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Framework And Methodology For Risk-Based Bridge And Tunnel Asset Management: Objective Risk Assessment And Network Level Evaluation, David Y. Yang, Arash Khosravifar, Diane Moug, Avinash Unnikrishnan

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This report presents the results of the project on establishing a general framework and methodology for risk-based bridge and tunnel asset management. The research was carried out at Portland State University in collaboration with engineers and officials at Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The primary goal of the research is to achieve risk-based transportation asset management based on (a) objective and consistent risk assessment and (b) effective prioritization and optimization of intervention strategies. Volume I of this report presents methods and findings in the base phase (Phase I) of the project, which is focused on …

School Teacher's Perceptions Of Twins: A Study On The Educational Experience Of Teaching Identical And Fraternal Twins, Robyn M. Lindley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study explored teachers' perceptions of twins' academic abilities and achievements compared to single-born students. It aimed to understand teachers' attitudes towards classroom dynamics and social interactions among twins and their peers, as well as how teachers differentiate instruction to meet the diverse needs of twins in the classroom. By employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, the research gathered comprehensive data through surveys/questionnaires and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 15 elementary school teachers with experience teaching identical and fraternal twins in primary and secondary schools in Texas and Virginia. The study identified several key themes through thematic analysis: the importance of individualized …

Stakeholders’ Influence Of Voluntary Sustainability Reporting On Corporate Financial Performance, Delores Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explores the relationship between voluntary sustainability reporting and corporate financial performance, focusing on the influence of stakeholders on sustainability initiatives. The research uses legitimacy and stakeholder theories, drawing from signaling and institutional theories, to examine the impact of sustainability initiatives on financial results. The analysis was conducted on United States aerospace and defense companies listed in the Fortune 500, and Bloomberg’s ESG database. The independent variables included GRI-2019 – GRI-2022, stakeholders influence “STAKE,” firm size, and growth. The dependent variables were return on assets and Tobin’s Q. Return on investment was used as the moderating and mediating variable. …

Sulfur Sequestration In Anhydrite Through Alteration Of Calcic Wall Rock, Lexi Kenis

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Heterogeneous gas-solid reactions are suggested as a potential mecha-
nism for sequestering gaseous sulfur through the alteration of calcic wall
rocks. This study explores the concept of a “hierarchy of reactions” pro-
posed by Giggenbach (1987), outlining the interplay between gas components
and redox-related minerals in volcanic wall rocks. Mt. Pinatubo provides a
more felsic composition and more oxidizing conditions compared to previ-
ously studied volcanoes, Kudryavy and Erta Ale (Henley and Fischer, 2021),
and Lascar a more oxidizing case with a similar composition. By employing
thermodynamic models and synthetic melt experiments, evaluations of effi-
ciency of sulfur sequestration across …

Lived Experiences Of Special Education Co-Teachers With High-Leverage Instructional Practices At Secondary Title I Campus: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Aaron M. Logan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenology study was to investigate the lived experiences of special education co-teachers with high-leverage instructional practices at secondary Title I campuses. The central research question of this study was how special education co-teachers at secondary Title I campuses describe their lived experiences with high-leverage instructional practices. Bandura's social cognitive theory guided this study. In particular, the triadic reciprocal causation defined in social cognitive theory guides the study's questions and analysis. Triadic reciprocal causation influences how people communicate, work through tasks, and conduct daily activities related to personal, behavioral, and environmental factors. The social cognitive theory …

The Role Of Adaptive Learning Programs In Secondary Mathematics: A Phenomenology Study, Shameka Sharae Gray

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the transcendental phenomenological study was to discover the role of adaptive learning programs in closing the learning gaps in mathematics for secondary students in Georgia following the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory guiding this study was that of Bandura's theory on self-efficacy, as it highlights how an individual's experience impacts their belief in their ability to complete specific tasks. The central question in this study sought to identify the experiences of secondary math teachers who use adaptive learning programs to address learning gaps in mathematics following the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants for the study consisted of 10 to …

Experiences Of Educators In Implementing Mindfulness In K-6 Special Education Transition Settings: A Case Study, Matthew David Bilchak

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study will be to understand the perspectives of implementing mindfulness-based interventions for special education teachers in elementary special education transition settings. The theory guiding this study involves experiential learning, which requires students and educators to acquire skills to promote self-regulation actively. A qualitative case study approach provides insight into the advantages and challenges of implementing mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) to understand elementary special education teachers' perceptions. Ten educators from rural Pennsylvania school districts compromise the sample pool. Collection methods include interviews, lesson plan analysis, and surveys. Triangulation of data reveals how educators in special education transition …

