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The Effects Of Kyphosis Angle Reduction On Balance, Fall Risk, And Quality Of Life, Karen Buckley

Doctorate in Kinesiology

Purpose: Hyperkyphosis is an abnormal sagittal plane curvature of the spine. The kyphosis angle (KA) increases as age increases, leading to fractures, falls, and potential mortality. This study aims to determine if reducing the KA improves balance, stability, and quality of life in the elderly. Methods: Thirty-one participants, including males and females, aged 63.03±9.61, participated in this study. This study used the kyphosis index (KI), which is a measurement of the distance between the occiput and the wall. Elderly individuals with an occiput wall distance (OWD) of > 4cm participated in this study. The Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life questionnaire, …

Physiological Demands Of Virtual Reality Exercise Games: An Analysis Of Energy Expenditure And Exercise Intensity, Neil Panchal

Doctorate in Kinesiology

Virtual reality (VR) technology offers potential as an exercise modality, yet comprehensive physiological assessments using gold-standard methodology remain limited. This study investigated the physiological demands of three VR fitness games, Beat Saber, Punch Fit, and RUN, by examining exercise intensity, energy expenditure, and time spent above American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) intensity thresholds. Thirty-two college students (ages 18-32, M = 23.9 ± 3.1 years) completed maximal exercise testing to establish VO₂max, followed by a VR gaming session. Physiological responses were measured using portable indirect calorimetry and heart rate monitoring. Repeated-measures ANOVAs revealed significant differences between games, with large effect …

Consciousness Studies In Community: Allan Leslie Combs’S Enduring Vision, Debby Flickinger Phd, Rebecca A. Damien Phd

Journal of Conscious Evolution

Consciousness studies can be found in many different disciplines. Allan Leslie Combs held an inclusive view of consciousness that was not limited to any one branch, and he inspired us to explore consciousness through many doorways. Together the authors share narratives about teaching and learning with Combs while reviewing key areas shaped by his legacy, including gatherings, archetypes, psychology, and synchronicity. Our shared intention is to honor Leslie’s legacy through a narrative that comes from the heart as well as the mind.

Keywords: consciousness studies, gatherings, archetypes, synchronicity, Allan Leslie Combs

Remixing The Integrative Model Of Pedagogy Through Varied Hip-Hop Contexts, Colleen A. Wilkinson, Caitlin Riegel, Elizabeth Falzone

Journal of the Arts and Special Education

Embedding literature which promotes positive views of disabilities into teacher preparation programs is not an uncommon practice (Hansen et al., 2023; Yu & Meyer, 2024). However, multimedia, such as music and television, allow a more inclusive approach to disability studies. Hip-Hop music serves to represent the underrepresented in society and the overrepresented in disability categories. This paper describes how to incorporate three multimedia projects utilizing an Integrative Model of Pedagogy and Hip-Hop into teacher preparation programs for more inclusive, strategic and reflective teacher candidates. Within each project the instructor embeds specific High-Leverage Practices for students with disabilities and culturally responsive …

Extending Wuads Analysis Capabilities To General Aviation Aircrafts With Piston Propeller And Turbo Propeller Engines And Hydrogen Fuel, Natasha C. Igic, Michael Kiely, Ramesh K. Agarwal

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study

The Washington University Aerospace Design Software (WUADS) is a Python-based conceptual aircraft design software for the analysis of subsonic commercial aircrafts. This paper presents modifications to WUADS enabling the design and analysis for general aviation (GA) aircrafts. The updates include revised weight estimation methods as well as a modified method for estimating the performance of piston propeller and turbo-prop engines. For the weight estimation, the average of the GA versions of the Raymer, and NASA FLOPS methods were implemented for each component. Weight analysis accuracy was measured by comparing the gross takeoff weight calculated by WUADS to published data. Engine …

Cover And Contents

Turkish Journal of Physics

No abstract provided.

