Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Motivations And Aspirations Of High School Senior Latinas: A Phenomenological Constructivist Study Of Advancement Via Individual Determination And Non-Advancement Via Individual Determination Student Experiences, Marina Rodriguez

Dissertations

While student support programs aim to offer guidance on college information and resources, not all student support programs offer a class curriculum targeted toward college and career readiness. The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program offers AVID as an elective class in a student’s academic schedule. Similar programs that support students include the Migrant Education Program, TRIO, and Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The purpose of this study was to establish a greater understanding of the motives and aspirations to attend a higher education institution of Latina high school seniors who have participated in an AVID program …

After The Bullets: Managing A Mass Shooting Resource Center Explored Through Autoethnography, Karen Allene Schweihs

Dissertations

The rate of mass shootings has more than doubled over the past 10 years in the United States (Gun Violence Archive, 2024). The focus of this study was a thorough exploration of my personal experiences in designing a response center after a mass shooting occurred in Boulder, Colorado. This study utilized a qualitative narrative inquiry form of research methodology called autoethnography. Autoethnography has been utilized to capture more than the raw data collected, but to offer a more expansive and detailed description of a unique experience. The following research questions were studied:

• Q1 What might I learn about my own …

Physicochemical Property Effects On Immune Modulating Polymeric Nanoparticles: Potential Applications In Spinal Cord Injury, Daniel J. Kolpek, Jaechang Kim, Hisham Mohammed, John C. Gensel, Jonghyuck Park

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Nanoparticles (NPs) offer promising potential as therapeutic agents for inflammation-related diseases, owing to their capabilities in drug delivery and immune modulation. In preclinical studies focusing on spinal cord injury (SCI), polymeric NPs have demonstrated the ability to reprogram innate immune cells. This reprogramming results in redirecting immune cells away from the injury site, downregulating pro-inflammatory signaling, and promoting a regenerative environment post-injury. However, to fully understand the mechanisms driving these effects and maximize therapeutic efficacy, it is crucial to assess NP interactions with innate immune cells. This review examines how the physicochemical properties of polymeric NPs influence their modulation of …

A Guide To Parole Preparation In New York State, Parole Preparation Project, Michelle L. Lewin

All Categories

No abstract provided.

Integrative Review: Opioid Crisis, Naloxone, And Overdose Mortality, Ja'nae Flowers, Melissa Gayle

Master's Projects

The opioid crisis is a public health challenge that includes widespread use and misuse of opioids, opioid addiction, and overdose deaths (Parkin et al., 2020). Opioids are a class of medications that include prescription analgesics as well as illicit (illegal) drugs. The opioid epidemic began between 1990 and 2000 as healthcare providers began prescribing opioids at alarming rates, which led to misuse, abuse, and addiction. The overall effects of opioid use disorder (OUD) include increased healthcare costs, socioeconomic challenges, and poor health outcomes. Cooperation among healthcare organizations, law enforcement, public policy, and community outreach is required to support patients with …

A Comparative Study Of Patterns, Causes, And Impacts Of Data Breaches Across Geographical Regions And Time Frames, Bhavish Balsara

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The rise of digital technologies and interconnected systems has made data breaches a growing global concern. This culmination project explores the patterns, causes, and impacts of data breaches across various countries with varying levels of economic development and cybersecurity infrastructure from 2020 to 2023. This research aims to provide insights into the global landscape of data breaches and how they have evolved in recent years. The research questions are: (Q1) How do data breach patterns differ between countries with different levels of economic development and cybersecurity infrastructure? (Q2) What patterns and trends can be identified in data breaches when analyzing …

Señoritas On And Off The Silver Screen: How Chicana Women Organized For Equality And Challenged The Cultural Prison Of Sexualized Media Representations In The First Half Of The Twentieth-Century, Rossandra Paloma Martinez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This research is personal for me due to lived experience and day-to-day situations where I have felt the pressures of unattainable beauty standards and society’s fluid definition of beauty and femininity surrounding Chicana, Latinas, Mexican, and Mexican-American women. What inspired me to pursue these issues and topics was the work of Dr. Vicki Lynn Ruiz in her book From Out of the Shadows: Mexican Women in Twentieth-Century America. This research focuses on rival and contested images of Chicana, Mexican, Mexican-American and Latina labor advocates and activists from the early twentieth as opposed to sexualized and eroticized packaged caricatures that Hollywood …

