Digital Commons Network^™

Visit North Carolina: Trail Accessibility, Hannah Caitlyn Guschel

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper focuses on the perceived barriers to travel from marketing material for individuals with disabilities compared to those without disabilities and the direct impact on leisurely travel participation, particularly in outdoor spaces. Employing a cross-sectional study design encompassing both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods, this research investigates the experiences and transparency of trail accessibility in the state of North Carolina. Quantitative data were gathered through trail assessment accessibility checklists, while qualitative insights were obtained via in-depth interviews. The findings reveal an improved understanding of accessibility and the application of an accessibility checklist. Moreover, the study underscores the importance …

Electronic Symptom Management Using Pros In A Rural, Appalachian Medical Oncologic Population, Andrea Ray Bailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Systemic chemotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment, but it often leads to significant side effects, which may impact patients' quality of life and lead to increased acute healthcare utilization. Although patients are typically informed of potential symptoms and advised to seek care as needed, many struggle to understand and manage symptoms effectively. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have been shown to improve symptom monitoring, decrease symptom burden, and reduce emergency department visits and hospital admissions. Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs), in particular, offer timely and accessible symptom tracking, though their effectiveness has largely been evaluated within urban clinical trial settings and …

Wglt Annual Report, 2024, Wglt, Illinois State University

WGLT Annual Reports

Annual report for WGLT, an NPR Network radio station licensed to and operating from Illinois State University.

Stakeholder Participation And Perceptions In Professional Learning Communities: A Case Study In A Small, Rural School District, Rachel M. Kowalski

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explored the interplay between collaboration within PLCs and classroom teacher perceptions of PLC implementation within a small, rural district. It examined how the involvement of different stakeholders in PLCs connects to overall perceptions of professional learning communities and how the participation of principals, administrators, and paraprofessionals shapes collaboration. The unique setting of a small and rural school district allowed the study to consider close interpersonal relationships that are common within these settings since these districts have limited human resources and individuals serve in various capacities within the organization. When stakeholders actively participate in PLCs, concerns arise about …

Computational And Experimental Modeling Of Particle Transport Inside Respiratory Pathways And Indoor Environments, Abir Malakar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to explore efficient drug delivery to clinical target sites along the human upper airway that strongly depends on variables associated with the delivery device and the drug formulation, e.g., the device plume angle, particle sizes of drug solution, drug delivery speed of the device, viscosity of the drug solution, delivery axis orientation, and the formulation density. In our investigation, we prioritize the nasopharynx, the primary site of initial viral infection, as the ideal target zone for drug delivery. We have used Large Eddy Simulation and Lagrangian techniques to replicate breathing at 15 L/min and quantify regional drug …

Portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry For Sensing Salinity And Sodicity In Glacial Northern Great Plains Soils With Machine Learning Models, Adam Devlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Saline and sodic soils are an increasing concern across the Northern Great Plains (NGP) due to factors of climate change and land management that are drawing geologically derived salts to the land surface. Traditional laboratory assessments, such as electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), are time and resource consumptive. Portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) may be a viable proximal sensing alternative, as it is able to provide elemental data in minutes, in situ or ex situ, and can directly quantify salinity-associated elements like Ca, Mg, and S. PXRF paired with predictive models has proven useful for a range of …

Investigating The Role And Mechanism Of Host Cell Death In Porcine Reproductive And Respiratory Virus Infection, Michelle Steyn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Breast Tissue As A Local Drug Reservoir For Anticancer Therapy In Breast Cancer, Saniia Shchinar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Breast cancer, particularly the estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) subtype, remains a formidable challenge in oncology. Traditional oral therapies for ER-positive breast cancer, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) like Tamoxifen (TAM) and Toremifene (TOR), often encounter issues related to limited bioavailability, metabolic complications, and significant systemic side effects. These side effects include the risk of blood clots, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, menstrual cycle disruptions, and uterus cancer, which can hinder long-term adherence to preventive therapy. The exploration of local drug delivery into breast tissue presents a promising alternative to tackle these challenges. In this study, we explored the feasibility of …

I Can't Look Away: Parasocial Relationships With Dance Mom Characters Across Tv And Social Media, Kennedy Kay Pirlet

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2019, Dance Moms ended its airing on Lifetime at the completion of the eighth season. However, the show and its cast members remained popular on social media platforms like TikTok, but we still didn’t know the relationship between watching the show and following cast members on multiple social media platforms or who audiences were closest to. To answer this question, the celebrity-persona parasocial interaction scale and experience of parasocial interaction scale were utilized. These scales were used in this study and found reliable. Snowball recruitment focusing on social media platforms and emails yielded 180 eligible sample participants. Through a …

