Digital Commons Network^™

Assessment Of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Event Across Diverse Racial Groups Of Psoriasis Patients On Biologic Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Chunghwan Ro, Ana Ormaza Vera, Waleed Adawi, Clinton W. Enos

Department Dermatology Faculty Publications

Psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and biologic therapy may reduce this risk by targeting systemic inflammation. However, limited data exist on whether long term MACE risk differs by biologic class or across racial groups. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the risk of primary MACE in psoriasis patients receiving biological therapies, stratified by biological class, compared with biologic-naïve psoriasis patients. Whether MACE risk among biologic-treated patients varied by race was further examined. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 36 330 biologic-treated patients were compared with 36 330 non-biologic-treated patients. Incident MACE …

The Development And Initial Validation Of A Measure Of Professional Mentoring Engagement Among School Counselors, Emily Kitching

Theses and Dissertations

This study describes the development and initial validation of the Mentoring Engagement Scale (MES), a self-report instrument designed to measure a person’s level of engagement in professional mentoring. Despite emerging evidence that professional mentoring may serve as a protective factor against the burnout and stress associated with school counselors’ roles and responsibilities, existing measures of mentoring are limited by weak documentation of development procedures, mixed psychometric support, and limited practical applicability. In two phases, the present study aimed to (1) evaluate content validity and systematically refine items grounded in Kahn’s (1990) theory of engagement and (2) investigate the preliminary psychometric …

Implementation Of Tg-351 Reference Dosimetry For A 6 Mv Photon Beam In An Mr-Guided Radiotherapy System, Nicholas A. Castellano Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic resonance guided radiation therapy (MRgRT) combines magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiation therapy to enable the visualization of anatomy in real time during treatment. The presence of a magnetic field in MRgRT affects charged particle radiation and detector responses, necessitating changes to traditional reference dosimetry procedures. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group 351 (TG-351) provides a formalism for reference dosimetry in MRgRT. In this study, the TG 351 formalism is used to perform reference dosimetry for a 6 MV flattening filter-free (FFF) photon beam from a Viewray MRIdian MR-Linac radiation therapy system. Beam quality determination, …

De Novo Protein Binding To Zinc Oxide Through Biomineralization Pathways, Jean-Mark A. Francis

Theses and Dissertations

De novo proteins are structurally distinct from proteins found in nature and thus capable of having their amino acid sequence modified to accomplish tasks such as increasing protein-nanoparticle binding without unfolding or decomposing. Zinc Oxide nanoparticles are functionally distinct from their bulk counterparts and are widely used as semiconductors in a variety of fields such as medicine and agriculture. With demand for these nanoparticles increasing, environmentally sustainable methods of Zinc Oxide nanoparticle synthesis are being investigated as an eco-friendly alternative to currently utilized but environmentally hazardous chemical and physical techniques. This research investigates the binding characteristics between Zinc Oxide nanoparticles …

Dodgeballs And Dragons: Gamified Live Theatre In The Service Of Community Betterment, Teddy Mcpherson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis qualifies and documents a new genre of interdisciplinary, interactive theatre called Dodgeballs and Dragons. It covers a brief history of Dungeons and Dragons and Theatre of the Oppressed (the two foundational works for the new genre) as well as previous uses of D&D as a form of theatrical entertainment. After establishing the precedence used to create this product, the rest of the thesis breaks down how to write, lead, and play these shows on a regular basis. The document culminates in collected data providing concrete evidence for the future of the form and its many applications.

