Digital Commons Network^™

Leadership Strategies For Capturing And Transferring The Knowledge Of Experienced Workers In Canadian Higher Education Organizations, Dean Allan Bulloch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Higher education institutions face a risk of knowledge loss when they fail to implement strategies for transferring knowledge from experienced to less experienced employees. Canadian higher education managers are particularly concerned about the adverse impact of losing explicit and valuable tacit knowledge. Grounded in the socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization model, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry study identified and explored successful strategies employed by eight Canadian higher education managers to capture and transfer knowledge from experienced employees, thereby sustaining performance. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of public documents, including strategic plans, annual reports, and accountability statements. Through …

Resting Autonomic Activity, Emotional Reactivity, And Executive Function In Preschool-Age Children Who Stutter, Dana J. Meyerson

Theses - ALL

Purpose: This study investigated whether preschool-aged children who stutter (CWS) differ from children who do not stutter (CWNS) in autonomic physiological reactivity and regulation during a phrase-repetition task paired with affective image-viewing conditions. Additionally, the study investigated whether individual differences in executive function skills, specifically inhibitory control, predicted variability in physiological responses across participants. Methods: Forty-three preschool-aged children (18 CWS, 25 CWNS) completed three laboratory visits that involved collection of electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings at rest and during a phrase-repetition task paired with visual stimuli of either neutral (fixation cross) or negative (IAPS) emotional valence. Inhibitory control was assessed using the …

Intersectionality, Epistemic Injustice, And Silencing: The Operationalization And Reification Of Intersectionality In Academic Research And Institutional Practices, Emery Lockwood

Theses - ALL

Intersectionality is a powerful analytic tool that can be used to better understand the role that oppression plays in society and how it shapes the way people affected by multiple systems of oppression interact with society. Recently, the unit of analysis for intersectionality has started to shift from intersecting systems of oppression to overlapping identities, which has changed intersectionality from being a tool used to analyze systemic oppression to individual’s experiences. This work explores the implications this shift has on academic research and the practice of several disciplines. Using a lens of epistemic injustice through theories of hermeneutical bastardization (Drury, …

Exploring The Role Of Astrocyte System Xc– In Excitatory/Inhibitory Balance, Samantha Olivia Sutton

Theses - ALL

Astrocytes play a central role in maintaining excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance in the central nervous system by supporting intracellular glutathione (GSH) synthesis and regulating extracellular glutamate. System xc– (Sxc–), an obligate cystine/glutamate antiporter encoded by SLC7a11, couples the import of L-cystine with the export of L-glutamate. It is highly expressed throughout the cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum, where its activity provides cystine—the rate-limiting substrate for cysteine-dependent GSH production—and contributes to ambient glutamatergic tone. Although global loss of Sxc– alters seizure threshold and redox homeostasis, whether these effects arise specifically from the loss of astrocytic Sxc– has remained unresolved. This thesis examined …

Investigating The "Tend-And-Befriend" Stress Response As A Risk Factor For Sexual Victimization Among College Women, Emily Kathleen Presutti

Theses - ALL

Sexual victimization of college women is a significant public health concern on U.S. college campuses. Traditional research on the human stress response has focused on the "fight-or-flight" model, which may not adequately capture female-typical responses in stress-inducing situations. Using a mixed-methods design, we sought to determine whether the "tend-and-befriend" stress response serves as a potential correlate of sexual victimization among college women and examine whether it contributes additional variance beyond established correlates of sexual victimization such as alcohol use, history of sexual victimization, and involvement in campus party culture. The study was conducted in two phases. In Phase I, 128 …

Operational Context's Impact On Cockpit Behavior: Case Studies In Aviation, Nick Mehrdad Loghmani

Dissertations - ALL

This thesis examines instances where pilots in a tightly regulated environment, the modern airline cockpit, exhibit diverging responses when presented with identical information. Despite explicit standardization of procedures, instrumentation, and Crew Resource Management, observable patterns of operational divergence persist. The study adopts distributed cognition (Hutchins, 1995) as the primary lens and analyzes the crew–procedures–artifacts system using cockpit transcripts and flight data. Operational context is the evolving set of roles, procedures, cognitive artifacts (including automation), constraints, and environmental conditions, while the operational configuration denotes its time-indexed instantiation at moment t. Within this frame, the thesis documents when cues do—and do not—propagate …

