Digital Commons Network^™

Local Lung Delivery Of Ginkgetin For Therapeutic Intervention In Lung Fibrosis, Cimone L. Richardson

Theses and Dissertations

Lung fibrosis (LF) is a progressive, irreversible pathological condition in the lungs that is ultimately fatal. Current drug treatments (nintedanib, pirfenidone, and nerandomilast) slow disease progression but cause significant systemic adverse effects due to oral administration. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), a mechanosensitive ion channel, may play a role in LF progression and represent a novel anti-LF target. Ginkgetin (GKT), a natural biflavonoid, is a potent TRPV4 inhibitor with anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Local lung delivery could achieve high local lung concentrations while minimizing systemic exposure. Accordingly, this project evaluates GKT's therapeutic intervention efficacy in LF via local lung …

Ontological Runtime Monitoring For Mission Engineering, Alexander R. Will

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) concept will bring low-altitude aviation to civilians through passenger and cargo transport. However, the prospective vehicles in UAM studies are predominantly autonomous, raising questions about their efficacy and stability in densely populated urban areas. At the same time, extensive work has been performed to define a new branch of systems engineering that focuses on runtime behavior, synchronization, communication, and task allocation.This field is known as "mission engineering". Mission engineering has been deployed in military scenarios to model human-autonomy cooperation. By applying the concepts from this field to UAM, full systems-of-systems can be …

Examining Bidirectional Associations Between Mothers’ Beliefs About Emotions And Child Social-Emotional Outcomes, Sydney Sumrall

Theses and Dissertations

Social-emotional (SE) skills encompass the ability to recognize and regulate emotions, manage behavior to act on goals, and maintain social relationships (Abrahams et al., 2019). Parents play a crucial role in child SE skill development. According to theories of emotion socialization (ES), the beliefs parents hold about emotions shape parents’ ES behaviors, including teaching children how to understand and express feelings (Eisenberg et al., 1998; Gottman, 1996). Because emotion socialization practices are influenced by cultural values (Raval & Walker, 2019), the parent beliefs and ES strategies that best support children’s SE skill development may vary across families’ racial backgrounds. Although …

Real-Life Health Applications Of Wireless Sensing Using Edge Devices, Md Touhiduzzaman

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless sensing has emerged as a transformative paradigm that leverages ubiquitous radio-frequency signals for environmental perception and human activity recognition beyond their primary role in data communication. Unlike wearable sensors and camera-based systems, wireless sensing offers a non-intrusive, privacy-preserving, and cost-effective alternative that operates seamlessly under low-lighting conditions, through walls, and in non-line-of-sight (NLoS) scenarios. The growing availability of edge computing devices further enables real-time on-device data processing, making wireless sensing solutions highly suitable for in-home health monitoring and smart living applications. This dissertation investigates real-life health applications of wireless sensing through four completed systems, each addressing a distinct challenge …

Characterizing The Unique Chemical Imprint Of On-Axis, Lower-Temperature Hydrothermal Flow To The Deep Ocean (Southern East Pacific Rise, 16.5°-18.0°S), Laura E. Moore, Randelle M. Bundy, Joseph A. Resing, Scott White, Tamara Baumberger, Peter N. Sedwick, Nathaniel J. Buck, Anson M. Antriasian, Isaac Keohane, Bettina M. Sohst, Sharon L. Walker, Christopher R. German

OES Faculty Publications

In addition to high-temperature vents, lower-temperature flow (LTF) (< 300°C) is abundant along mid-ocean ridges and contributes globally-important fluxes of heat and water along with largely-unconstrained geochemical influences on the ocean. We examined the impact of on-axis LTF on the chemical composition of the overlying water column (< 40 m above seafloor) along the 16.5°-18.0°S sector of the ultrafast-spreading southern East Pacific Rise using autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry surveys and conductivity-temperature-depth rosette casts. LTF sites were typically spatially isolated from high-temperature systems and imparted unique chemical signatures to the overlying ocean. Water column samples impacted by LTF exhibited low particulate iron:sulfur ratios and high methane: total-dissolvable manganese ratios, whereas samples influenced by high-temperature venting exhibited opposite trends. We confirmed that LTF imparts a distinct and measurable chemical signature to the water column, independent from high-temperature vents. Isolated, on-axis LTF will be important to consider when assessing hydrothermal circulation impacts upon ocean biogeochemistry.