Conceptual Concerns Regarding The Content Validity Of The Construct Of Gender Dysphoria In The Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision, Waverley Vesely

Theses and Dissertations

The diagnostic classification of gender dysphoria in the DSM-5-TR elicits a number of clinical, political, and philosophical concerns, ranging from those that are diagnostic and taxonomical in nature to those that fall within the domains of ontology, phenomenology, and hermeneutics. Part of the reason for the complexity of studying the diagnostic and nosological validity of gender dysphoria as an extant diagnostic classification is that, unlike many disorders, gender dysphoria is inextricably tethered to identity. While the recent change from gender identity disorder to gender dysphoria has nominally removed the status of disorder, in practice, both clinicians and the general population …

The Relationship Between Symptom Catastrophizing And Sociocultural Factors Among Adults With Persistent Sympathetic Activation Syndromes, Whitney M. Redemer

Theses and Dissertations

Persistent Sympathetic Activation (PSA) has emerged as a potential unifying mechanism underlying a range of complex chronic health conditions yet remains poorly characterized within biomedical and psychosocial research. Limited research has delineated how PSA manifests across diverse populations or how diagnostic and sociocultural factors shape lived experiences of this phenomenon; thus, the objective of the present study was to examine whether diagnostic certainty – operationalized as provider-confirmed versus self-suspected PSA-related diagnoses – is associated with symptom catastrophizing, and whether this relationship varies as a function of sociocultural factors. Drawing on data from a larger study aimed at characterizing the lived …

Foreign-National Families, Education, And Parenting: Unpacking The Influence Of Cultural Transitions On Child-Rearing And Expectations, Yuqi Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how highly skilled foreign-national parents navigate parenting and educational decision-making within the context of cultural transition in the United States. While existing research on foreign-national parenting has largely focused on socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, less is known about families who possess substantial educational and professional capital. Despite these advantages, these parents encounter unique challenges related to institutional navigation, identity negotiation, and social constraints. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory, Coleman’s social capital theory, Berry’s acculturation framework, and Yosso’s community cultural wealth model, this study explores how cultural background and migration experiences shape highly skilled foreign-national families’ parenting beliefs …

Where Perspectives Meet: A Comparative Case Study Of How Participatory Practices Shape Deliberation During District-Level Educational Change, Gregory Vincent Massara

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Public education in the United States is socially and politically constructed, and ongoing reforms increasingly require collaborative engagement among diverse stakeholders amid heightened divisiveness. This mixed methods comparative case study examined how educational stakeholders make sense of one another’s perspectives during district-level collaborative work and the conditions that may foster conscientization, the critical reflection on one’s positionality. Two school districts developing a Profile of a Graduate (POG) and one engaged in deliberation about the relationship between public and charter schools within its community serve as comparative cases. The study triangulated meeting observations, a post-deliberation survey of stakeholders (N = 43), …

Dietetic Guidance For Nutritional Management Of People With Phenylketonuria Receiving Sepiapterin, Anita Macdonald, Kirsten Ahring, Alexa Bledsoe, Hiroki Fujimoto, Sara Giorda, Christian Kogelmann, Jessica Kopesky, Laura Nagy, Sara O'Neill, Alex Pinto, Soraia Poloni, Paige Roberts, Annemiek M J Van Wegberg, Suzanne Hollander

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background/objectives: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism. If untreated, elevated blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels lead to neurological and behavioral impairments. Phe levels can be managed through a lifelong Phe-restricted diet; however, this can be challenging to maintain. Sepiapterin is an adjunct therapy for PKU that has shown efficacy in reducing blood Phe levels in both tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-responsive and BH4-non-responsive people with PKU in clinical trials. Practical guidance is needed for dietitians and other healthcare professionals supporting the dietary management of people with PKU who are initiating or receiving sepiapterin.

Methods: A group of international dietitians participated …

Protective Behavioral Strategies On Alcohol And Cannabis Co-Use Occasions, Sabrina Todaro

Open Access Dissertations

Simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis, or co-use (i.e., the use of both substances so that effects overlap), is an increasingly significant public health concern among young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 in the U.S. (SAMHSA 2025; Terry-McElrath & Patrick, 2018). Protective behavioral strategies (PBS; i.e., tactics used to modify or limit substance use related harm; Pearson, 2013) have been robustly linked to fewer negative outcomes (e.g., lower use quantity, frequency, and consequences) for alcohol- and cannabis-only occasions (Bravo et al., 2016; Bravo et al., 2017; Bravo et al., 2019; Pearson, 2013; Pedersen et al., 2016; Pedersen …

