Digital Commons Network^™

Study Of Yoga Intervention To Reduce Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Public School Educators, Leslie Marie Hillen

Dissertations

A problem in education was the great amount of stress teachers were under. Secondary Traumatic Stress “is the emotional duress that results when an individual hears about the first-hand trauma experiences of another” (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, n.d.). When teachers feel they cannot work or are overwhelmed with the demands of education, this can be attributed to Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) (Caringi et al., 2015). Many teachers felt there was not enough support from the administration, as they not only deliver curriculum, but they also worried about the students’ mental health, home lives, hunger, and how to support …

(Re)Birth Of The Cool: A Culturally Sustaining & Community Responsive Pedagogical Framework For Music Education, Mario Yuzo Nieto

Dissertations

This qualitative research study sought to illuminate how culturally sustaining, community responsive educational frameworks of pedagogy and leadership (Duncan-Andrade, 2022) can serve to increase recruitment, enrollment, retention, graduation, and overall satisfaction rates for ethnically minoritized student populations majoring or seeking degrees in fields of music in institutions of higher education. To investigate this question, a collective portraiture case study (Lawrence-Lightfoot & Davis, 1997; Stake, 1995) that compared music departments of two different universities located in a localized state, was conducted to analyze both the need for and effectiveness of such a framework. The data were collected by way of this …

After The Bullets: Managing A Mass Shooting Resource Center Explored Through Autoethnography, Karen Allene Schweihs

Dissertations

The rate of mass shootings has more than doubled over the past 10 years in the United States (Gun Violence Archive, 2024). The focus of this study was a thorough exploration of my personal experiences in designing a response center after a mass shooting occurred in Boulder, Colorado. This study utilized a qualitative narrative inquiry form of research methodology called autoethnography. Autoethnography has been utilized to capture more than the raw data collected, but to offer a more expansive and detailed description of a unique experience. The following research questions were studied:

• Q1 What might I learn about my own …

A Guide To Parole Preparation In New York State, Parole Preparation Project, Michelle L. Lewin

All Categories

No abstract provided.

Señoritas On And Off The Silver Screen: How Chicana Women Organized For Equality And Challenged The Cultural Prison Of Sexualized Media Representations In The First Half Of The Twentieth-Century, Rossandra Paloma Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research is personal for me due to lived experience and day-to-day situations where I have felt the pressures of unattainable beauty standards and society’s fluid definition of beauty and femininity surrounding Chicana, Latinas, Mexican, and Mexican-American women. What inspired me to pursue these issues and topics was the work of Dr. Vicki Lynn Ruiz in her book From Out of the Shadows: Mexican Women in Twentieth-Century America. This research focuses on rival and contested images of Chicana, Mexican, Mexican-American and Latina labor advocates and activists from the early twentieth as opposed to sexualized and eroticized packaged caricatures that Hollywood …

Understanding The Rising Use Of Fentanyl And The Impact Social Media Plays, Richard Omar Lopez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examines how social media platforms like Reddit can be utilized to compare the discourse around fentanyl and recreational drug use. A dataset of 2549 personal experience posts were collected on fentanyl and other recreational drug use. Where the methodology included targeted queries, text processing, and natural language process (NLP) techniques such as sentiment analysis and topic modeling. Results indicate that fentanyl related discourse on Reddit was more likely to carry a cautious or neutral sentient, emphasizing its health risks or addiction. Contrasting the more positive sentiment recreational drugs carry, especially marijuana. Finding that Reddit plays a vital role …

An Analysis Of Security Risks Posed By Text-Based Generative Ai And Corporate Security Weaknesses Leading To Data Leaks, Tashya Rakshana Byreddy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Generative AI (GenAI) has become a fundamental part of modern life, influencing how we work, learn, and interact with technology. This project focuses specifically on text-based GenAI, which is widely used for tasks such as information gathering, code improvement, and content creation. Despite its benefits, it presents significant security risks that are often underestimated by users. This project investigates these risks and the corporate security gaps that lead to unintentional data leaks. The project also provides a brief overview of Large Language Models (LLMs), which are based on the deep learning technique known as Transformer architecture, used for performing …

Identification Of Distressed Real Estate Properties Using Natural Language Processing/Machine Learning, Pavithra Sirigiri

