Digital Commons Network^™

Endophytic Fungi Associated With Galls And Host Plants Of Asphondylia Borrichiae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), Shannon Lynn Sharpe

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Asphondylia borrichiae, like other gall-forming gnats, are obligate symbionts to the endophytic fungi (EF) they deposit when laying eggs. Asphondylia spp. and EF are important biocontrol agents, yet details surrounding their diversity, life cycles, and host interactions remain poorly understood. Galls and leaf-stem tissues from two host plants were surveyed to identify and compare EF diversity between the host tissues and species of A. borrichiae. Identification of 114 isolates was carried out by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS 1/4 primers). Pairwise alignments in multiple genetic databases were bolstered by phylogenetic analyses using maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood …

Anomaly Detection Approaches Of Energy Storage Systems Using Kalman Filter And Machine Learning Techniques, Phadungsak Tubuntoeng

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The increasing prevalence of cyber-attacks poses a significant concern, particularly within critical infrastructures like the power system. Such attacks have the potential to cause substantial impacts on essential services, economic stability, and national security. Energy storage systems (ESS) are integral components of the power grid and are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats. These vulnerabilities can be exploited through various means, including two-way communication, web portals, and remote access.

Given the critical nature of ESS, the ability to detect and mitigate malicious cyber-attacks is imperative. Various methods can be employed for cyber-attack detection, including signature-based, anomaly-based, and behavior-based approaches. In this …

Exploring The Perspectives Of Teenage Tutors Who Tutor Elementary Students In A One-To-One Reading Tutoring Program, Talya M. Taylor

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There have been minimal studies on tutoring programs that pair elementary students with teenage tutors (Jacob et al., 2016). Innovative tutoring programs are important as student reading achievement has declined since the onset of COVID-19 and school systems face instructional staff shortages. Through the lens of Self Determination Theory, this study explored how tutor autonomy (Ryan & Deci, 2000) to choose instructional strategies and delivery methods influences student reading progress through one-to-one tutoring.

Centered in a constructivist world view, qualitative research methodology was used to explore the relationship between teenage tutors exercising autonomy when delivering a scripted reading curriculum and …

The Joint Effects Of Cognitive Function And Sedentary Time On Mortality Risk In Older Adults: 2011-2014 Nhanes, Sarah A. Wilson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Examining the joint effects of cognitive function (CF) and sedentary time (ST) may provide insight into the complex mechanisms underlying mortality risk within older adults. This study examines the joint effects of CF and ST on mortality risk in older adults.

Methods: Sample included 2,230 older adults (≥ 60 years of age) participants in the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) subtests, and Animal Fluency (AF) were used to assess CF. Average daily sitting and television time represented ST. Quartiles of CF and …

The Perceptions Of Black Women In Principalships On Navigating And Negotiating The Racial Contexts Of Their Equity-Focused Leadership: A Q Methodology Study, Easter M. Brown

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One consequence of the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) ruling regarding desegregation of American public schools has been the destabilization of Black educators’ legacy of school leadership (Tillman, 2004). The effects of these failures continues to be problematic in US public education. Students of color account for over half of all P-12 enrollments, in contrast to the disproportionate lack of diversity among its teaching and leadership rosters (Frankenberg, et al., 2019; NCES, 2018, 2022). The stagnant rate at which American schools have diversified principal leadership since Brown v. Board (1954) begs the question of how equipped schools are to …

Infusing Universal Design For Learning With Trauma-Informed Educational Practice: What Early Childhood Personnel Think And How They'll Pull It Off, Marlena L. Jenkins

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research recruited ten early childhood personnel within a public elementary school and attempted to gain insight into their beliefs and attitudes directly related to the principles of universal design for learning and the tenets of trauma-informed educational practice. Through this qualitative study, the researcher posited the importance of explicit professional learning and a supportive and openly communicative school environment to support the implementation of a combined trauma-informed universal design for learning (Ti-UDL) framework. Such a model has implications not only impacting personnel and student relationships, but those occurring amongst school-wide personnel of all levels. This research employed multiple phases, …

Laboratory Measurements Of Wave Transmission Through Oyster-Based Low Crested Breakwaters, Michael Andrew Roster

