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Machine Learning-Based Decision Support Models With Applications In Postsecondary Education, Marco Paolo Anglesio

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates the deployment of machine learning methodologies in an industrial engineering framework for the development of advanced decision support systems in the context of enrollment management. Drawing on techniques from educational data mining, the research addresses three key phases in the lifecycle of traditional and non-traditional students. First, it analyzes student retention using predictive classification models designed to identify individuals at elevated risk of attrition. Second, it employs temporal convolutional networks for time series forecasting, estimating aggregate enrollment levels over highly variable, finite planning horizons on the basis of partially observed data and using an asymmetric loss function. …

A Retrospective Cohort Study Of Uterine Cancer Epidemiological Analysis And Age-Based Disparities In Saudi Arabian Population Across 32 Years, Sallwa M. Alshehre, Mohammad A. Althubiti

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To investigate the burden of uterine tumour in Saudi Arabia during the past 32 years (1990–2021), with an emphasize on the prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Knowing these patterns strengthen the national aims of cancer control under Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) Vision 2030. Methods: A retrospective study was performed using data retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) database. The work included population from Saudi Arabia between 1990 and 2021 and tested standardization age-specific metrics, involving uterine tumour incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYs. Results: Uterine tumour cases raised from 507 in 1990 to 6,366 …

From Evidence To Practice: Improving Diabetic Patient Outcomes By Increasing Statin Utilization, Elizabeth Mcfalls

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in patients with diabetes is essential, as heart disease remains the leading cause of death within this population (American Diabetes Association, n.d.). The purpose of this evidence-based project is to improve patient outcomes by enhancing adherence to statin therapy. A thorough literature review yielded 246 pieces of moderate-to-high-quality evidence; of these, eight articles were appraised in detail and selected for project inclusion. The strongest evidence identified four meaningful interventions. Thus, a multimodal approach was indicated for this project. This included addressing barriers to therapy, creating practice nudges, implementing a shared decision-making (SDM) tool, and utilizing clinical …

Using Children’S Books To Promote Recovery And Resilience In Students With Trauma, Tyler Anderson

Graduate Teacher Education

This Capstone Paper investigated how trauma affected learning in the classroom and how narrative-based interventions to support students facing adversity. The two dovetailed to show how children’s literature could be used as a tool for supporting students facing adversity. A comprehensive review of the existing literature was conducted that sought to answer the question: What are the potential impacts of trauma on learning, and how can children's literature that explores trauma be used to foster resilience and recovery in students who have experienced adversity? Research on the impact of trauma on learning and research on children’s literature often existed separately. …

Missional Hospitality: A Contextualization Of God’S Hospitable Mission For New Lisbon Christian Church, Jonathan Willmore

DMin Project Theses

The town of New Lisbon, originally called Jamestown, has been home to Restoration Movement churches. The first congregation began in 1839, not long after the town’s official incorporation and renaming as New Lisbon. It unfortunately died out in the decades that followed, and not much is known about its history. The second is called New Lisbon Christian Church (NLCC) and was planted in 1893.1 The records indicate that NLCC changed Senior Ministers approximately every three years, until the 1970s, when a pastor stayed at New Lisbon for nine years. That minister was the longest tenured until the most recent one …

The Patina Of Care, Jose Alejandro Carpio

Bachelor of Architecture Theses - 5th Year

This thesis aims to address the urgent need for adaptable, socially responsive housing in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The area currently faces a crisis in rapidly aging populations, youth out-migration, housing insecurity, and high rates of domestic violence. These problems are intensified by economic strain, harsh winter conditions, and periods when cultural stigma limits access to safety and community support. As it stands, current housing systems cannot evolve with the rapidly shifting demographics and social needs of the city.

Confront these challenges. The thesis proposes a megastructure-framework grounded in the metabolism movement and the works of Metabolist architects such as Fumihiko Maki, …

A Transgenerational Analysis Of Factors Influencing Fertility Among Jamaican Men, Shanique Deniellia Essuman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Trends In Trauma: Increasing Rates Of Sexual And Domestic Violence Among Female Latin American Asylum Seekers, Alfonso Mercado, Andy U. Torres, Francisco Banda, Amanda Venta, Luz M. Garcini, Alejandro Luis Vázquez, Aldo Barrita, Oswaldo Moreno

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

The last 10 years of scientific research analyzing asylum-seekers’ mental health has established high rates of trauma exposure throughout the migratory trajectory. However, limited studies have identified gender-based violence among Central American asylum-seeking women. The purpose of this study was to identify the frequencies of gendered-base violence among asylum-seeking women from Central and South America at a humanitarian respite center (USA) and a tent encampment (Mexico) on both sides of the United States–Mexico Border using data from three independent studies in 2016, 2019, and 2023, respectively. Visual trend analysis identified a peak in domestic violence in 2019, a stable frequency …