Recirculated Submarine Groundwater Discharge Dominates Nutrient Inputs And Enhances Eutrophication Risk In A Coastal Lagoon, Júlia Rodriguez-Puig, Clara Ruiz-González, Marc Diego-Feliu, Irene Alorda-Montiel, Aaron Alorda-Kleinglass, Daniel Romano-Gude, Andrea G. Bravo, Júlia Dordal-Soriano, Javier Gilabert, Sophia Bergeler, Celine Lavergne, Gemma Casas, Marisol Manzano, Jordi Garcia-Orellana, Valentí Rodellas

OES Faculty Publications

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is a widely recognized pathway for nutrient transport to coastal systems. Prior studies overlook the unique biogeochemical signatures of different SGD pathways, neglecting their differences in biogeochemical transformations and spatiotemporal factors. Here, we present an integrated assessment of nutrient delivery through three SGD pathways (fresh SGD, long‐scale recirculated SGD, and short‐scale porewater exchange), alongside surface water inputs, to evaluate their seasonality and impact on nutrient dynamics in a coastal lagoon. We conducted five field surveys in March, July, and November 2021, July 2024, and March 2025 in the Mar Menor lagoon, an ecosystem facing severe ecological …

Aquatic Macrophytes As Nature-Based Solutions: Challenges And Opportunities Across Inland And Coastal Waters, Morgan Botrel, Roxane Maranger, Lindsay L. Trottier, Mathieu Cusson, Lars L. Iverson, Fanny Noisette, Christian Nozais, Katrine Turgeon, Andrea Bertolo, Thibaud André-Alphonse, Simon Bélanger, Arthur De Grandpré, Jean-Olivier Goyette, Sabine Hilt, Ladd Johnson, Valérie Langlois, Martin Laporte, Félix Lauzon, Brigitte Légaré, Anne Ola, Marie-Pomme Presne-Poissant, Matthieu Prugne, Caroline Susini, Richard Zimmerman

OES Faculty Publications

Macrophytes are foundation species whose use as nature-based solution (NbS) in aquatic ecosystems can help reduce climate change impacts while mitigating biodiversity loss. The discrepancy in research and application of macrophytes as NbS across inland and marine coastal ecosystems is an opportunity to expand the concept and learn from different approaches. We report on an initiative uniting marine and freshwater scientists that compared knowledge on macrophytes as NbS across realms, identified advances and gaps in their use, and synthesized challenges and opportunities for application. We conducted a bibliometric analysis and an expert participatory exercise around recent review papers. We reveal …

The Effects Of A Microplate On Plume-Ridge Interactions: Constraints From Comparing Easter And Juan Fernandez Microplates In The Eastern Pacific Ocean, Katherine Ames, Jennifer Georgen

OES Faculty Publications

This study investigates the nature of plume-ridge interactions near a tectonic microplate using mantle Bouguer anomaly (MBA) gravity calculations. The focus of this investigation is a comparison of the Easter and Juan Fernandez microplates, which are located in the eastern Pacific Ocean along the Pacific, Nazca, and Antarctic plate boundaries. The microplates have several similar characteristics, including general size, time of formation, and clockwise rotation within the larger bounding mid-ocean ridge systems. Unlike the Juan Fernandez microplate, however, the Easter microplate is located near a mantle plume (Easter/Salas y Gomez). Previously published geochemical data suggest that material from this plume …

Efficient Preservation Of Old Methane-Derived Organic Carbon In Deep-Sea Surface Sediments, Rui Bao, Yangli Che, Mingzhi Liu, Naiyu Zhang, Yang Zhou, Lihua Dong, Shen Li, Owen A. Sherwood, Min Yu, Zongheng Chen, Shengxiong Yang, Nan Wang, Longhai Zhu, Jiawang Chen, Mutai Bao, Haoshuai Li, Luonan Chen, Weifeng Wu, Haiyue Ma, David J. Burdige

OES Faculty Publications

Methane released from the subseafloor is significantly attenuated during upward migration, yet the preservation of methane-derived organic carbon (OC) in global deep-sea sediments remains poorly understood. Here, we measured carbon isotopes coupled with temperature-ramped analyses on various methane seepage sediments. Our results reveal a correlation between the radiocarbon (¹⁴)C) content in deep-sea surface sediments and sulfate-methane transition depth. Notably, our findings suggest that a substantial amount of (¹⁴)C-depleted OC may originate from deep-seated methane and is efficiently preserved in surface seepage sediments. We propose that the efficient OC preservation is related to microbial-mediated aggregate formation at the seawater-sediment interface, where …

Revisiting The Life Cycle Of Margalefidinium Polykrikoides Group Iii, Eduardo Pérez-Vega, Kenneth N. Mertens, Pjotr Meyvisch, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