Quasi-Experimental Study Of The Impact Spaced Practice And Retrieval Have On Mathematical Fact Fluency In Third-, Fourth-, And Fifth-Grade Students, Stefanie L. Breneman-Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group study was to determine if there is a difference in mathematical fact fluency among third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students with varying practice methods and spacing intervals while controlling for pre-test scores. The study filled the literature gap by examining the impact of each variable and their combined additive effect in a third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade student population. Given the importance of math fact fluency on overall math performance, finding the most effective means for building retention is imperative. The sample included 196 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students. Data collection was completed …

Virtual Versus Tangible Math Manipulatives: A Quasi-Experimental Study Comparing The Impact Of Different Types On Mathematical Understanding, Haley L. Gullion

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design study was to measure the effects of both types of manipulatives on student mathematical understanding of 1st and 4th grade, Title I students. This data is needed for teachers to make informed decisions regarding their instructional choices. 270 participants were separated into three groups based on which type of manipulative their classroom teacher used during instruction: physical, virtual, or both. After 10 weeks of instruction with these manipulatives, student achievement was calculated for each student utilizing the Universal Screeners for Number Sense, and the groups within each grade level band …

Challenges Faced By Adult Gifted Students Who Have Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury: A Phenomenological Study, Dawn M. Nessler

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the educational experiences of gifted adult students who have experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI). The theory guiding this phenomenological study was Kazimierz Dabrowski's theory of positive disintegration, with a focus on how the tragedy of various natures impacts the development of an individual's identity. This qualitative phenomenological study sought to understand the shared educational experiences of gifted undergraduate students who have experienced a TBI. 12 participants from Strong Minds, Kind Hearts, a Christian counseling and educational office located in Northwest Florida engaged in the study. Stratified sampling was used within the …

High School Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Use Of Achieve3000 As A Literacy Proficiency Intervention, Cameron Ashley Gaines

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study was that inconsistency in using a literacy development initiative resulted in no improvement of low literacy scores in April of 2022, as a total of 80.85% of high school students in one learning zone within a Georgia school district scored below literacy proficiency on the Georgia Milestones Assessment System. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine high school teachers’ perceptions of the use of Achieve3000 as a literacy intervention using the conceptual framework of disciplinary literacy. This study's two research questions focused on high school teachers’ perceptions of using Achieve3000 …

Establishing Updated Safety Standards For Independent (99)(M)Tc-Maa Spect/Ct Treatment Planning In Radioembolization, Taehyung Kim, Ripal Gandhi, Ranjini Tolakanahalli, Raul Herrera, Michael Chuong, Alonso Gutierrez, Diane Alvarez

All Publications

Purpose: Significant improvements within radioembolization imaging and dosimetry permit the development of an accurate and personalized pretreatment plan using technetium 99m-labeled macroaggregated albumin (99mTc-MAA) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) combined with anatomical CT (SPECT/CT). Despite these potential advantages, the clinical transition to pretreatment protocols with SPECT/CT is hindered by their unknown safety constraints. This study aimed to address this issue by establishing novel dose limits for 99mTc-MAA SPECT/CT to enable quantitative pretreatment planning.

Methods and materials: Stratification criteria to determine images most viable for dosimetry analysis were created from a cohort of 85 patients. SPECT/CT, cone beam CT, and …

Culturally Relevant Music Remedies For At-Risk Students, José Valentino Ruiz-Resto, Chris Shelton

Faculty Publications

This article presents a comprehensive review of the existing literature on the impact of social media on mental health. With the rapid growth and widespread adoption of social media platforms, concerns regarding their potential influence on individuals' psychological well-being have emerged. Drawing from a diverse range of studies, this review explores the various dimensions through which social media can affect mental health, including self-esteem, body image, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and addictive behaviors. The findings reveal both positive and negative outcomes, highlighting the complex relationship between social media use and mental health. Additionally, this article discusses the underlying mechanisms and potential …

The Tongue Schizochronick: Linguistic Archaism In Thomas Pynchon's Mason & Dixon, Timothy Perry O'Connor

Masters Theses

In Thomas Pynchon's novel Mason & Dixon, Reverend Wicks Cherrycoke regales his family with tales of the titular pair. The novel is written in a pastiche of late-Enlightenment-era English, which expresses an attack on modernity. Modernity, according to Pynchon, explores entropy and excludes Christ. Subjunctivity and storytelling provide a way to make contact once again with a more hopeful paradigm. The novel joins premodernity and postmodernity through its language's aurality, variability, and polysemy. The pastiche serves to undermine modernity's ambitions by satirically embracing archaic language; adopting Enlightenment parlance gestures ironically at the outmodedness the era's -theorized progress. Aurality appears in …

Decision-Making Considering Power Consumption And Preference For New Energy Under Dual-Credit Policy, Fang Li, Tianhao Dong