Utilization Technology And Compaction Quality Control Of Hardened Layer In Beam Yard Of Rock-Filled Roadbed, Cheng Xiaoliang, Tian Wendi, Gao Mengke, Zhou Xujia

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To investigate the utilization technology and compaction quality control of hardened layers in the beam yard of rock-filled roadbed,the optimization design and construction control methods for rock-filled roadbed under different conditions were proposed based on a highway project in Guangdong Province.When the elevation of the hardened layer was lower than the top surface elevation of the roadbed and the top surface bending and settlement value of the hardened layer was less than that of the rock-filled roadbed,the gravel material could be filled directly on the hardened layer to the top surface elevation of the roadbed,and acceptance and pavement design could …

Research On Pavement Roughness Evaluation Method Based On Smartphones, Siriguleng Bai, Yili Guoqi, A Rong, Guo Guoying, Wang Jing

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To address the low efficiency and high cost of current detection methods,as well as the insufficient accumulation of pavement damage data on rural low-grade roads,this study developed a vehicle vibration data acquisition application based on smartphones and proposed a conversion method for calculating an index equivalent to the international roughness index (IIRI).Vertical acceleration signals collected during vehicle travel were proposed through high-pass filtering and denoising to calculate the vertical displacement,from which a converted I'IRI was derived.Experimental results show that although the data collected by smartphones has slightly lower accuracy than that collected by professional detection equipment,the proposed I'IRI exhibits a …

Road Performance And Water-Softening Characteristics Of Stabilized Soil Under Cyclic Loading, Hu Hong, Li Zongheng, Feng Yong, Cao Zhigang, Liu Yaoxing

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To effectively deal with waste soil and reduce environmental pollution,this paper took a road engineering project in Shaoxing as the research object and conducted a cyclic triaxial incremental loading test on the undisturbed lime soil under undrained conditions to study the effects of confining pressure,cyclic stress ratio,and water immersion on its performance.The results show that when the cyclic stress ratio increases from 1 to 4,the cumulative strain and resilient strain increase rapidly in the initial loading stage,showing a trend of “stepwise” increase.The cumulative strain produced at a cyclic stress ratio of 2 is about twice that at the cyclic stress …

Comparison Of Calculation Methods For Local Scour In Bridge Pier Foundation Of Piles-Cushion Cap, Liu Hui, Jiang Yanhua, Yan Jiechao

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In order to analyze the calculation methods for local scour in bridge pier foundation of piles-cushion cap,this paper listed the six common Chinese and foreign calculation methods,described their calculation process and selection of calculation parameters,and analyzed the difference of the calculation methods according to typical engineering examples.The results show that there are differences in the selection of parameters in the calculation methods for local scour in bridge pier foundation of piles-cushion cap in Code for Survey and Design on Hydrology of Railway Engineering (TB 10017—2021 ) and Hydrological Specifications for Survey and Design of Highway Engineering (JTG C 30—2015 ),and …

A Method For Determining Integrity Degree Of Tunnel Surrounding Rock Based On Mobilenet, Liu Houxiang, Yang Caixia

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To determine the integrity degree of tunnel surrounding rock more efficiently,a precise determination method for the integrity degree of tunnel surrounding rock based on the lightweight neural network MobileNet-v 2 was proposed.Firstly,the image was grayscaled and denoised,and the edges of cracks were detected.Then,the lightweight neural network MobileNet-v 2 model was pre-trained on the ImageNet dataset,and combined with transfer learning to complete data detection on the training,validation,and testing sets.Finally,a comparative experiment was conducted with traditional neural networks RestNet- 50 and VGG 16.By identifying the area,width,and length of cracks,the crack ratio Ks was introduced as an indicator to evaluate the integrity of …

Policies Of Pain: Neoliberal Rhetorics Of The Opioid Epidemic In Culture And Policy, Gina Arlene Stinnett

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation outlines and examines the Neoliberal rhetorics of choice and responsibility, and how these rhetorics are utilized in policy and culture related to the Opioid Epidemic in the United States. Through this examination of neoliberal rhetorics in policy and culture, I unpack the circular influence these two have on each other—i.e., cultural assumptions inform policy decisions, and established policy can slowly influence cultural assumptions. The key area in which these two influence each other is through rhetoric, therefore I argue that in addition to an economic and cultural structure, neoliberalism is a rhetorical structure—it shapes our society specifically through …

