Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Capturing Kids' Hearts On New Teachers’ Perceptions Of Classroom Management, Stephanie L. Burgess

Theses and Dissertations

The present action research study explored how incorporating the classroom management model of Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH) impacted first year teachers’ perceptions of classroom management. The problem of practice indicated first year teachers historically had large numbers of discipline referrals. The guiding questions were 1) What is the impact of Capturing Kids’ Hearts on first-year teachers’ perceptions of classroom management? And 2) How can participant feedback after CKH preparation be used to improve current classroom management policy at BHS? The primary purpose of this action research was to determine the impact of CKH professional development on four first-year teachers’ perceptions …

Detracking High School Physical Science Classes Through Teacher Efficacy: An Action Research Study, Vincent Scott Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This study uses the action research method to determine whether students enrolled in a basic science course (Physical Science College Prep) can be successful learning more advanced material (Physical Science Advanced) by increasing teacher efficacy. Currently, there are three levels of Physical Science courses taught at the study school, a high school in South Carolina, USA. The most basic course, Physical Science College Prep, is comprised of 76% minority students, and 56% who receive a free or reduced-cost lunch. In the spring semester of 2017, a group of students (n = 14) completed two units of study: Unit One - …

The Impact Of Repeated Reading On The Comprehension Level Of Eight Eighth Grade Students At The Middle School Level, Elizabeth C. Dotson-Shupe

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of repeated reading on the comprehension level of eight 8th grade students. Incorporating an action research design, data was collected through utilizing a pretest and posttest, timed repeated readings, a reading semi-open ended questionnaire, a Likert-scale questionnaire, observation and the taking of field notes, and weekly assessments. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected for a total of eight weeks for a period of 20 minutes two times per week, each Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Participants were a combination of eighth-grade regular education and special education students, with the majority …

Smartphone Use And Mindfulness: Empirical Tests Of A Hypothesized Connection, Darren Todd Woodlief

Theses and Dissertations

The current study is the first test of a newly developed conceptual model of the effect of smartphone use on mindfulness. Previous research has shown the capacity for mindfulness is strongly associated with increased psychological well-being (e.g. higher self-esteem and lower perceived stress, anxiety, and psychological distress). We argue that smartphones can be used in an automatic and mindless or experientially avoidant way, and that this use can lead to a decreased capacity for mindfulness, with adolescents being most vulnerable to this potential impact. Components of mindfulness, such as the capacity for sustained attention and the areas of the brain …

Three Essays On Relationships Among Financial Institutions, Chia-Chun Chiang

Theses and Dissertations

dissertation investigates relationships among financial institutions. I examine relationships from three different perspectives: relationships among affiliated banks and life insurers, correlated trading among life insurers, and relationships between insurers and bond dealers in the over-the-counter markets. The primary purpose of my research is to examine the benefits and drawbacks of relationships among financial institutions. The main findings are as follows. First, life insurers with bank affiliates had higher growth rates relative to other life insurers during the 2008 financial crisis. However, these Bank-Life Financial Holding Companies performed worse than Non-Bank-Life Financial Holding Companies during the same period. It indicates that …

Untangling The Interconnected Relationships Between Alcohol Use, Employment, And Offending, Margaret M. Chrusciel

Theses and Dissertations

Both substance use and employment are correlates of crime that are heavily examined by criminological research. Efforts to explore these connections have produced two rich bodies of literature that provide insight into the nuances of the relationship between substance use and offending and the relationship between employment and crime. Research shows that while substance use increases subsequent criminal behavior, employment seems to reduce offending. Given the strong positive association between substance use and crime and the inverse effect of employment on offending, it is possible that drug use and employment interact in their impact on crime. In addition to potential …

Sex Offender Policies That Spin The Revolving Door: An Exploration Of The Relationships Between Residence Restrictions, Homelessness, And Recidivism, Deanna Cann

Theses and Dissertations

Within the past two decades, a variety of specialized sex offender legislation has been implemented across the United States. Typically brought about in attempt to ebb the societal disquiet after notorious sexual assault cases are sensationalized in the media, these policies appear to be based on faulty assumptions, and lack any evidence-based foundation. In fact, empirical research suggests that policies such as sex offender registration, community notification, and residence restrictions do little to prevent sexual offending, and may actually work to increase the risk of these events through a number of collateral consequences. The current study critically examines the rationale …

Association Of Freestanding Dialysis Facility Size, Quality Incentive Program Scores And Patient Survival, Fozia Ajmal

Theses and Dissertations

Background

In 2011, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced a bundled payment reform along with a Quality Incentive Program (QIP) to bring efficiency in End stage renal disease (ESRD) care. The QIP rates facilities using clinical and reporting criteria, but misses out on patient outcomes. It penalizes facilities not achieving a target score by 0-2% of payments. The small facilities are expected to be impacted more by a reduction in payments. We determined the association between ESRD facility size and QIP scores and the association between QIP scores and patient survival.