Optimizing Markov Chain Monte Carlo Algorithms For Fairness, Scalability, And Interpretability In Electoral Redistricting, Madhukara Kekulandara

Open Access Dissertations

Gerrymandering undermines democratic representation by manipulating electoral district boundaries to dilute the political influence of targeted communities. While Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) based redistricting algorithms have become a standard computational tool for detecting partisan gerrymandering, their effectiveness in addressing racial gerrymandering and their scalability on modern computing systems remain limited. This dissertation advances the theory and practice of algorithmic redistricting by optimizing MCMC-based approaches across three dimensions: racial fairness, computational efficiency, and interpretability.

First, this work introduces the Partial Map MCMC algorithm, a novel redistricting method designed specifically to address racial gerrymandering under the legal framework of Section 2 …

Integrated Corridor Management Framework For Severe Freeway Incidents, Sanjida Afroz Iqra

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Traffic incidents are a major source of non-recurrent congestion on urban freeways, generating substantial mobility, safety, and economic impacts. Severe incidents that block multiple or all travel lanes are particularly disruptive because they degrade freeway operations and propagate congestion onto surrounding arterials. Effective Integrated Corridor Management (ICM) requires the ability to identify severe incidents, estimate their network-wide impacts, and anticipate the traffic conditions and driver behaviors that contribute to instability. This dissertation develops a data-driven ICM framework to address these challenges using real-world incident, crash, detector, and connected vehicle data from major Central Florida corridors, including I-4 and SR-417. The …

Examining Teachers’ Data Usage Using The Teacher Data Use Survey, Natasha L. Hawkins

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

The United States spends approximately 2.7 billion dollars on classroom assessments and local exams for K-12 students (SIMBA, 2019).  However, despite this financial investment and the adoption of data-driven frameworks such as Multi-Tiered System of Support, the U.S. Department of Education found that only 55% of teachers used student data to make instructional decisions (U.S. Department of Education, 2007).  This study aims to explore the psychological and organizational factors that influence teachers’ data use when making instructional decisions.

This study used the Teacher Data Use Survey (TDUS) to investigate the extent that teachers’ use of data could be predicted by …

A New Functional Setting For Term Structure Modeling Using The Health-Jarrow-Morton Framework, Michael Pokojovy, Ebenezer Nkum, Thomas M. Fullerton Jr.

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

The well-known Heath–Jarrow–Morton (HJM) framework provides a universal and efficacious instrument for modeling the stochastic evolution of an entire yield curve by explaining the interest rate dynamics in continuous time under no-arbitrage conditions. Existing implementations involve exponentially weighted function spaces as theoretical settings for the former stochastic evolution. While the choice of weight can have a drastic effect on model calibration and subsequent forecasting, it cannot be estimated from market data and does not allow for any objective interpretation. The proposed approach does not have this shortcoming as it adopts a suitably designed unweighted function space. The HJM equation is …

Multi-Grade Deep Learning, Yuesheng Xu

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Deep learning requires solving a nonconvex optimization problem of a large size to learn a deep neural network (DNN). The current deep learning model is of a single-grade, that is, it trains a DNN end-to-end, by solving a single nonconvex optimization problem. When the layer number of the neural network is large, it is computationally challenging to carry out such a task efficiently. The complexity of the task comes from learning all weight matrices and bias vectors from one single nonconvex optimization problem of a large size. Inspired by the human education process which arranges learning in grades, we …

Mg-Spair: Multi-Grade Sparse-Guided Implicit Representation For Training-Data-Free Image Restoration, Jianmin Liao, Lei Huang, Ronglong Fang, Ashley Prater-Bennette, Lixin Shen, Yuesheng Xu

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

MG-SpaIR is a training-data-free framework for restoring a clean image from a single observation corrupted by a mixture of blur, downsampling, noise, and missing pixels. Building on implicit neural representations (INRs), we introduce a multi-grade residual hierarchy that progressively refines the reconstruction from low to high spatial frequencies across grades, improving representational fidelity and mitigating spectral limitations. To stabilize reconstruction optimization and suppress INR-induced artifacts, we further propose an explicit sparse proximal regularization (e.g., ℓ0 type) applied directly in the high-resolution image domain, which discourages spurious high-frequency patterns while preserving sharp structures. The resulting optimization is solved efficiently via a …