Quasiparticle Weight And Effective Mass Of The Landau Liquid From The Complex-Frequency Formalism, Aydin Cem Keser, Oleg P. Sushkov

Turkish Journal of Physics

We present a method for calculating the effective mass and quasiparticle weight of a Landau Fermi liquid using time-ordered Green’s functions and a Wick rotation to the imaginary frequency axis. This technique simplifies the evaluation of self-energy derivatives by ensuring analytic properties compatible with contour deformations. We apply the method to the electron gas in both two and three spatial dimensions within the random phase approximation (RPA), and derive explicit expressions for the static and dynamic contributions to the self-energy. Our results confirm known limits at weak coupling and offer an accurate and transparent route to evaluate effective mass and …

Application Of Polarization Transfer Algorithm In Organic Molecules With Three Nonequivalent Coupled Spins, Dim Safin, Alexander Perepukhov, Sergei Rzhevskiy, Yuri Belousov

Turkish Journal of Physics

Polarization transfer between three $1/2$ nuclear spins in a specially prepared isotopically enriched molecule diethylphthalimide malonate-2-$^{13}$C,$^{15}$N molecule was obtained using the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method. The polarization transfer was performed by implementing a sequence of radio frequency pulses and waiting intervals. Relaxation times and NMR spectrum for the studied nuclei were measured in samples of molecules with natural and enriched isotopes $^{13}$C and $^{15}$N. Measurements of the proton relaxation rate for diethylphthalimidomalonate and diethylpthalimidomalonate-2-$^{13}$C,$^{15}$N showed an increase in relaxation rate by a factor of 4 for protons bound to $^{13}$C,$^{15}$N nuclei. The use of the quantum polarization transfer method …

First-Principles And Deep Learning Frameworks To Predict The Electronic, Magnetic And Electrical Properties Of V-Doped Sic Nanotube, Debarati Dey Roy, Sevda Rzayeva, Sevinj Guluzade, Vusala Nabi Jafarova

Turkish Journal of Physics

Nowadays, with the miniaturization of nanoindustry, we are increasingly interested in doping effects for nanotube systems. In this study, based on density functional theory (DFT) and local spin density approximation (LDA) methods within Hubbard U corrections, the electronic, magnetic and electrical properties of single-wall silicon carbide nanotubes doped with vanadium were theoretically studied. Although the undoped SiC system is nonmagnetic, the V-doped SiC nanotube induces magnetism and the total magnetic moment of this magnetic material is equal to ~1 µB. Density of states calculations indicated that the magnetization of SiC:V single-wall nanotubes mainly comes from the 2p orbitals of carbon …

Corrigendum To “Circular Motion And Thermodynamic Characteristics Of Particles Around A Quintessential Nonrotating Black Hole” [Turkish Journal Of Physcis 49 (3) 2025 72-91], Indrajit Halder, Kamal Lochan Mahanta, Rakesh Ranjan Sahoo

Turkish Journal of Physics

This corrigendum addresses an error in equation (35) in the original published version of this article. This error led to minor inaccuracies in subsequent equations.To correct this oversight and ensure the accuracy of the scholarly record, the corrected equations are provided below for reference. The authors apologize for any inconvenience caused and state that the scientific conclusions are unaffected. Corrected equations ofsection 3.3. [2,3]:

The original article can be accessed at: https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-0101.2777

Exposures, Protections, And Barriers: Advancing Understanding Of Agricultural Worker Health, Alexandra A. Farfalla

Theses & Dissertations

Farming is a hazardous occupation. Exposures are multifactorial, variable, and shaped by overlapping tasks, environments, and social contexts. This dissertation aimed to illustrate the complexity of agricultural exposures and the barriers to protective practices through three complementary studies.

