Digital Commons Network^™

Stromal Interaction Molecule (Stim) Proteins In Microglia And The Impact On Store-Operated Calcium Entry (Soce) And Spinal Cord Injury Recovery, Norah G. Hill

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

In spinal cord injury (SCI), worsening functional outcomes are largely because of secondary injury processes and prolonged chronic inflammation. A major contributor of secondary injury is overload of intracellular calcium, causing neuronal overexcitation and persistent inflammatory responses. One of the primary mediators of calcium entry into the cell is store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). In SOCE, sensors detecting calcium depletion from the endoplasmic reticulum stores are called STIM proteins (1-2). When calcium is low in the cell, STIM proteins will activate Orai channels to open, allowing for the influx of calcium into the cell. The purpose of this study was to …

The Influence Of Valence On Action Control: A Comparison Of Simon Effects In The Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (East) And The Spatial Simon Task, Yaara Aleissa

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

People adjust their thoughts and actions in response to a changing environment every day and emotions may influence these actions. Understanding how emotion impacts action control in situations where emotion is central to the action (task-relevant) compared to when it is present in the environment as distracting information (task-irrelevant) is essential. Currently it is unclear when emotion most significantly modulates action control. This study seeks to compare how valence (positive versus negative emotion) impacts action control performance when valence is task-relevant and task-irrelevant by using two modified versions of the Simon conflict task.

The Simon task is a paradigm to …

Creating Experiences That Drive Profit: How Leadership Style, Servicescape, Menu Design, And Break-Even Point Shape Business Performance In The Case Of Amoranto, Sofia Hernandez Cruz

Theses & ETDs

The present study aimed to determine the extent to which leadership style (transformational vs. transactional) and the perception of the servicescape influence business outcomes, particularly when integrated with menu engineering analysis (popularity and profitability) and break-even analysis, in the case of Amoranto. Amoranto is a concept house located in Cali, Colombia, composed of three sectors: restaurant, flower shop, and boutique, situated in the upper sector of the city. Through an interdisciplinary approach combining psychological and economic factors, the study demonstrates that these dimensions are complementary when analyzing overall business performance. The first study showed that transactional leadership is positively associated …

Prompting As A New Medium: Greenbergian Medium Specificity And The Iterative Unpredictability Of Ai Art, Samantha Shapiro, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

This article argues that AI prompting should be understood not as a tool, technique, or accessory to image generation, but as a medium in its own right. Drawing on Clement Greenberg’s theory of medium specificity, it contends that a medium becomes legible through the operations peculiar to itself, namely, the constraints, affordances, and formal procedures that distinguish it from neighboring arts. Existing scholarship has asked whether prompting counts as art, whether prompt engineering constitutes a creative skill, and whether the prompt itself can be aesthetic; however, these accounts often stop short of a sustained theory of prompting as medium. This …

Utility-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems - Field Pilot Unit Experience, Analysis, And Review Of Technological Advancements, Kwabena A. Kyeremeh, Shaun E. Lavin, Grant M. Fischer, Dan M. Ionel, Aron Patrick

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly important in modern power systems, providing services ranging from backup support to load balancing and peak shaving. The long-term operational performance and reliability of these systems with expanding deployment remain insufficiently documented. This paper provides an operational assessment of a 1MW/2MWh utility-scale BESS alongside a systematic review of technology developments across major subsystems. Operational metrics including round-trip efficiency (RTE), outage characteristics, and degradation patterns are examined to identify performance trends and the underlying causes of outages. In addition, testing and operational principles aligned with utility practice and standards are presented to …

The Burnout Machine: Finding The Guide Between Burnout And Meaning Making Using Ifs And Role Theory For Mental Health Professionals (An Integrative Literature Review), Jade Ahneman

