution emerges from the dynamic interaction among far-field tectonic forces, mantle processes, and lithospheric rheology. Variations in plate-scale stress transmission and thermomechanical perturbations associated with mantle upwelling exert first-order control on strain localization, crustal thinning, and the transition toward continental breakup or rift failure. Allowing plate motion to emerge from internal force balance, rather than prescribing kinematic boundary conditions, provides a physically consistent framework for investigating these interactions. Time-dependent changes in far-field driving stresses and mantle plume activity can modify the mechanical state of the lithosphere and extension velocities, influencing whether a rift matures into a plate boundary …

Positive Youth Development In Practice: National, Systematic, And Community-Level Insights Into Youth Empowerment And Behavioral Outcomes, Pamela Nicole Graham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Behavioral outcomes in adolescents and youth reflect broader patterns of mental health and community support. Violent behaviors, substance misuse, and poor mental health disproportionately impact those living with unmet needs in settings concentrated with structural marginalization. These contexts often limit youths’ access to supportive systems that improve their alignment with prosocial outcomes. Local agencies and governments could encourage empowerment based programming to promote healthier developmental trajectories. This dissertation applies the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, integrated with Social Disorganization and Social Control theories, to examine how youth empowerment programs moderate the relationship between youths’ structural contexts and their subsequent developmental …

Effects Of Personalization On Student Retention In Online Data Science Learning, Farshid Farzan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

The present study examined whether static personalization strategies can reduce dropout in short-duration online data science learning. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, 98 undergraduate participants completed an online learning activity that either (a) aligned instructional materials with their learning preference (sequential vs. global) or (b) included a personalized non-interactive pedagogical agent. Retention was operationalized dichotomously (completion vs. dropout). Logistic regression analyses indicated that learning preference personalization significantly increased the odds of completion, whereas the pedagogical agent alone did not show a reliable main effect. However, the interaction between learning preference personalization and agent presence was statistically significant, suggesting …

Ryan Anthony And The Concerto For Hope: An Application Of Symbolism And Performance Guide To The Third Trumpet Concerto By James Stephenson, Brandon Tyler Helms

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

This study is a performance guide to Concerto for Trumpet #3 – Concerto for Hope by James Stephenson. Biographical information on James Stephenson and Ryan Anthony, the subject of the concerto, is also provided. It examines the work for trumpet, its origin, symbolism, compositional approach, elements of theoretical analysis, and proper application of style based on the subject matter. Pedagogical advice is also provided throughout the guide to help musicians preparing this piece prepare efficiently and effectively for a successful performance. Additional material is provided discussing differences between ensemble instrumentations, as well as performance suggestions regarding antiphonal instruments as they …

Theory And Applications Of Natural And Nature-Based Solutions In Estuarine Environments, Elizabeth L. Royer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the theory and application of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), through three unique case studies. This study explores how the broad and interdisciplinary NbS framework can be applied to mitigate common coastal hazards. This framework considers the environment, economics, and social wellbeing, equally in the design and implementation of a solution. The current paradigm, working against nature, which is commonly seen in more passive approaches to hazard mitigation, like grey infrastructure (e.g. a seawall to protect a shoreline against wave action) does not accommodate the extremely dynamic environment. As perspectives shift to “working with nature” NbS can be …

Hypothermia Prevention In Major Trauma Patients, Alaina Hostetler

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Traumatic injuries present a significant health challenge for providers, often resulting in hypothermia, coagulopathy, and acidosis, referred to as the trauma triad of death. Hypothermia significantly impacts trauma patients' outcomes and exacerbates morbidity and mortality rates, particularly in trauma cases with high injury severity scores who require immediate surgical intervention. Despite the detrimental effects of hypothermia, evidence-based approaches to treating hypothermia in this population are lacking. Traditional warming methods heavily rely on provider preference and can lead to inconsistent care. Rapid, reliable, and effective resuscitation interventions are essential in the immediate care of major trauma patients. The proposed project will …

The First Murder: An Analysis Of Genesis 4:1-16 Toward An Understanding Of The Old Testament's Perspective On The Ethics Of Killing, Henry Kreiter

Master of Divinity (MDiv)

