Digital Commons Network^™

Characterizing Effects Of Basal Ganglia Dysfunction On Implicit-Statistical Learning: Evidence From Parkinson's Disease, Alyson Rose Brown

Master's Theses and Capstones

This study investigated implicit statistical learning (ISL) ability in individuals with Parkinson’sdisease (PD) to further characterize the influence of the basal ganglia degeneration on ISL. The first research aim looked to investigate ISL ability in individuals with PD in comparison to age- matched healthy controls. Additionally, the relationship between cognitive measures and ISL task performance was investigated to identify potential interactions between ISL and aspects of cognition considered to be necessary for it. In this study four participants with PD were administered an auditory ISL experimental task. In an exposure phase, participants were familiarized with a target grammar pattern. Then …

Have You Seen This? Impact Of Concussion And Memory On Narrative Retells Of Silent Animated Films, Lauren Kate Harrington

Master's Theses and Capstones

AbstractBackground: Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that are often associated with short- and long-term cognitive impacts. Two specific cognitive skills people with concussion exhibit deficits in are working memory- the ability to retain and manipulate newly presented information- and episodic memory- memory of scenes that have occurred, similar to recalling a television episode. Previous studies have revealed mixed results in differences of narrative length between speakers with and without concussion; however, more information is needed on the relationship between memory and narrative production in speakers with concussion. Aims: This study compares the total number of utterances and mean …

Optimal Robust Maximum Entropy Behavioral Cloning, Francesco Alessandro Stefano Mikulis-Borsoi

Master's Theses and Capstones

Behavioral Cloning (BC) is an imitation learning approach in which a policy is learned from demonstrations represented as sequences of state-action pairs. Standard BC treats all demonstrations as equally trustworthy; consequently, suboptimal or adversarially corrupted demonstrations can disproportionately influence the learned policy. Robust Maximum Entropy Behavioral Cloning (R-MaxEnt BC) addresses this limitation by learning per-demonstration trust weights M and fitting a maximum-entropy policy that is conditioned on these weights.

In this thesis, I propose OR-MaxEnt BC (Optimal Robust Maximum Entropy Behavioral Cloning), a Convex Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Program (MINLP) with optimality guarantees for selecting which demonstrations to trust given the hyperparameter …

A Data-Driven Assessment Of Coastal Roadway Vulnerability Using Observed Storm Damage Locations, Jack Kearing

Master's Theses and Capstones

Coastal roadways are increasingly vulnerable to storm impacts and sea level rise. One common failure mode during these events is roadway washout, defined in this study as the physical loss or structural failure of roadway segments due to erosion, overtopping, or hydraulic failure. Washout events can disrupt transportation networks, restrict emergency access, and isolate coastal communities, highlighting the need for improved predictive methods that move beyond index-based assessments toward data-driven identification of vulnerable roadways.This study develops a data-driven framework for assessing roadway washout vulnerability using observed damage data and environmental predictors. Machine learning models, including random forest and decision tree …

Scaling Of Thermal Conductivity In The Eliot Formation, Ryan Todd Siegel

Master's Theses and Capstones

Heat flow governs the performance of geothermal energy systems, and thermal conductivity is the primary material property controlling subsurface heat transfer. This study investigates heat flow through media with spatially variable thermal conductivity within the heterogeneous Eliot Formation, a metamorphic unit extending across the coastal region of northeast New England. The objective of this work is to develop an approach for scaling thermal conductivity from core-scale measurements to field-scale values representative of geothermal borefield systems.Divided bar thermal conductivity testing, petrographic analyses, geological observations, and existing literature were integrated to construct a MODFLOW model that captures the heterogeneous thermal behavior of …

Comparative Development Of Mof‑Based And Mof‑Free Agnp Functionalized Zno Nanorod–Cotton Fabric Composites For Photocatalytic Applications, Md Al Mamun

Master's Theses

Photocatalysis offers a cost‑effective and environmentally friendly strategy for degrading organic pollutants and addressing energy and environmental challenges. This study initially explored MOF‑based cotton‑fabric‑supported ZnO nanorod composites but found that the MOF component primarily acted as an adsorbent rather than an effective photocatalyst. Consequently, MOF‑free composites were developed by directly growing ZnO nanorods on cotton fabric and functionalizing them with silver nanoparticles. Photocatalytic testing revealed that AgNP‑modified ZnO nanorods, particularly at 10 mM AgNP, exhibited superior dye degradation efficiency, thereby demonstrating a scalable and effective photocatalytic platform.