Methods

We used the Medicare …

Association Between Diabetes And Cancer In Indian And Us Populations Using Longitudinal Study Design, Shraddha S. Vyas

Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is growing evidence of association between diabetes and cancer. No studies have been conducted in India evaluating this association. With the current epidemiologic, nutritional and economic transition in India, it becomes extremely important to examine this association in an Indian population. Additionally, difference in association exists based on different cancer subtypes. Research has shown that diabetes is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. However most of these studies suggest detection bias to be one of the probable reasons for this association. Additionally, the common risk factors shared by both these conditions are considered to one of …

The Association Between Clinical Recognition Of Depression And Unplanned Hospital Readmission Among Older Adults, Karen M. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose

The likelihood of a depression diagnosis may differ based on whether the patient was seen in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Depression has been associated with an increased risk of a 30-day readmission. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of agreement (concordance) between depression diagnosis as identified by inpatient and outpatient records and examine the relationship between depression diagnostic concordance and 30-day readmission.

Methods

Using universal administrative claims data from South Carolina, we examined inpatient and outpatient records. The analysis was restricted to Medicaid recipients aged 55 years and older with a primary admitting diagnosis …

Best Practice For Screening Adult Patients With Psoriasis For Polyautoimmunity: Celiac Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis And Crohn’S Disease, Susan Danielle Ashbaugh

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine if screening primary care patients with psoriasis will improve early detection of celiac disease (CD), rheumatoid arthritis, and Crohn’s disease (CrD). The aim of this project is to assess the utility of early screening in patients with psoriasis in order to facilitate earlier diagnosis of CD, RA and CrD, which would consequently initiate earlier treatment and improve long-term patient outcomes. Genetic and population-based studies suggest that individuals with psoriasis have a greater risk of also having CrD, CD or RA, than do individuals without psoriasis. The literature also suggests that …

The Role Of Exercise Dose On Ghrelin Concentration In Postmenopausal Women, Kimberly Bowyer

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: As obesity continues to be a major public health concern, exercise is continually at the forefront of combating this epidemic. This thesis aims to examine how two different doses of exercise may affect the “hunger hormone”, ghrelin; in postmenopausal, non-obese women. Methods: 54 non-obese postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to either a higher dose (energy expenditure = 14 kilocalories/per kilogram of body weight/per week) or lower dose (energy expenditure = 8 kcal/kg/week) aerobic exercise training group for 16 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and at post intervention for analysis of ghrelin via multiplex immunoassay. Results: Only …

Two Essays On Social Sharing Effects On Consumer Memories, Li Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Social sharing is universal in everyday life. Every day consumers share news, opinions, and personal experiences using different media, including face-to-face communications, cellphones, texting, email, and other social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter). Word-of-Mouth, a common type of social sharing has been found to be fundamental to marketing and has been shown to significantly impact firms’ sales and revenues. However little is known about the effects of WOM on consumer memories. Since consumer memory is an important variable in marketing due to its significant impact on consumer judgments and decisions, my dissertation addresses this gap and examines the effects of …

Statistical Methods For Multivariate And Correlated Data, Xinling Xu

Theses and Dissertations

A commonly encountered data type in real life is count data, especially in selfreported behavioral studies. One issue of the self-reported count data is the inaccuracy. In the first part of the dissertation, we are going to address one specific type of inaccuracy in bivariate count data–heaping. Copula functions are used for the formulation of the bivariate distribution. Using copula functions for solving data inaccuracy problems is still a new area, which we are going to explore in this dissertation.

We also discuss the methods for variable selection when the explanatory variables are highly correlated. In particular, our method is …

The Impact Of Self-Regulating Practice Strategies On The Achievement Perceptions Of Sixth-Grade String Orchestra Students, Anne Poe Matthews

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of self-regulating strategies on the musical achievement perceptions of 8 6th-grade students in a beginning orchestra class. For the purposes of the study, musical achievement was measured using two parameters: (a) student self-reports of improvement and ability to effectively use self-regulating strategies and (b) teacher observations ascertaining improved class performance and student use of self-regulating strategies. During the Fall 2016 semester, students received instruction during class on goal setting, monitoring, and evaluating strategies that they were to incorporate during self-directed practice. Data were collected during pre- and postinterviews conducted in …

Broke But Not Without Hope: Exploring Exits From Housing First And Returns To Homelessness, Jennie Ann Cole

Theses and Dissertations

“…he succeeded in giving the impression of being broke but not without hope.”