Dinoflagellates produce cysts as a strategy to withstand environmental stressors, with nutrient depletion generally considered a key trigger for cyst production. Resting cysts are thick-walled, typically composed of one to several layers, and characterized by a prolonged dormancy period. In contrast, pellicle cysts possess a thin, single wall and exhibit no dormancy or a markedly shorter dormancy than resting cysts of the same species. Margalefidinium polykrikoides produces pellicle and resting cysts, whereas its congener, M. fulvescens, has been shown to produce pumpkin-like structures. Using phase-contrast microscopy, time-lapse microscopy, FlowCam, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (ATR μ-FTIR), …

Effect Of Density Irregularities On Radio Frequency Wave Propagation In Ionospheric Plasmas, Eun-Hwa Kim, Jay Johnson, Syun'ichi Shiraiwa, Nicola Bertelli, Masayuki Ono, Simon Wing

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

First-Year Academic Success Strategies For Student Veterans, Vincent Ciarla

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the perceptions and experiences of student veterans regarding academic success strategies during their first year of college. The study was guided by three research questions examining perceived difficulties, needed support systems, and overall transition experiences. Five student veterans who had successfully completed their first year at a community college participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using multi-cycle coding procedures, including open coding, pattern coding, and cross-case analysis, resulting in the identification of recurring themes.

Findings indicated that participants experienced initial confusion related to institutional processes, challenges navigating educational benefits, and difficulty adjusting to differences …

From Bias To Bottleneck: A Quantitative Analysis Of Gender Preferences In Tech Hiring, Uma Chidambaram

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined whether gender preferences influence hiring decisions in the information technology (IT) sector, and whether such preferences contribute to the ongoing labor shortage in the field. Despite national and international initiatives to close the gender gap, women continue to represent only 28% of the United States IT workforce and remain significantly underrepresented in technical and leadership roles. Grounded in the Eagly and Karau (2002) Role Congruity Theory of Prejudice, this study investigated whether evaluator gender and candidate gender alignment affect interview selection outcomes at the résumé screening stage for both leadership and non-leadership IT positions.

A quantitative, …

Impact Of Job Demands On Performance, Satisfaction, And Environment, Michelle Chin Loy

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the relationships between job resources, job demands, work engagement, perceived stress, and job satisfaction among university employees. The target participants for the study were employees at an academic institution in the South Florida area. The researcher e-mailed two surveys to the employees, and a response rate of 20% was achieved. One survey was conducted to assess the psychosocial work environment factors, and the impact on the employees’ well-being. The sub-scales used were Job Resources, Job Demands, Well-being outcomes, and Stress. The other survey measured the work engagement, the employees’ well-being, and how they experience enthusiasm, commitment, …

Efectos Del Uso De La Tecnología En El Aprovechamiento Académico Y El Desarrollo De Habilidades Lingüísticas Y Escritas En Estudiantes De Tercero A Quinto Grado De Una Escuela Privada Del Área Este De Puerto Rico, Sonia I. Estrada Guzmán

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de este estudio fue analizar los efectos del uso de la tecnología en el aprovechamiento académico y el desarrollo de habilidades lingüísticas y escritas de los estudiantes de tercero a quinto grado en una escuela privada del área este de Puerto Rico. La investigación buscó identificar cómo las herramientas tecnológicas influyeron en la comprensión lectora, el dominio de las reglas gramaticales, el conocimiento de las normas ortográficas y la capacidad de redacción escrita. El marco teórico utilizado fue la Teoría del Aprendizaje Móvil de Traxler. El diseño del estudio fue cuantitativo con un enfoque cuasiexperimental y el instrumento …

Increasing Reading Comprehension Of Middle School Students With Hearing Disabilities, Abbis Bivins

Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the effectiveness of researcher-created training sessions for teachers designed to improve reading comprehension in class for students who are deaf or hard of hearing was examined. The training was focused on key instructional components, including morphology, syntax, vocabulary, phonology, explicit feedback, and activation of prior knowledge. Additionally, parent-focused strategies such as collaboration with professionals, reading routines, summarization, interactive reading, and the use of home language were taught. A qualitative research design was used to explore the perceptions for both teacher and parent groups following participation in six 1-hour training sessions.

