Digital Commons Network^™

Government Policies Influencing The Retainment Of Civil Engineers In Guyana's Public Sector, Gracelyn George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The low retention of civil engineers in Guyana’s public sector has impeded the execution of needed infrastructure projects in the country. The literature reviewed highlighted that there continued to be questions regarding why people leave engineering jobs. Moreover, there was a limited understanding of what societal attributes influenced the problem, while there continued to be a growing demand for civil engineers. The literature specific to government policies influencing the retention of civil engineers in the public sector was lacking, presenting an opportunity to expand the application of the policy feedback theory, which provided a lens for examining retention measures in …

Strategies To Mitigate Contractor Safety Noncompliance In The Construction Industry, Sallieann Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some contract managers lack clear communication channels with their contract stakeholders on construction safety noncompliance, which is a well-known industry challenge. Stakeholders, contractors, and workers of construction companies need to communicate more effectively with contract managers to ensure job-related injuries are minimized. Grounded in contingency theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research study was to explore the strategies contract managers use to mitigate contractor safety noncompliance with awarded contracts. Ten contract managers with more than 5 years of experience in contract or construction management participated in semistructured interviews guided by an interview protocol. Data were analyzed thematically, revealing …

The American Politics Of Firearms - The Case Between Illinois And Missouri, Michael J. Thompson

Dissertations

The issue of gun control is a hot topic in the field of American politics. It is a huge issue in the field of political science and in American public policy. In 2023, there were 18,874 firearm deaths in the United States, excluding suicides. The highest was in 2021 with the firearm related deaths at 21,068. One side argues that firearms can cause serious harm and death while the other side argues they can also reduce the rates of gun violence. There are different opinions on how to resolve the issue of mass shootings across the country. According to prior …

Exploring The Dynamics Of Online Engagement: A Social Exchange Theory Approach To The Baking Industry’S Use Of Social Media, Abagail Sweeney

Theses - ALL

This study investigates how organizations in the baking industry use social media to engage with consumers. Social Exchange Theory was applied to understand the dynamics in online interactions. A content analysis of the social media accounts for Insomnia Cookies, Lady M and Cake Bar was done for the months of January 2024 through March 2024. The platforms analyzed were Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube. Engagement was measured through likes, comments, shares and sentiment analysis. Post type was also observed to see what the users engaged with the most. The findings revealed that the number of active platforms did not …

Roles Of Sex And Education Level With Alcohol Use Milestone Attainment And Progression, Elisabeth P. Cabot

Theses - ALL

Emerging adults report the highest rates of alcohol use, with drinking patterns varying by sex and education level. Few studies have explored how these factors relate to the attainment and progression of alcohol use milestones. The current study addresses this gap by examining the associations between sex, education level and alcohol use milestone progression and attainment in emerging adults. Secondary data analyses were conducted using National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (NESARC-III) data (N = 36,309, Mage = 45.63 [SD = 17.53], female = 56%, 53% White, 21% Black, 19% Hispanic and 2% Multiracial). Ordinal regressions indicated males …

Monitoring The Developmental Stages Of Calendula Officinalis L. Nutrients Efficacy Under Hot Weather Mitigation Through Nutrients In Haripur, Pakistan, Waseem Ahmed, Rafia Azmat, Shah Masaud Khan, Abdul Qayyum, Waseem Hassan, Adnan Noor Shah, Muhammad Hadi Abbas, Fatima M. Abbas, Tahani A.Y. Asseri, Ahmet Hakan Ürüşan

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

This study examines the effect of different doses of N and P fertilizer on Calendula officinalis L. (marigold) during the hot weather in summer (May–July) in Pakistan. The aim was to determine whether fertilization can help minimize the impacts of climate change. During the summer peak seasons (May, June, and July), the trial was conducted in potted plants with different N and P application levels to monitor the quality and quantity of C. officinalis. The results showed that the interactive effects (N × P) gave higher values for plant height, number of leaves, fresh weight, leaf length, and number of …

The Status Of Agritourism In Bosnia And Herzegovina, Nerma Čolaković-Prguda, Jasna Hasanbegović, Irma Đidelija Čolaković, Lejla Škaljić, Nuray Demi̇r

Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry

Agritourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina has a lot of potential benefit for economic growth and sustainable development in rural regions, as it incorporates local culture and natural beauty into the tourism offerings of the region. Tourism creates opportunities to diversify the economy, retain traditions, improve local income, and protect natural resources. This study covered Međugorje, Ilijaš, Rostovo, Vlašić, Bosanska Krupa, Neum, Olovo, Gornji Vakuf, Sarajevo, and Donji Vakuf. Agritourism can provide authentic experiences like learning about traditional agriculture, fruit harvesting, tasting local products, and environmental preservation in destinations like Međugorje and Neum. Ilijaš and Gornji Vakuf have potential in organic …