Cognitive Differences In Parkinson’S Disease With Amyloid Positivity And Negativity, Kenya Luna

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

In Parkinson’s Disease (PD), research has shifted to investigate how biomarkers commonly seen in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), such as amyloid beta (AB), may be associated with cognitive functioning in PD. AB is considered a reliable biomarker for AD pathology, however in PD there is a lacking biomarker that can accurately reflect severity of cognitive impairment. AD research has shown an association between low AB and cognitive decline, but the data in PD has mixed results. Most studies that analyze cognitive decline and biomarkers do not use a cutoff level and the few that do have a threshold vary greatly in …

The Effect Of Gender Beliefs On Self-Determined Motivation As Measured By Organizational Citizenship Behaviors And Workplace Deviant Behaviors, Ryan Jaramillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Employees are gauged by their motivation to complete their required job responsibilities, as losses in motivation can result in losses to organizations. Understanding motivation is necessary to achieving beneficial organizational outcomes such as organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) while reducing detrimental employee outcomes such as workplace deviant behaviors (WDBs). To this end, the present study analyzes motivation not through a dichotomy of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, but through a spectrum of self-determination for its relationship to employee behaviors. Gender is a potential moderator that can have important moderating effects between motivation and subsequent outcomes in the workplace. The purpose of this …

The Impact Of Benevolent Sexism On Evaluations Of Female Leaders, Daniella A. Lockhart

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study investigated the impact of benevolent sexism beliefs on evaluations of female leadership candidates in hiring decisions, as well as the moderating effects of occupational gender composition and the gender of the comparison candidate. While seemingly positive, benevolent sexism subtly reinforces traditional gender roles by portraying women as warm but less competent, particularly in leadership roles where competence is crucial. The data in this study was collected from 146 participants via an online questionnaire using MTurk and snowball sampling. Aligning with previous research on gender bias, results indicated that benevolent sexism negatively impacts perceptions of competence and warmth, especially …

Paul Raymond Griffith, Isabella Anderson-Huseman, Allison Ferguson

Impact of World War II in Eastern Kentucky

Seaman 1st Class Paul R. Griffith joined the Navy despite ‘not being able to swim’ according to his son. He served at the Fleet Post Office, the USS Samar and USS LST 505 in the mail rooms. Griffith received the Asiatic Pacific Area Ribbon and the World War II Victory Ribbon. After leaving the Navy, he worked for the US Postal Service until his retirement.

Unraveling Phytosulfokine Trafficking In Arabidopsis Thaliana Using Fiber-Optic Fluorescence Microscopy, Issaka Obuaba

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As sessile organisms, plants manage stress through complex signaling networks involving phytohormones such as phytosulfokine (PSK). PSK, a disulfated pentapeptide, regulates plant growth, development, and stress responses by interacting with specific PSK receptors (PSKRs). In this study, we explored the trafficking dynamics of PSK, its post-application fate, and the synthesis of an analog. We administered both native PSK and a fluorescent version tagged with TAMRA (5(6)-carboxytetramethylrhodamine) to various Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes, including wild type, a PSKR-deficient mutant, and a strain overexpressing PSKR1 tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP) over the wild-type background. Fiber-optic fluorescence microscopy revealed that receptor presence influences …

Mapping Amis Mill In Rogersville, Tennessee In The 1780s Using Geophysical Methods And Remote Sensing, Amy Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Geophysics and remote sensing were used at the Amis Mill and Homesite to determine the location of structures during the 1780s. Areas of interest were surveyed using shallow geophysical and remote sensing techniques including the orchard, horse pasture, original kitchen on the east side of the house, the west side of the house, plowed field, store site, and cemetery. After analyzing the results of the geophysical surveys and remote sensing, 22 sites were chosen to test inside and outside potential features. A large rectangular feature, possibly a tavern with a cellar, was discovered. Four other features were identified, three of …

College Student’S Learning Experiences During Covid-19 Among Traditional And Post-Traditional Students Enrolled In Institutions Affiliated With The Appalachian College Association, Jo Anne Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in the learning experiences, feelings and emotions, level of study support, and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic between traditional and post-traditional college students enrolled in an institution affiliated with the Appalachian College Association.