Delivery Of Gemcitabine, Stearoyl Gemcitabine And Paclitaxel Through Plga Nanoparticles And Its Effect On The Desmoplasia Of Pancreatic Cancer Spheroids, Rishabh Bahl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers to treat. The primary cause for the drug resistance is the dense extracellular matrix (ECM) that surrounds the tumor and restricts blood supply. Gemcitabine (GEM) and paclitaxel (PTX) are drugs that are clinically used in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. GEM, however, is rapidly metabolized by cytidine deaminase (CDA) and eliminated from the body, and paclitaxel is a substrate for P- glycoprotein (P-gp) efflux receptors. Drug delivery using nanoparticles has been reported to help improve drug half-lives and bypass efflux receptors. This thesis aims to encapsulate PTX in PLGA nanoparticles (PTX-NP) and …

Longevity In Afrikaner Cattle: A Survival Analysis, Allison M. Bot Steffl

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Afrikaner breed of cattle is indigenous to South Africa and due to their hardiness was once the most popular breed amongst farmers. The objectives for this study were to: (1) estimate environmental effects (age at first calving, season) and (2) genetic variance affecting longevity in Afrikaner cattle using survival analysis and a Weibull model and (3) evaluate the effect of the Infusion Project on longevity utilizing a Cox model. For the first objective, age at first calving impacted longevity as younger age at first calving was associated with decreased longevity. Season of birth and year of birth also impacted …

Increasing Retention Of Women In Hunting And Fishing, Shelby Isensee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite national declines in hunting and fishing, women are making inroads in historically male-dominated sports. To further encourage women’s participation, states established programs to recruit, retain, and reactivate [R3] hunters and anglers. Women are participating in these programs and other recreational groups to access opportunities to learn skills and grow their networks. Yet, very little is known about what programs are offered for women, what aspects of programs are most effective to support women’s retention in these activities, and what women’s hunting and fishing groups are available across the landscape. To address these questions, I collected qualitative data from participant …

Methods For Optimizing Detection And Evaluating Habitat Use Of North American River Otters In South Dakota, Jessica Speiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) play a critical role as an apex predator in riverine ecosystems. A challenging species to survey using traditional methods, they remain understudied in non-forested regions, such as the Northern Great Plains, where habitat degradation and landscape fragmentation may reduce habitat quality and availability and disrupt landscape connectivity. This thesis aims to improve detectability and investigates the habitat use of river otters in South Dakota to better understand habitat needs of otters and improve their continued recovery and management. My first chapter provides a brief overview of river otters and their ecological roles in freshwater …

Respiratory Disease In Bighorn Sheep: A Varied Investigation Of Immunization, Transmission, And Detection, Katelin Frerichs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Respiratory disease has historically been recognized as a limiting factor to wild bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) herds throughout North America with epizootics resulting in large-scale die offs and reductions in recruitment. The primary etiologic agent associated with pneumonia outbreaks in bighorn sheep is Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. This bacterial pathogen is frequently carried asymptomatically by domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and goats (Capra hircus); however, when these domestic hosts come in contact with and spread this pathogen to bighorns, the disease can cause epizootics and large-scale mortality. Domestic sheep strains are more commonly detected in bighorn sheep than domestic goat strains, and previous …

Isolation, Molecular Characterization, And Epidemiological Analysis Of An Emerging Avian Metapneumovirus Subgroup B In Us Poultry, Sumit Jangra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) is one the most economically important poultry respiratory pathogens belonging to the family Pneumoviridae and genus Metapneumovirus, which can affect both domestic and wild birds. aMPVs are classified into four subgroups (A, B, C, and D) based on the level of genetic variations and antigenic differences. aMPV causes turkey rhinotracheitis (TRT) and swollen head syndrome (SHS) in turkeys and chickens respectively. Recently, outbreaks of respiratory disease in meat-type birds and a significant decline in egg production with respiratory signs in breeders were reported from different states in the USA. Isolating aMPV is challenging as it is a …

The Predictive Validity Of Sex Offender Treatment Progress Scale (Sotips) Using Iowa Sex Offenders, Holly Kelley-Chown

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a replication study of McGrath, Lasher, and Cumming's 2012 study. McGrath et al.'s population consisted of convicted Vermont sex offenders, while this replication study's population consisted of convicted Iowa sex offenders. Nearly 2,000 sex offenders are under the Iowa Department of Corrections community supervision (Daily Statistics-DOC Offender, 2023). Iowa uses SOTIPS, Static-99R, and the Iowa Risk Revised (IRR) to determine recidivism risk and supervision levels. The Static-99R was developed in Canada and has been validated in several jurisdictions, including Iowa (Statistical validation of the ISORA8 & Static-99 final report, 2010). The IRR was developed in Iowa using …

Perceptions Of Grade-11 Students On The School-Based Assessment In English A And B And Its Impact On Sense Of Self-Efficacy, Karlene Smith-Hines

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explored how 11th-grade students perceived the English A and B school-based assessment (SBA) and whether their portfolio experience impacted their sense of self-efficacy. Significant research has been conducted on the SBA exploring its benefits, impact, and relevance as well as the challenges and concerns encountered with implementation in various disciplines. Most of the research, however, has focused on teacher perspectives with minimal research exploring student perspectives and the assessment’s impact on them socially and academically.

