Digital Commons Network^™

Type Ii Diabetes Treatment Comparison Via Compartment Modeling, Abigail M. Collins

Theses and Dissertations

Type II diabetes mellitus affects one in ten adults worldwide, yet the effects of treatment type and adherence level on developing complications and quality of life have not been well characterized at the population level, and mathematical modeling offers a structured way to examine these dynamics. This thesis adapts the Boutayeb et al. (2004) model to incorporate dynamic treatment types and levels of adherence, producing nine scenarios in which complication development rate and complication recovery rate differed, to compare peak complications and quality of life across treatment and adherence conditions. Using a system of ordinary differential equations and compartment modeling, …

Thinking Machines: Cybernetics, Artificial Intelligence, And Technological Anxiety In The American Cold War, Erin Mae Wilcox

Theses and Dissertations

Following the Second World War, cybernetics emerged as a cross-disciplinary study in philosophy, neurophysiology, electrical engineering, and mathematics. Cyberneticists proposed the formal study of the man-machine analogy; that is, to equate biological structures to a complex mechanical system. Drawing from this analogy, cyberneticists used programmable digital computers to emulate the functions of the human brain. The study of artificial intelligence emerged within this cybernetic discourse in the early 1950s; yet, by the mid-1960s, the two disciplines suffered a methodological fracture. Drawing from a tradition generated by this fracture, historians have traditionally examined cybernetics and artificial intelligence in isolation from one …

Fostering A Growth Mindset In Mathematics: Faculty And Student Experiences, Yolanda G. Rush

Theses and Dissertations

According to the Center for Community College Student Engagement (2019), many students attending two-year institutions need productive persistence strategies, including the development of a growth mindset. Although some growth mindset interventions have been effective in improving academic achievement among students (Boaler, 2016; Canning et al., 2024) and persistence (Lewis, 2019) among students, especially those with developmental needs (Suh et al., 2019) and those in mathematics, little is known about the experiences of students and teachers (i.e., students’ perceptions of teachers’ intentions and implementation) as teachers work to foster a growth mindset culture (Murphy et al., 2021). In this dissertation, I …

Social Media, Masculine Body Ideals, And The Drive For Muscularity: A Serial Mediation Model Across Sexual Identities, Sean P. Mcdaniel

Theses and Dissertations

Body image concerns among men are increasingly prevalent yet remain understudied compared to women’s experiences. Drawing on objectification theory, the present study examines the relationship between social media influence and men’s drive for muscularity through a serial mediation model. Specifically, the present study investigates whether the internalization of masculine body ideals and engagement in body surveillance behaviors mediate the link between social media influence and the drive for muscularity. Furthermore, the present study model attempts to explore how these processes differ across sexual identities, given evidence that sexual minority men face distinct sociocultural pressures regarding appearance. Adult male-identifying social media …

The Acculturation Of International-Born Student Affairs Administrators In The United States, Amber Joy Webb

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative narrative study explored how international student affairs administrators in the United States experience acculturation. Guided by Berry’s (1997) fourfold model of acculturation, the study examined how participants experienced assimilation, integration, separation, and marginalization as they navigated their professional roles, institutional expectations, and cultural identities. Eight participants, representing diverse countries of origin, institutional types, and professional roles, were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) framework. Findings indicated participants employed multiple, context-dependent acculturation strategies rather than adhering to a single strategy. Assimilation emerged as a strategic process for establishing professional legitimacy, navigating …

Minnesota School Psychologists Survey: Job Satisfaction And Professional Practice, Mary Jane Gunderson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Historically, school psychologists’ roles emphasized eligibility determination through assessment, resulting in practitioners spending a substantial proportion of their time in assessment-related activities. However, this contradicts National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) recommendations promoting prevention-related actives such as intervention and consultation. Prior research further found that school psychologists prefer more diverse professional practices, with a variety in professional practices leading to increased job satisfaction. Furthermore, discrepancies between actual and preferred roles are associated with lower job satisfaction. Although national research has examined professional practices and job satisfaction, limited attention has been given to these relationships at the state level. The purpose …

A Comparison Of Two Flashcard Interventions In Improving Sight Word Acquisition Among Elementary-Aged Emerging Bilingual Students, Lyudmila Yeliseyeva

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This study employed a reversal single-case design to compare the effectiveness of two flashcard interventions—Incremental Rehearsal (IR) and Strategic Incremental Rehearsal (SIR)—in promoting sight word acquisition, retention, generalization, and efficiency among four elementary-aged emerging bilingual students. The study also examined social validity and intervention fidelity. Results indicated that both interventions were effective in improving acquisition, retention, and generalization of sight words. SIR demonstrated greater efficiency in facilitating sight word recognition. Additionally, both students and the interventionist reported high levels of social validity for the interventions. Limitations of the study included a small, homogeneous sample, lack of long-term maintenance data, reliance …

Toys As Evidence, Randall K. Johnson

Faculty Works

This Essay asks and answers a single question, which was posed during a recent symposium at the National Museum of Toys & Miniatures. Could the study of revealed preferences, which is the idea that observed behaviors are the best indicator of one’s beliefs, improve our collective understanding about what constitutes unlawful discrimination in certain U.S. markets? A possible answer, which is informed by the Brown v. Board of Education decision, is the study of revealed preferences may improve our collective understanding for three reasons.