The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 contains the first biblical account of one human killing another yet provides a markedly terse description of the murder itself. This suggests the author's primary concern was not the details of the killing, but the characters and events surrounding it. An analysis of early Jewish interpretations, Christian commentaries, and intra-biblical teachings reveals a common understanding that the author of Genesis 4 was predominantly focused on the character traits of Cain and the damage his heart of self-absorbed wickedness caused himself and those around him. The Genesis 4 narrative presents a God …

Implementation Of A Human Donor Breastmilk Education Program On The Usage Rates Of Pasteurized Human Donor Breastmilk For Supplementation Of Breastfed Infants In The Well-Baby Nursery, Nicole Sadorra

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding provides significant health benefits for infants and lactating individuals; however, national rates remain below Healthy People 2030 targets. Evidence suggests that infants supplemented with pasteurized human donor breast milk (HDBM) during postpartum hospitalization have higher exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge and at six months. At a suburban Maryland hospital, formal HDBM education was not routinely provided, contributing to low utilization and stagnant breastfeeding rates.

Purpose: To determine whether implementing a structured HDBM education program for postpartum parents increases HDBM supplementation among breastfed infants and improves exclusive breastfeeding rates at discharge.

Methods: This pre-/post-test quality improvement project was …

Voices Of Resilience: Black Women’S Navigation To Executive Leadership Roles In Corporate America - A Narrative Inquiry, Sylvia Blackmon-Roberts

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Black women remain markedly underrepresented in the C-suite, despite their growing educational attainment and presence in the workforce. This narrative inquiry examined the lived experiences of five Black women executives to illuminate how they interpreted and navigated the realities of leadership within corporate environments. Guided by Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) three-dimensional framework, the study explored how temporality, sociality, and place shaped their leadership identities and strategies. Participants described early life influences, organizational dynamics, and identity-based challenges that shaped their trajectories, revealing how they confronted exclusion, navigated scrutiny, and cultivated resilience through faith, preparation, community, and strategic competence. Cross-case analysis identified …

The Effect Of Moral Potency On Employee Fraud Motive In Organizations, John Kopalchick Iii

PhD in Organizational Leadership

This study examined the drivers of employee fraud behavior. The theory of planned behavior served as the foundation for understanding how moral potency related to employee fraud motive. A sample of 102 auditors and audit-related professionals completed a survey on fraudsters’ behavioral traits. Using quantitative, nonexperimental methods, this study employed correlational and predictive statistical tests to examine the relationship between moral potency and employee fraud motive. Results showed no significant relationship between moral potency and employee fraud motive. The study filled a gap by applying quantitative methods, specifically the employee fraud motive scale, to understand employee fraud behavior in a …

The Importance Of Holistic Care: The Development And Implementation Of Spiritual Resources For Caregivers And Staff At Joni’S House El Salvador, Chloe Veilleux

Capstone Projects

It is within the occupational therapy (OT) scope of practice to not only address client needs related to mind, body, and spirit, but also those of caregivers as a means of fostering overall improved quality of life. Additionally, when OTs address spirituality and implement spiritual/spirituality-informed interventions, correlations of improved psychosocial factors such as well-being, motivation, and reduced stress have been shown, as well as improved hope and reduced burden for caregivers. There remains, however, a gap in the research and implementation of spiritually informed care and resources specifically as it pertains to caregivers of those with disabilities. To address this …

Scdi X Mass Timber: Design Optimization, Emily Leane, Ifran Mohamed, Jacey Niiya, Gabriela Valle

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

The Civil Engineering industry is a major contributor to global carbon emissions, creating a need for more sustainable structural alternatives to traditional steel and concrete systems. This project investigates the feasibility of redesigning the gravity structural system of Santa Clara University’s Sobrato Campus for Discovery and Innovation (SCDI) using mass timber. By replacing the original steel and concrete gravity system with cross-laminated timber (CLT) floor panels and glue-laminated timber (glulam) beams and columns, the study explores how mass timber can impact structural design, constructability, cost, schedule, geotechnical demand, and sustainability. The redesign maintains the original structural grid and loading assumptions …

Determinants Of Evaluation Demand In The United States Federal Government: A Sequential Mixed Methods Study With Hierarchical Linear Modeling, Ruqayyah Abu-Obaid

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the factors that influence demand for evaluation in the federal government of the United States. Although evaluation has become a central element of evidence-based policymaking, limited empirical research explains what drives variation in evaluation activity across federal agencies. The study addresses this gap through a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design that integrates qualitative document analysis with quantitative hierarchical (panel) data modeling. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was employed to analyze longitudinal data from 23 federal agencies (2008–2024), accounting for both within- and between-agency variation over time and providing more accurate estimates of factors influencing evaluation demand.