The first study examined co-exposures to solvents and noise as risk factors for hearing loss (HL) among 7,495 farmers and ranchers in a 7-state region. Results indicated nearly 60% of co-exposed participants reported hearing loss, with an adjusted odds ratio nearly six-fold (OR=6.03, [4.67-7.78]) for moderate/severe HL. This work highlights the importance of recognizing chemical exposures as a modality in HL in …

Feasibility And Function Of A Tilt-In-Space Wheelchair Insert For Low Resource Settings (Development Of The Open Tilt Base), Luke Mcauley, Karen Menard

Student Capstone Papers

The ability to move and be mobile is a basic part of human function. For those without the muscle control and/or strength to attain and maintain the posture necessary for basic movement and mobility a device is necessary to support them and provide them with the highest level of independence possible. This type of device comes at a significant cost and need for highly customizable products which are difficult to obtain in most situations, but especially in Low-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). The product discussed in this paper is designed to provide a cost effective solution for those in need of a …

Public Perception About Covid-19 Vaccine Hesitancy In South Central Nebraska, Rita Nnenne Oparaocha

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The COVID-19 pandemic created a shift in the trajectory of vaccination hesitancy, altering risk perceptions and vaccination attitudes among individuals in rural communities. The 5C framework highlights confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation, and collective responsibility as influencing factors of vaccine hesitancy. This study assessed the proportion of adults who refused COVID-19 vaccination and identified the individual reasons for hesitancy among those who refused the COVID -19 vaccines in South Central Nebraska. Data was analyzed from a local cross-sectional public health survey administered to 2,034 adult participants over a six-month period (March-August 2024), including 91 respondents who were from outside the seven-county …

Comparisons Of Fish Communities Between A Restored And A Control Pool Of The Mississippi River: A Before-And-After Examination, Hannah Lenning

Biology Theses, Dissertations, and Student Creative Activity

The quality and availability of valuable backwater habitats have declined in many rivers, including the Upper Mississippi River (UMR), due to river modifications and land use change. Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Projects (HREPs) are implemented by the Upper Mississippi River Restoration Program and often aim to mitigate accelerated sedimentation and degradation of backwater habitats. One HREP in Pool 12 of the UMR targeted overwintering fish habitat by restoring four backwaters within 14 RKM. Fish community data was collected before (2006-2012) and after (2020-2024) restoration in Pool 12 and a downstream, control reach, Pool 13. The first objective of my study …

Self-Assembling Rna Nanostructures Are Highly Sensitive To Environmental Conditions, Jordan Aposhian, Surya Pratap S. Deopa, Scott Horowitz, Joseph D. Yesselman

Chemistry and Biochemistry: Faculty Scholarship

Recent developments in RNA nanotechnology have led to an increase in the design of specific, higher-order RNA structures, which will ultimately be used in drug delivery and immunomodulation applications. As researchers create RNA nanostructures with the intention of making them a standard tool in molecular biologists' toolkits, further investigation is required into the robustness of RNA designs. Primarily, in what different molecular contexts are the designed and intended nanostructures stable? In this work, we show that RNA nanostructure self-assembly is highly sensitive to environmental conditions by using second-order right-angle light scattering. While a test RNA hexagonal grid nanostructure forms correctly …

Limiting A Liberal Education: Exploring Technology Access And Equity Through Universal Design And Critical Disability Studies, Marisa R. Carlson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative improvement study investigates how classroom technology policies impact equity, access, and alignment with liberal arts values at a small Catholic liberal arts college. The study arose from concerns regarding academic accommodations, where students needed to formally request access to digital tools that were widely available. The focus is on inconsistent and sometimes restrictive technology policies that create barriers for students relying on these resources.

Interpreted through the conceptual frameworks of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Critical Disability Studies (CDS), this study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What expectations do students have regarding access to technology …

Mind The Gap: Intergenerational Perspectives On Mental Illness Within Ghanaian American Communities, Ama Danso-Ayesu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research explores attitudes toward mental illness among Ghanaian immigrants and

first-generation Ghanaian Americans, with particular focus on factors that influence

stigma. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model, the study utilized the