One reason is the study of revealed preferences provides a window into how some producers and …

Frederick Douglass, D.C. Recorder Of Deeds, Randall K. Johnson

Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Regulating Ai Beyond Product Liability, Shruti Trikanad

Michigan Technology Law Review

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used by governments across the world to enforce regulatory mandates, adjudicate benefits and privileges, predict and analyze risks, and much more. Although this has significant potential to increase efficiency and responsiveness, it also comes with several risks of transparency, government accountability, and the amplification of discrimination and bias. It is crucial we oversee and regulate these AI systems effectively. This essay argues against the models that current regulatory frameworks are adopting to govern AI use: those resembling product liability.

Through the lens of the European Union's AI Act and Liability Directive, it highlights the unsuitability …

Health, Patents, And Path Dependence: India's Pharmaceutical Crossroads, Jacie Bissell

Michigan Technology Law Review

This paper examines how India’s historical commitment to affordable medicine and public health continues to shape its pharmaceutical patent regime, even as the country aspires to become an innovation-driven economy. Through the lens of path dependence, the paper explores how India’s legal and institutional frameworks have created structural constraints on policy reform. Focusing on key moments such as the Patents Act of 1970, the landmark Novartis decision, and India’s evolving stance on the TRIPS waiver during the COVID-19 pandemic, the paper analyzes the tensions between fostering pharmaceutical innovation and maintaining access to affordable medicines. While recent procedural reforms and judicial …

Conversational Ai And Human-Centered First Amendment, Inyoung Cheong

Michigan Technology Law Review

Human-centered artificial intelligence (AI) is premised on the idea that humans must remain the ultimate locus of agency in technological systems. First Amendment jurisprudence has displaced this commitment. By extending speech protection to algorithmic architectures, the judiciary has forged a doctrinal shield that insulates corporate actors from the consequences of their products. Conversational AI deepens this crisis through intimate incursions into the epistemic and emotional registers of the self. Emerging approaches that anchor First Amendment coverage to the controllability or traceability of AI outputs offer no stable solution. Policy-level design choices such as safety guardrails and alignment processes can readily …

Retention Factors For College Students Who Have Experienced Trauma, Deborah Klinnert

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

College degree attainment has been shown to positively relate to overall life satisfaction, job opportunities, and income. There continue to be equity gaps between enrollment and degree completion for marginalized groups, including students of color, first-generation students, and students from low-income families. The impact of trauma on college completion is missing among existing student success literature. Based on existing retention factors for marginalized groups, including a student’s sense of belonging, resilience, and utilization of mental health services, this study sought to examine if the same factors impact retention for those students who have experienced trauma. The sample size was extremely …

What Are Men Doing To Prevent Gender-Based Violence? Challenges And Resistance To Traditional Masculinities In Costa Rica, Fiorella Masís Aguilar

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Achieving gender equality and reducing violence, especially violence against women, requires men's involvement. This research focuses on understanding the actions and strategies that Costa Rican men who challenge traditional masculinities use to question or resist hegemonic traditional masculinities. Furthermore, it explores what factors influenced the development of these actions and how the participants understand that hegemonic masculinities and their actions to change them are related to gender-based violence. According to Planning Department of the Judiciary of Costa Rica, four out of five perpetrators of violent crimes are men, and eight out of ten victims are women. Using semi-structured interviews with …

Aortic Root Aneurysm Repair Complicated By The Use Of Va-Ecmo Support: A Case Study, Tristyn Gullen

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

Assessing and monitoring a growing aortic root aneurysm through an echocardiogram is essential, as this can become life-threatening and lead to in-depth cardiovascular complications. Many individuals can live with an unknown aortic aneurysm due to the lack of symptoms until the pathology progresses and becomes deadly. By utilizing multimodality imaging such as; Transthoracic-Echocardiogram (TTE), Transesophageal-Echocardiogram (TEE), and Computed Tomography (CT), we can assess this pathology. This case study examines a 45-year-old male with significant cardiac history, including a dilated aortic root and mechanical aortic valve replacement, who has missed several routine follow-up echo appointments. Using the most recent imaging results, …