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pervious Oyster Shell Habitats (POSH) are novel living shoreline components that were recently developed and deployed along several shorelines in northeast Florida. POSH units are designed to provide a breakwater using only recycled eastern oyster shell and Portland cement. However, the hydrodynamic performance of these unique structures had never been tested, so it was unclear how they affected wave energy. During this study, a series of laboratory experiments were conducted to compare wave attenuation from POSH units to wave attenuation from geometrically similar and commercially available Reef Balls^TM (specifically, the OysterBreak series of units). Experiments included a range of …

Rose Nourish To Flourish Obesity Prevention Program Targeting Children At Risk For Food Insecurity In Jacksonville, Florida, Jamie Marchio

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Nourish to Flourish study aimed to decrease the prevalence of obesity among food insecure children in Jacksonville, FL. Specifically, the program focused on nutrition education and access to healthy foods. The study consisted of a 4-week nutrition education series emphasizing the major determinants of healthy weight known as 5-2-1-0! This includes expanding knowledge of fruit and vegetable intake to achieve a target intake of five servings a day, screen time reduction to no more than two hours a day, achieving a physical activity goal of one hour a day outside of school hours, and limiting sugar sweetened beverage consumption …

Can A Phycosphere Associated Bacterium Be Used As A Biological Control For Floating Algal Mats?, Aubrey C. Patterson Holsworth

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Freshwater harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a global water quality issue. Algae, especially cyanobacteria, are integrally associated with complex microbial assemblages, which cycle nutrients, provide microenvironments, breakdown potentially harmful molecules, etc. However, these same microbial consortia are competitors or even inhibitors to algae in these systems. One potential biological control is Rhodospirillum rubrum, a Gram- proteobacterium. To evaluate its capacity for HAB mitigation, experimental mesocosms were inoculated with a native assortment of algae and R. rubrum and grown for 2-months. Relative Fluorescence Units (RFU), Ash Free Dry Mass, and eukaryotic (23S rDNA) metabarcoding were conducted to estimate algal …

High-Quality Dietary Protein (Essential Amino Acids Matched To Reproductive Needs) Partially Breaks The Lifespan And Reproduction Trade-Off In Lubber Grasshoppers, Emma Kordek

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Finding interventions to break the trade-off between reproduction and lifespan can provide insight into physiological limitations of animals. Effects of dietary protein quality on the trade-off are currently unclear, but clarity could lead to better designed diets that match animal needs. Dietary amino acid blends matching yolk proteins support reproduction and extend lifespan in fruit flies. To test if this is conserved across species, we matched dietary amino acids to vitellogenin to test reproduction and lifespan in adult females of the lubber grasshopper. Specifically, we compared varying degrees of protein quality by manipulating dietary essential amino acids. We identified a …

The Impact Of Online Course Enrollment Of First-Year Student Engagement And Campus Life, Ruth Y. Lopez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study is to examine the impact online classes have on first-year student engagement and campus life at the University of North Florida. By using Alexander Astin’s theory of student involvement, this study examines the pattern of student engagement over time for first-year students enrolled in four quartiles of online classes. The study will focus on the level of engagement around (1) the utilization of five selected on-campus facilities and (2) student participation in six selected on-campus signature events and activities. The study also explores the meaningful ways these four student groups enrolled in online classes …

Implementation Of Algorithms For Sorting By Strip Swaps Using Alternating Cycle Graphs, Harsh S. Bhakharia

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Challenges in computational biology, such as genome rearrangement, and applications in optical character recognition, like zoning techniques, often require solving optimization problems. These involve reordering scrambled sequences of numbers into a sequential arrangement known as the identity permutation.

Rearranging any given permutation into the identity permutation with the minimum number of specific operations related to strips gives rise to various combinatorial optimization scenarios. Operations such as strip moves, transpositions, reversals, and block interchanges have been extensively researched.