Teachers’ findings indicated increased confidence, intentional instructional …

Usage Behavior Of Hispanic English Learners With Bilingual Homework Resources In Developmental Mathematics At Community College, Debra Krieg

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation, grounded in the theoretical framework of metalinguistic awareness, was designed to understand how six Hispanic English learners (ELs) were utilizing homework help resources when offered in both English and Spanish. Specifically, the study was conducted at a mid-Atlantic community college with students enrolled in a developmental mathematics course. Homework has long been established as a tool that increases the probability of academic success. The shift to web-based assignments in developmental mathematics from traditional pencil and paper homework has yielded positive results yet little is known regarding how learners utilize bilingual digital assessment tools to achieve mastery of …

Percepción De Los Líderes De Organizaciones Sin Fines De Lucro De Puerto Rico Sobre La Utilidad De Las Herramientas De La Programación Neurolingüística, Ana Milagros García Del Valle

Theses and Dissertations

El propósito de este estudio fue explorar el grado de aceptación de la Programación Neurolingüística (PNL) como intervención para que los líderes puedan conocer el aprendizaje y desarrollen estrategias de comunicación. El marco teórico utilizado fue la Teoría de Niveles de Dilts (1989) y el Modelo de Cambio de Kotter (1996).

El diseño del estudio fue cuantitativo con enfoque cuantitativo-correlacional y el instrumento consistió en un cuestionario. En la primera pregunta los resultados demostraron un conocimiento moderado sobre los temas relacionados con la Programación Neurolingüística incluidos en el cuestionario. En la segunda pregunta los resultados reflejaron una percepción favorable hacia …

The Effectiveness Of Behavioral Skills Training In Enhancing Teachers’ Ability To Write Specific, Measurable, And Individualized Iep Goals Targeting Quality-Of-Life Skills, Emilia Endean

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation sought to assess the effectiveness of a behavior skills training (BST) protocol in improving teacher behaviors for writing high-quality individualized education plan (IEP) goals that target quality-of-life (QoL) domains. High-quality IEP goals that target both academic and functional repertoires are required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (2004) and are essential for students with disabilities to achieve meaningful outcomes. BST is an effective intervention for teaching a variety of skills. No prior research has explicitly examined the application of BST for teacher professional development in writing IEP goals.

This single-subject study used a time-lagged multiple probe …

Incidencia De La Familia Para Mejorar El Aprovechamiento Académico De Estudiantes Con Autismo De Salón A Tiempo Completo De La Región Educativa De Mayagüez, Delmaliz Castro Torres

Theses and Dissertations

El estudio analizó la incidencia de la familia en el mejoramiento del aprovechamiento académico de estos estudiantes identificando estrategias y orientaciones que fortalecen su rol como ente de apoyo educativo. Las preguntas de investigación fueron: ¿Qué conocimiento sobre herramientas educativas tienen los padres, madres o tutores para ser un ente de apoyo educativo del estudiante con autismo de salón a tiempo completo?, ¿Cuáles estrategias utilizan los padres, madres o tutores para dar apoyo educativo a sus hijos con autismo?, ¿Cuál es la relación entre la familia y el docente que pueda potenciar el apoyo de los padres para apoyar a …

General And Special Education Teachers’ Collaboration And Co-Teaching Experience In Inclusive High School Classrooms, Pascale Atouriste

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative descriptive study explored the collaboration and co-teaching experiences of general and special education high school teachers in inclusive high school classrooms in Florida. Guided by Pratt's achieving symbiosis theory, the study addressed three re-search questions concerning teachers' perceptions of (a) the benefits of co-teaching and collaboration, (b) the challenges they encounter, and (c) the strategies they find most helpful. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 general and special education teachers at a public high school in Florida and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-step reflexive thematic analysis procedure.

Six themes emerged from the data. For RQ1, …

Does Integrating Parental Involvement In Therapy Improve Behavior In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?, Pamela Lassiter

Theses and Dissertations

The research problem was the lower success rate of interventions for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) because of the exclusion of parents in the counseling process. The purpose of the research was to explore if integrating parent involvement in therapy improved the behaviors in children with ADHD. The study occurred at a private mental health facility that used cognitive behavior therapy and behavior interventions with the children.

The study was guided by the phenomenological qualitative research design. Ten single parents of male children, ages 4 to 10 with ADHD, participated in this study. Parents were selected using a …

Fairness: Examining Support And Resources Available To Respondents In Title Ix Cases, Emanuel Jerome Oliver

Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study explored how higher education institutions develop Title IX procedures to ensure respondents receive fair treatment from the outset of the adjudication process. It also examined how colleges and universities provide resources and support to respondents throughout the Title IX process. The study used semi structured interviews with Title IX Coordinators at various higher education institutions to understand how they have developed practices to support respondents.