Evaluating Novel Targeted Combination Therapies For Gastrointestinal Cancers, Joseph A. Goode

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers remain among the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with therapeutic resistance continuing to limit the effectiveness of current treatments. Three complementary studies were conducted to identify therapeutic vulnerabilities and evaluate novel combination strategies in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and colorectal cancer (CRC).  First, dual inhibition of fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling was investigated in PDAC models. A combination of targeted drug treatments reduced viability, clonogenic survival, migration, and suppressed signaling pathways involved in translational control. This supported a functional interaction between FGFR4 and PI3K-mTOR co-activation in …

Investigating The Impact Of School Leaders’ Leadership Style And Teachers’ Intrinsic Motivation For Improved Science Instruction In Elementary Schools, Leila M. Greene

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

A report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, determined that 69% of U.S. elementary teachers are not prepared to teach science, especially in the areas of earth/space and physical sciences. As a result, some elementary teachers avoid teaching science. School administrators play a key role in providing a supportive environment to inspire and motivate elementary science teachers. For this reason, the study utilized the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), to examine three types of school leadership styles (Transformational, Transactional, and Laissez-Faire) and how they impact the intrinsic motivation for elementary science teachers in three areas including autonomy, competency, and …

Coached By A Custom Chatgpt And Ready For Trial, Staci J. Pratt

Publications

No abstract provided.

Curating The Other: Colonial Genealogies, Institutional Logics, And Market Classification In The Construction Of 'Latin American Art', Mariana Duque Mordecai

MA in Art Business Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how “Latin American art” emerged as a category within the intertwined fields of museums and the art market, revealing how institutional, linguistic, and economic practices shaped its visibility and limits. It argues that the label was never neutral, but a performative construct born from colonial histories and sustained by market logics that translated cultural difference into economic value. Drawing on decolonial theory, the study examines the creation of MoMA’s Latin American Collection (1943) and Sotheby’s establishment of its Latin American Art Department (1979) to trace how regional identity became a curatorial and commercial framework. Through discourse analysis, …

A Matter Of Lighting: An Exploration Of Erotic, Fashion & Glamour Photography In The Auction Market Through Icons Of Glamour And Style: The Constantiner Collection, Basha Yonit Shapiro

MA in Art Business Dissertations

This dissertation explores the evolving position of fashion, glamour and erotic-fashion photography within the contemporary auction market. This aim is met through a case study of the landmark Icons of Glamour and Style: The Constantiner Collection sales, which took place at Christie's New York and Christie's Paris in 2008, 2009 and 2019. Photography entered the auction market as a dedicated genre in the early 1970s, by the early 2000s prints of editorial photography from the pages of Vogue, Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar began to circulate regularly on the market. In 2008, at the precipice of the financial crisis and …

Finding Aid To Bill Monning Papers, David A. Reichard

Finding Aids

This collection primarily documents the legislative career of Bill Monning, who served in the California State Assembly (2008-2012) representing District 27 and the California State Senate (2012-2020) representing District 17. It focuses on Monning’s political campaigns and legislative work while in office. It includes campaign materials, research files, drafts of legislation, correspondence, news clippings, photographs, and personal art and artifacts.

Developer Perspectives On Licensing And Copyright Issues Arising From Generative Ai For Software Development, Trevor Stalnaker, Nathan Wintersgill, Oscar Chaparro, Laura A. Heymann, Massimiliano Di Penta, Daniel M. German, Denys Poshyvanyk

Faculty Publications

Despite the utility that Generative AI (GenAI) tools provide for tasks such as writing code, the use of these tools raises important legal questions and potential risks, particularly those associated with copyright law. As lawmakers and regulators respond to these questions, the views of users can offer relevant perspectives. In this article, we provide: (1) a survey of 574 developers on the licensing and copyright aspects of GenAI for coding, as well as follow-up interviews; (2) a snapshot of developers’ views at a time when GenAI and perceptions of it were rapidly evolving; and (3) an analysis of developers’ perspectives, …

