Digital Commons Network^™

Graduate Students’ Perspectives On Universal Design For Learning (Udl) 3.0 Guidelines: A Q-Methodology Study, Taylor C. Rodriguez

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore graduate students’ perspectives of Q-methodology to understand their insights on the newly updated Universal Design for Learning (UDL) 3.0 guidelines and how they feel these guidelines support their academic journey. A Q-sort instrument consisting of 36 statements aligned with UDL 3.0 principles was administered to graduate students at the master’s and doctoral levels. Thirty-two participants completed the Q-sort activity, and factor analysis revealed four distinct viewpoints reflecting varied perceptions of UDL’s relevance and impact within graduate education.

Findings indicate areas of consensus among students, particularly regarding the importance of developing student autonomy …

Peace Engagement And Non-Negotiable Commitment Through An In-Depth Lens [Pencil Theory]: A Film Perspective On Un’S Conflict Resolution, Edward Moses Sam Selvaraj

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

The research addresses the effectiveness of the United Nations concerning conflict resolution and peacekeeping, seen from the perspective of film culture. Applying the "PENCIL Theory" (Peace Engagement through an in-depth lens), the UN study along with its structural dynamics would be considered herein: a pencil comprising the Security Council as its lead, world as the eraser, and filmmakers as the ferrule that is representative of that significant link between public awareness and policy impact, and the UN General Assembly and Secretariat as its body in support of the decision-making processes. It brings to the fore the critical impacts on the …

Multimedia Forensics: Identification And Verification Of Source Camera, Vehicle Speed Estimation, And Deepfakes Detection, Jiajun Jiang

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation advances multimedia forensics by addressing three critical research areas that enhance the authenticity verification and analysis of digital media. Multimedia forensics, which encompasses techniques for examining images, videos, audio, and text, faces increasing challenges due to sophisticated editing tools and massive data volumes. In the first study, a fast source camera identification and verification method based on PRNU analysis is proposed for video forensic investigations. By integrating camera rolling and I-frame analysis, this approach achieves a processing speed improvement of at least 15 times over conventional frame-by-frame methods while reducing false positives. The second study focuses on vehicular …

Inter-Cellular Forces Modulate Cell-Ecm Traction Forces, Zaria Booth

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Epithelial cells are among the most abundant cell types in the human body, making up sheets of epithelial tissues that cover the linings of organs and body cavities. Cellular adhesion and force transmission across epithelial tissues are crucial in maintaining tissue integrity and ensuring proper tissue regeneration. Defects in cellular force transmission have been found in various diseases, including cancer. Force transmission at cell-cell and cell-ECM junctions drive cell survival and development. It has been previously shown that changes in cell-ECM traction directly modulates forces at cell-cell contacts. In this study, we aim to determine the effects of perturbations in …

Practicing In The Laboratories Of Democracy: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis Of How Political Science Faculty Use Simulations With Community College Students, James Stewart Shifflett

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Political science faculty members have often used simulations to promote civic engagement and build political efficacy in students. However, the use of political simulations with community college students has not been studied as extensively as it has with their four-year counterparts. Through the interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology, this study examined the experiences of nine political science faculty members who use simulations with community college students to understand how instructional designers might better support their civic engagement and design efforts. Faculty members who participated in the study use simulations as constructive social interactions; as comprehensive learning experiences integrating preparation, facilitation …

“We Are Trans, But We’Re Not Transitional”: Exploring Safety, Place, And Space In The Lives Of Transgender Individuals In Southeastern Virginia, Susana Avalos

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

In general, little research exists on trans people’s spatial experiences despite space being highly relevant to their experiences of violence and perceptions of safety. To date, two criminological studies have examined LGBTQ people’s fear of crime in relation to public or private places and spaces. This is in stark contrast to the sizable place and space literature on cisgender men and women. These topics from the perspectives of trans people are underexplored primarily because most criminological research has historically upheld binarized understandings of gender. Safety should not be privileged or limited to certain groups, individuals, or spaces. Instead, safety should …

A Focused Ethnography: Mental Health Therapists In Pediatric Integrated Care, Melanie Agustin