I Lost My Number, Can I Have Yours? Body Image Satisfaction With Sexually Dimorphic Traits Is Associated With Men's Dating Anxiety And Confidence, David A. Frederick, Tania A. Reynolds, Nikoline L. Smart, Justin R. Garcia, David A. Puts

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Evolutionary scientists posit that sexual selection processes caused males to develop sexually dimorphic traits to aid them during intrasexual competition and increase their likelihood of being chosen as mates. Evolutionary social sciences have extensively examined women's preferences for traits such as muscle mass and voice pitch, reasoning that these traits serve as cues of men's ability to provide direct benefits (e.g., resources) and indirect (genetic) benefits passed on to offspring. At the same time, body image researchers have extensively focused on the social causes and consequences of men's dissatisfaction with their muscularity and body fat. We connected these two research …

Changing U.S. Military Force Structure: Rebuilding Confidence In Public Institutions By Bridging The Civil-Military Gap, Corri Zoli, Linda Euto

The Lender Center for Social Justice

This research brief assesses a changing U.S. military force structure in an era of waning trust in public institutions and new security pressures, both domestic and global. While many U.S. public institutions are facing declining trust, one key aspect in the case of the military is lack of understanding between U.S. veterans and nonveterans—often termed the civil-military gap. Understanding this gap is necessary to forge connections across military-connected communities and those without service experience. Bridging this gap is a timely model to restore baseline confidence in many institutions that serve all members of the public.

Gestational Diabetes And Social Determinants Of Health In Black Women, Darianne Greenwood

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) poses significant health risks, specifically increasing the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes post-delivery, as well as increasing the risk of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes. Black women, in particular, experience disproportionately higher rates of GDM incidence, severity, and complications in comparison to White women. Biological factors alone do not account for these disparities, necessitating a deeper examination into how systemic factors, particularly the social environment, influence these inequitable health outcomes. The purpose of this comprehensive literature review is to answer the question: “How do the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH), such as residential segregation, food …

Sympathetic And Parasympathetic Ganglion Blocks For Treatment Of Long Covid-19 Symptoms: A Scoping Review, Abhay Tyagi, Khushboo Singh, Preet Mohinder Singh, Frederic J Gerges

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Long COVID-19 affects approximately 10-30% of individuals who are infected with SARS-CoV-2 and is associated with persistent functional impairment and reduced quality of life. The heterogeneous, multisystemic nature and nonspecific symptomatology of long COVID-19 makes its treatment challenging. This scoping review evaluates existing evidence on sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglion blocks as potential interventions for patients suffering from long COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: Our primary objective was to assess the effectiveness of sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglion blocks in treating patients with long COVID-19 by identifying the most commonly reported symptoms, symptom response to different block regimens, and any adverse effects associated with …

Conservation Wins And Woes: A Meta-Synthesis Of Ecotourism Impacts On Primates And Local Communities, Madison Lanie Mckinniss

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Biodiversity assessments identify 612 extant species of primate, but ~50% of these species are at risk of extinction. Threats include agricultural and industrial production, urban development, and poaching. As concerns have grown regarding impacts on the environment, researchers have proposed ecotourism as a tool for conserving ecosystems while improving human welfare. Although conservation initiatives are pursued at these ecotourist sites, the presence of humans can cause additional influences on non-human primates (NHP). Primatologists have posed questions regarding implications of ecotourism on NHP, but research remains scarce. This study will investigate the practices executed at ecotourist sites where endemic NHPs reside. …

Skills, Challenges, And Career Outcomes: A Quantitative Study Of Early-Career Experiences In Research Administration, Jennifer Juliet Martinez

Theses and Dissertations

Research administration as a field lacks clearly defined entry pathways, with many professionals entering through indirect routes. These conditions contribute to variation in early-career experiences and may influence long-term outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine how entry pathways and skills at entry relate to early-career challenges in research administration, and how those challenges are associated with career dissatisfaction.

This study used a quantitative, cross-sectional design. Data were drawn from the U.S. subset of the Research Administration as a Profession (RAAAP-3) survey. Key variables included entry pathways, skills at entry, early-career challenges, and career dissatisfaction. Findings indicate that …

The Effects Of Excessive Smartphone Use On Interpersonal Relationships, Lisa M. Whitesell

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Smartphones are integral to daily life, generating a propensity for overuse that raises concerns about the potentially adverse effects on social connections and communication. Previous research is primarily quantitative, focused on male subjects outside the United States, and has not explored the impact of smartphone use on relationships from the perspective of close friends and family. This study addresses the gap by applying qualitative methodologies using a more balanced gender sample in the United States. Semi-structured interviews will capture participants’ experiences and perceptions of how excessive smartphone use affects their interpersonal relationships. Open-ended questions will explore smartphone use patterns, the …

Applying The Job–Demands-Resources Model To Uncover Influences On Continuity Outcomes For Caregivers Of Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Nancy J. Potter

Dissertations

Home-based, shared living caregivers provide a vital safety net for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived job demands and job resources that influence continuity-related outcomes among caregivers supporting individuals with IDD within a shared living service model.