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The Real Estate industry is a great asset class that involves constructing, buying, and selling property. Although technology has made significant progress in buying and selling real estate properties online, via Zillow and Redfin, the ways to find distressed real estate properties as an investment opportunity seem to be lacking. This culminating experience project explored how to use machine learning to classify a property as distressed or non-distressed. The research questions are: Q1. How can Natural Language Processing methods like Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) be leveraged to identify distressed and non-distressed real estate properties? (Tijare & Rani, 2020) and Q2. …

The Effect Of Gender Beliefs On Self-Determined Motivation As Measured By Organizational Citizenship Behaviors And Workplace Deviant Behaviors, Ryan Jaramillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Employees are gauged by their motivation to complete their required job responsibilities, as losses in motivation can result in losses to organizations. Understanding motivation is necessary to achieving beneficial organizational outcomes such as organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) while reducing detrimental employee outcomes such as workplace deviant behaviors (WDBs). To this end, the present study analyzes motivation not through a dichotomy of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, but through a spectrum of self-determination for its relationship to employee behaviors. Gender is a potential moderator that can have important moderating effects between motivation and subsequent outcomes in the workplace. The purpose of this …

The Impact Of Benevolent Sexism On Evaluations Of Female Leaders, Daniella A. Lockhart

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of benevolent sexism beliefs on evaluations of female leadership candidates in hiring decisions, as well as the moderating effects of occupational gender composition and the gender of the comparison candidate. While seemingly positive, benevolent sexism subtly reinforces traditional gender roles by portraying women as warm but less competent, particularly in leadership roles where competence is crucial. The data in this study was collected from 146 participants via an online questionnaire using MTurk and snowball sampling. Aligning with previous research on gender bias, results indicated that benevolent sexism negatively impacts perceptions of competence and warmth, especially …

The Exploration Of Modern Life And Nature: A Public Relations Campaign Plan For Community Artists, David Mitchell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Art can unite individuals and foster a sense of community. When art is accessible, it can act as a meeting place for individuals to connect and share their experiences. It may also generate economic opportunities for artists and communities. In this scholarly document, I briefly discussed how artists, particularly community artists, use visual arts to create connections within communities and to preserve cultures. Further, I discussed the lack of research on public relations in the art field and the importance that public relations holds for visual arts. I explained the critical role my public relations plan and non-profit art organization …

Digital Storytelling Strategies For Viewer Engagement: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Youtube Videos By Nonprofit Healthcare Organizations, Maame Aba Afful

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As reliance on digital media and social media platforms such as YouTube increases, health organizations infuse rhetorical strategies to create memorable and impactful health-related videos to raise awareness and attract support. Nonprofit healthcare organizations use digital storytelling to communicate their impact. In this study, I conduct a rhetorical analysis of five digital storytelling videos shared on the YouTube pages of nonprofit healthcare organizations to: identify how the videos leverage rhetorical appeals, point-of-view (POV), and metadata; and discuss how such strategies might influence viewer engagement or brand objectives. My findings suggest that nonprofit healthcare organizations integrate positive and negative emotional appeals …

Rising Epidemiological Trends In Prevalence And Mortality Of Mpox: Global Insights And Analysis, Muhammad Os. Meo, Muhammad Zs. Meo, Isra M. Khan, Muhammad As. Butt, Adnan M. Usmani, Sultan A. Meo

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To explore the global epidemiological trends in the prevalence and mortality due to mpox in various regions worldwide. Methods: In this cross-sectional study the data about mpox outbreak were recorded by the “World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and GSAID” from August 2023 to August 2024, analyzing the epidemiological trends from different countries worldwide. Results: The total number of mpox cases has reached 99,518 (95,196 cases from 115 countries that have not historically reported mpox; and 4,322 cases from 07 states that have traditionally reported mpox), from a total of 122 countries. The top 10 countries …

Isotretinoin-Induced Epistaxis Among Acne Vulgaris Patients: A Cross Sectional Study From Saudi Arabia, Hanan Ibrahim Almuzaini, Ali Saeed Alamri, Razan Ibrahim Almuzaini

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of isotretinoin-related epistaxis, among patients of acne vulgaris. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 230 Saudi patients who received isotretinoin for treatment of acne vulgaris, was included in the study. An online questionnaire was used to collect data regarding demographics and treatment-related adverse events. Results: The prevalence of isotretinoin-induced epistaxis was found to be 45.2%, which was a 5-fold increase in epistaxis, versus baseline. Epistaxis was reported by 90% patients who had a prior history of nasal bleeding. Patients with ‘obstructed nose’, reported a prevalence of 68.8%. The large majority of patients had …