In the qualitative …

Logistics Center: Sustainable Design Build, Dylon Moala, Daryn Nguyen, Andrew Sabuda, Gage Urbach, Nicolae Vesca

Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering Senior Theses

The Cal Centre Distribution Center is a proposed 4,000,000 square foot, four (4) warehouses total, e-commerce warehouse and logistics facility located along Interstate 5 (the I-5) in Kern County, California. The site occupies a very strategic location for overall distribution logistics of the Western United States being close to the Port of Los Angeles allowing for 65,000,000 people to be reached within a two (2) day truck turn. The site also addresses the local economic needs of Kern County and the greater Bakersfield area. Ranking as one of the highest functional unemployment rates among cities, this site will provide approximately …

Digressions Of Vision: Elihu Vedder’S Artistic Evolution, Stella Morris

Art and Art History

This thesis examines the artwork of prolific American artist Elihu Vedder (1836-1924), utilizing his eccentric yet comprehensive autobiography The Digressions of V (1910) as its grounding source. Despite enjoying a successful, sixty-year career, Vedder has posthumously sunk into relative obscurity in American art history. I postulate that Vedder’s artwork has been largely overlooked because of his breadth in style, creating an inability to classify his art within a single movement. Vedder drew upon the creative traditions of Romanticism, Aestheticism, Symbolism, and greatly admired the art and philosophy of the British Pre-Raphaelites. In addition to artistic variety, Vedder also lived most …

Digital Platform Participation, Service Innovation, And Retailer Growth Performance, Xueqiang Chen

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The rapid expansion of the digital economy has fundamentally transformed how firms create and deliver value. As a core infrastructure of the digital economy, digital platforms are reshaping firms’ business activities and market interactions. For brand firms that rely heavily on channel systems, retailers play a dual role as both product distributors and critical interfaces with end customers. However, the rise of digital platforms has significantly altered the operating environment of retailers. While digital platforms provide new channels, they also require retailers to adapt by reconfiguring their business models and service offerings. Although digital platform participation has become increasingly common, …

"Black History Is Black Horror": Hauntology And Cultural Trauma In 20th And 21st Century Black Women's Gothic Horror, Destini S. Beckwith

Theses

Octavia Butler’s Afrofuturistic, gothic horror, neo-slave narrative Kindred (1979) vividly illustrates the story of a woman, Dana, involuntarily time-traveling from her home in 1976 Los Angeles, California, to a plantation in 19th-century Maryland. The interactions that she has with her ancestors, such as Alice, a free Black woman, and Rufus, a white man who enslaves Alice, leave Dana mentally and physically scarred. The 20th-century novel is meant to graphically reflect on the horrors of enslavement and the mental and physical effects that Black people endured/still endure because of it (i.e., grief, racial violence, and post-traumatic stress disorder). Furthermore, the novel’s …

Toward Understanding Faculty Engagement In Professional Development: A Mixed-Methods Study Of Conference Attendance By Community College Faculty, Jared Durden

Dissertations

Conference attendance is often framed as an individual choice, but this community college-focused study found it operates as a system. Institutional supports, signals, and constraints either make attendance more feasible or reinforce barriers to attendance. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, I integrated a faculty survey, policy document analysis, and faculty panels (moderated small-group interviews) to identify what most consistently separates attendance from non-attendance and what institutions can change. Survey results included 56 complete responses (analytic n = 54) from full-time faculty working at Missouri community colleges. Faculty reported moderate to moderately high perceptions of institutional support, professional value, and belonging …

Investigating The Role Of Sk-3 Interval I401 In Gene Drive By Neurospora Spore Killer-3, Alexandra Spriggs

Senior Theses – Biological Sciences

Neurospora crassa is a fungus that has been used to study genetics, more specifically, meiotic gene drive through its spore killing abilities. Meiotic drive describes a process in which selfish genetic elements bias Mendelian genetics to increase transmission to their offspring, eliminating any alleles that are sensitive. The spore killing mechanism of Neurospora’s Spore killer-3 (Sk-3) is an example of how meiotic drive works through a poison-antidote model. The Sk-3 genetic element consists of both a killing (poison) gene and a resistance (antidote) gene. The location of the resistance gene has been identified while the killing gene has not. To …

