Digital Commons Network^™

Computational Fact-Checking With Limited Resources, Fengzhu Zeng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The rapid dissemination of information through online platforms has sparked widespread concern about the propagation of misinformation. Manual fact-checking by pro- fessional fact-checkers is time-consuming and lacks scalability to address the vast volume of daily information. Consequently, computational fact-checking, driven by automated techniques in natural language processing (NLP), has garnered interest as
a potential solution. However, computational fact-checking faces critical challenges limited resources, particularly due to the issues of data scarcity and computing resource constraints. One key challenge is data scarcity, which arises from the constant generation of new information and emerging events on social media. This scarcity manifests in …

Social Sprouts: A Play-Based Packaged Intervention - Improving Peer Interactions In Early Childhood Classrooms With A Novel Group Contingency, Brittany D. Garza

Master's Theses

Teaching prosocial skills such as positive peer interactions in early childhood settings not only promotes behavioral health but reliably predicts future learning outcomes. The literature suggests that decreasing levels of challenging behavior may improve peer interactions, and a feasible class-wide strategy that can address this combination of needs effectively is a group contingency. The current study investigated the effect of a novel group contingency, Social Sprouts, on both positive peer interactions and disruptive behavior. This study utilized a nonconcurrent multiple baseline design in three Head Start classrooms to evaluate the effect of this packaged intervention delivered just before and during …

Using Inquiry Classroom Experiences To Correct Student Misconceptions In Elementary Science: An Action Research Study, Hope A. Ellison

Master's Theses

Misconceptions in elementary science education can significantly hinder students' ability to construct accurate and lasting conceptual understandings. Grounded in the constructivist learning theory, this quasi-experimental study investigates how inquiry-based instruction influences the identification and correction of third-grade students’ misconceptions in science, specifically in the domains of energy, force, and matter. Using a pre- and post-test design, along with data derived from daily teacher field notes, the research was conducted with a sample of fifteen third-grade students at a public elementary school in Mississippi. The results, discussed in the methods section, revealed a statistically significant improvement in students’ conceptual understanding following …

Connecting For Success: Evaluating The Frequency Of Check & Connect Meetings On Student Behavior, Kaylee S. Mckinney

Master's Theses

Dropout prevention efforts commonly address risk factors including chronic absenteeism, which continues to be a nationwide concern. Check & Connect is a student engagement intervention that aims to improve graduation rates and mitigate several risk factors of dropout. Previous research has failed to address if the frequency of Check & Connect meetings results in varied effectiveness of the intervention. The current study aims to evaluate the effects of modified frequency of Check & Connect meetings on academic engagement, term grade average, absences, and office discipline referrals through the use of a multiple baseline across participants design. Results revealed that students …

Reflecting On Racial Microaggressions: The Impact On Food Consumption In Minority Women, Khadiza Akter

Master's Theses

U.S. laws, policies, and practices have been implemented to reduce forms of overt racism and discrimination. These structural barriers have been effective (e.g., Dovido & Gaertner, 2000; McConahay, 1986; Sue & Sue, 2007). Covert forms of racism, however, including racial microaggressions, are more difficult to address using structural changes and, therefore, continue to thrive (Omi & Winant 1994; Sue et al., 2007). Racist attitudes and discriminatory behaviors are sources of anxiety and stress (Kogan et al., 2014; Pascoe & Richman, 2009) with long-term anxiety and stress leading to elevated risks for mental and …

At Least It's Not Hospital Food: Faunal Analysis Of A Virginia Plantation Occupied By The Union Army, Kyett U. Salamone

Graduate Masters Theses

This thesis uses faunal remains from a midden at Sherwood Forest Plantation, Stafford County, Virginia to discuss the diet and provisioning of Union soldiers. Sherwood Forest was among Virginia’s wealthiest plantations in the Antebellum Period. During winter 1862-1863, the Army of the Potomac occupied the site, treating it as an ad hoc supply depot, pastureland and field hospital. After the war, the plantation owner and his heirs repeatedly sought repayment through the court system, generating documents detailing his confiscated and damaged property. The assemblage is compared to three zooarchaeological approaches about food supply: barreled meat, 19^th century military supply, …

Child Abuse In Colonial America, Brian Allen

Graduate Masters Theses

Child Abuse in Colonial America is an investigation of the extent to which colonial societies were aware of child abuse and how they responded. Historians often assert that awareness of the problem did not exist in America until the mid-nineteenth century; however, the evidence uncovered suggests that cases of child abuse were recognized during the colonial period and that the societal responses differed widely. Historians of childhood document myriad social, economic, political, religious, and other cultural influences that dictate how children were treated at different times and locations, and this framework is used to interpret why the responses to child …