Nels Anderson, The Hobo, 1923

Introduction: This research offers a thick and rich, multidimensional and situational look, into a Housing First program in Charlotte, North Carolina. This dissertation focuses on individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness who exit Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) programs that employ a Housing First (HF) model and return to homelessness. The ultimate goal of my research was to address the gap in knowledge service providers have in housing retention for the chronically homeless and to break the cycle of misunderstanding around why people …

Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education In A Rural Setting, Ann D. Scott

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a simulation-based IPE experience for pre-licensure nursing, pharmacy, and medical students on a rurally-located campus. Using a mixed-methods, explanatory sequential approach, this project: 1) examined the feasibility of implementing a simulation-based IPE experience using telehealth tools; and 2) evaluated student perceptions of inter-professional teamwork, roles and responsibilities, and patient outcomes for collaborative practice, both pre- and post-scenario.

Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS. Results revealed 94% agreed/strongly agreed the IPE experience resembled a real-life situation. 100% of nursing/medical students and 80% of the pharmacy students indicated they …

Garlic Inhibits Inflammation During Dengue Infection, Alex R. Hall

Theses and Dissertations

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes significant human disease and mortality in the tropics and subtropics. There has been a recent global trend of increased epidemic activity, and DENV infection is considered a serious emerging health problem worldwide. A relatively unexplored approach to develop new treatments for dengue virus infection and the prevention of severe disease development is through investigation of natural medicines. Inflammation plays both beneficial and harmful roles during the host response to dengue virus infection. Several studies have proposed that it is the oxidative stress response induced by dengue virus infection that is responsible …

Functional Motor Competence, Health-Related Fitness, And Injury In Youth Sport, Craig Elliott Pfeifer

Theses and Dissertations

In the United States there millions of youth who participate in sport.1-3 Unfortunately there is also a high rate of musculoskeletal injury in sport,4,5 accompanied by millions of dollar in medical cost.6 The development of functional motor competence and health-related fitness (HRF) is important as these two constructs are related to health, performance, and injury incidence in youth sport.7,8 It is assumed that children develop their movement ability and physical fitness as they age, however recent evidence suggests that youth functional motor competence and HRF decrease across childhood.9-13 An evaluation of functional motor competence gaining popularity among health and strength …

Nondestructive Evaluation And Health Monitoring Of Adhesively Bonded Composite Structures, William Walker Roth

Theses and Dissertations

As the growth of fiber reinforced composite materials continues in many industries, structural designers will have to look to new methods of joining components. In order to take full advantage of composite materials, such as increased stiffness, decreased weight, tailored material properties and increased fatigue life, mechanical fasteners will need to be replaced by adhesive bonding or welding, when possible. Mechanical fasteners require the drilling of holes, which damages the laminate and becomes the source of further fatigue damage. Also, an increase in laminate thickness or inclusion of other features is required for the material to withstand the bearing stress …

Paleodemographic And Biochemical Analysis Of Urbanization, Famine, And Mortality, Brittany S. Walter

Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization is a transitional period often associated with deteriorating population health and increased mortality, as the rapid increase of population density in urban centers facilitates the transmission of infectious diseases, unsanitary living conditions, and precarious food supplies. Research on the transition to an urban environment in the past offers a temporal depth to our understanding of the consequences of urbanization that cannot be accomplished through examination of contemporary populations. This project integrates paleodemographic (hazard analysis) and biochemical (stable isotope analysis) approaches to examine the health and diet of inhabitants in late medieval England (c. 1120-1539 CE), specifically the relationship between …

Mechanical Characterization And Non-Destructive Evaluation Of Sicf-Sicm Composite Tubing With The Impulse Excitation Technique, Nathaniel Truesdale

Theses and Dissertations

With growing interest on ceramic fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites (CMC) for accident tolerant fuel, the need for mechanical characterization of ceramic composite arises. It has been of particular interest to non-destructively evaluate the mechanical performance of these composites. Impulse excitation (IE) is a well-established method for non-destructive mechanical characterization of homogeneous isotropic material of well-defined shapes. In this thesis, impulse excitation technique was applied for non-destructive characterization of composite tube for the first time as far as we know. CMC, when stressed beyond its damage threshold, will experience various forms of structural damage, such as matrix micro-cracking, fiber-matrix debonding, …

Functional Role Of The Homeobox Transcription Factor Six1 In Neoplastic Transformation Of Human Keratinocytes, Maria Hosseinipour

Theses and Dissertations

The homeobox transcription factor SIX1 contributes to both tumor development and progression. Numerous studies have determined that the inappropriate expression of embryonic genes, in particular transcription factors, contributes to carcinogenesis. SIX1 is essential for the development of numerous organs including the auditory and olfactory system as well as the kidney, by promoting proliferation, survival and migration of progenitor cells during embryogenesis. SIX1 has also been shown to increase cancer cell proliferation, survival and invasion. The aberrant expression of SIX1 occurs in numerous adult and pediatric cancers. We have previously determined that our in-vitro model system for HPV16-mediated tumorigenesis shares many …

The Effectiveness Of Self-Regulated Strategy Development For School-Age Children With Hearing Loss, Jessica Rice

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The two-fold purpose of this feasibility study was to determine if (a) self-regulated strategy development intervention would improve the writing skills of children with hearing loss and (b) if self-regulated strategy development intervention would improve the reading comprehension skills of children with hearing loss.