This qualitative research study adopted an ethnographic approach with a realistic design to conduct this inquiry. This method was used because the …

Harm-Focused Policing: A Comparison Of Citizen And Patrol Deputy Perceptions On The Severity Of Social Harms, Christina Finn

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the perceptions of Volusia County citizens and patrol deputies regarding the severity of social harms attributed to incidents of criminal activity. Despite the widespread assessments of crime, the perceptions of associated harms remain unclear. Developing a social harm index may provide current insight into the opinions of harm as perceived by both the public and law enforcement agencies. Using a sequential explanatory mixed method design, patrol deputies from the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and residents of Volusia County, Florida, were invited to complete a series of surveys and follow-up interviews. This study aimed to compare participant ratings …

Challenges Teachers Face When Implementing Mult-Tiered Systems Of Supports: Recommendations And Interventions, Amber Durrett Drake

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the challenges that teachers faced when it came to the implementation of interventions and recommendations in the Mult-Tiered System of Support (MTSS). Through the MTSS, educators provided concentrated teaching, detected early signs of issues related to academic, behavioral, and speech deficiencies, and recommended fact-based interventions and practices in response to students’ needs. Identifying students’ deficits early reduced the risk of large student gaps and improved overall progress. Participants were seven Pre-k through Grade 5 teachers working in a Title 1 school located in a large metropolitan city area. Participants were selected through …

Perceptions Of Secondary School Mathematics Teachers Regarding Teaching Mathematics With Conceptual Understanding, Latisa Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was designed to provide current knowledge on the mindset of secondary school mathematics teachers regarding the use of Conceptual Understanding (CU) as an approach to teaching the subject. It is well-documented that when students learn to engage in mathematical conceptual explanations in meaningful ways, they improve their learning. However, reports have shown that students in secondary schools lack effective skills in explaining and applying CU for successful problem-solving. As a result, teachers struggle with methods of instruction that can effectively improve the level of CU with their students in mathematics.

For this study, the researcher used a qualitative …

Assessing The Needs Of Elementary School Students From Low Socioeconomic Environments Displaying Poor Performance In Reading, Reynaldo Flores

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation was designed to provide current information on the low reading level of students in Grade 4 who are from families of low socioeconomic status (SES). While it was known that SES is crucial to student learning which gave rise to initiates to address the problem, low SES students in elementary school continue to struggle to read at grade level. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) is used to measure performance index framework in reading along with mathematics, writing, science, and social studies to address and correct deficiencies. The data for the ESSA was drawn from the State of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Online Physical Education On Former Students’ Activity Levels And Fitness Concepts Knowledge, Jerry Veshio

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was designed to provide an understanding of the perspectives of former online physical education high school students and how participation in the course affected their ability to be active post-high school and their knowledge of fitness concepts. A phenomenological design was used to guide the study’s investigation. Participants in the study were interviewed about their experiences in online physical education while in high school and how that experience currently influences their physical activity levels. Additionally, respondents described the positives and negatives of their experience in the course, specifically as it relates to the course materials, assessments, instructor …

Exploring Mental Health Stigma Among Law Enforcement Officers, Nicholas David Chestnut

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation investigates the prevalence and impact of mental health stigma among law enforcement officers (LEOs) in the United States. Despite growing awareness of the importance of mental health in the law enforcement community, stigma surrounding mental illness remains a significant barrier to help-seeking behaviors among officers. The study employed a research design that examined attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to mental health stigma among LEOs.

Through online self-assessment surveys administered via a secure portal, participants provided insights into their attitudes toward mental illness, perceptions of stigma, and willingness to seek help for mental health concerns.

Data analysis revealed …

The Tragic Costs Of ‘Protecting’ Trans Youth, Kimberly Jade Norwood, Jaimie Hileman

Scholarship@WashULaw

In the past few decades, our nation has made substantial progress on the rights of LGBTQ+ people. The legalization of gay marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015 was transformative for our nation. Just five years later, another huge victory was scored in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protected gay and transgender people.

With every gain, backlash often follows. Three years after Bostock, a tsunami of anti-LGBTQ+ bills, and more specifically, anti-Trans bills, littered the nation. Hundreds of bills have been filed since Bostock, …

Self-Correcting Method For Highly Effective Office-Based Helicobacter Pylori Therapy Using Cumulative Test Of Cure Data, Maria Pina Dore, Ruben Hernaez, David Y Graham

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and aim: Helicobacter pylori infections have become resistant to many previously highly effective antimicrobial regimens resulting in clarithromycin, metronidazole, or fluoroquinolone-containing therapies becoming unsuccessful. Pretreatment susceptibility testing is only widely available in the United States but is still rarely done. Here, we propose a framework to monitor H. pylori eradication in small clinical settings by routinely assessing the effectiveness of therapy.