Expressive Therapies Theses

Burnout is a syndrome in which compounded stress leads sufferers to feel physical and mental exhaustion, mental distancing, cognitive and emotional impairment, depressed mood, psychological distress, and psychosomatic complaints. Originally thought of as a phenomenon affecting only individuals in helping roles (i.e., mental health workers, teachers, nurses, and police officers), research on burnout and its effective management has become increasingly important since the 1980s, highlighting its pervasiveness across occupational and personal realms. This integrative literature review focused on understanding the effects of burnout on master 's-level counseling students, investigating how Internal Family Systems theory (IFS) and drama therapy’s role theory …

Implementing Narrative Family Art Therapy To Address Trauma And Conflict Resolution, Haley Elizabeth Watson

Expressive Therapies Theses

This study explored the implementation of principles and approaches from a complementary framework of narrative therapy, art therapy and family therapy using a trauma-informed approach with clients and their families receiving in-home therapy (IHT) services. Existing research demonstrates that narrative approaches and techniques support clients to identify alternative perspectives to their reality to promote a more empowering narrative. The intention of this research was to identify themes and possible areas of exploration for future research about how trauma-informed narrative family art therapy may be a suitable and beneficial framework for addressing conflict within the family system and healing from traumatic …

Art Therapy And A Strength-Based Approach For Working With Children With Emotional And Behavioral Challenges: A Qualitative, Arts-Based Study, James D. Wyld

Expressive Therapies Theses

Abstract

            Children with emotional and behavioral challenges represent a vulnerable population that needs more attention and innovative forms of treatment. The behavior of these young people is often marked by impulsive behaviors and intense emotions in the process of getting their basic needs met. The current study explores how a combination of art therapy and a strength-based approach is beneficial and appropriate for children in a behavioral based therapeutic school. Progress was traced through one singular client in both group and individual settings over the course of 6 months. Interventions varied with the goals of increasing self-awareness, fostering autonomy, increasing …

Menstrual Awareness & Symptomology: A Social And Biological Exploration Of Cycle Experiences, Perceptions, And Meaning-Making, Abigail Pratt

Theses & ETDs

The present study is an exploratory mer ger between sociology, psychology, behavioral endocrinology, and cognitive neuroscience, all with a focus on menstrual studies. Past research regarding menstrual impact, attitudes, transdiagonstic pathology, and clinical cognitive reframes have inspire three research objectives: 1) Examine how the transdiagnostic Dimensional Affective Sensitivity to Hormones across the Menstrual Cycle (DASH-MC) framework is represented across the hormonal patterns of two consecutive cycles, 2) Investigate how perceptions of menstruation relate to these observed fluctuations, and 3) Utilize a gratitude intervention to try and promote positive menstrual meaning-making. Six female participants completed the study, providing insightful, valenced trends …

Ecological Responses To Living Shoreline Restoration, Aaron S. Bland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Coastal built communities and natural coastal ecosystems face similar and interrelated hazards: shoreline sediment erosion, shoreline retreat, and worsening storms, each of which is exacerbated by relative sea level rise. Living shorelines are coastal defense projects that incorporate natural habitats to provide more sustainable shoreline defense and improve the coastal ecosystem. Living shorelines have been widely adopted, but their performance has been highly variable, and the mechanisms of project success and failure are unclear. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to better understand the ecosystem responses to coastal restoration, focusing on the primary habitats of coastal salt marsh and …

Alternative, Ashlynn M. Stroud

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

A series of illustrations, sculptures and comic book issues designed to introduce a series of stories and characters that represent the history and members of a fictional mythology depicting the cultural social group often referred to as the “alternative” community. Alternative takes place in a world that combines high fantasy and science fiction with elements of pop culture and music. This world uses iconography of the various genres of the alternative subculture and music, metal, post-punk, and the evolving scene of the underground with varying visuals from both gothic and industrial time periods. Viewers are encouraged to read and follow …

The Southwest Black Artists Collective: Afro-Modern Ecology, Kinship, And Collectivity In The Desert Southwest, Bradley L. Petty

Art History Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the Southwest Black Artists Collective (SBAC) as a site of

Afro-diasporic kinship, artistic production, and spatial intervention within the Desert

Southwest. Operating within a region where Black populations are comparatively small

and institutional support is diffuse, SBAC emerges as both a response to and a

reconfiguration of the regional artistic landscape. The Collective constructs an affirming

community through shared artistic practice, exhibitions, and the maintenance of The

Projects/Space in Tucson, Arizona, where public engagement and private creative

exchange coexist.