Newhouse Impact Magazine 2025, Newhouse School

Newhouse Impact Magazine

Showcasing the research and creative work of faculty, staff and students at the Newhouse School

Welcome To Hotel Thai: Labor, Love, And The Space Between My Mothers, Tripty Tamang Pakhrin

Theses - ALL

This thesis explores maternal labor, silence, and family boundaries through my experience of growing up at Hotel Thai, a restaurant and home located on the open border between Nepal and India. The hotel is run by my three parents: my mother, my father, and his first wife. My two mothers live and work side by side every day but do not speak to each other. Their silence is not emptiness, but a way of surviving and holding the family together. This paper discusses my film, performance, installation, and printmaking works to explore how care, memory, and labor are expressed without …

Are You Watching People Via Social Media?, Linlin Wang

Theses - ALL

This study examines why Chinese Generation Z surveil non-intimate acquaintances on social media. Drawing on surveillance theory, social comparison orientation, fear of missing out (FoMO), communication privacy management, and platform affordances, this study proposes a "social comparison orientation → FoMO → surveillance" model. The study employed a sequential mixed methodology. In the first phase, 129 respondents aged 18 to 28 completed a survey validating these pathways. In the second phase, 21 high-monitoring participants were interviewed. The results indicate that social comparison, influenced by the unique "social clock" in Chinese society and the information exposure of online spaces like panopticon, can …

Protecting Networks Against Entry-Point Attacks, Shivani Mishra

Theses - ALL

In many network applications, it is critical to protect sensitive nodes from discovery by malicious crawlers. This thesis addresses the network protection problem from the data protector’s perspective, focusing on strategically deleting edges to hide target nodes from entry-point attacks. Earlier work on this problem proposed node-level scores to identify key edges for deletion. We propose two novel edge-level scoring functions to identify critical edges for removal: the Shortest Path Change Score (SPCS), which quantifies the damage an edge’s removal causes to shortest paths, and the PageRank Edge Flow Score (PEFS), which estimates an edge’s usage in random walks from …

Calcium-Ion Transport In Gel And Solid Polymer Electrolytes: From Solvent-Solute Interactions To Molecular Simulations For Next-Generation Calcium Batteries, Xinlu Wang

Dissertations - ALL

Multivalent metal-ion batteries, especially calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) systems, are attractive alternatives to lithium-ion technologies owing to their high theoretical energy density, improved safety profiles, and abundant natural resources. Nevertheless, the successful commercialization of these technologies is impeded by challenges in electrolyte development, particularly related to cation solvation, ion transport efficiency, and interfacial stability. This dissertation addresses these challenges through comprehensive experimental investigations and molecular dynamics simulations of polymer-based electrolytes designed explicitly for multivalent cation conduction. In the first study, polymer gel electrolytes comprising poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and low dielectric solvents—1,3-dioxolane (DOL) and dimethoxyethane (DME)—with calcium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Ca(TFSI)₂) …

Theorizing Technology Integration: The Case Of Smart Grid Technologies At Electrical Utilities In The United States, Ehsan Sabaghian

Dissertations - ALL

Over the past decade, the energy culture as a whole and electric industry specifically has been going through wide-scale disruptive and consequential transformation. The pressure for these changes comes from different fronts: Decarbonization (switching to renewable sources and implementing carbon reduction policies); Digitalization (adoption and investment on smart digital technologies, infrastructure, and networks), Decentralization (distributed nature of behind-the-meter resources), and Demand (growing demand from customers for high quality, affordable electricity). In response to these pressures, electric distribution utilities were continuously adopting smart grid technologies (most notably Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) and enterprise-wide applications) to create new organizational capabilities. Now, utilities’ …

The Antelope, University Of Nebraska At Kearney

The Antelope

The Back to Campus edition of The Antelope - Fall 2025.

Engineering Protein Linkers For Optimized Telsam-Darpin Fusion And Crystallization With Electric Field-Based Polymer Orientation, Maria Jose Pedroza Romo

Theses and Dissertations

Fusing a variant of the sterile alpha motif domain of the human translocation ETS leukemia protein (TELSAM) to a protein of interest significantly enhances crystallization and diffraction quality. TELSAM is a pH-dependent, polymer-forming crystallization chaperone that, when covalently fused to a protein, forms a well-ordered crystal lattice. However, the success of this method depends on two factors: 1) the design of the linker connecting TELSAM to the target protein, which influences both crystal packing and target orientation, and 2) the prevention of TELSAM polymer flipping, a phenomenon that disrupts lattice periodicity and impairs structure determination. To address the first challenge, …

Cost-Effectiveness Model For Reservoir Sediment Management Economics, Connor Ronald Hale