Morphological Variation Of Lingual Glands In Wild American Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis) Populations, Benjamin Angalet

Master's Theses

American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) inhabit diverse aquatic ecosystems including freshwater wetlands, swamps, and estuarine rivers. As apex predators, their physiological resilience has implications for ecosystem stability and long-term conservation. With projected sea-level rise and increasing saltwater intrusion into coastal freshwater habitats, understanding the osmoregulatory capacity of alligators is increasingly important. Unlike marine-tolerant crocodilians such as the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), which possess specialized salt-secreting lingual glands in addition to renal and cloacal mechanisms, the morphology and physiological significance of lingual glands in wild American alligators remain poorly understood. This study examined lingual gland morphology and plasma …

Effectiveness Of Quiz-Based Interventions In Virtual Reality Lectures On Learning, Mason T. Prather

Master's Theses

This thesis examined whether quiz-based interventions affect learning during an immersive virtual reality (VR) lecture and whether quiz timing strategy matters when prompts are delivered on a fixed timer or through gaze/Region of Interest (ROI)-based attention timing. The study used an eye-tracking virtual reality headset and a game engine-based classroom application. The final completed cohort included 29 participants assigned to three between-subjects conditions: No Intervention (n = 10), Timer-Based Intervention (n = 9), and Attention-Based Intervention (n = 10). All participants viewed the same virtual reality lecture and completed the same 15-item post-lecture assessment. Mean learning scores were 44.00% for …

Monazite And Xenotime U-Pb Geochronology And Thermometry Of The Blue Ridge And Inner Piedmont Of North Carolina, Nicholas E. Powell, J. Ryan Thigpen, Brandon M. Spencer, Arthur J. Merschat, David P. Moecher, Calvin A. Mako, Robert D. Hatcher, Harold H. Stowell, Andrew Kylander-Clark

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

The southern Appalachian orogen preserves a complex distribution of metamorphism and deformation varying in timing, magnitude, and spatial extent. These complexities give rise to disparate interpretations for southern Appalachian tectonic evolution, which complicates the testing and interpretation of tectonic models in this system. New monazite (Mnz) and xenotime (Xtm) laser ablation split stream (LASS) analyses alongside Mnz-Xtm thermometry in the orogenic core in the eastern Blue Ridge (EBR), western Inner Piedmont (WIP), and Cat Square terranes (CST) of North Carolina yield new constraints that define distinct pro- and retrograde metamorphic events. The EBR preserves two prograde thermal events: the Taconic …

Drug War Repairs Guarantees, Amber Baylor

Faculty Scholarship

Drug legalization, especially cannabis legalization, is a critical step forward in states’ willingness to address systemic disparities, privacy intrusions, violence, and other harms of the drug war. Yet, reforms center on legalization and repair through a narrow lens, focused on changes to the penal code. The public has found that narrow forms of legalization cannot serve their purported reparative purpose. Narrowly drawn legalization is illusory. Drug war harms and punishment for legalized substance use continue. Legalization reforms are vulnerable to political trends, resulting in rollback and retrenchment of drug war operations.

Legalization cannot deliver on its reparative terms without guarantees. …

Behavioral Differences Among Couples With Depression, Couples With Gad, And Couples With Co-Occurring Depression And Gad, Alex Joseph Hietpas

Dissertations (1934 -)

Romantic relationship quality is central to people’s physical and mental health (Braithwaite and Holt-Lunstad, 2017; Proulx et al., 2007; Robles et al., 2014), and depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are negatively associated with the quality of couples’ relationships (Whisman et al., 2000). Using observational data coded using the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior model (SASB; Benjamin, 1979, 1987, 2000), this study compared the interactions of couples with depression (n = 23), couples with GAD (n = 27), and couples with co-occurring depression and GAD (n = 12). Multilevel models examined the associations between diagnostic status and couples’ interpersonal behaviors …

Consumer Perceptions Of Fda Front-Of-Package Nutrition Labeling, Madison Price

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a front-of-package nutrition labeling (FOPL) rule in early 2025 to help consumers more quickly and easily compare the nutritional quality of packaged foods (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2025). FOPL is gaining attention as a way to encourage healthier eating habits and consumer choices, but there is still debate over which label format works best. The objective of this study was to examine consumer perceptions, understanding, and trust of FDA FOPL, and to determine how these labels impact purchasing behavior and nutritional decision-making. Data were collected via an online Qualtrics survey distributed …