Effective Strategies For Minimizing Employee Turnover To Enhance Profitability In Micro, Small, And Medium Enterprises, Catherine Nyambura Mbugua

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Employee turnover in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is a persistent business problem that can negatively impact financial performance. Business owners are concerned about employee turnover because it disrupts operations, weakens customer relationships, and reduces profitability. Grounded in social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies that business owners use to minimize employee turnover and enhance profitability. The participants were six business owners of MSMEs who successfully implemented practices that reduced employee turnover. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of organizational documents related to employee management and retention. …

Intercultural Communicative Competence (Icc) Among Efl Learners And Teachers And The Potential For Ai As A Guide, Zeynep Saka

Theses - ALL

This study investigates the Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC) of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students and instructors in Turkey by examining both perceived and observed aspects of ICC, as well as the potential role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in supporting intercultural communicative competence education. Guided by Byram’s (1997) model and informed by Speech Act Theory (Searle, 1969) and Politeness Theory (Brown & Levinson, 1987), the study adopted a mixed-methods design including 89 students and 46 instructors from nine state universities. Data were collected through a 25-item ICC questionnaire and a series of Discourse Completion Tasks (DCTs) completed under self-guided …

Assessing The Gender Differences In Mental Health Access And The Intersectionality Of Depression, Anxiety, Stress Between Black Men And Black Women During Covid-19, Turquoise Ef'e Pipes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in the past five years, has had a particularly severe impact on well-being, mental health, and access to care for Black communities. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study, grounded in intersectionality theory was to assess gender differences between Black women and Black men confronted with depression, anxiety, stress symptoms and mental health access during the crisis of COVID-19, which has been under researched within this demographic. The study sample included participants from various cities across the United States who lived through the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2020 to March 2023 (n= 104). A MANOVA …

Virtually Present In The Vastness: Vr’S Pathway To Awe And Appreciation, David Paul Peters

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation explores how spatial presence in Virtual Reality (VR) creates awe and appreciation through the role of perceived vastness. 92 participants played a custom-built VR game (VR Nature Photographer) in three environments designed to be low, medium, and high in vastness. A repeated-measures design measured spatial presence, vastness, awe, and appreciation across conditions. Results showed higher vastness increased all four outcomes, with awe and vastness having the largest effect sizes and presence and appreciation medium sized. Mediation analyses showed perceived vastness fully mediated the effect of spatial presence on awe in all vastness conditions and partially mediated its effect …

Robust Security Assurance In Cyber-Physical Systems: From Attack Diagnosis To Attack Resilience, Zifan Wang

Dissertations - ALL

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) have become integral to critical infrastructure, from autonomous vehicles to industrial control systems. However, their increased connectivity and sophistication introduce new vulnerabilities, making security a paramount concern. This dissertation presents a comprehensive pipeline for enhancing CPS security, focusing on accurate diagnosis of trustworthy time frames and subsystems, followed by system resilience measures to restore safe states. The foundation of system resilience lies in an advanced checkpointing protocol for real-time multi-process systems. A novel three-step approach uniquely addresses both logical and timing correctness, which are crucial for modern CPS applications. By partitioning processes into directed acyclic graphs, implementing …

Essays On Housing Choices, Neighborhood Quality, And Urban Blight, Samuel Saltmarsh

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation contains two chapters related to housing choices of low-income families, neighborhood quality, and the remediation of urban blight. The first chapter examines the effectiveness of Detroit's 2014–2022 residential demolition program in addressing neighborhood blight and vacancy in a shrinking city context. Using a stylized model of durable housing with downward price frictions, I combine parcel-level data on vacancies, blight, and demolitions to estimate the causal effects of demolition exposure on vacancy rates for non-demolished, single-family homes. Employing a difference-in-differences design, I find that the program as a whole did not reduce vacancies, and instead slightly increased them by …

Using A Heuristic Tool To Improve Symptom Self-Management In Adolescents And Young Adults With Cancer: Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial., Suzanne Ameringer, Grace Hodges, R K Elswick, Lauri Linder, Catherine Fiona Macpherson, Kristin Stegenga

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer experience multiple distressing symptoms during treatment, yet few developmentally relevant resources have been developed to help them self-manage their symptoms. Empowering patients to have a more active role in self-management during cancer treatment may lessen their symptom severity and distress.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to test an intervention designed to improve symptom self-management, the Computerized Symptom Capture Tool (C-SCAT), by helping AYAs understand their unique symptom experience and discuss it with their health care providers.