Theses and Dissertations

Reservoir sediment deposition poses a challenge to sustainable water supplies around the world. Sediment management has proven to be an expensive endeavor. Two models have been developed to guide economic analysis for reservoir sediment management, namely the Reservoir Sediment Economics Model (RSEM) and the Reservoir Conservation Model 2 (RESCON 2). While these are helpful tools for benefit-cost prefeasibility studies, they rely heavily on sometimes elusive estimations of the benefits of water supply. In this study, a new method for economic analysis is proposed that foregoes benefit-cost analysis in favor of a cost-effectiveness approach. The Sediment Management Cost-Effectiveness Model ranks sediment …

Barriers And Enablers Of Early Health-Seeking Behaviour Among Women With Preeclampsia And Eclampsia: A Qualitative Study At A National Referral Hospital In Uganda, Shirley Moore, Martha Sajatovic

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Globally, 2–8% of women experience hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDPs), including preeclampsia and eclampsia, which are the second leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. According to the management protocol for preeclampsia in Uganda, weekly follow-up is recommended for women with preeclampsia without severe features who are below 37weeks of gestation; however, this has not been feasible to most cases of preeclampsia/eclampsia (PE/E). There is still limited information describing barriers and enablers of early health-seeking behaviour amongst women with PE/E, yet this is needed to improve their healthcare. This study explored the barriers and enablers of early health-seeking behaviour …

Trump Approval In Nh Unchanged; Bipartisan Majority Want Epstein Documents Released 8/22/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Majorities of New Hampshire residents believe both the Trump and Biden administrations have concealed evidence about Jeffrey Epstein and want all documents related to the case released. Granite Staters overwhelmingly oppose a pardon or commutation for Ghislaine Maxwell. More than half of state residents believe President Trump was involved in a crime related to the case and nearly three-quarters believe former President Bill Clinton was as well. More than half of Granite Staters believe Israel bears a lot of responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and nearly half support blocking the sale of weapons to Israel. Despite these issues, …

Most Vermonters Want Epstein Files Released, Believe Trump Admin Currently Concealing Evidence 8/22/2025, Unh Survey Center

All UNH Survey Center Polls

Seven in eight Vermont residents want the federal government to release all documents it has related to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and Vermonters are opposed to clemency for Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. Majorities believe both President Trump and former President Bill Clinton were involved in crimes related to the Epstein case. Few Vermonters believe accusations made by Tulsi Gabbard related to the 2016 election. Approval of Trump's job performance remains very low. Most Vermonters believe Israel bears a lot of responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a majority support blocking weapons sales to Israel.

Oxidation Resistance And Osmotic Energy Harvesting Applications Of Reduced Graphene Oxide Forward Osmosis Membranes, Michael Appiah-Kubi

Theses and Dissertations

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) forward osmosis (FO) membranes have emerged as promising candidates for efficient wastewater management and osmotic energy harvesting, due to their enhanced chemical stability and superior FO performance for low-energy waste brine treatments, such as volume reduction of oxidative chromium brine for cost-effective disposal. This dissertation first examines the oxidation resistance of RGO forward osmosis membranes against chromate Cr (VI). Our findings reveal that both the water flux and the reverse salt flux of RGO membranes are suppressed, accompanying an enhanced reverse flux selectivity after exposure to an acidic medium of Cr (VI) (pH 2.0-7.0). Meanwhile, the …

Ct Characteristics Of Signet Ring Cell Vs Non-Signet Ring Cell Gastric Cancer, Kaan Tangtiang, Thamonpon Pholpraserth, Wirana Angthong

Asian Medical Journal and Alternative Medicine

Background: While the incidence of gastric cancer has decreased, the incidence of signet-ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) is rising. Patients with advanced SRCC gastric cancer have a worse prognosis and lower chemosensitivity than those with non-signet-ring cell carcinoma (NSRCC).

Purpose: To determine the differential radiological features of SRCC from NSRCC gastric cancer on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT).

Material and Methods: This study included 78 patients with pathologically proven gastric carcinoma, 41 patients with SRCC and 37 patients with NSRCC, diagnosed between January 2010 and December 2019 at Thammasat University Hospital. The demographic and histological characteristics were recorded. CT parameters were independently …

Characteristics And Effectiveness Of Premarital Thalassaemia Educational Interventions Worldwide: A Scoping Review, Maisarah N. Anwar, Nik Nairan Abdullah, Dalila Roslan, Aimi N.M. Ruzlin

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Thalassaemia, a hereditary blood disorder, remains under-recognised due to limited awareness, particularly among young people. This scoping review aimed to evaluate the characteristics and effectiveness of premarital thalassaemia educational interventions globally. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, six databases were searched for English-language studies targeting adolescents and young adults. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria, and data were extracted using a standardised form adapted from the Joanna Briggs Institute, focusing on intervention characteristics, outcomes and key findings. Most studies involved school students and young adults from culturally diverse, resource-limited settings. The interventions—traditional, technology-based or culturally adapted—consistently improved knowledge (P < 0.001). However, behavioural outcomes, such as increased uptake of screening, were inconsistent. While educational strategies enhanced knowledge effectively, socio-cultural barriers limited the translation into behavioural changes. These findings support the need for future interventions to integrate behavioural change theories, leverage digital tools and address cultural sensitivities to improve their overall impact.