Drawing on theories of human ecology, this study expands existing frameworks

by introducing the concept of Afro-modern ecology, …

Parkinson’S Disease And Its Treatments: An Overview, Nathaniel Cook

Senior Honors Theses

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease closely associated with the accumulation of α-synuclein in neurons, and inhibition in the release of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter of the nervous system. Disruption in dopamine signaling can cause cognitive and motor dysfunctions, with tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity being the most observable effects. There is no permanent treatment for PD, constituting the need for further research to improve current pharmaceutical approaches and possibly develop a cure. Main areas of research include improving medication via delivery methods, genetic mutation using CRISPR, and adaptive deep-brain stimulation. Recent developments and applications in these areas will be …

Sepsis As An Immune Continuum: Cytokine Storm To Lymphopenia And Pics, Chelsey King

Senior Honors Theses

Sepsis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, driven by a dynamic immune continuum that progresses from early hyperinflammation to profound immunosuppression. This review examines the three overlapping phases of sepsis: the inflammation-mediated cytokine storm driven by dysregulated PRR activation, NF-κB signaling, and NETosis; apoptosis-driven lymphopenia involving caspase-mediated lymphocyte death, dendritic cell dysfunction, and metabolic exhaustion; and prolonged immunoparalysis culminating in persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome (PICS). Key mechanisms linking these phases, including the co-existence of hyper- and hypo-inflammatory states, are synthesized alongside relevant clinical biomarkers such as IL-6, HLA-DR, and single-cell immune profiles. This review highlights …

Fatigue And Cyclic Loading In Aircraft Engine Turbomachinery, Sarah Hilliard

Senior Honors Theses

The fatigue and cyclic loading of aircraft engine turbomachinery was explored in order to better understand and predict its failure. This exploration included a review of central topics such as aircraft engine components, fatigue, and the microstructural nature of metal. Also, the ANSYS Mechanical microstructural crystal plasticity tool was evaluated for its utility in fatigue prediction studies. No validation of the tool in question was possible within the scope of this thesis. Numerical fatigue life prediction methods were discussed, and current advancements in metal coatings and surface treatments for prolonging the life of certain superalloys were investigated. Further work in …

The Challenges And Strategies Of Leading A Diverse Team As A Project Manager, Karissa Naomi Smith

Senior Honors Theses

Diversity comes in many forms, including age, race, ethnicity, and gender, and each one presents a separate set of challenges to the team. With a trained and adaptive manager, unity can be created even among the most diverse members of their team. Equipping with strategic options helps build a productive, unified, diverse team. Case studies are incorporated to show the use of strategies and the benefit of trust to better performance, decision-making, and team unity. Trust among the members can bring performance and efficiency to a diverse team. Ultimately, research demonstrates that a diverse team will lead to challenges, but …

Associations Of Trait And Ability Emotional Intelligence With Heart Rate Variability And Emotional Reactivity In Undergraduate Students, Miriam Bowser

Senior Honors Theses

Ability emotional intelligence (EI) and trait EI have been previously associated with heart rate variability (HRV), suggesting adaptive autonomic regulation. Emotional reactivity (ER) has also been correlated with EI, possibly because individuals with higher EI are more sensitive to emotional information. The current study used a cross-sectional design (N = 71) to examine trait and ability EI, self-reported ER, and HRV. No relationship was found between trait and ability EI, suggesting distinct underlying constructs. EI was not associated with HRV. Trait EI was positively associated with positive valence (r = .34, p = .004) and ability EI with …