Investigating The Role Of Interval I402 On Sk-3-Based Spore Killing And Gene Drive In Neurospora Crassa, Ellana Tobin

Senior Theses – Biological Sciences

Neurospora crassa is a useful model organism for genetic research due to its haploid life cycle and its ability to produce large numbers of sexual spores called ascospores. The haploid ascospores form within asci, which typically contain eight ascospores at maturity. However, selfish genetic elements known as meiotic gene drivers have been discovered in Neurospora fungi, and some of these alter the number of viable ascospores that form in each ascus. There are two known meiotic gene drivers in N. crassa: Spore killer-2 (Sk-2) and Spore killer-3 (Sk-3). Spore killing occurs when a killer strain mates with a sensitive …

Research On The Impact Of Digital Transformation On Esg Performance Of Real Estate Enterprises, Lung Tim Tong

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In the era characterized by the dual carbon goals driving the green transformation of industries and the exponential growth of the digital economy, the real estate sector is at a critical transformation juncture. From a policy-oriented perspective, building codes and energy consumption quota standards issued by the Ministry of Housing and UrbanRural Development and other regulatory bodies have rendered it imperative for real estate enterprises to reduce carbon emissions throughout the entire building life cycle. From the market demand side, consumers' preference for green and intelligent living environments has compelled real estate firms to break through traditional development models. The …

Relationship Between Change In Unrealized Gains Or Losses Of Afs Securities And Credit Spreads Of U.S. Life Insurance Companies, Kwang Liang Yeo

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This study evaluates the transmission of unrealized fair value accounting losses to credit default risk within the United States life insurance sector during a period of unprecedented monetary tightening. Integrating a pre-specified confirmatory econometric framework with a text-based exploratory analysis of regulatory filings, we examine how changes in Other Comprehensive Income (OCI) and benchmark interest rate dynamics shape market perceptions of insurer default probability. Our findings reveal that credit default swap markets do not price OCI variations contemporaneously; instead, they reflect a structural one-quarter pricing lag that aligns with the regulatory timeline of financial disclosures. Furthermore, the relationship between interest …

The Impact Of Private Label Product Choice On Consumers' Hedonic Consumption Behavior, Xiaosong Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The competitive landscape of the current retail market is changing rapidly, and private label products, as a unique product force, are playing a role in the fierce market competition. While extensive research has been conducted on why consumers purchase private label products, the behavioral outcomes of consumers’ private label choices have not been fully explored. Based on the business reality of private brand retailing in China, this study constructs a research model concerning the impact of private brand product choice on hedonic consumption behavior. Grounded in self-awareness theory, the paper proposes four scientific research hypotheses. Through seven empirical studies, it …

From Suppliers’ Esg Performance To Corporate Bargaining Power With Customers: A Supply Chain Advantage Transmission Perspective, Minghao Du

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With the growing awareness of sustainable development, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices has increasingly become a critical source for firms to meet stakeholder demands and gain new competitive advantages. In particular, under the backdrop of rising supply chain risks, stakeholder concerns are no longer confined to the ESG performance of individual firms; rather, they have expanded to encompass the entire supply chain, attaching equal importance to the ESG performance of both focal firms and their supply chain partners. With the continuous tightening of ESG regulatory requirements, customers may move beyond managing the ESG practices of first-tier suppliers to paying …

Research On The Impact Of Industrial-Financial Cooperation On Corporate R&D Investment, Jiayin Yin

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The national industrial-financial cooperation pilot policy represents a key strategic initiative to implement China's strategy of building a "financial powerhouse" and guide financial resources toward empowering high-quality development in the real economy. In December 2016, four central government departments in China jointly announced the first batch of national industrial-financial cooperation pilot cities. Leveraging this quasi-natural experiment, this study comprehensively evaluates the impact of the pilot policy on corporate R&D investment activities using a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2014 to 2019.

Research findings indicate: (1) The industrial-financial cooperation pilot policy significantly increases enterprises' R&D investment levels. Specifically, compared …