Biophysical Effects Of Altered Myosin Binding Protein Stoichiometry In Atrial Myofilaments, Kelly N. Araujo

Dissertations

Cardiomyopathies, such as hypertrophic and dilated subtypes, are leading causes of heart failure and are often driven by genetic mutations that disrupt the structure and function of the cardiac sarcomere. While much of the research has focused on ventricular involvement, the role of atrial sarcomere dysfunction remains unexplored. The regulation of contractile function by sarcomeric proteins in the atria remains poorly understood, especially the impact of protein stoichiometry among myosin binding proteins. Cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) and its atrial paralog, myosin binding protein H-like (MyBP-HL), have been shown to have a stoichiometric relationship within the atrial sarcomere. These two …

Black Mothers' Adhd Experiences, Attitudes, And Support-Seeking Decisions, Catherine L. Montgomery

Dissertations - ALL

Background: ADHD, particularly when left untreated, is associated with significant impairment in several domains. Black youth may still be under-diagnosed with ADHD, resulting in symptoms going untreated. Black mothers may determine non-professional delivered supports to be more appropriate and acceptable than medication for their children with ADHD. As they tend to be the primary healthcare decision makers, it is important to develop a greater understanding of Black mothers’ ADHD support-seeking decision making for their youth. Method: The present study used semi-structured interviews guided by Kleinman’s Explanatory Models of Illness to discuss Black mothers’ decision making for their youth with ADHD. …

An Examination Of The Opt Out Movement In New York State, Selene M. Cammer-Bechtold

Dissertations - ALL

Public state education systems are required by federal law to assess student learning in order to receive certain federal funding for the state’s education system. Typically, the metric are standardized testing regimes. New York State is no exception and requires students in grades 3-8 to take annual English Language Arts and Mathematics exams to meet that requirement. However, New York State is a unique case, as it has the highest Opt Out rate, or noncompliance on taking the exams, in the country. While the majority of the literature on the Opt Out Movement has focused on who is more likely …

Time-Resolved Crystallographic Analysis Of The Mechanism Of Formation Of The Mof Hkust-1, Cody Webb Jr

Dissertations - ALL

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of inorganic porous coordination compounds of interest for technically relevant applications including gas storage & sequestration, catalysis, and drug delivery (Chapter 2). The last decade has seen significant development in this field of coordination chemistry, and an extensive array of MOFs have been reported despite the lack of a comprehensive scheme for how these materials form. The development of novel MOFs is not a trivial task, as the synthesis of target MOFs is notably unpredictable, and experiments require extensive trial-and-error reactions with systematic manipulation of the synthetic variables. Ideally, a toolbox method based on …

Technological Revolutions And Advertising: Historical Innovation Cycles, Ai, And The Future Of Platform Power, Christopher J. Lorusso

Dissertations - ALL

This study explores the future of advertising amidst a digital landscape increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence (AI). Leveraging Carlota Perez’s Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital framework, it examines how AI is poised to further disrupt the advertising ecosystem through the key elements of automation, user data, and inventory. Collectively, these dynamics have become key drivers of platform power, with implications for user behavior, competitive strategy, and the societal diffusion of AI technology more broadly. Employing a thematic analysis across historical and contemporary cases of advertising technology, the research identifies five themes worthy of strategic and scholarly consideration. Two primary themes—Dependency …

State Nationalism, Islamic Movements, And Islamist Parties: Exploring The Linkages, Raza Habib Raja

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation investigates the variation in the electoral mobilization of Islamist parties in Pakistan, Tunisia, and Turkey using comparative historical analysis. These Muslim-majority countries (MMCs) have experienced free and fair elections, yet the electoral success of Islamist parties varies considerably among them. In Turkey and Tunisia, Islamist parties have mobilized successfully and won power at the national level, whereas in Pakistan, they have largely underperformed. This study argues that the root cause of these differences lies in the historical decisions made by the political elite regarding the role of Islam in fostering nationalism and state-building at the time of independence. …

Reframing Creativity: Learning From Grandpa Mulder, David J. Mulder

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Creativity is bigger and richer and more comprehensive than just making art—as Grandpa Mulder’s approach taught me."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­applying creative skills to teaching from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

Reframing Creativity

The George-Anne Daily Deep Dive, Georgia Southern University

George-Anne Media Group: Newsletters & Magazines

No abstract provided.