Policy Analysis Of Utah's Family Vlogging Bill: Examining The Influence Of The Mormon Church On Utah State Legislation And Its Effects On Child Performer Protections, Jayna J. Moskovitz

Honors College Theses

Following the criminal sentencing of Mormon family vlogger, Ruby Franke, of the 8Passengers YouTube channel, the state of Utah passed House Bill (H.B.) 322 in 2025 with the aim of protecting minors involved in social media content. This thesis investigates the connection between Mormonism and family vlogging to determine whether the Mormon influence in Utah’s state government impacted the effectiveness of H.B. 322’s provisions. My research asked: How does H.B. 322 protect children featured in social media content? (How) did the involvement of the Mormon Church in Utah politics and/or the high profile of the Ruby Franke case lead to …

Co-Location Of Substance Use Disorder Treatment And Hospital Emergency Departments, Leila Hasan

Honors College Theses

Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) rely heavily on the hospital emergency department (ED) for acute care and are often discharged from the ED without access to long-term recovery resources. This project explores the impact of co-located addiction treatment programs with hospital EDs on recovery outcomes of patients with SUD. A systematic literature review conducted on relevant studies indicates that co-located programs can be effective in increasing treatment initiation and maintenance, reducing ED revisits, and reducing repeated overdose in SUD patients. Programs that were most effective included three key elements: fast linkage of SUD patients to program staff in the …

Beyond Health Reform: The Aca And The Social Drivers Of Health, Wendy E. Parmet, Jasmine M. Howard

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

Mount Laurel’S Fourth-Round Affordable Housing Obligations: Do The Recent Obligations Pass The Constitutional Muster Of The Takings Clause?, Agnieszka Karkoszka

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

A Machine Learning-Based Apogee Prediction Methodology For Experimental Student Rockets, Price Hamilton Drawdy

Senior Honors Theses

The ability to predict the maximum altitude of a rocket (apogee) in real-time is incredibly useful for collegiate-level competition rockets. This project creates a machine learning-based real-time apogee prediction methodology. Three model types were tested: linear regression, random forest, and a 3-layer multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network. These models were trained on a large dataset of simulated flights. All models performed well on simulated test flights, with the linear regression model showing most promise for use on edge compute. More development and real-world testing are necessary to determine how applicable this method is for real-time operation. Nevertheless, this methodology provides …

Addressing The Problem Of Erotica In Fiction From A Christian Standpoint, Elizabeth Burgess

Senior Honors Theses

The body of erotic content embedded in mainstream literature grows by the day, and based on an investigation of its similarities to pornography—which has many documented negative effects—this content warrants caution before interaction. Christian writers and editors are faced with a multifaceted problem when it comes to erotica: they must weigh the risk of harming consumers by participating in its production, and they must discern whether it aligns with the moral demands of the Christian faith when it comes to sexuality. The analysis of biblical frameworks for sexuality, the present literature documenting the negative effects of pornography, and the purpose …

Preserving Life In An Age Of Autonomy: A Critique Of Physician-Assisted Suicide, Adeline Holcombe

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis critiques physician-assisted suicide (PAS) as a reflection of Western thought’s shift from a biblical sanctity-of-life ethic toward autonomy and relativism. Through analysis of biblical and historical foundations, major cases, and state PAS laws, it argues that legalization weakens the state’s interest in preserving life, normalizes suicide, and exposes vulnerable populations to coercion, inadequate safeguards, and legal expansion. The thesis concludes that PAS laws should be repealed and that palliative care, hospice, and mental health treatment provide more compassionate and ethically sound alternatives.