Auseinandersetzung: Heidegger's Black Notebooks And Intercultural Engagement, Steven Burik

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Heidegger’s relation to Asian philosophy should be guided by the notion of Auseinandersetzung. Often translated as con-frontation, this term plays a pivotal role in understanding Heidegger’s engagements with Asian philosophy. Auseinandersetzung (and related terms) can help us realise the changed perspectives on our own thinking that we derive from engagements with culturally and/or historically other types of thinking. Heidegger warns us against facile endeavours of comparing and contrasting, which, as a form of comparative philosophy, he sees as a kind of dialectics unworthy of true thinking. Thinking through the term Auseinandersetzung allows us to reflect more meaningfully on comparative philosophy.

Epiphanic Empires: Commentary On Sophie Grace Chappell's Epiphanies, Brandon Yip

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Chappell provides a comprehensive ethical vision by reflecting on the nature of epiphanies. I suggest that two aspects of that vision, (1) the anti-theoretic impulse and (2) the republic of conversation, are in tension with the fact that our epiphanies are often imperious: they purport to authoritatively dictate normative reality to us.

Spectrum Of Neurodevelopmental Disorders In Children Attending A Developmental Clinic In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Aleya Zulfikar Remtulla, Sumayyah Nasiruddin Saudin, Orujul Hassan, Mariam Noorani

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Background: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in children present significant challenges for healthcare systems globally. In Tanzania, children with NDDs and their families face significant challenges due to late diagnosis, lack of standardized screening tools, widespread stigma and cultural beliefs that deter health-seeking behaviours. Awareness about NDDs is low, and financial constraints further complicate access to necessary medical interventions. The country suffers from a severe shortage of specialized healthcare providers, and general healthcare providers often lack adequate training. Additionally, limited specialized facilities, high treatment costs and insufficient healthcare policies dedicated to NDDs make it difficult to manage these conditions effectively. Understanding the …

Wherefore Art Thou Competitors? How Situational Affordances Help Differentiate Among Prosocials, Individualists, And Competitors, Y. Liu, A.W. Stivers, R.O. Murphy, N.J. Van Doesum, J. Joireman, M. Gallucci, E. Aharonov-Majar, U. Athenstaedt, L. Bai, R. Böhm, N.R. Buchan, X.-P. Chen, K.B. Dumont, J.B. Engelmann, Li, Norman P., H. Euh, S. Fiedler, J. Friesen, S. Gächter, C. Garcia

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The Triple Dominance Measure (choosing between prosocial, individualistic, and competitive options) and the Slider Measure (“sliding” between various orientations, for example, from individualistic to prosocial) are two widely used techniques to measure social value orientation, that is, the weight individuals assign to own and others’ outcomes in interdependent situations. Surprisingly, there is only moderate correspondence between these measures, but it is unclear why and what the implications are for identifying individual differences in social value orientation. Using a dataset of 8021 participants from 31 countries and regions, this study revealed that the Slider Measure identified fewer competitors than the Triple …

Artificial Intelligence, Fundamental Motives, And Evolutionary Mismatch, Amy J. Lim, Jose. C. Yong, Edison Sora Tan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

In recent years, the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and psychology has garnered unprecedented attention, particularly following the advent of generative AI tools in 2022. These tools, capable of producing human-like text, images, and even deepening our understanding of cognitive processes, have not only captured the public imagination but also sparked new concerns and debates within the psychological community. While AI has been a subject of research for decades, the emergence of its generative capabilities has truly thrust AI into the spotlight. This article explores how these advancements are reshaping our understanding of human cognition and behavior, as well as …

What Must Change? Towards Gender-Equitable And Inclusive Academic Communities, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

University leadership has a responsibility to support gender equity that goes beyond simply holding senior roles, writes Lily Kong. Here, she calls for changes in career pathways, workload allocation and service expectations to open space for more women.