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: To explore the production decision-making problem of the electrification transformation in the domestic automobile industry faced by automobile manufacturers, different decision-making models under two production scenarios are constructed for the secondary supply chain composed of manufacturers and retailers under the background of a dual-credit policy. The electric energy consumption of new energy vehicles and consumers' preference for new energy are introduced. The Stackelberg game is applied to obtain the optimal production decision and income analysis of each member in the supply chain under different decision modes in different production scenarios. The results show that the in-depth implementation of the …

Predicting Educator Perceptions Of Tennessee's Teacher Evaluation System: The Role Of Teacher Gender, Years Of Experience, And School Level Taught, Leonida T. Bell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, correlational study aims to determine if a predictive relationship exists between teacher perceptions of Tennessee's teacher evaluation and the linear combination of teacher gender, years of experience, and school-level taught (elementary, middle, high). Although teachers have recognized the current teacher evaluation system, many educators expressed concerns about it. This study is vital in determining teachers' perceptions of the evaluation system. Participants of this study included a sample of 108 certified elementary, middle, and high school teachers from one of the public school districts in southwestern Tennessee. Data were collected via an anonymous, self-paced online survey utilizing a modified …

Teacher Perceptions Of Principal Personality And Intent To Remain: A Causal-Comparative Study, Brittani Leanna Blair

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, causal-comparative study is to explore the relationship between teachers' perceptions of their principals' personality traits, based on the big-five factor structure, and the teachers' intentions to remain in the teaching profession. Research indicates school leadership significantly influences American teachers' commitment to teaching, highlighting the need to understand teachers' perceptions of principal personality traits given the teacher shortage crisis in the United States. Data from a sample of 278 teachers was collected using an online Qualtrics survey that included the M5-50 personality questionnaire items and an item related to teacher intent to remain in the profession. …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Influence Of Student-Centered Learners On Traditional Teacher-Centered Faculty In Medical Education, Michael Shan Deel

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the challenges for traditionally teacher-centered medical faculty incorporating student-centered learning at the Pharmacy College. The theory guiding this study is Kolb's theory on experiential learning, as it shows how individual experiences provide insight into areas of challenges, especially in teaching methods. This study aims to answer the question of how traditional teacher-centered faculty incorporate student-centered learning experiences to ensure the end result for students in the medical education curriculum. This study includes 12 full-time faculty at a single rural graduate-level degree medical school. The medical institution of a rural graduate-level medical …

A Phenomenological Study Of Church Revitalization In Coastal North Carolina, Paolo Engle Santos

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Pastors and ministry leaders share the important responsibilities of church growth and revitalization. This research focused on overcoming decline and moving towards a season of strength and multiplication. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore church growth and revitalization within Southern Baptist churches in coastal North Carolina. The theory guiding this study was Rainer's (2020) central thesis about revived churches, which suggests that churches must adapt to cultural shifts and actively engage with the changing world. The study sought to gain insights into the perspectives and mindsets of full-time pastors and ministry leaders regarding numerical expansion, spiritual awakening, …

White Corn Boy Yellow Corn Girl Find Success On Their Educational Journeys, Sarah Curley

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This study aimed to provide a narrative analysis of the storied Diné beliefs and values of three Yellow Corn Girls and one White Corn Boy. My research questions were: How do Diné language and culture influence high school students’ success in high school? What cultural beliefs and values contribute to the success of high school students transitioning into their first year of community college? Utilizing the theoretical framework of The Beauty Way of Life (BWOL) model and its philosophies, I gathered narrative data using individual interviews. I examined the impact of the Diné language, cultural beliefs, and values on their …

Comparing Thin And Volume Regimes Of Analog Holograms For Wavefront Sensing, Emma Branigan, Andreas Zepp, Suzanne Martin, Matthew Sheehan, Szymon Gladysz, Kevin Murphy

Articles

Two analog holographic wavefront sensors, for measurement of defocus, have been fabricated as both thin and volume phase transmission holograms in a self-developing photopolymer. This represents the first reported direct comparison of hologram regimes when designed for wavefront sensing. An analysis of the effect of crosstalk in the presence of one other aberration mode (astigmatism X (0/90°), coma X (horizontal), and primary spherical aberration) was carried out with each version of the sensor. The performance of thin and volume analog holographic wavefront sensors was characterized under emulated conditions associated with moderate atmospheric turbulence.