A two-group comparison research design using a web-based survey was used for the study. Using the College Student’s Learning Experiences during COVID-19 among Traditional and Post-Traditional Students Enrolled in Institutions Affiliated with the Appalachian College Association survey, the research questions were analyzed with a sample size of N = 58, traditional college student group and N=33, …

Investigating Phytosulfokine Trafficking: Insights Into The Role Of Phytohormones In Plant Signaling, Martin Tindi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Phytosulfokine is a critical signaling peptide involved in plant growth, development, and stress responses. This thesis investigates the trafficking mechanisms of Phytosulfokine (PSK) in Arabidopsis thaliana, employing fluorescently labelled PSK for non-destructive imaging using a custom-built fiber-optic fluorescence microscope. The study aims to determine the mobility and fate of PSK in plant tissues. Experimental results reveal the short-range and long-range movement of PSK across leaves. Additionally, the project highlights the optimization of non-destructive imaging techniques and the synthesis of caged dexamethasone to facilitate optogenetic studies. These findings provide new insights into PSK trafficking mechanisms in plants, enhancing our understanding …

Exploring The Physiological, Biochemical, And Enzymatic Responses Of Vigna Mungo Varieties To Mungbean Yellow Mosaic India Virus (Mymiv) Infection, Subham Dutta, Poly Saha, Mritunjoy Barman, R. Poorvasandhya, Moumita Panda, Tarique Ahmed, Thomas Wilbur Davis, Bulbul Ahmed, Mudagadde G. Deeksha, Jayanta Tarafdar

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

This study aims to enhance sustainable disease management in black gram by identifying varieties resistant to Mungbean Yellow Mosaic India Virus (MYMIV). We screened sixteen black gram genotypes, assessing physiological, biochemical and enzymatic basis. Results revealed a range of resistance levels, with PANT URD-19 showing the highest resistance (PDI 0.47%) and Pejua the lowest (PDI 37.24%). Seven genotypes demonstrated strong resistance, highlighting the necessity for targeted breeding. Variations in leaf thickness, trichome density, stomatal frequency, and epicuticular wax content were significant, with resistant varieties like LBG-888 and PANT URD-19 exhibiting thicker leaves, higher trichome density, and more wax, correlating with …

Elevated Levels Of Cd56+ T Cells, Cd16+ Cd56+ T Cells, And Cd56dim Nk Cells In Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Seropositive Healthy Individuals, Mazen Almehmadi, Mamdouh Allahyani, Abdulelah Aljuaid, Meshari A. Alsuwat, Mustafa Halawi

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To investigate the numbers of natural killer (NK) cells, CD56+ T-cells and CD56- T cells, and the levels ofCD16 in healthy individuals seropositive for herpes simplex virus Type 1 (HSV-1). Specifically, it seeks to measure the levels of these cells to learn about the possible immunological significance during HSV-1 seropositive status. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional research design to examine the levels of CD56+ T-cells and CD16+ among individuals seropositive for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) in Taif city. A total of 112 participants were enrolled, with HSV-1 serostatus determined via ELISA, and cellular evaluation conducted using …

Prevalence Of Hyperlipidemia In Psoriatic Arthritis Patients In Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Khalid Altalhi, Sara Otaywi, Mohammed Alotaibi, Hanan A. Alhamzi, Seham Alrashedi, Mosaab Makkawy, Fahdah Alokaily

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and to investigate the relationship between PsA and hyperlipidemia. Methods: This retrospective study examined medical records of PsA patients from January 2010 to May 2023 at 2 medical centers in Riyadh. Patients over 18 years old with a lipid profile were included. Hyperlipidemia cases were determined using Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) guidelines and European Association of Preventive Cardiology definitions based on lipid profile results. Results: A total of 141 patients were included in the analysis. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia in patients …

Does Work-Related Stress Compromise Cardiovascular Health?