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The scope of practice for Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs) and counseling residents (LPC-R) in integrated behavioral health (IBH) settings is grounded in accredited, theory-informed education and training. The benefits of IBH models are well-documented, however there is limited research that addresses how counselors develop professionally and clinically function, while navigating within pediatric inpatient environments. This qualitative dissertation used a focused ethnographic design to explore the lived experiences of ten purposively sampled counselors (n = 10) through demographic surveys, field observation, and semi-structured interviews. Reflexive journaling bracketed researcher bias, and thematic analysis, supported by NVivo and new member checking, guided interpretation. …

Intersecting Realities And Evolving Landscapes: Mapping Generative Ai Within The Framework Of Digital Rhetoric, Joshua Troy Nieubuurt

English Theses & Dissertations

The increased usage of [Generative] AI technologies (GenAI) in the 21st century has called into the question the rhetorical agency of these digital things. [Gen]AI has historically been framed within a Heideggerian “readiness-to-hand” dynamic in which it has been unilaterally conceived as a tool to be used by humans. This dissertation proposes that the GenAI assemblage is capable of being a co-actor in rhetorical spaces. To provide evidence for this stance This dissertation utilizes Actor Network Theory to map the actants within a GenAI assemblage. In doing so it allows for an understanding of the stakeholders (both human and non-human) …

The Psychological Constructs Of International Graduate Students Transitioning To A University In America: A Thematic Analysis, Umadevi Ramesh

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation employed a qualitative analysis methodology to explore the experiences of first-time international graduate students during their transition to university, focusing on initial adjustment, perceived support, perceived discrimination, and mental well-being. Previous studies about international student experience have mainly focused on undergraduate students. Furthermore, few have examined the initial transition period to university and factors involved in both positively and negatively impacting students’ adjustment process as well as overall psychological well-being. Nine participants qualified for inclusion in the present study and participated in semi-structured interviews, which the researcher analyzed using a thematic analysis framework. Participants expressed a strong need …

Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, And Access Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2025, April Anderson-Zorn, Emily Baldoni, Karmine Beecroft, Chad E. Buckley, Susan Franzen, Tom Hardy, Ellie Harman, Laura Killingsworth, Heather Koopmans, Maddi Loiselle, Joshua Newport, Ryan Peters, Seth Peterson, Lindsey Skaggs, Caitlin Stewart, Maria Tudela, Eric Willey, Angela Yon

Reports and White Papers - Milner Library

Report of Milner Library's activities and initiatives related to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access in Fiscal Year 2025. Compiled by the IDEA Committee.

Autophagy Regulates Müller Glial Cell Inflammatory Activation, Teresa A Doggett, Zhenqing Zhou, Sohini Rebba, Jacqueline Unsinger, Philip A Ruzycki, Thomas A Ferguson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: We tested whether Müller cells utilize autophagy to support immune privilege in the eye.

METHODS: The essential autophagy gene Atg5 was deleted in retinal Müller cells. Inflammation was induced by intravitreal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that was monitored by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunofluorescent confocal microscopy, and flow cytometry. Single-cell RNA sequencing was performed on retinal Müller cells isolated from control and Atg5-deficient mice. Markers of Müller cell gliosis were assessed, and cytokine production in the eye was measured. Small interfering RNA knockdown techniques were used to examine LPS-induced inflammatory pathways in culture.

RESULTS: We observed increased and …

Enhanced Point Cloud Generation From A Novel 360° Underwater Lidar, Olagoke E. Daramola

Dissertations

This dissertation presents novel algorithms to improve the mapping capabilities of a 360-degree underwater Pulsed Laser Line Scanner LiDAR (PLLS-360°). Due to its 360° field-of-view (FOV), the PLLS-360° is a compact full-waveform omnidirectional imager suitable for seafloor mapping, underwater asset inspection, object detection, ice-sheet mapping, and construction progress monitoring. The proposed methodology includes an improved waveform fitting technique for saturated waveform recovery, detection array response correction, radiometric corrections, and fusion of LiDAR and sonar bathymetric datasets. The first part of this dissertation assesses the LiDAR’s performance and describes how the data for this unique 360° FOV architecture is processed. The …

Applying Large Language Models For Surgical Case Length Prediction, Adhitya Ramamurthi, Bhabishya Neupane, Priya Deshpande, Ryan Hanson, Srujan Vegesna, Deborah Cray, Bradley H. Crotty, Melek Somai, Kellie R. Brown, Sachin S. Pawar, Bradley Taylor, Anai N. Kothari

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Importance Accurate prediction of surgical case duration is critical for operating room (OR) management, as inefficient scheduling can lead to reduced patient and surgeon satisfaction while incurring considerable financial costs.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of large language models (LLMs) in predicting surgical case length using unstructured clinical data compared to existing estimation methods.