METHODS: We are conducting a multisite, 2-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects …

Feasibility Of Exercise And Mindfulness Intervention For Improving Psychological Symptoms In Female University Students With Smartphone Addiction: A Pilot Study, Huange Liu, Kim Geok Soh, Shamsulariffin Samsudin, Suriyan Somphong, Ranintya Meikahani, Nugroho Puji Santoso

Modern Sport

The prevalent use of smartphones has raised significant concerns regarding smartphone addiction among university students. This addiction can lead to a range of psychological problems, which may ultimately affect their academic performance and overall well-being. Engaging in exercise has been linked to improved mental well-being, mainly by regulating endorphin levels, which can help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have become effective strategies for tackling different psychological challenges. Evidence indicates that mindfulness practices can significantly decrease stress, anxiety, and depression levels. Combining exercise with mindfulness (EM) techniques can boost their overall effectiveness and provide additional mental health …

Three Essays On The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap): Examining External Shocks, Protective Effects, And Administrative Challenges, Hyojeong Kim

Dissertations - ALL

Abstract In this dissertation, I present three studies that examine how different forms of inconsistency—arising from timing disruptions, eligibility structures, and administrative churn—shape the functioning and effectiveness of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Although SNAP is designed to provide a reliable source of food assistance, access to benefits is not always predictable, continuous, or evenly accessible. The studies show that inconsistencies can emerge through external shocks that alter the timing of benefit delivery, through eligibility rules tied to disability determinations in other programs that may exclude self-reported disabled households from accommodations, and through administrative procedures that generate temporary interruptions …

Mechanical Properties Of Transition Section Of Cable-Stayed Bridge With Kilometer-Scale Steel-Uhpc Composite Girders, Li Qiu, Zhi Haitao, Peng Yanqing, Peng Jianxin, Yuan Qin, Wu Xuewei

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To study the mechanical properties of the steel-concrete composite section between steel box girders and steel-ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC ) composite girders,the Guanyinsi Yangtze River Bridge with a main span of 1 160 m was used as the background.Through refined finite element modeling,the stress characteristics under the most unfavorable load conditions and transmission mechanism of the steel-concrete composite section were analyzed,and the main factors affecting the stress of the composite section were discussed.The results indicate that under the most unfavorable load conditions,the stress of each component in the steel-concrete composite section is within 160.4 MPa,which is lower than the material …

Wind Tunnel Test Study On Wind-Resistant Performance Of Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge, Li Xiukun, Wu Xuewei, Yang Can, Peng Xiaobin, Huang Zhiwen

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

The main bridge of Shuangliu Yangtze River Bridge on the Xingang Expressway in Wuhan City is a single-span suspension bridge with a main span of 1 430 m and a bridge tower of 272.75 m.The stiffening girder is in the form of a closed flat steel box girder with a width of 50.5 m.In order to study the wind-resistant performance of the bridge during operation,the performance of vortex-induced vibration of the girder was tested through wind tunnel tests of section model with two different geometric scales of 1∶60 and 1∶30,respectively.The sensitivity of the vortex-induced vibration response to the structural damping …

Application Of Forward-Ba Ck Ana Lysis And Difference Iteration Method For Solving Initial Cable Tension Of Arch Bridge, Xu Yufeng, Li Zihui, Zhang Zhantao

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

This article presented a method that c ombined the forward-back analysis method and the difference iteration method to solve the initial cable tension according to the state of a built bridge for an arch bridge.Given the known target state of the bridge,a reasonable set of initial cable tensions was determined as the initial value of iteration by the forward-back method.These initial tensions were then applied to the calculation model based on the actual construction process.Through the difference iteration method,the initial cable tensions were optimized.The results show that the method can effectively determine the final cable tension that meets engineering precision …

Bending Moment Calculation And Reinforcement Recommendations For Cast-In-Place Cover Slabs In Slab Culverts, Li Yukun, Wan Kecheng, Fu Fulin