Assessment Of Contraceptive Methods Choice Among Women During Childbearing Age In Mosul, Iraq, Ruqaya Adnan Salih

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess factors influencing choice of contraceptive methods among women in Mosul, Iraq. Methods: An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted during the period extending from July 2022 to March 2023, and a convenience sample of 100 women at child-bearing age (15-49 years) was collected from those attending the Family Planning Clinic at Al-Khansaa Teaching Hospital in Mosul. A direct interview was used to collect data required by using a special questionnaire form. Data was tabulated and analyzed using Excel 2010 and Statistical Package of the Social Sciences, version 24.0. The frequency and percentage of variables have been calculated. Together …

The Relationship Between A Transient Scientific Phenomenon And Local Journalism At The Beginning Of The Gilded Age, Thomas Hockey

Faculty Publications

In the United States, the nineteenth century was the halcyon era for local newspapers. These publications were the primary source of public information at a time when other periodicals and books had low circulation. The purpose of this paper is to explore how local journalism in the nineteenth-century United States dealt with an occasion outside the boundaries of the commonplace: an unfamiliar natural phenomenon. My example is the total solar eclipse of 7 August 1869. Editors and journalists of the time largely were unaccustomed to covering celestial events. Nevertheless, they sensed—correctly—an interest in the solar eclipse. Articles about the approaching …

Her Body Of Water, Anne Gregg

A Midwestern Review: A Magazine of the Arts and Issues at DePauw University

Anne Gregg is a Senior English Writing major, Honor Scholar, and Media Fellow at DePauw. She is also the Editor-In-Chief of A Midwestern Review. Everytime Anne is anxious, her mother tells her to get a new hobby. Her new hobbies include: embroidery, deciphering cryptograms, and necromancy.

From “At-Risk” To “Aspiring” Youth:Locating Positive Youth Development In Kenya, Kennedy Karani Onyiko, Justine Amadi Orucho, Lawrence Asige, Dennis Omuse Obushe, Aden Ang'aba Esokomi, Faith Inyele Olita, Simon Kitiyo

Journal of Youth Development

The youth population bulge in Kenya comes with so many challenges such as poverty, gender inequalities, political inequities, the absence of adequate health and medical resources, low educational attainment, homelessness, increased involvement in violence, drugs, and alcohol, poor physical and mental health, a lack of key life skills, premature sexual involvement. Using inductive or “bottom up” thematic analysis, we explored experiences of the youth aged 18-34 (n=36), youth workers (n=26) and administrators of youth programs (n=22) on existing youth development programs and their alignment to the positive youth development principles. Six key findings from the study sufficed as follows: (1) …

Shall We Invent The Saints We Need? Pope Francis, The Politics Of Canonization, And Vincentian Saints, Matthieu Brejon De Lavergnée

Vincentian Studies

As the Church reforms and includes more laypeople in its power structure, a similar movement for inclusion should be made among the people who are considered for sainthood. In the past, most saints have been European men who led consecrated lives or who were martyred. This reflected the Church’s previous priorities, ideals, and demographics. But clericalism does not guarantee holiness, as recent sexual abuse revelations have shown, and martyrdom is an uncommon experience. Pope Francis and others have recognized that laypeople can lead extremely holy lives on both a small and large scale. Even the fulfillment of ordinary duties of …

The New Professional: A Guide To Finding A Mentor As A New Dentist, Amrita Patel D.D.S.

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Dr. Patel provides guidance for new dentists on finding and maintaining effective mentoring relationships. She emphasizes that mentors can offer valuable guidance during the transition from dental school to clinical practice. The article explains that mentors need not be exclusively dentists and can be found through various channels, including professional associations, dental societies, alumni networks, and social media platforms. It outlines strategies for identifying potential mentors by observing their clinical skills, professionalism, and leadership styles. The piece concludes with practical advice for maintaining productive mentoring relationships, including setting clear expectations, preparing for meetings, and maintaining consistent communication. The article emphasizes …

Ultrasound Denoising And Speckle Reduction Using Artificial Neural Networks, Mark Atttaalla

Master's Theses

This paper focuses on improving speckle reduction and denoising performance in ultrasound images by leveraging neural networks. A dataset of simulated ultrasound images was created using Field-II simulation software based on CT scan images, to create clean and noisy image pairs. Various Convolutional Neural Network models based on U-Net and generative adversarial networks were developed and tested. Peak Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (PSNR) and Structural Similarity Index Measurement (SSIM) were used as metrics along with qualitative assessment. Results show that our tuned U-Net generator network outperformed traditional filtering such as Lee and BM3D.