Bilateral Mature Cystic Teratomas With Ovarian Torsion In An Adolescent: A Case Report, Alessandra Riccio

Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Ultrasound Projects

This case report describes a fourteen-year-old premenarcheal female with one week of progressive left lower quadrant pain; prior x-rays showed a small calcified pelvic focus, and a pelvic ultrasound two years after revealed a left complex cystic and solid ovarian mass with echogenic foci and altered doppler flow. The patient was transferred to a pediatric hospital for emergency exploratory laparotomy with detorsion and resection of the left ovarian mass; intraoperative inspection found a contralateral mass that was resected two weeks later. Histopathology confirmed the presence of bilateral mature cystic teratomas (MCTs) without malignant features. This case highlights the importance of …

"What Does It Mean If I Am Silent?”: Bipoc And Lgbtq+ Educators’ Narratives Of Identity, Responsibility, And Student Protection, Julie Nicole Von Stein

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This qualitative study examined how BIPOC and LGBTQ+ educators describe their experiences navigating curriculum restrictions and book bans in politically restrictive educational environments, their perceptions of administrator support, and how their identities uniquely shape their decisions about resistance and risk. Grounded in Scott’s theory of everyday resistance, the study explored the ways BIPOC and LGBTQ+ educators make decisions about resistance when curricular content connected to race, gender, sexuality, and marginalized identities is challenged or restricted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with educators who identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+, allowing participants to describe their experiences, decision-making processes, perceived risks, and …

Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis In A Young Woman With Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: An Atypical Presentation Associated With An Ultra-Rare Cacna1s Variant, Yasmin Aboutaleb, Ali Moradi, Saba Noreen, Abdullah Sahyouni, Hasin Sharma, Olu Oyesanmi, Ian M. Kahane, Yizhi Lin, Hakan R. Toka

West Florida Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis To Medihoney Gel After Mastectomy: Role Of Alkyl Glucoside Sensitization In Chronic Wounds, Madison M. Taylor, Jordan L. Jafarnia, Austin Black, Kelly C. Nelson, Megan N. Rogge

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Oral N-Acetylcysteine In Hepatitis C - Induced Acute Liver Injury: A Case Report, Mohammed Irfan Khan, Shuchita Jhaveri, Renu Thomas, Kevin Garnepudi, Galvin Dhaliwal, Ahmed Ouni, Shane P. Sweeney, Julian Nguyen

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Unexpected Culprit Revealed After Mechanical Aspiration Thrombectomy: High Thrombus Burden Presenting With Junctional Rhythm Due To Occlusion Of Sinoatrial Node Artery, Originating From Left Circumflex Artery, Anush Agrawal, Dilesha D. Kumanayaka, Anusha Putta

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

A South Texas Mousetrap: A Case Report Of Murine Typhus And Diagnostic Dilemmas, Arjun Kamath, Jose Garza, Matthew Wagner, Deekshita Valiveti, Percy Thomas, Christopher Ganson, Abhay Vakil, Zuhair Ali

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Not Just Cholecystitis: Cancer With Cholecystitis, Saira Ahmed, Joseph Daodu, Anila Punjwani, Shane Sweeney, Pierre Khoury, John Hardaway, Mike K. Liang

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

A Case Report Of Anaphylactic Shock To Tirzepatide, Elinor Barsh, Mohamed Ahmed, Dmitriy Scherbak

Continental and Mountain Divisions GME Resarch Day 2026

No abstract provided.

When Ckd Isn't What It Seems: A Case Of Lect2 Amyloidosis, Ankita Ojha, Banshi M. Rathi

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Unloading The Left Ventricle On Va Ecmo: Comparative Effectiveness Of Ecpella, Iabp, And Venting, Yves Najm Mrad, Snehalkumar Patel

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Determinants Of Successful Neurosurgery Match Among Do Graduates: A Retrospective Analysis Of 111 Matched Applicants, Ankush Chandra, Alexander Hayes, Cameron Ehsan, Laura Zima, James Trippett, Angel Bueno, Jun Kim, Walter R. Johnson, Manish Aghi

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Right Upper Quadrant Pain With Perihepatitis, Morgan D. Homan, Jake Valentine, Edwin R. Malone Ii

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Case Report: Rare Neuropsychiatric Manifestations Seen In A Sle Patient, Ra'phael Freeney, Angel Ryals

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Cultivating Humanity: A Scalable Blueprint For Celebrating Humanism In Graduate Medical Education, Edrianna Mae Ablola, Grace Desrochers, Shuchita Jhaveri, A Charales, L Tatineni, Marelle Montanez, Shane Jenks, Rajeev Raghavan

Gulf Coast Division GME Research Day 2026

No abstract provided.