This thesis builds on the foundational work of Roy et al., targeting the refinement of their cycle graph algorithm for sorting by strip …

Exploring The Welfare Of A Captive Population Of Cownose Rays (Rhinoptera Bonasus) Through Social And Resource Interactions, Kendal N. Rogers

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Zoos and aquariums utilize research-based management to ensure animals remain in a positive welfare standing. While vital, this research is taxa-biased towards mammals, with few studies observing other species that are frequently observed in captivity, such as elasmobranchs, or sharks and rays. Often maintained in exhibits that allow direct guest interaction, or touch pools, elasmobranchs have been shown to respond to these exposures through behavior changes in activity and social interactions. While this may indicate a potential for compromised welfare, the literature is conflicting and sparse, leaving uncertainty in the overall welfare condition of animals maintained in this popular exhibit …

Spatial Equity In Accessing Critical Facilities During Hurricanes, Pooya Komeilian

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida encounters multiple natural disasters every year, making evacuation a critical mitigation plan when severe impacts are predicted. Evacuation is a complex procedure that involves everything from household decision-making to large-scale traffic network analysis. It also addresses logistical issues, such as transporting impacted people to shelters or medical centers. Access to shelters, gas stations, and lodgings is of utmost importance, as numerous studies and surveys have shown that some people prefer not to evacuate, even if they perceive the disaster risk to be very high.

Based on this, the present study follows two phases to address gaps in evacuation studies. …

Integrating Therapy Into Play: Stand-On Ride-On For A Child With Cerebral Palsy, Kira Flanagan

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study focuses on the development of an adaptive ride-on toy specifically designed for a 2.5-year-old child with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. As a feasibility study, the primary objective of this innovative device is to enhance motor function, foster autonomy, and improve the overall quality of life for the child. The Power Mobility Device (PMD) integrates actuation and steering modifications, and a harness mechanism tailored to meet the child's unique needs. Comprehensive assessments of the child's spatiotemporal gait characteristics were conducted before and after a three-month usage period. The results reveal significant improvements in the child's ability to control dynamic …

Social Media News Consumption By College Students Using The Elaboration Likelihood Model, Colin Horning

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Social media usage has become a cornerstone of the everyday lives of Americans. From the years 2012 through 2021, the percentage of U.S. adults who say they use the social media platforms of YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, X/Twitter and Snapchat have grown exponentially, according to data from the Pew Research Center (Auxier & Anderson, 2021). Primarily among young people (those age 18-29) social media growth share has been the most prevalent, with this age range being mostly made up of Millennials and Generation Z (or Gen Z). The same Pew Research study found stark differences in the social media …

Haunting Euramerican Memories: Rhetorical Haunting And The Diffuse Memory Of The Dakota 38+2, Noel Keil

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

How Pizza And Stickers Drove My Kids To Read And Kept Them Reading, Tiya Montaño

Graduate Research Papers

Walk into any English/Language Arts (ELA) classroom across the country and you will find books on bookshelves, students on computers or cellphones, and a teacher struggling to garner the attention of their students long enough to make it through the short story, poem, or novel they are reading. This has become an all too familiar image that ELA teachers struggle with. Why won’t the students engage? Are the readings too difficult? Are the readings too boring? Am I teaching them all wrong? All these questions and more fly through our brains as they work towards trying to get the students …

Emma Andersen, Violin, Emma Andersen

Graduate Research Papers

Emma Andersen is a dedicated performer and teacher who has performed across the Midwest as a soloist with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and Willmar Area Symphonic Orchestra and as sectional violinist with orchestras across Minnesota, Iowa, and Indiana. She is currently studying to receive her Master of Music: Performance at the University of Northern Iowa with Dr. Nash Ryder and previously with Dr. Steve Koh. In her undergraduate at Ball State University, studying with Professor Anna Vayman, she was Concertmaster of the Fall opera for two years, won honorable mention in the Undergraduate Concerto Competition, and was an active chamber …

Experiences Of Women High School Band Directors In Iowa, Karina Kelso

Graduate Research Papers

Women high school band directors in the state of Iowa may experience teaching in secondary band programs differently than men high school band directors. Previous research has shown that women have faced many challenges in music education, particularly in teaching high school band. Four women band directors from different school class sizes and currently teaching in Iowa were interviewed about their teaching experiences to collect data using a qualitative case study design. My findings support the literature reviewed in suggesting that women band directors in secondary band programs in Iowa may be treated differently than men band directors by experiencing …

Fostering Multiliteracies And Engagement With Multimodal Texts In The Secondary English Language Arts Classroom, Amanda J. Hargis

Graduate Research Papers

This study underscores the potential of multimodal texts to enhance student engagement and understanding in high school English Language Arts classrooms. While student preferences for different text formats varied, challenges remain in how to connect classic literature to contemporary students. However, the integration of multimodal resources can offer valuable opportunities for enriching the learning experience. Future research and continued adoption of culturally sustaining pedagogies in instructional practices will be key to maximizing the benefits of multimodal texts in diverse educational settings.