Using Gamification To Enhance Mastery Of Network Security Concepts, Kevin Hilliard, Xiaohong Yuan, Kelvin Bryant, Jinsheng Xu, Jinghua Zhang

Journal of Cybersecurity Education, Research and Practice

Gamification has proven to be effective in engaging and encouraging people to work towards and achieve goals. Many students struggle to focus on schoolwork, due to a lack of interest, lack of understanding, or other factors unique to the student. Applying gamification elements to education can help engage these students in learning their course material and help them excel academically. This study examines the effectiveness of using gamification techniques to enhance the learning experience in college Computer Science courses. A video game application is utilized to review and reinforce cybersecurity concepts that students have already been taught in class. Previous …

Final 2024 Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) Annual Update (Non-Residential Parcels And Residential Daycares), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

The Potential Anti-Arrhythmic Effect Of Sglt2 Inhibitors, Hong-Yi Duan, Hector Barajas-Martinez, Charles Antzelevitch, Dan Hu

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Sodium-glucose cotransporter type 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) were initially recommended as oral anti-diabetic drugs to treat type 2 diabetes (T2D), by inhibiting SGLT2 in proximal tubule and reduce renal reabsorption of sodium and glucose. While many clinical trials demonstrated the tremendous potential of SGLT2i for cardiovascular diseases. 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline first emphasized that SGLT2i were the only drug class that can cover the entire management of heart failure (HF) from prevention to treatment. Subsequently, the antiarrhythmic properties of SGLT2i have also attracted attention. Although there are currently no prospective studies specifically on the anti-arrhythmic effects of SGLT2i. We provide clues from …

Pedagogical Disruptive Innovations And Positive Deviance During Covid-19 Mandatory School Closures: A Case Study Of Public-School Teachers In San Juan County, New Mexico, David R. Mcgee

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative single case study was to discover and describe the types of positive deviance and disruptive innovation during the non-voluntary transition to remote learning for teachers from San Juan County, New Mexico. This study investigated how classroom teachers altered their pedagogical practices from their face-to-face classroom juxtaposed to their non-voluntary transition to the remote classroom. Positive deviance is defined as any outcome is unique, non-normative, extraordinary, uncommon, and honorable and is perceived as positive to the organization. Disruptive innovation is a business theory that explains how a good enough innovation can be pushed through as a …

The Lived Experiences Of Active-Duty Military Parents Caring For A Child With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Grades 6 - 12: A Phenomenological Study, Anna Marie Douglas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of active-duty, Reserve, and National Guard military parents concerning their efforts to cultivate an environment of academic success for their children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Bowlby and Ainsworth's theory on attachment guided this study, explaining the correlation between insecure attachments and the display of worsening ADHD symptoms when breaking or not adequately establishing a secure attachment. The method this research study used was phenomenological hermeneutic. The sample for this study included 10 active-duty and Reserve military parents with at least one child diagnosed with ADHD and …

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Midget Quillwort (Isoetes Minima), Lindsey K. Wise

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for midget quillwort (Isoetes minima) using NatureServe methodology, 2024.

Impacts Of Morphological Changes On Water Residence Times In River Deltas, Md. Muzahidul Islam

LSU Master's Theses

Coastal river deltas possess substantial socioeconomic and ecological importance and are expected to encounter increasing risks because of global climate change. The long-term sustainability of many deltaic systems is at risk due to a mix of natural and human-induced factors. Deltas are characterized by their continuous reconfiguration of channels and floodplains due to allogenic and autogenic processes. Sediment supply and composition, sea level rise, vegetation, river discharge, and human development may affect the morphological evolution of river deltas. The timescales and patterns of hydrological transport within a river delta are important indicators of ecological function. One such metric, the water …

Evaluation Of Dotd’S Aggregate Sources Friction Using Laboratory And Accelerated Testing, Sudhir Bharati

LSU Master's Theses

Roadway safety is of utmost importance to the state transportation agencies. One of the major factors of roadway safety that agencies have control over is pavement friction which is affected by aggregate and mixture type. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) currently uses Polished Stone Values (PSV) obtained from the British Pendulum Device to rate its aggregates. These ratings determine the applicability of aggregates for various projects. However, the ratings are inconsistent, posing significant safety and financial risks. The first part of the thesis compares the currently adopted British Wheel Polisher-based Standard Practice for the Accelerated Polishing of …

Transfer Entropy In Graph Convolutional Neural Networks

Defensive Publications Series

Graph Convolutional Networks (GCN) are Graph Neural Networks where the convolutions are applied over a graph. In contrast to Convolutional Neural Networks, GCN’s are designed to perform inference on graphs, where the number of nodes can vary, and the nodes are unordered. In this study, we address two important challenges related to GCNs: i) oversmoothing; and ii) the utilization of node relational properties (i.e., heterophily and homophily). Oversmoothing is the degradation of the discriminative capacity of nodes as a result of repeated aggregations. Heterophily is the tendency for nodes of different classes to connect, whereas homophily is the tendency of …