Design, Setting, and Participants This was a retrospective study analyzing elective surgical cases performed between January 2017 and December 2023 at a single academic medical center and affiliated community hospital ORs. Analysis included 125493 eligible surgical cases, with 1950 used for LLM fine-tuning and …

Phase 1 Clinical Trial Of ¡Iniciando! La Adultez: A Culturally Tailored Intervention For Transitioning Latino Young Adults With Autism, Antonio F. Pagán, Ana Esparza, Ana C. Ramirez, Miriam Ortiz, Linda Hernandez, Mary Beth Morgan, Geohanna Noel, Alejandro L. Pagán, Jada Salas, Cecilia Montiel-Nava

Psychological Science Faculty Publications

This Phase 1 clinical trial evaluated ¡Iniciando! la Adultez, a culturally adapted intervention for Latino autistic young adults (n = 56) and their parents (n = 63). Young adults showed significant post-treatment improvements on measures of social responsiveness (SRS-2), adaptive behavior (ABAS-3), executive functioning (BRIEF-A), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF), transition readiness (TRS-A), coping self-efficacy (CSES), and emotion regulation (DERS-SF). Parents reported significant improvements in their perceptions of their child’s social responsiveness, adaptive behavior, and executive functioning, as well as increased transition readiness ratings. Notably, parents evinced a significant decrease in acculturative stress (RASI) and depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), however, …

Measuring The Impact Of The Australian National Placement Evaluation Centre To Enhance Nursing And Midwifery Student Clinical Placements: A Multimodal Evaluation, Colleen Ryan, Robyn Cant, Areum Hyun, Debbie Procter, Louise Alexander, Dianne Bloxsome, Lynda Hughes, Fiona Bogossian, Simon Cooper

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To evaluate the early impact of the Centre. Background: The educational quality of nursing and midwifery student clinical placement learning varies. The National Placement Evaluation Centre has a pivotal role in quality improvement by systematically collecting student and supervisor feedback on placement experiences. Design: Multimodal impact evaluation. Methods: Data were collected from website analytics and a survey shared via stakeholder registration emails and social media. The Impact Management Planning and Evaluation Ladder model was used to understand impact. Data were analysed using a sequential, hybrid inductive/deductive approach. Descriptive statistics summarised participant characteristics and qualitative data were themed. Results: Website …

Building Services Engineering July/August 2025

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Induced Helical Anisotropy In Permalloy Thin Films And Patterns, Md Mahmudul Hasan

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research was to create thin films with induced helical anisotropy and investigate magnetic properties of such films and their patterns. An alloy of 20% iron and 80% nickel (permalloy) was used because of very small magnetocrystalline anisotropy and magnetostriction. First, an unconventional method was used to deposit films with uniaxial anisotropy by sputtering the films onto silicon substrates in the presence of a uniform field of 50 Oe along the substrate plane. This resulted in magnetic atom pairs ordering along direction of the field during film growth. Shapes of hysteresis loops measured at different angles were …

Building A Sustainable Home On The Central Coast: An Owner’S Perspective, Austin Chase Anderson

Construction Management

As awareness and technology increase, sustainability as a focus in home construction is also increasing. This case study based research project seeks to understand the process of building a home on California’s Central Coast with sustainability in mind. An interview was conducted with an owner who built their home in Templeton in 2019. The interview was in a semi-structured format which included specific qualitative questions but mostly focused on an open-ended discussion which allowed the owner to share their own experience. The key challenges learned from this interview were that the owner believed price to be the main factor that …

Changing The Perceived Pain Intensity In Populations With Spinal Cord Injury And With Health Disparities (Happiness): Protocol For A Feasibility Study, Ann Van De Winckel, Lin Zhang, Leslie R. Morse, Brianna Woodliff, Gladys Maestre, Kelsey Baker