Three research questions guided this study:

Q1 How are job demands and caregiver outcomes related?

Q2 Do resources moderate the relationship between caregiver outcomes and job demands?

Q3 Does the moderating effect of resources on the relationship between job demands and caregiver outcomes differ by caregiver relationship type?

The study methodology examined …

Exploring Servingness Through Pedagogy: A Critical Case Study Of An Hispanic Serving Institution, Yemin Sánchez

Theses and Dissertations

This critical ethnographic case study advances current understandings of what it means to teach at an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and how faculty enact servingness within an HSI enrolling high indices of Latin@/Hispanic students. Drawing on decolonial, culturally sustaining and liberatory pedagogical frameworks, this study interrogates how constructs such as Hispanic, Latin@/Latinx, or coloniality shape the pedagogical conditions under which faculty operate. Using pláticas with ten faculty members, this research study demonstrates servingness is not a technique or an institutional designation, instead, it is a fluid and deeply humanizing ecology with five mutually reinforcing dimensions: Servingness as Relational Praxis, Servingness …

Acute Effects Of Olympic Lifting Post-Activation Potentiation On Baseball Pitching Velocity And Ball Flight: A Crossover Study, Brent Hauser Pourciau

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative study evaluated the acute effect of an Olympic lifting-based post-activation potentiation (PAP) warm-up on fastball performance in collegiate baseball pitchers. Using a randomized, counterbalanced within-subjects crossover design (N = 13), each participant completed two warm-up conditions in a single indoor session: (a) a standard dynamic baseball warm-up and (b) the same standard warm-up followed by a brief Olympic-lifting PAP sequence (1 x 3 clean pulls at 80% predicted one-repetition maximum [1RM], 1 x 3 power cleans at 80% predicted 1RM, and 1 x 3 power jerks at 60% predicted 1RM, with 2-minute rests between sets) and a 3-minute …

Nightlights For Older Adults: Enhancing Bedroom-To-Bathroom Transitions With Community Resident Feedback, Yue Luo, Aubrey Contreras, Susana Valdivia-Rivas, Yuhao Chen, Boyi Hu

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

This study aimed to inform nightlight design by analyzing older adults’ subjective feedback and kinematic responses during evening activities. Twenty-seven older adults (mean age: 81 ± 6 years; 14 females) participated in the study. Their preferences for nightlight illuminance and hue were surveyed, and gait and posture adaptations under two illuminance levels were analyzed using spatiotemporal comparisons, principal component analysis (PCA) based analysis, and waveform reconstruction. The results revealed that older adults preferred low illuminance over high illuminance, with warm white and cool colors as the favored choices for evening lighting. Significant differences were observed in spatiotemporal gait variables, particularly …

Women In The Workplace: Changing Pressures Of Appearance And Behavior, Riley E. Bubacz

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

Since 1870, when women were first allowed in the London workforce, there has been discrimination between men and women, even with efforts to achieve equality. Today, women are still expected to do a disproportionate amount of the household labor in addition to maintaining a full-time job while dealing with the gender pay gap and the glass ceiling. This study seeks to understand the pressures that women still face in the workforce regarding appearance and behavior, and how this may contribute to experiences of burnout. In previous studies, women have expressed fears of being assertive or not wearing makeup due to …

The Shorthorn: October 16, 1981

The Shorthorn Newspaper Collection: 1980s

No abstract provided.

The Shorthorn: April 18, 1980

The Shorthorn Newspaper Collection: 1980s

No abstract provided.

Art Battle: Perceptions Of Criminality In Rap Vs. Stand-Up Comedy, Abiodun A. Akinseye, Fabiana Alceste, Ashley N. Peters

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

Applied research on perceptions of rap music shows that it is viewed more negatively than other musical genres, such as rock or country (e.g., Dunbar et al., 2016). This is in part due to associations between rap and Blackness, including stereotypes about Black people in general and about rappers specifically (e.g., Reyna et al., 2009). In the United States, prosecutors will sometimes present a rapper’s lyrics as a form of confessionary evidence in the courtroom (e.g., State of New Jersey v. Vonte Skinner, 2012). The practice of using art as criminal evidence appears to be unique to the musical genre …

Posture And Pain: Investigating The Effects Of Study Habits On Musculoskeletal Discomfort In College Students, Eden G. Potter

Honors Theses

Musculoskeletal discomfort is increasingly common among college students, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and lower back, due to prolonged sitting and frequent use of electronic devices. This study examines the relationship between posture habits, study behaviors, ergonomic awareness, and musculoskeletal discomfort among students at Eastern Kentucky University. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data through an anonymous Qualtrics questionnaire. Participants reported their study duration, posture habits, device usage, ergonomic awareness, and levels of musculoskeletal pain using a 0–10 scale.