Clinical Pathway For Rhogam Administration In The Emergency Department, Lauren Kyzar, Amy Bigham

Appalachian Student Healthcare Research Review

Background: Clinical pathways in emergency departments (ED) are designed to standardize patient care and reduce variability in clinical practice. In a rural hospital setting, the ED management of RhoGAM administration in pregnant patients with vaginal bleeding varied by provider with no standard of care achieved. This approach raised concerns about potential patient safety issues.

Methods: In response, the local emergency department medical director, in conjunction with local perinatal providers developed a clinical pathway to standardize care and optimize RhoGAM administration. The clinical pathway was implemented to the local ED providers over a three-month period. Retrospective chart review for Type and …

Reclaiming Fiduciary Duty: Esg, Wall Street Fee Minimalism, And The Case For Pension Divestment, Thomas Murray, R. Alexander Acosta

SMU Law Review Forum

This Article examines two forces that have distorted the fiduciary obligations of American pension trustees: (1) ESG activism by the dominant index fund managers and (2) the fee-minimalism argument those same managers have deployed to discourage divestment. Part I establishes the legal architecture of fiduciary duty under ERISA and trust law, centering on the independent duties of loyalty and prudence. Part II traces the history of how ESG considerations migrated from the periphery of investment practice to institutional orthodoxy through the influence of investment consultants, global coalitions, and Department of Labor subregulatory guidance. Part III documents how ESG stewardship by …

The Oncoming Light: An Experiential Approach To Psychological Exposition Through Dialogue-Driven Narrative, Benjamin G. Dewitt

Honors Theses

Narrative is a lens through which we understand ourselves, our histories, our futures, and our ties to those around us. Narrative form has undergone vast transformations over time, and in the case of “postmodern” literature, pushes the boundaries of form into the experimental, questioning the truth of knowledge itself. While these experimental works can give rise to uniquely powerful emotional experiences, some components of narrative, when abandoned, may only hinder the immersion of the reader. This thesis evaluates several experimental, dialogue-driven narrative works against these components: linguistic, literal, emotional, and intellectual significance, in a hierarchy of importance as proposed by …

Synthesis Of Novel 1,2,3-Triarylnaphthalenes Via Intermolecular Dehydro-Diels-Alder Reaction, Ethan C. Dailey

Honors Theses

The photo-dehydro-Diels–Alder (PDDA) reaction is a useful method for the construction of substituted naphthalene derivatives from acyclic precursors. While intramolecular variants of this transformation are well established, intermolecular PDDA reactions remain rare due to challenges associated with controlling reactivity under photochemical conditions. Previous studies suggest that electron-withdrawing substituents can promote intermolecular cycloaddition by increasing alkyne polarization and stabilizing reactive intermediates. In this work, the effect of enhanced electron-withdrawing character on intermolecular PDDA reactivity was investigated through the incorporation of a 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoropyridinyl substituent. Corresponding alkyne substrates were synthesized and subjected to photochemical conditions, resulting in the formation of 1,2,3-triarylnaphthalene products. The …

Inequity In Education Through The Lens Of Social Studies Curriculum Using Studies Weekly, Emma Roy

Honors Theses

This study examines the representation of the Civil Rights Movement within the Studies Weekly elementary social studies curriculum and evaluates its alignment with culturally relevant pedagogy, critical race theory, and civic education frameworks. Through a qualitative content analysis of twelve assessment questions and accompanying lesson materials, the findings reveal consistent patterns of oversimplification, limited historical nuance, and an overreliance on factual recall. Key themes including systemic racism, collective activist, and diverse historical perspectives are minimized or omitted altogether. These omissions contribute to what scholars identify as curriculum bias, where dominant narratives are privileged while marginalized voices are unheard. The results …

Podcasting As A Marketing And Communication Modality: Exploring Its Impact On Potential New Members’ Satisfaction, Attitudes, And Decision-Making In Utc Sorority Recruitment, Britain Meyers