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Chronic neuropathic pain affects 69% of adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). Medication, as a primary treatment, has insufficient benefits and significant risks for addiction and adverse effects. Of the available mind and body approaches, Qigong is the most accessible for adults with SCI, with evidence for effectiveness in reducing pain. Still, there is insufficient evidence to make recommendations for adults with SCI. Thus, the feasibility of Qigong in SCI needs to be established. We previously demonstrated feasibility in a pilot study, in which 18 non-Hispanic White adults with SCI completed a 12-week remote Qigong program. However, three additional …

Visceral, Neural, And Immunotoxicity Of Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: A Mini Review, Pietro Martano, Samira Mahdi, Tong Zhou, Yasmin Barazandegan, Rebecca Iha, Hannah Do, Joel Burken, Paul Ki-Souk Nam, Qingbo Yang, Ruipu Mu

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have gained significant attention due to their widespread distribution in the environment and potential adverse health effects. While ingestion, especially through contaminated drinking water, is considered the primary route of human exposure, recent research suggests that other pathways, such as inhalation and dermal absorption, also play a significant role. This review provides a concise overview of the toxicological impacts of both legacy and emerging PFASs, such as GenX and perfluoro butane sulfonic acid (PFBS), with a particular focus on their effects on the liver, kidneys, and immune and nervous systems, based on findings from recent …

Teaching Transactional Skills And Lawyering Values To First-Year Students Through An Affordable-Housing Deal, Laura E. D'Amato

Faculty Scholarship

With the anticipated launch of the NextGen bar exam next year, transactional lawyering skills are enjoying increased attention in first-year law school curricular development. At the same time, recent amendments to ABA Rule 303 have made it essential for new law students to learn about the profession’s core values and responsibilities. While these evolving priorities open the door to pedagogical innovation, incorporating two distinct topics into an already packed curriculum can be challenging. This article explores how a simulated affordable-housing financing deal has served as a cohesive foundation for introducing first-year students to transactional skills and core professional values.

Ai In The Judiciary: The Singapore Case, Nydia Remolina Leon

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

This paper examines the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the judicial system of Singapore. Singapore's judiciary has embraced AI not as a tool for adjudication, but as an augmentative instrument for legal research, procedural efficiency, and access to justice. It provides a detailed account of AI use cases in the courts, including case summarization, evidence review, assistance for selfrepresented litigants, and tools like the Divorce Assets Informative Division Estimator. The discussion then turns to the legal profession, exploring how law firms in Singapore are adopting AI technologies. The paper also addresses how AI implementation in the judicial system is …

Product, Process, And Behavior Influences On Value Retention Processes: Toward A Circular Economy In Consumer Electronics, Kyle Parnell

Theses

Consumer electronic products (CEP) manufacturing and retail contribute markedly to global industrial activity; worldwide estimates suggest revenue growth from $1 trillion in 2020 to $1.5 trillion by 2026. Consequently, the production, distribution, use, and end-of-life (EOL) disposition of these products are responsible for considerable social and environmental impacts, including 35 million metric tonnes of waste to landfill per year, 793 million metric tonnes (MMT)—and growing—of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per year, and innumerable adverse effects on human health and development. Driving these impacts are the inherent characteristics of CEPs themselves, which increasingly require critical materials in design, …

Advancing The Utility Of Unmanned Aerial Systems (Uas)-Based Imaging Techniques In Broadacre Agriculture: A Multimodal Case Study On Table Beets, Mohammad Shahriar Saif

Theses

Efficient and sustainable food production and management are growing concerns in the context of an ever-increasing global population. It is in this context that the integration of remote sensing with advanced imaging technologies presents transformative opportunities for data-driven decision-making in agriculture. This study therefore explores the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) equipped with multispectral, hyperspectral, and LiDAR sensors for the non-destructive monitoring of table beet (Beta vulgaris) crop traits, with a specific focus on root yield estimation and foliar disease assessment. Table beet, a subterranean crop of increasing commercial and nutritional importance, poses unique challenges for above-canopy sensing due …

Ambient Environment Effect On Color Perception, Eddie Pei

Theses

The ambient environment—including both background and surround conditions—is a critical factor influencing color perception. It affects not only how we perceive colors but also how we interpret complex visual scenes, impacting both sensory processing and cognitive interpretation. This thesis focuses on three major perceptual phenomena: simultaneous contrast, mixed chromatic adaptation, and color preference. First, the effects of simultaneous contrast on hue, chroma, and lightness in traditional displays were explored. This study was extended to a dual-display augmented reality (AR) environment that introduces layered perception. An extension to the CIECAM16 color appearance model is proposed to incorporate this effect. Second, the …