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

To address the complexity and lack of practical methods for calculating bending moments of cast-in-place cover slabs in slab culverts,the slabs were simplified as one-way slabs with a pair of opposing edges simply supported and the other pair of edges free.Theoretical formulas for calculating the bending moments within the slabs under uniformly distributed loads were derived using elastic theory.The accuracy of the theoretical formulas was validated through case studies via finite element software.Various combinations of length,width,and fill heights exist in highway projects,making the use of theoretical formulas for bending moment calculations cumbersome.Therefore,a simplified method for calculating maximum bending moments in …

Bending Capacity And Strengthening Design With Bonding Steel Plates Of Concrete Sections In French Standards, Wu Zi

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

In the French general technical clauses widely used in Francophone African countries,only the calculation principles for the bending capacity of normal concrete sections are provided,with explicit formulas not listed,and the strengthening design of structures is not involved.According to the fundamental principles of concrete structures and French standard regulations,the calculation formulas for the bending capacity of normal concrete sections were derived.On the basis of the assumptions of strengthening design,calculation formulas for strengthening with bonding steel plates were derived.Through practical engineering calculations conducted on the VDN Expressway project in Senegal,the applicability and reliability of the proposed formulas were verified.This study can offer …

Antifungal Activity Of Nutmeg Mace (Myristica Fragrans Houtt) Ethanol Extract Against Candida Spp., Muhammad Akbar Yandji, Eka Astuty, Fitri Kadarsih Bandjar

Folia Medica Indonesiana

Candida infections are increasingly common worldwide and represent one of the leading causes of death after cardiovascular disease. There are three types of candida that often infect humans, namely Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis and Candida parapsilosis. In the standard treatment used, immunity and side effects of treatment have been found. Therefore, other treatment options are needed, one of which is by using mace (Myristica fragrans Houtt) which is a native plant of Maluku and has secondary metabolite compounds that can be antifungal agents. This study aims to test the ability of ethanol extract of mace nutmeg ( …

Group Counseling Deactivation Mode To Improve Psychological Well-Being Of Students, Muya Barida, Dian Ari Widyastuti, Yuanita Dwi Krisphianti, Aslina Ahmad, Nurul Hidayati Rofiah, Andriyani Andriyani, Riana Mashar, Emiko Saraswaty

Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling

Life moves dynamically, profoundly impacting adolescents and often causing deep anxiety due to numerous pressures. The gap between expectations and reality frequently exacerbates this anxiety. Ideally, adolescents should be equipped to manage their inner lives to prevent excessive anxiety, and individuals can better manage anxiety if they possess strong psychological well-being. This study aims to improve psychological well-being through a group counseling deactivation mode. The research applied an experimental research method with a one group pretest-posttest design. Participants consisting of junior high school students in Yogyakarta, selected through purposive sampling for their low psychological well-being levels. Data on psychological well-being …

Online Counseling In Improving Achievement Motivation Over The Last Decade: A Bibliometric Review, Shopyan Jepri Kurniawan, Bambang Dibyo Wiyono, Mohd. Aziz Zulazmi

Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling

This research aims to determine online counseling research trends to increase achievement motivation. The method used in this research is bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer. The data used is the Scopus database for the last 10 years. Research findings found that there were 4302 documents that met the specified criteria. The number of online counseling studies increased gradually over the 2013-2022 research period. The largest source of documents comes from 3691 articles. Meanwhile, the annual distribution of 100 or more citations will be the highest in 2022 with 16. The keyword ``achievement motivation'' is not included in the top 10 keywords, …

Mobile Markets And Farmers’ Markets: Evaluating Food Accessibility For Underserved Communities In The Bay Area, Rajeshwari Rajesh

Master's Theses

Studies indicate including farmers’ markets, mobile markets, and other local food systems improve fresh food access for low-income communities, especially when paired with food assistance programs that offer financial incentives. This study aims to evaluate mobile markets and farmers’ markets in the Bay Area using the five dimensions of food access: accessibility, availability, acceptability, affordability, and accommodation. The study is based on primary data collected from 173 in-person surveys at six mobile and eight farmers’ markets in the Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties. Key survey participants were market shoppers participating in food assistance programs. A mixed research methodology included …