Honors Theses

This study explores podcasting as a marketing and communication modality within the context of sorority recruitment, specifically examining its impact on Potential New Members’ (PNMs) preparedness, satisfaction, attitudes, and decision-making. Centered around Scrappy’s Sorority Scoop, a four-episode podcast created by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga 2025-2026 Panhellenic Council, this research investigates how podcast engagement influences the recruitment experience. Using qualitative interviews with eight participants who both joined a Panhellenic chapter and listened to the full podcast series prior to recruitment, the study identifies key themes related to the podcast’s effectiveness. Findings indicate that podcasting enhances PNMs’ understanding of the …

Calibrating Human Trust In The Age Of Generative Ai: An Examination Of Ethical And Social Challenges, Abigail M. Mondido

Honors Theses

Generative AI (GenAI), a set of AI technologies with the ability to generate original, human-like outputs, is beginning to transform the way that information is distributed, composed, published, obtained, analyzed, and consumed. GenAI has seen massive adoption by internet users, businesses, and organizations in recent years despite the persistence of major ethical concerns and social implications. In particular, existing research has identified multiple critical trust-related issues associated with AI in general, including widespread mistrust and distrust, overreliance on AI, and a lack of trustworthiness of AI. There remains a need for a broader understanding of these issues as they relate …

Belonging, Governance, And The Future Of The Nation: Rethinking Citizenship In Tribal Nation Communities, Meadow Carroll

Honors Theses

Tribal citizenship is often framed as a question of identity or legal status, but it functions more fundamentally as a structure of governance that determines who participates in political life and whether nations can sustain themselves over time. This study compares the citizenship frameworks of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes and the Cherokee Nation to examine how different enrollment criteria shape political participation, demographic continuity, and institutional capacity. Drawing on tribal constitutions, enrollment materials, governance records, and voter participation data, the analysis demonstrates that citizenship systems produce measurable differences in how tribal governments function in practice. Systems based on fixed …

Skill Growth And Development In An Honors Experiential Learning Course, Julia D. Lyashevskiy

Honors Theses

Problem-solving skills are crucial for students in both schoolwork and the workforce as they help individuals and groups work through obstacles and come up with solutions to a problem. To help prepare students, the Innovation in Honors Lab at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is a hands-on, interdisciplinary course that provides an experiential learning opportunity to practice skills while working directly with community partners to find and solve a local issue. This research tracks the development of six specific skills that students use throughout the class. The skills included communication, creative thinking, decision making, problem solving, conflict resolution, and …

Hardware Integration Of Preamble Based 802.11a Wi-Fi Frame Location For Usrp Radios, Nicholas P. Margavio

Honors Theses

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of devices that can exchange information over the internet, and its deployments are projected to reach 30.9 billion by 2025, with most lacking encryption. One solution for these unencrypted devices is to use Specific Emitter Identification (SEI). SEI exploits distinct, native, and unintentional features of a radio’s signal to identify it and enhance wireless network security uniquely. For example, IEEE 802.11a Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi) radio waveforms have a fixed structure that occupies the first 16 microseconds, from which SEI features can be extracted and used to identify the originating radio. By removing the …

Evaluating The Effects Of Urbanization On Meiofauna Biodiversity In Chattanooga’S Lentic Ecosystems Through Gis Applications, Keyle M. Bryant

Honors Theses

Urbanization is a leading driver of biodiversity loss in freshwater ecosystems, yet its effects on meiofauna—microscopic invertebrates that serve as key bioindicators of ecosystem health—remain poorly understood in lentic environments. This study evaluated the effects of urbanization on meiofaunal biodiversity in ten lentic waterbodies across Hamilton County, Chattanooga, Tennessee, by integrating environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, in-situ abiotic measurements, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based land use analysis. Water samples were collected between January and April 2023 and processed using 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing to assess biodiversity as richness (amplicon sequence variants or ASVs, phylogenetic diversity or PD, and community composition). Land …

Dissociation, Anxiety, And The Vestibular System: Understanding The Impacts Of Anxiety, Panic, And Dissociation On The Vestibular System, Julian Achata

Honors Theses

Previous research indicates that vestibular dysfunction is associated with symptoms of anxiety, panic, and dissociation. The present study will investigate anxiety, panic, and dissociation symptoms and identify the connections between reported symptom severity and vestibular functionality. This study will focus on three different hypotheses: 1) higher levels of dissociation will correlate with increased vestibular disruption; 2) higher levels of anxiety will correlate with increased vestibular disruption; 3) higher levels of panic will correlate with increased vestibular disruption. Six virtually administered self-report measurements were used to identify the variables: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Depersonalization Derealization Inventory (DDI), Dissociation Experiences Scale-II (DES-II), …