Saudi Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Interactive Known-Item Search In Large Video Corpora, Zhixin Ma

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The surge in video volume makes it challenging to locate a specific target with a single query using automatic video retrieval systems. The interactive video retrieval offers a solution by enabling users to iteratively refine a search. Nevertheless, existing systems often present users with an overwhelming number of similar videos, which can lead to mental fatigue while inspecting results and increase difficulty in providing feedback. This dissertation studies known-item video search and addresses four key challenges. First and foremost, as the link between users and the system, the interaction must be both efficient and effective. To ensure effectiveness, the user’s …

Political Embeddedness And Organizational Resilience: Empirical Investigation And Theorisation Of Institutional Translation Mechanisms In Chinese Private Enterprises, Shuai Shao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

China is governed by the Communist Party of China (CPC), which embodies the nation's core values, mission, and ideological framework. The CPC organization embeddedness represents a distinctive governance arrangement, reflecting the state's Political Integration Imperatives. In the context of significant external shocks such as Covid-19, how does this political embeddedness influence private enterprises' organizational resilience - specifically their capacity to withstand disruptions and their ability to recover? What are the underlying mechanisms driving these effects?

This study employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate how CPC organization embeddedness shapes organizational resilience within China's unique institutional context, and the mechanisms through which …

The Relationship Between A Transient Scientific Phenomenon And Local Journalism At The Beginning Of The Gilded Age, Thomas Hockey

Faculty Publications

In the United States, the nineteenth century was the halcyon era for local newspapers. These publications were the primary source of public information at a time when other periodicals and books had low circulation. The purpose of this paper is to explore how local journalism in the nineteenth-century United States dealt with an occasion outside the boundaries of the commonplace: an unfamiliar natural phenomenon. My example is the total solar eclipse of 7 August 1869. Editors and journalists of the time largely were unaccustomed to covering celestial events. Nevertheless, they sensed—correctly—an interest in the solar eclipse. Articles about the approaching …

The Pagan Reception Of Judaism From The Sibylline Oracles: Insights From Pseudo-Seneca’S Octavia Regarding The Creation And Circulation Of Oral Sibylline Oracles By The Plebs, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

According to tradition, the original collection of Sibylline Books ac­quired by the Roman monarch Tarquinius Priscus, which were kept in the Temple of Jupiter in the capital, were lost in the fire of 83 BCE. In 76 BCE, the Senate ordered the college of the quindecimviri to travel to the traditional centers of Sibylline activity in the East to find Sibylline Oracles to replace those destroyed in the fire. According to Lactantius, these officials collected many Oracles from private individuals. This reference suggests that Sibylline Oracles circulated widely. However, based on the witnesses regarding their consultation, it appears that the …

An Account Of The 1453 Ce Ottoman Siege Of Constantinople Interpreted Through A First Century Bce Jewish Text: How An Ancient Collection Of Second Temple Period Poems Changed The Course Of Western Civilization, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

On 29 May 1453 CE, the besieged Christian occupants of Constantinople — the capital of the Byzantine Empire and the last surviving portion of the former Roman Empire — knew the end was near when they heard 50,000-80,000 angry Ottoman soldiers, including 5,000 to 10,000 of the elite Janissaries — the Sultan’s shook troops — preparing to breach its walls after a 53-day siege. The 7,000-man army defending the city knew that all was lost. The 21-year-old Sultan Mehmet II — given the sobriquet “the Conqueror” for capturing the city — leveled the roads so his army could reach Constantinople’s …

Appreciative Inquiry: Guiding Principles For Majority And Minority World Teams Conducting Research In Majority World Countries, Kendall Cotton Bronk, Lindsey C. Blom, Seren Fryatt, Flomo Mau Maiwo, Yabadel Appleton

Journal of Youth Development

The vast majority of youth development research takes place in minority world cultural contexts. To understand and nurture the optimal development of young people living in majority world countries, cross-cultural research teams are uniquely suited to conduct careful and culturally sensitive research in these settings. However, this is difficult. Navigating research in a new language, a different cultural context, and a far-away geographic location is challenging, and the risks of getting it wrong are high. We argue that the guiding principles of Appreciative Inquiry can help teams navigate many of the challenges inherent in conducting youth development research in majority …