Organizational Health Literacy In Pediatric Cardiovascular Programs, Eva Gomez

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Health literacy refers to a person’s ability to access, understand and use health-related information in order to effectively manage one's health and navigate healthcare experiences. This responsibility does not rest solely upon the individual; healthcare organizations also have a vital role in assisting individuals in accessing, understanding and using health information through their interactions with the healthcare system. Organizational health literacy (OHL) can serve as a strategy to ensure that all individuals have equitable access to health information and services. The Ten Attributes of a Health Literate Healthcare Organization established the foundational principles of organizational health literacy. The present study …

Forgotten Landscapes: Using Original Land Surveys To Understand The Historic Distribution Of Cane Brakes In Wayne County, Ms, Chad Mackness

Master's Theses

This study investigates the historical presence and ecological significance of Arundinaria gigantea (giant cane) in 1810, Wayne County, Mississippi, using original survey documents. These records provide rare quantitative insights into the distribution of cane brakes, revealing that A. gigantea possibly represented up to 44% of the surveyed landscape, likely second only to Pinus palustris (longleaf pine).

This research involved digitizing historical surveyors' notes, transcribing them into a structured format, and extracting spatial data for GIS analysis. The methodology developed for this research can be used to ensure the preservation and usability of these historical documents for future research. …

Do Finances Determine Our Fate?: Understanding The Relationships Between Socioeconomic Status, Inflammation, And Cancer Recurrence Risk, Faith Wilbourne

Master's Theses

Individuals of a low socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to experience a cancer recurrence relative to individuals with a higher SES. This may be partially explained by the stressors of living with a low SES. These stressors can increase inflammatory markers known to elevate the risk of cancer development. Health-promoting behaviors such as exercise, adequate sleep, and a healthy diet can reduce systemic inflammation. Health behaviors may therefore moderate any potential relationship between SES and cancer recurrence risk. This study explored associations between SES (income, educational attainment) and inflammatory markers related to cancer recurrence while seeking to determine if …

Activation And Suppression Mechanisms Of The Nrg1 Helper Nlrs, Yu-Ru Wang, Ruize Zhang, Daowen Wang, Yong Wang, Zheng Qing Fu

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

2025-2026 Lindenwood University Graduate Course Catalog, Lindenwood University

Course Catalogs

Lindenwood University Graduate Course Catalog

2025-2026 Lindenwood University Undergraduate Course Catalog, Lindenwood University

Course Catalogs

Lindenwood University Undergraduate Course Catalog

Curved Confinement Directs Anchoring-Mediated Structural Transitions In Highly Chiral Liquid Crystal Shells, Sepideh Norouzi, Jeremy Money, Stiven Villada-Gil, José Martínez-Gonález, Monirosadat Sadati

Faculty Publications

Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) confined in curved geometries exhibit a rich spectrum of defectmediated morphologies governed by the interplay between chirality, curvature, surface anchoring, and confinement. This study systematically investigates structural transitions in highly chiral CLC shells under asymmetric anchoring conditions, focusing on the effects of shell thickness and curvature on pitch axis reorientation and defect formation. Utilizing microfluidic techniques, we generate core–shell droplets with independently tunable anchoring at inner and outer aqueous interfaces. Transitioning from planar–planar to planar-homeotropic boundary conditions via surfactant-mediated modulation induces profound reorganizations in the director field, giving rise to focal conic domains (FCDs), stripe patterns, …

Promoting Understanding Of Soft Power Theory : A Case Study Of Confucius Institutes Along The Belt And Road, Dan Yang

Lingnan Theses (Doctoral degree)

This dissertation explores the function of Confucius Institutes (CI) as key tools within China’s soft power approach, particularly in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It provides a detailed and empirically based analysis of how these institutes operate within various national contexts. Drawing upon Joseph Nye’s soft power theory and supported by literature on public diplomacy, this study assesses the ways in which CIs translate cultural, linguistic, and educational assets into international influence. Despite the rapid expansion of CIs globally, their actual effectiveness in achieving cultural diplomacy and tangible soft power outcomes remains uncertain. Advocates emphasize the …

A Relational Forestsoft Set Approach To Modeling And Optimizing Teaching Quality In University English Translation Programs Amid Digital Transformation, Jianguo Liu, Ruohan Liu

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Plithogenic Hierarchical Entropy Fusion Applied To Teaching Quality Enhancement In University English Translation Classes, Juan Zhang

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

A New Hybrid Deep Learning Method With Neutrosophic Sets For Social Media Sentiment Analysis Of The Covid-19 Vaccine,, Tasneem Abdelrahman, Mohamed El-Rashidy, Mohamed Marie

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Electric Vehicle Selection Using Neutrosophic Superhypersoft Set Theory, F. Smarandache, P. Gayathri, E. Karuppusamy, S. Krishnaprakash, S. Gomathi

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

N-Refined Neutrosophic Twofold Algebra: A Novel Framework For Evaluating Competitiveness In The Power And Electronics Technology Industry, Zhanglan You, Isaac Wasonga Owino, Yuwei Chen

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Neutrosophic Sets And Systems, Vol. 86,2025, Florentin Smarandache, Mohamed Abdel-Basset, Maikel. Leyva Vazquez

Neutrosophic Sets and Systems

No abstract provided.