Red, White, And Broke: A Call For Accountability In Government, Mary A. Scott

Honors Theses

This study examines the scale of waste, fraud, and abuse in U.S. federal spending. The purpose of this research is to clarify how fiscal management in the federal government is intended to operate versus how it actually functions. Using a combination of conceptual analysis, existing literature, case-based evidence, and data analysis, findings suggest that the persistence of oversight failures arises from weak implementation, limited enforcement authority of oversight bodies, and an emphasis on recovery rather than prevention practices. This study contributes to the broader discussion of public finance by providing an accessible framework to understand why the foundational federal principle …

A Meta-Analysis Of Endometrial Cancer Metabolites As Potential Non-Invasive Biomarkers, Makenna K. Johnson

Honors Theses

Endometrial Cancer (EC) is the most prevalent gynecological cancer in the United States and causes tens of thousands of deaths. Despite its massive negative impact in developed countries, there currently is no reliable screening tool used to diagnose women. Due to this urgent need for minimally invasive and precise techniques to diagnose this malignancy, the metabolomics field has been at the forefront of current research. An untargeted mass-spectrometry approach is used by many researchers to form an initial hypothesis as to which metabolites are key in identifying EC cases. However, there are sometimes inconsistencies between studies. A meta-analysis approach examines …

Domain-Specific Concussion Knowledge And Reporting In United States Major League Rugby Players, Julie Stamm, Katherine Hunzinger, Owen Sheehy, Christine Baugh

Department of Exercise Science Faculty Papers

Previous research indicates high concussion knowledge is not associated with better concussion reporting, with research examining the relationship between reporting and global concussion knowledge. Concussion knowledge has not yet been investigated in United States Major League Rugby (MLR) players. This study evaluated domain-specific concussion knowledge, concussion history, and reporting behaviors among active MLR players. In a cross-sectional design, 207 MLR athletes (age 26.6 ± 3.4 years) completed a survey assessing concussion history, knowledge, and nondisclosure reasons. While in the MLR, 24% reported an undisclosed concussion, with nondisclosure reasons related to a lack of concussion knowledge, a desire to continue playing, …

The 5i’S Framework Of Creative Self-Leadership, Maggie Cubbler

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

The purpose of this Master of Science in Creativity and Change Leadership project is to establish a framework for Creative Self-Leadership (CSL) development. Viewed through a gendered lens, the framework addresses how women's intrapersonal processes—the 5I's of introspection, interoception, intuition, imagination, and intrinsic motivation—are often compromised by sustained environmental and systemic pressure, and proposes practices designed to restore and strengthen these internal guides.

By recalibrating these intrapersonal processes toward accurate self-knowledge, CSL employs the science of creativity to lead women in their own quest for change, agency, and resilience while remaining cognizant of the dynamic between her and her environment.

Systemic Barriers To Educational And Employment Attainment Among Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, Mollie B. Mccann Poblocki

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Substance use disorders (SUDs) and opioid use disorder (OUD) represent one of the most pressing yet poorly understood public health crises in the United States. Despite decades of clinical intervention, recovery outcomes remain deeply unequal, not because individuals lack motivation, but because the structural systems surrounding them are fundamentally broken. This project explored that reality through a comprehensive literature review examining how systemic barriers across educational systems, labor markets, poverty dynamics, and healthcare infrastructure shape vulnerability, treatment access, and recovery outcomes for individuals with SUDs. Major findings revealed a consistent socioeconomic gradient of harm: individuals with lower educational attainment, unstable …

An Investigation Of The Roles Aging, Gender And Age-Related Hearing Loss Play In Emotional Prosody Recognition, Giavanna Yowell

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Emotional prosody recognition is crucial for social interactions but is influenced by aging, gender, and age-related hearing loss (Lambrecht et al., 2012; Oerlemans et al., 2014; Palermo et al., 2013). No past studies have looked at all of these factors collectively. To address this shortcoming, the current study explored the relationships between aging, hearing loss and gender differences in emotional prosody recognition. The ability to recognize emotions through facial expressions was also included as a comparative measure. One hundred fifteen individuals (42 men and 73 women), ages 50 and older (M = 60.39, SD = 8.12), completed a hearing handicap …