Communication In War: How Harper's Weekly Reported On Andersonville From 1864 To 1865, Pamela Budinger

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The unifying theme of this thesis is human communication in war, specifically the American Civil War. History can be seen as studies of past communications and the actions that preceded and followed such communications. Scholars of the Civil War era are limited with regard to their source material compared to scholars that might be studying the twentieth century, or today. Today’s historians can tap a plethora of media that hold traces of human communication: videotape, television, tape recordings, letters, and other forms of written communication. Not all of these are available to scholars studying the Civil War. This thesis adopts …

The Effects Of Covid-19 Lockdowns On Cybersecurity, Natalie Sanders

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns forced many Americans to quickly adapt to working from home, many of which had never done so in the past. In addition, organizations were forced to modify security policies and protocols to allow for remote access to sensitive information. The rapid change in security policies as well as the sudden growth of remote access during the pandemic presented a broader landscape for cyber criminals to attack. In this report, we review the number and type of cyberattacks reported from two (2) years before the pandemic through two (2) years after (1998 through 2023), to …

The Practical Adoption And Application Of Blockchain Technology Within The Beverage Industry, Alexander Adams Jr

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Abstract

The beverage industry is facing heightened scrutiny as the demand for transparency and accountability reaches new heights. In the age of information technology, companies must prioritize enhanced traceability to ensure product safety, comply with government regulations, maintain customer trust, and protect brand integrity. This thesis explores the potential of blockchain technology as a solution to these challenges, focusing on its ability to decentralize data, improve traceability, and expedite response times during safety recalls. The research provides an overview of the evolution of food safety regulations, beginning with the first establishment by Upland Sinclair, and examines current traceability practices and …

Administrative Law, Noah P. Sullivan

University of Richmond Law Review

This article marks the first Administrative Law update in the Annual Survey of Virginia Law since 2014. Looking back over the past ten years, Virginia administrative law has remained remarkably stable in comparison to federal administrative law. Debate about a “major questions doctrine” has largely been absent in a state where the General Assembly is active and remains the dominant policy-making body in Virginia government. Debate about Chevron is nonexistent here because agencies have never received deference for their reasonable interpretations of ambiguous Virginia statutes. Still, there has been change, and this article will highlight the most significant developments in …

Creating A Space For Relaxation And Wellbeing At The University Of South Alabama, Mary Wolf

Honors Theses

A program to provide supplementary support for the mental health and wellness of students at a midsize Southern University by providing a centrally located “relaxation space” for students on campus during the last two weeks of the semester is proposed and tested. A central location was found on campus to host the space. The researcher also developed an online survey for students to review the space. The trial was run for two weeks, and participants were able to access the online survey throughout those weeks. The results of the survey were analyzed to better understand the students’ responses to the …

16(5) Special Issue 2024, Rosalind Raby

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

The JCIHE 16(5) 2024 Special Issue Conceptualizing Micro-Level Narratives in Thematic Constructs of Internationalization with Special Guest editors: Fakunle Omolabake & Fiona Hunter. The articles in this issue examine the micro-level dimension in the internationalization of higher education (IHE), that is situated at the individual level. While of importance, the micro level of IHE has been under-studied.

Global South Sisterhood In A Virtual Exchange: A Critical Autoethnography, Bhavika Sicka, Arzu Atajanova

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Troubling Paradise: Exploring The Experiences Of National Student Exchange Participants To The University Of HawaiʻI At Mānoa, Allison Yap

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

No abstract provided.

Investigating Challenges Of Converting Cad Models To Game Ready Assets, Vathsa Pawar

All Theses

This thesis explores the challenges associated with converting detailed CAD models into game-ready assets optimized for use in virtual reality (VR) environments using game engines, focusing on enhancing using mechanical engineering models. The primary goal is to establish a toolchain that allows the integration of CAD models into game engines for immersive applications, enabling engineers and stakeholders to interact with 3D models in a synthetic environment. The study employs several test cases ranging from simple door models to complex automotive vehicle prototypes, elaborating the process of exporting CAD models through intermediate formats (such as STEP, STL, GLB) using tools like …