Multicenter Span Trial Of Fasudil In Ischemic Stroke, Takahiko Imai, Andreia Lopes De Morais, Xuyan Jin, Tao Qin, Jessica Lamb, Karisma A Nagarkatti, Mu-Hsun Chen, Ligia S B Boisserand, Rakesh B Patel, Mariia Kumskova, Anjali Chauhan, Krishnan M Dhandapani, Mohammad B Khan, Pradip K Kamat, Yanrong Shi, Suyi Cao, Basavaraju G Sanganahalli, Joseph B Mandeville, Patrick D Lyden, David C Hess, Enrique C Leira, Anil K Chauhan, Jaroslaw Aronowski, Louise D Mccullough, Raymond C Koehler, Lauren H Sansing, Márcio A Diniz, Cenk Ayata

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Background: The SPAN (Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network) is a confirmatory multicenter trial network to test cerebroprotective interventions in experimental acute stroke. In a first-of-its-kind trial, SPAN tested 6 interventions in a rodent model of transient focal ischemic stroke. Here, we report the efficacy of fasudil, an isoform-nonselective rho-associated kinase inhibitor, on primary and secondary outcomes in the SPAN trial.

Methods: Fasudil was administered at 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally every 12 hours for 6 doses starting 5 minutes before reperfusion in a 60-minute endovascular filament middle cerebral artery occlusion model. The active treatment arm (n=345) was compared with the pooled intraperitoneal and …

Family-Level Factors That Influence Physical Activity Among Hispanic Adolescents At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes, Sandra Mihail, Ayleen A Hernandez, Erica G Soltero

Children’s Nutrition Research Center Staff Publications

Objective: Family-based health promotion and disease prevention strategies are recommended as best practice; however, there is limited knowledge regarding the family-level factors that influence modifiable behavior risk factors like physical activity (PA) among Latinx adolescents. This study addressed this knowledge gap by using qualitative methods to identify perceptions of family-level factors that influence PA among Hispanic youth.

Methods: We conducted semistructured, open-ended interviews with 20 Latinx adolescents (14-16 years) with obesity (body mass index ≥95th percentile) to identify their perceptions of how family influences PA. Content analysis was used to identify emergent themes, which were then compared across demographic factors, …

Genetic Study Of Von Willebrand Factor Antigen Levels ≤ 50 Iu/Dl Identifies Variants Associated With Increased Risk Of Von Willebrand Disease And Bleeding, Rachel K Friedman, Adam S Heath, Jennifer E Huffman, James T Baker, Natalie R Hasbani, Sarah A Gagliano Taliun, Ming-Huei Chen, Tom E Howard, Joshua P Lewis, Nathan Pankratz, Snehal Patil, Alex P Reiner, Florian Thibord, Lisa R Yanek, Jie Yao, Hung-Hsin Chen, Joanne E Curran, Nauder Faraday, Xiuqing Guo, Marsha M Wheeler, Kathleen A Ryan, Xiang Zhou, Kelly Cho, Laura Almasy, Paul L Auer, Lewis C Becker, Peter W F Wilson, Eric Boerwinkle, Jeffrey R O'Connell, Stephen S Rich, David C Samuels, National Heart, Lung And Blood Institute (Nhlbi) Trans-Omics For Precision Medicine (Topmed) Consortium, Topmed Hematology & Hemostasis Working Group, Va Million Veteran Program, John Blangero, Myriam Fornage, Charles Kooperberg, Rasika A Mathias, Braxton D Mitchell, Jerome I Rotter, Andrew D Johnson, Nicholas L Smith, Zeynep H Coban-Akdemir, Jennifer E Below, Alanna C Morrison, Jill M Johnsen, Paul S De Vries

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a common inherited bleeding disorder caused by low levels or activity of circulating von Willebrand factor (VWF). Genetic susceptibility to VWF antigen (VWF:Ag) below normal (≤ 50 IU/dL) in the general population is underexplored.

Objectives: To identify genetic variants influencing VWF:Ag levels ≤ 50 IU/dL.

Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study in 926 cases with VWF:Ag levels ≤ 50 IU/dL and 12 846 controls from 7 studies from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine program. We then examined whether significant genome-wide findings were also associated with clinical diagnosis of VWD in 5 biobanks with …

Socioeconomic Status Shapes Dyadic Interactions: Examining Behavioral And Physiologic Responses, Jacinth J. X. Tan, Tessa V. West, Wendy B. Mendes

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

With more opportunities for diverse interactions, little is known about how social interactions involving people of different socioeconomic status (SES) may unfold. We investigated social attunement patterns in dyadic interactions involving SES. Unacquainted individuals recruited from the community interacted with similar-or-different-SES partners in the lab (Ndyads = 130). Attunement was assessed throughout the interaction by examining physiological linkage—how much a person’s physiological change is predicted by another’s physiological change, over time. Overall, low-SES participants showed stronger physiological linkage—indicating greater attunement—to partners across SES. Participants also appeared more comfortable when interacting with low-SES partners. There were no SES differences in dominance …

Language Brokering Conditions The Indirect Association Between Mexican‐Origin Adolescents’ Academic Discrimination And Educational Expectations, Su Yeong Kim, Yayu Du, Chantal Alvarado, Wei Xiang Sim, Wen Wen, Tianlu Zhang, Jingyi Shen

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Mexican‐origin adolescents, a significant portion of the US Latino population, often experience a decline in educational expectations from early to late adolescence. Contextual factors such as academic discrimination and language brokering for parents may contribute to this decline. This study investigates the indirect effect of academic discrimination experienced in middle school on educational expectations in young adulthood through high school grades and engagement, and the moderating role of language brokering experiences in these relations. Data were collected from 604 Mexican‐origin adolescents across four waves from 2012 to 2023. Academic discrimination experiences in middle school were negatively associated with school grades …

Dreamanime: Learning Style-Identity Textual Disentanglement For Anime And Beyond, Chenshu Xu, Yangyang Xu, Huaidong Zhang, Xuemiao Xu, Shengfeng He

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Text-to-image generation models have significantly broadened the horizons of creative expression through the power of natural language. However, navigating these models to generate unique concepts, alter their appearance, or reimagine them in unfamiliar roles presents an intricate challenge. For instance, how can we exploit language-guided models to transpose an anime character into a different art style, or envision a beloved character in a radically different setting or role? This paper unveils a novel approach named DreamAnime, designed to provide this level of creative freedom. Using a minimal set of 2-3 images of a user-specified concept such as an anime character …

L3net: Localized And Layered Reparameterization For Incremental Learning, Xuandi Luo, Huaidong Zhang, Yi Xie, Hongrui Zhang, Xuemiao Xu, Shengfeng He

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Model-based class incremental learning (CIL) methods aim to address the challenge of catastrophic forgetting by retaining certain parameters and expanding the model architecture. However, retaining too many parameters can lead to an overly complex model, increasing inference overhead. Additionally, compressing these parameters to reduce the model size can result in performance degradation. To tackle these challenges, we propose a novel three-stage CIL framework called Localized and Layered Reparameterization for Incremental Learning (L3Net). The rationale behind our approach is to balance model complexity and performance by selectively expanding and optimizing critical components. Specifically, the framework introduces a Localized Dual-path Expansion structure, …

Solving Two-Stage Stochastic Integer Programs Via Representation Learning, Yaoxin Wu, Zhiguang Cao, Wen Song, Yingqian Zhang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Solving stochastic integer programs (SIPs) is extremely intractable due to the high computational complexity. To solve two-stage SIPs efficiently, we propose a conditional variational autoencoder (CVAE) for scenario representation learning. A graph convolutional network (GCN) based VAE embeds scenarios into a low-dimensional latent space, conditioned on the deterministic context of each instance. With the latent representations of stochastic scenarios, we perform two auxiliary tasks: objective prediction and scenario contrast, which predict scenario objective values and the similarities between them, respectively. These tasks further integrate objective information into the representations through gradient backpropagation. Experiments show that the learned scenario representations can …

Focus: Evaluating Pre-Trained Vision-Language Models On Underspecification Reasoning, Kankan Zhou, Yibin Lai, Kyriakos Mouratidis, Jing Jiang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Humans possess a remarkable ability to interpret underspecified ambiguous statements by inferring their meanings from contexts such as visual inputs. This ability, however, may not be as developed in recent pre-trained visionlanguage models (VLMs). In this paper, we introduce a novel probing dataset called FOCUS to evaluate whether state-of-the-art VLMs have this ability. FOCUS consists of underspecified sentences paired with image contexts and carefully designed probing questions. Our experiments reveal that VLMs still fall short in handling underspecification even when visual inputs that can help resolve the ambiguities are available. To further support research in underspecification, FOCUS will be released …