Descriptive analyses were conducted to identify patterns among variables. Results indicated that while study duration alone did not show …

Fasting-Based Dietary Interventions In Cancer Patients And Survivors: A Scoping Review, Kuang-Yi Wen, Julianne Freedman, Abenezer Melaku Tafese, William Kevin Kelly, Nicole L Simone

Department of Medical Oncology Faculty Papers

Background: Fasting-based interventions are increasingly investigated as adjuncts to cancer treatment for the potential to reduce therapy-related toxicities, improve metabolic health, and enhance quality of life. However, clinical evidence regarding their efficacy, tolerability, and acceptability remains limited and fragmented. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the current evidence on fasting-based interventions in cancer patients and survivors.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL up to 10 June 2025. Eligible interventional studies included cancer patients or survivors and evaluated fasting-based interventions, such as time-restricted eating, intermittent fasting, short-term fasting, or fasting-mimicking …

The Role Of Laparoscopic Drilling In The Treatment Of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Ali Abdul-Hussein Handoz, Shaimaa Abdulamer Nasir

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

PCOS patients diagnose by having two of the following criteria: first oligo- and/or anovulation, second hyperandrogenism (by clinical picture with or without biochemical features), and lastly ultrasound findings of polycystic disease. The underlying cause of PCOS is unknown. Theories about cause may include genetic predisposition. The role laparoscopic drilling for ovaries show advancing in treatment of PCOD in form of restore ovulation specially those patients in whom there is resistant to clomiphene citrate or incompliant for long term therapy. Aim of the study: in this retrospective study we discuss the role laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD) in the correction of ovulation …

The Role Of Laminin111 And Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 Immunohistochemistry Expression In Prediction Of Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Prognosis, Ali Hassan Murad, Thair Wali Ali, Rassul Hussain Al-Salih

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Objective: To investigate the role of laminin111 (LAM111) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) as a prognostic predictors in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 30 patients with LSCC treated at the ENT Department, Al-Diwaniya Hospital in Al-Qadisiya province- Iraq. The clinical and histological data consisted of sex, age, site, clinical presentation, stage of the tumor, lymph node (LN) metastasis, and immunohistochemical studies (IHC). The IHC study was performed using anti LAM111and anti MMP2 monoclonal antibodies. Results: The majority of patients were above 50 years (73.33%), male affected more than the female with male …

Effect Of Metformin On Pregnancy Outcomes In Women With Pcos, Asma A. Swadi, Saba M.Swadi

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) classically refers to the occurrence of three or more consecutive losses of clinically recognized pregnancies prior to the 20th week of gestation (ectopic, molar, and biochemical pregnancies are not included). we hypothesized that metformin owing to its metabolic, endocrine effect may reduce the incidence of first trimester miscarriage in PCOS women. Materials and Methods: We examined the records of all 82 nondiabetic women with the polycystic ovary syndrome who became pregnant while being seen in the out patients Clinic of the maternity teaching hospital and private clinic in AL-Qadisyiah city between January 2011 and march …

Symptoms Frequencies And Stressors In The Hysterical Subjects, Saadoun Dawood Ahmed Al-Jiboori

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Hysteria is one of the oldest words, derived from Greek word meaning wondering of uterus in the body. Hysterical neurosis was eliminated from DSM-III, and its subsequent editions (DSM-IIIR, DSM-IV, and DSM-IVTR), and its replacement by "dissociation disorders" and "conversion disorders. This study was done to identify frequency of hysterical symptoms and the preceding stressors.52patients was diagnosed according to DSM-IVTR, diagnostic criteria, between July and December2007. Then all patients were assessed with a semi structured interview, using seven items, about, age, sex, marital status, educational level, occupation, stressors and residential status.81% of the patients were females while 19% were males. …

Aging In The Shadows: Szekler Cemeteries And The Case For Recognizing Elderly Populations In Bioarchaeology, Katie M. Mcgrath

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The study of aging in past populations lies at the intersection of bioarchaeology and paleodemography, offering insight into both biological processes and lived social experience. Despite this potential, older adults are often rendered “invisible” in skeletal assemblages due to methodological and cultural biases. This thesis addresses this gap through a rare, community-based study of aging among the Székely population of Transylvania. By integrating osteological analysis of individuals (11th–19th centuries) from the archaeological Papdomb church cemetery with demographic data derived from the modern cemetery headstones (ca.1850–present), this research examines patterns of aging, longevity, and elder visibility across a culturally and spatially …