Caleb Self, Composition In A Graduate Student Recital, Caleb Self

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Student Discussion Groups On Music Preference, Abby Steffen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of three different listening conditions on how students rate their preference of musical genre. The preferences of the students could then be analyzed and incorporated into daily teaching. The participants were fifth-grade students of the researcher. Students (N = 44) were divided into three groups: Listening Only, Small Group Discussion and Teacher Info. Students in the Listening Only group listened to a playlist of music representing ten genres and rated each genre on a scale from 1(I don’t like it) to 5 (I like it a lot). Students in the …

Joley Seitz, Soprano In A Graduate Recital, Joley Seitz

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Front Matter - Table Of Contents - Preface

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Environmental Information Avoidance Motives On A U.S. Campus, Mary Beth Deline, Laura N. Rickard, Jared V. Worwood, Pei Geng, Elisabeth Reed

Iowa Journal of Communication

Although communication, broadly, is often identified as a key factor across campus sustainability initiatives, few studies have examined specific information behaviors that can affect reception of such efforts. We therefore seek to characterize motives for a key communication barrier to campus sustainability efforts: environmental information avoidance (IA), and to investigate whether these motives differ in relation to known or unknown information. This exploratory study thematically analyzed answers from an open-ended question on a questionnaire with faculty, staff and students on a U.S. university campus. We identified six environmental IA motives, ranging from information overload to efficacy constraints. Correlational analysis found …

An Unconventional Etiquette: Emily Post And Etiquette In Society, In Business, In Politics, And At Home., Jillian Klean Zwilling

Iowa Journal of Communication

In 1922, Emily Post published, Etiquette in Society, In Business, In Politics and at Home, which became a national bestseller. While other etiquette manuals had been written up to that point, none has been so successful and enduring in the American consciousness as Post’s. In this article, I explore the rhetorical strategies Post employed in creating a text that follows the conventions of an etiquette manual but breaks the convention of exclusivity generally associated with etiquette texts. I argue Post was successful because of her uniquely American approach to etiquette. The success of Post’s text can be attributed to her …

Book Review: From Thought To Action: Developing A Social Justice Orientation, Joy L. Daggs

Iowa Journal of Communication

In the second edition of From Thought to Action: Developing a Social Justice Orientation, Sanford helps to provide a framework for students’ first exposure to allyship and activism. In the preface of the book, Sanford (2024) articulates the three major purposes of the book, which include helping new allies, “a) focus on common humanity, b) feel less isolated on their social justice journey, c) figure out how to move from thought to action, either individually or collectively.” (p. xiv) The book could be used to supplement a course on Intercultural Communication, encouraging students to take their knowledge to collaborate with …

Genetic Risk For Alzheimer’S Disease Alters Perceived Executive Dysfunction In Cognitively Healthy Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Sarah A. Evans, Elizabeth R. Paitel, Riya Bhasin, Kristy A. Nielson

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background:

Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) may be an early indicator of future cognitive decline. However, findings comparing SCC and objective cognitive performance have varied, particularly in the memory domain. Even less well established is the relationship between subjective and objective complaints in non-amnestic domains, such as in executive functioning, despite evidence indicating very early changes in these domains. Moreover, particularly early changes in both amnestic and non-amnestic domains are apparent in those carrying the Apolipoprotein-E ɛ4 allele, a primary genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Objective:

This study investigated the role of the ɛ4 allele in the consistency between subjective …

Intrusive Traumatic Re-Experiencing Domain: Functional Connectivity Feature Classification By The Enigma Ptsd Consortium, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Amit Lazarov, Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Xi Zhu, Yoojean Kim, Jacklynn M. Fitzgerald

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Intrusive traumatic re-experiencing domain (ITRED) was recently introduced as a novel perspective on posttraumatic psychopathology, proposing to focus research of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the unique symptoms of intrusive and involuntary re-experiencing of the trauma, namely, intrusive memories, nightmares, and flashbacks. The aim of the present study was to explore ITRED from a neural network connectivity connectivity perspective.

Methods

Data were collected from 9 sites taking part in the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta Analysis) PTSD Consortium (n = 584) and included itemized PTSD symptom scores and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) data. We assessed the …