Methods: Because of the small sample size in individual practice's, we assume an acceptable cure rate of ≥80% (preferred cure rate ≥85%) in adherent patients, with a dichotomous outcome (cured vs. failed) and consecutive patient enrollment. To obtain …

Hepatic Failure And Hyperbilirubinemia Secondary To Hemolytic Disease Of The Newborn, Matthew Reinhardt, Marya L Strand, Dajana Sabic

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Anti-D antibody is the most common cause of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). Other antigens have emerged, causing significant damage to the newborn. We report a case of a 31-week dichorionic diamniotic twin born emergently to a mother with anti-C and anti-D antibodies who required multiple percutaneous umbilical cord blood sampling (PUBS) and transfusions. Extensive resuscitation at birth was required due to severe anemia, hypovolemia, and prematurity. Ensuing liver damage occurred with subsequent profound coagulopathy, transaminitis, and direct hyperbilirubinemia that required significant support. This patient developed several unique findings including the inability to monitor oxygen saturations due to dermal …

Mecp2-Related Disorders While Gene-Based Therapies Are On The Horizon, Katherine Allison, Mirjana Maletic-Savatic, Davut Pehlivan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The emergence of new genetic tools has led to the discovery of the genetic bases of many intellectual and developmental disabilities. This creates exciting opportunities for research and treatment development, and a few genetic disorders (e.g., spinal muscular atrophy) have recently been treated with gene-based therapies. MECP2 is found on the X chromosome and regulates the transcription of thousands of genes. Loss of MECP2 gene product leads to Rett Syndrome, a disease found primarily in females, and is characterized by developmental regression, motor dysfunction, midline hand stereotypies, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, epilepsy, scoliosis, and autistic-like behavior. Duplication of MECP2 causes …

Polygenic Scores And Mendelian Randomization Identify Plasma Proteins Causally Implicated In Alzheimer’S Disease, Davis B Cammann, Yimei Lu, Jerome I Rotter, Alexis C Wood, Jingchun Chen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: An increasing body of evidence suggests that neuroinflammation is one of the key drivers of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) pathology. Due to the increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in older adults, peripheral plasma proteins can infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS) and drive neuroinflammation through interactions with neurons and glial cells. Because these inflammatory factors are heritable, a greater understanding of their genetic relationship with LOAD could identify new biomarkers that contribute to LOAD pathology or offer protection against it.

METHODS: We used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 90 different plasma proteins (

RESULTS: We identified …

Predictors Of Making A Referral To Child Protective Services Prior To Expert Consultation, Danielle Zamalin, Irene Hamlin, Justine Shults, M Katherine Henry, Kristine A Campbell, James D Anderst, Angela N Bachim, Rachel P Berger, Lori D Frasier, Nancy S Harper, Megan M Letson, John D Melville, Daniel M Lindberg, Joanne N Wood

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

OBJECTIVE: Suspicion for child abuse is influenced by implicit biases. Evaluation by a Child Abuse Pediatrician (CAP) may reduce avoidable child protective services (CPS) referrals. Our objective was to investigate the association of patient demographic, social and clinical characteristics with CPS referral before consultation by a CAP (preconsultation referral).

METHODS: Children <5 years-old undergoing in-person CAP consultation for suspected physical abuse from February 2021 through April 2022 were identified in CAPNET, a multicenter child abuse research network. Marginal standardization implemented with logistic regression analysis examined hospital-level variation and identified demographic, social, and clinical factors associated with pre-consultation referral adjusting for CAP’s final assessment of abuse likelihood.

RESULTS: Among the 61% (1005/1657) of cases with preconsultation referral, the CAP consultant had low concern for abuse in 38% (384/1005). Preconsultation referrals ranged from 25% to 78% of cases across 10 hospitals (P < .001). In multivariable analyses, preconsultation referral was associated with public insurance, caregiver history of CPS involvement, history of intimate partner violence, higher CAP level of concern for abuse, hospital transfer, and near-fatality (all P < .05). The difference in preconsultation referral prevalence for children with public versus private insurance was significant for children with low CAP concern for abuse (52% vs 38%) but not those with higher concern for abuse (73% vs 73%), (P = .023 for interaction of insurance and abuse likelihood category). There were no differences in preconsultation referral based on race or ethnicity.

CONCLUSIONS: Biases based on socioeconomic status and social factors may impact decisions to refer to …

Editorial: Symmetry As A Guiding Principle In Artificial And Brain Neural Networks, Volume Ii, Fabio Anselmi, Ankit B Patel

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

No abstract provided.