Findings revealed that higher education institutions have developed various methods to support respondents in the Title IX process. The goal of the Title IX process is to ensure that respondents receive the …

Human Resources Professionals’ Perceptions About Employment And Retention Of Women With A Substance Abuse History: A Qualitative Study, Mary Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This study was an exploration of human resources professionals’ (HRP) perceptions about employment and retention of women with a substance abuse disorder history. Job embeddedness was used as a critical lens to understand HRPs’ motivations for their actions and to gain insight into their choices.

A generic qualitative methodology was used to understand the complexity of HRPs’ experiences in employing and retaining women with substance use disorder history. The data-collection method consisted of semi structured interviews of 10 HRPs from midsize organizations in the Southeast Florida region.

The results of the thematic analysis revealed 10 themes that addressed the research …

The Influence Of Haitian Immigrants’ Culture On Academic Outcomes At Elementary Level, Tonnette Samuels

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study explored how teachers, parents, and administrators perceived the influence of Haitian cultural values and practices on the organizational culture and academic outcomes of elementary students in a southern United States county. Guided by the resource-based view theory, which frames culture as an intangible organizational asset, the study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to examine the lived experiences of five participants, including three teachers, one parent, and one school administrator. Data were collected through semi structured interviews and analyzed to develop personal experiential themes for each participant and group experiential themes across cases.

The study’s findings generated four group …

The Impact Of Ufli Phonics Instruction On Second-Grade Reading Outcomes As Measured By The Drc Beacon Reading Assessment, Leari Franklin

Theses and Dissertations

There is mixed empirical evidence that infusion of phonics instruction yields consistent gains on standardized reading assessments, particularly beyond Grade 1. This inconsistency in evidence is problematic for instructional leaders who do not have clear guidance on how much phonics is needed to improve the persistent problem of many students not achieving at grade level on standardized reading assessments. The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in academic achievement by comparing two cohorts end-of-year Beacon Early Years assessment results at the target school. Specifically, this study compares one cohort of second-grade students who received explicit phonics instruction …

Crisis In Care: A Qualitative Study To Understand The Factors That Influence High Turnover Among Florida’S Child Welfare Case Managers, Latasha R. Harris

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation explores the factors influencing child welfare case manager turnover in Florida and how child welfare case managers are addressing those factors. National data has underscored the severity of this issue highlighting high turnover and low staff retention are attributed to work demand instability, chronic stressors and undermine the effectiveness of child welfare services.

This qualitative study investigates child welfare case managers’ perspectives on key influencing factors that determine child welfare case manager retention or influence their decision to leave. Guided by Motivation and Resiliency Theories, this qualitative descriptive study investigates child welfare case manager perspectives of why …

Toxic Culture In All-Star Cheerleading: A Qualitative Research Study, Jodie Fairbank

Theses and Dissertations

All-star cheerleading emerged in the late 1980s. It has grown exponentially over the last thirty years. Today, over 250,000 individuals participate in competitive cheer. The nature of this sport pushes elite athletes and has organizations worldwide. It incorporates stunting, dance, tumbling, and performance. In recent years, there have been numerous news stories, documentaries, and court cases that indicate that, behind all the glitter and excitement of the sport, there may be many instances of a toxic culture that is allowing the youth who participate in this sport to be susceptible to environments that may be detrimental to them in many …

Can’T Sue A Movement: Greenpeace’S $667 Million Crisis Narrative, Trevor Hart

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In March of 2025, the environmental group Greenpeace was found liable for nearly $667 million to Energy Transfer, the oil company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The lawsuit was widely regarded as a SLAPP, or Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, because it weaponized civic torts to infringe upon Greenpeace’s First Amendment rights. The $667 million verdict is an unprecedented figure in SLAPP litigation–it’s enough to bankrupt Greenpeace in the United States and “chill” democratic participation. This thesis used a hybrid blame-renewal crisis narrative framework to analyze Greenpeace’s public response to lawsuits against a backdrop of cultural and political economic …

How Do Students Come Across Occupational Therapy And What Makes Them Want To Study Occupational Therapy? Implications For Recruitment, Mette Eg Bruun, Mette Krohn, Sofie Balle Riis, Lene Tanggaard, Tina Helle

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Recruitment challenges in occupational therapy education vary globally. To address workforce needs, it is necessary to examine the factors influencing students’ decisions to pursue occupational therapy. This study investigated how students discovered occupational therapy, what they found appealing about the profession, the influence of study location, and demographic differences between students enrolled in an urban university city and a rural district. Three focus group interviews with 15 occupational therapy students were conducted, supplemented by descriptive statistics comparing student characteristics across urban and rural programs. Qualitative analysis identified five categories: (1) discovering occupational therapy by chance, (2) the power of occupational …