Aughrim, Out Of Reach: Literacy, Modernity, And The Irish Fate In “The Dead”, Julia Lehman

Senior Honors Theses

In the early twentieth century, Irish cultural identity faced a crisis. After hundreds of years of oppression under English colonization and the devastating famine of the previous century, Irish cultural identity had been diminished. However, there was a political push to reclaim this identity. James Joyce, famed Irish author, lived through this era and personally struggled with his Irish identity. His short story “The Dead” explores the conflict existing in Irish cultural expression during this era. In this thesis, I address the contrast between literacy and orality which produces themes of cultural alienation and disillusionment in “The Dead.” Gabriel Conroy …

The Trouble Of Energy: Theoretical Foundations Of Loop Quantum Gravity, Hallie Gift

Senior Honors Theses

While general relativity and quantum mechanics have proved to be successful theories with elegant explanations of special cases, an underlying theory is needed to harmonize their copious discrepancies. Popular theories to reconcile the two are broadly termed “quantum gravity,” which refers to theories that introduce a discretized component of gravity either by directly suggesting gravitational quanta or attempting to discretize spacetime geometry. Loop quantum gravity falls under the latter category; it respects the background independence intrinsic to general relativity while attempting to provide an explanation of underlying quantum behavior via Planck-scale-level geometrical discretization. This thesis aims to provide a primer …

Awe As Signpost: An Argument For The Consistency Of Lewis’S “Joy” And Psychological Awe, Audrey Hendricks

Senior Honors Theses

C.S. Lewis’s Surprised by Joy details Lewis’s autobiographical apologetic for the existence of God through his experiences of “Joy,” a technical term invented by Lewis. Upon close study, his experiences of Joy contain many similarities to psychological awe. This investigation compares Lewis’s Joy with psychological awe using the Awe Experience Scale (AWE-S) to determine consistency. Lewis’s Joy was found to be consistent with all six criteria of the AWE-S in addition to other recognized psychological characteristics of awe. In addition to qualitative consistency, this review also argues for the teleological consistency of the two concepts, contending for a Christian teleological …

Analyzing The Writing Style Of Generative Ai When Prompted With Writing Samples, Samuel Mcdowell

Senior Honors Theses

Authorship attribution is an important topic in today’s world of Large Language Models (LLMs). It is the technology that helps to verify the author of a written work. This study explores whether LLMs can successfully mimic an individual’s writing style if they are given a text sample. A dataset of human-written texts was collected and used to prompt several LLMs to generate new texts that attempt to replicate the original author’s stylistic characteristics. The generated texts were then tested with modern authorship attribution models to determine whether they would be identified as being written by the original author. The results …

Programmable Degradation Of Polyethylene Via Amide-Functionalization: A Dual-Path Strategy Combining Palladium-Catalyzed Copolymerization And Enhanced Microbial Breakdown, Safi-Dapetel Balkissou Wouna

Master's Theses

Polyethylene (PE) is one of the most widely used polymers due to its durability, low cost, and chemical stability; however, these same properties contribute to its persistence in the environment. It takes about 1000 years for PE to be degraded by microbes in nature. This study investigates a molecular design strategy to enhance the biodegradability of PE by introducing polar functional groups into its backbone through palladium-catalyzed copolymerization with a Vince lactam-derived comonomer. This strategy was inspired by our previous observation that PHEVD (poly[7-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,4-divinyl-3-oxa-7-azabicyclo[3.3.0]octane-6,8-dione]), a newly synthesized petroleum derived polymer that is rich of amide group, can be near-completely degraded …

Predictive Composite Manufacturing: Advancing Material And Process Design Using Machine Learning, Mohammad Basit Akram

Doctoral Works at the University of New Haven

Composite manufacturing increasingly requires methods that can support both process monitoring and materials design under conditions of limited sensing, nonlinear behavior, and sparse data. This work addresses that need through machine learning (ML) based studies in two complementary areas: process intelligence for polypropylene extrusion and material intelligence for SiC /SiC mini-composites. The first part focuses on industrial polypropylene extrusion, where melt temperature and melt pressure are important indicators of process stability and product quality, yet remain difficult to estimate and forecast in real time. An explainable ML workflow is first developed for melt-state prediction using industrial extrusion data. The approach …