Facilitate The Awesome:Creating Capacity For Teen Programs In Youth Development, Michael L. Wallace, Ashley M. Hall, Gary Frank Varrella, Pamela Watson, Kelly Anne Stewart, Brian Brandt

Journal of Youth Development

A critical need exists for adults who are properly prepared to meaningfully engage with adolescents. While utilizing teens in leadership and teaching roles has been gaining popularity and application, a developmental and skills-based approach for improving “trusted adult” capacity to engage with adolescents has not been comprehensively addressed in other programs or curricula. The “Facilitate the Awesome” short course focuses on advancing adult knowledge and skills related to supporting the physical, emotional, and social needs of adolescents. In an evaluation of 113 participants statistical significance was established for all the learning variables tested, using a sign test and estimated effect …

Examining The Activity-Related Correlates Of Latine Parent Support Of Adolescents In Organized Afterschool Activities, Fuko Kiyama, Sandra Simpkins

Journal of Youth Development

Objective: This study examined the relations between Latine parent perceptions of their seventh grade adolescents’ organized afterschool activity and their support of adolescents’ participation in these organized afterschool activities; and, whether these relations varied based on the organized afterschool activity’s ethnic cultural features.

Background: Although parent support bolsters adolescents’ success in multiple contexts, including organized afterschool activities, we know little about what promotes parent support. Method: Using data on Latine parent perceptions (N = 143) of their support (17 items), of organized afterschool activities (8 items) and ethnic cultural features (7 items), linear regression models were used to evaluate the …

Mental Health Services In A Camp Setting: Choices, Challenges, Change, Johnathan Meier, Erinn J. Victory, Rebecca I. Laquaglia, Matthew J. Kasopsky, Jeongwi An, Gabriella R. Johnson, Andrew D. Mendonsa, Stephanie Mcwilliams

Journal of Youth Development

The prevalence of mental health issues among youth, with nearly half meeting diagnostic criteria for a mental health disorder and suicide being a leading cause of death, underscores the urgency for effective intervention (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). Summer camps, hosting millions of children annually, are urged by the American Camp Association to establish mental health support, ranging from trained counselors to licensed therapists (ACA, 2009; 2022). At the 2023 National Scout Jamboree, mental health services were offered for the first time. During the Jamboree, 82 participants received individual or group mental health services in the Mental Health Clinic. …

From “At-Risk” To “Aspiring” Youth:Locating Positive Youth Development In Kenya, Kennedy Karani Onyiko, Justine Amadi Orucho, Lawrence Asige, Dennis Omuse Obushe, Aden Ang'aba Esokomi, Faith Inyele Olita, Simon Kitiyo

Journal of Youth Development

The youth population bulge in Kenya comes with so many challenges such as poverty, gender inequalities, political inequities, the absence of adequate health and medical resources, low educational attainment, homelessness, increased involvement in violence, drugs, and alcohol, poor physical and mental health, a lack of key life skills, premature sexual involvement. Using inductive or “bottom up” thematic analysis, we explored experiences of the youth aged 18-34 (n=36), youth workers (n=26) and administrators of youth programs (n=22) on existing youth development programs and their alignment to the positive youth development principles. Six key findings from the study sufficed as follows: (1) …

The Association Between Sports Camp Participation And Perceivedcompetence And Independence Among Visually Impaired Youth, Mary A. Keene, Justin Haegele, Xihe Zhu

Journal of Youth Development

Research on sport camps for visually impaired youth is limited. The purposes of this study were to examine if visually impaired campers’ self-perception of their perceived competence and independence changed as a result of attending a one-week sports camp. Forty visually impaired campers ranging from 10-15 years of age, who attended a one-week sports camp, completed a survey study from two outcome measures of the American Camp Association Youth Outcomes Battery. A bivariate correlation analysis and descriptive analyses were conducted. The campers reported relatively high levels of perceived competence (5.48 ± .57) and moderate levels of perceived independence (4.94 ± …