The Microrna Mir-30a Blocks Adipose Tissue Fibrosis Accumulation In Obesity, Pradip K Saha, Robert Sharp, Aaron R. Cox, Rabie Habib, Michael J. Bolt, Jessica B. Felix, Claudia E. Ramirez Bustamante, Xin Li, Sung Yun Jung, Kang Ho Kim, Kai Sun, Huaizhu Wu, Samuel Klein, Sean M. Hartig

2020-Current year OA Pubs

White adipose tissue (WAT) fibrosis occurring in obesity contributes to the inflammatory and metabolic comorbidities of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, yet the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Here, we report a role for the broadly conserved miRNA miR-30a as a regulator of WAT fibrosis and systemic glucose metabolism. Mice modified to express miR-30a at elevated levels in adipose tissues maintain insulin sensitivity coupled with reduced fatty liver disease when fed a high-fat diet. These effects were attributable to cell-autonomous functions of miR-30a that potently increase expression of adipocyte-specific genes. Proteomic screening revealed miR-30a limits profibrotic programs in subcutaneous …

Radio Emission As A Probe Of Astrophysical Sources And Ionized Media, Olivia R. Young

Theses

Broadband radio emission originates from a wide range of astronomical sources, such as the hot plasma of the middle solar corona and the exotic environments found around objects such as radio pulsars. For many of these sources, radio emission mechanisms and regions are not well understood, as they are complex and obscured from direct observation by the ionized media that the emission must traverse as it radiates outward toward the observer. Broadband radio waves from galactic astrophysical sources are delayed and distorted on their paths toward the Earth as they pass through the free electrons that compose a variety of …

Anticolonialism And Qualitative Methods For Culture-Centered Interventions, Mohan Jyoti Dutta, Ambar Basu, Satveer Kaur-Gill, Debalina Dutta, Mahuya Pal, Iccha Basnyat, Selina Metuamate, Venessa Pokaia, Phoebe Elers, Indranil Mandal, Rabindranath Mandi, Pankaj Baskey, Devalina Mookerjee, Shaunak Sastry, Jaime Robb, Andrew Carter

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

In this essay, we a collective of Indigenous, Black, and migrant Global South scholars engaged in experiments with the culture-centered approach (CCA) draw on our lived experiences amidst struggles against land grab, neoliberal extractivism, and capitalist exploitation to outline a framework for qualitative methods as anticolonial politics. We begin by exploring the interplays of colonialism, imperialism, and racial capitalism that have shaped the origins and uses of qualitative methods toward serving extractive agendas of global capital. This critique serves as the basis for outlining the key principles of the CCA, turning to voice, storytelling, and embodied action as the basis …

Identifying The Diagnostic Challenges And Indicators Of Orthostatic Tremor: Patient Perspectives, Diego Torresrussotto

All Publications

Background: The diagnosis of orthostatic tremor (OT) is challenging because of its non-specific symptoms and a broad range of differential diagnosis, resulting in a complex and lengthy diagnostic journey.

Objective: The aim was to assess the diagnostic delay in OT and to identify key clinical indicators as reported by patients.

Methods: In 2019, the American OT community developed and distributed a web-based survey titled "Symptoms and Diagnosis of Orthostatic Tremor (OT)." The survey included questions on demographics, the diagnostic process, and symptomatology.

Results: An international cohort of 360 OT patients participated in the study, of which 147 with electromyography (EMG)-confirmed …

Guided Modes Through The Dual Perspectives Of Geometrical Optics And Wave Equation, Mason Spears

Mathematics and Statistics Undergraduate Departmental Honors Theses

In an optical waveguide, only finitely many electric field intensity profiles travel without loss, and these are aptly named guided modes. This paper uses fundamental concepts from the two paradigms of interpreting light, geometrical and physical optics, to derive guided modes axiomatically. First, basic principles of geometrical optics are demonstrated in a slab waveguide to explain characteristics of optical waveguides such as total internal reflection and numerical aperture. Dispersion curves are assembled from the same principles and used to show that only finitely many guided modes exist for a given waveguide. Next, Maxwell’s equations are used to derive the famous …