Method: One eleven year-old child with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss participated in this single-subject, multiple probe across behaviors design treatment study which examined the effectiveness of using writing intervention to improve reading comprehension in children with hearing loss. The participant completed three seven-week writing interventions focused on narratives, opinion essays, and persuasive essays. Intervention was …

Association Of Gestational Weight Gain During Twin Gestations And Adverse Maternal Outcomes, Kerry Spillane

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: To examine the association between gestational weight gain (GWG) in twin gestations and the odds of adverse maternal outcomes.

Setting and Participants: Study population included 3,081 women with a twin gestation delivered between 23-42 gestational weeks from 19 hospitals across the United States (2002-2008) participating in the Consortium on Safe Labor (CSL) study.

Main Outcomes: Main outcomes of interest included: gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and cesarean delivery.

Methods: Quantile regression estimated the 25th and 75th percentiles of total GWG, respective of pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational age at delivery, and was used to create our new total GWG …

Preliminary Analysis Of Cyberterrorism Threats To Internet Of Things (Iot) Applications, Bilge Karabacak, Mobolarinwa Balogun, Hayretdin Bahsi

All Faculty and Staff Scholarship

The era of Internet of Things (IoT) being a combination of various networking and computing technologies already in a state of growth that introduces a new age of data aggregation mechanism and ubiquitous connectivity among physical objects. However, the most of the cyber threats still remain unsolved and may create huge impact on our lives. One of the possible major changes in impact landscape is the imminent physical results of cyber threats as IoT technologies enable closer interactions between humans and information systems. Although the cyber threats to critical infrastructures have been highly considered by the cyber security community, the …

Evaluation Of Volumetric Change Of Periapical Lesions After Apicoectomy As A Measure Of Postsurgical Healing Utilizing Cone Beam Computed Tomography, Eshwar Arasu

Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether volumetric changes in persistent periapical lesions can be detected in follow-ups six months to five years after apicoectomy using cone-beam computed tomography. Patients with a previous treatment history of apicoectomy and for whom a pre-surgical CBCT scan was taken between November 2010 and December 2015 were invited to participate in the study. A post-surgical CBCT image of the treated tooth was obtained at the recall visit. Volumetric and linear measurements of periapical lesions on initial and postoperative CBCT images were performed using DiThreshGUI software and two calibrated examiners—a board-certified endodontist and …

Person-Centered Treatment To Optimize Psychiatric Medication Adherence, Natalie Bareis

Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: Adherence to psychotropic medication is poor among individuals with bipolar disorder (BD). To understand treatment experiences and associated adherence among these individuals, we developed a novel construct of Clinical Net Benefit (CNB) using psychiatric symptoms, adverse effects and overall functioning assessments. We tested whether adherence differed across classes of CNB, whether individuals transitioned between classes over time, and whether these transitions were differentially associated with adherence.

Methods: Data come from individuals aged 18+ during five years of the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD). Latent class analysis identified groups of CNB. Latent transition analysis determined probabilities of …

Impact Of School-Based Sex Education On College Students’ Rape Myth Acceptance: An Exploratory Analysis, Erika Carpenter

Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates nearly one-fourth of college women fall victim to sexual assault (Cantor et. al., 2015). Two predictors of high proclivity to rape are endorsement of rape myths and adherence to traditional gender norms (King & Roberts, 2011). Additionally, research shows school-based sex education in the United States presents gender and sexual norms in troubling ways that disproportionately harm women (Kendall, 2013). However, research on sexual assault and rape myths have not examined the impact school-based sex education has on rape supportive attitudes. This study aimed to bridge that gap by using original survey data from undergraduate students at a …

Inhibition Of Oxidative And Conjugative Metabolism Of Buprenorphine Using Generally Recognized As Safe (Gras) Compounds Or Components Of Dietary Supplements, Neha V. Maharao

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation aimed at developing an inhibitor strategy to improve the oral bioavailability (F_oral) and systemic exposure (AUC_∞) of buprenorphine (BUP) as well as reduce the variability associated with them. Twenty-seven generally recognized as safe (GRAS) compounds or dietary substances were evaluated for their potential to inhibit the oxidative and conjugative metabolism of BUP, using pooled human intestinal and liver microsomes. In both the organs, oxidation appeared to be the major metabolic pathway with a 6 fold (intestine) and 4 fold (liver) higher intrinsic clearance than glucuronidation. Buprenorphine was predicted to show low and variable F …