Community Attitudes Toward Mental Illness (CAMI) Scale to measure four dimensions

of stigma, including authoritarianism, benevolence, social restrictiveness, and community

mental health ideology. A comparative, cross-sectional design was employed to examine

differences between immigrant and American-born participants. The findings revealed

generational differences where Ghanaian immigrants reported higher levels of

authoritarian and socially restrictive beliefs, while first-generation Ghanaian Americans

demonstrated more benevolent and inclusive attitudes. Interpreted through the ecological

systems …

Examining The Effects Of Video Modeling To Enhance Culturally Specific Social Greeting Skills In Preschoolers With Asd In Saudi Arabia, Sarah Alzahrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A lack of social communication skills, including initiation and responding, has been a prominent characteristic of children diagnosed with ASD (Kanner, 1943; Kroeger et al., 2007). Enhancing these skills in children with ASD during early childhood is crucial to their future relationships, friendships, participation in communal activities, and overall lowering the likelihood of adverse long-term effects, giving significance to this age as a pivotal period for enhancing various skills (Hart Barnett, 2018). Failure to provide interventions to address social communication in children with ASD, specifically in cultures that value this skill, can impede their integration into that society. Thus, this …

An Examination Of The Types Of Support Beginning Teachers In Public K-12 Schools Identify As Most Effective For Overcoming The Challenges They Encounter, Matthew S. Heckmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study examines the types of support beginning teachers in public K-12 schools identify as most effective for overcoming the challenges they encounter. Self-Efficacy Theory (Bandura, 1977) serves as the theoretical framework guiding this research, aiming to understand how various types of support and challenges encountered impact the self-efficacy of beginning teachers. Through a qualitative phenomenological approach, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with five beginning elementary teachers in Western Pennsylvania to explore the two research questions of this study through their lived experiences:

RQ1: What challenges do beginning K-12 public school teachers encounter early in their careers?

RQ2: Which …

Effectiveness Of Picture Exchange Communication System On Functional Communication For Saudi Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Mohammed Albahrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by restricted interests, repetitive or inflexible behaviors, and challenges with communication and socialization (Flannery & Wisner-Carlson, 2020). Children with expressive communication disorders, including those with ASD, can benefit from using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) as a tool to improve their communication skills (Chazin et al., 2016). The AAC approach helps them learn and communicate more effectively by addressing various needs, such as making requests, commenting, or responding to questions (Mirenda, 2001). Many families, special education classrooms, and inclusive settings have adopted the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), an evidence-based …

Counselor Perspectives On Substance Use Treatment In Pennsylvania As Medical Cannabis Laws Evolve, Renee L. Ludwig

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cannabis, once primarily regarded as a recreational or “party” drug, has undergone a significant shift in public and medical perception over the past two decades. It is now increasingly recognized as a therapeutic agent prescribed within clinical settings. While substantial research has examined the general use of medical cannabis, relatively little attention has been given to its implications for substance use counselors treating clients who use medical cannabis during treatment for substance use disorders. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of substance use counselors regarding client use of medical cannabis and to investigate how such use …

A Framework For Fostering Flood Ready Neighborhoods, Kirsten Howard, Lucy Perkins, Alyson Eberhardt, Lisa Wise, Abigail Lyon, Lynn Vaccaro, Gracie Ballou, Annie Cox, Kate O'Brien

UNH Cooperative Extension

This resource summarizes lessons learned from the Flood Ready Neighborhoods Program and shares prompts and resources for readers related to community engagement and resilience building.

2025 Winter Series Ice Thickness Challenge, Alison Coleman

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

(Un)Intended Consequences Of Race In Medicine: The Ethics Of Race-Based Medical Practice And The Perpetuation Of Structural Racism, Allegra Merriweather

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation proposes that race-based medicine acts as a form of structural racism that is ethically indefensible. While it may be claimed to be a neutral diagnostic tool, the medical use of race as a biological proxy only further enforces the very hierarchies it purports to remediate, reinscribing inequity from conception to death. Building off Jacques Ellul’s work on Technique, we interpret race-based medicine as a self-perpetuating system that values procedural expediency over moral accountability. In nine chapters, the analysis follows the ways this technique is manifested in genetics and assisted reproduction, where commodified racial selection preserves social hierarchies; in …

Navigating The Digital Divide: A Quantitative Analysis Of The Digital Literacy Skills Of College Students Through The Lens Of Technological Self-Efficacy, Robert M. Spisak Jr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative dissertation addresses the digital literacy skills gap among college students and their ability to effectively use digital technologies in higher education. While many students arrive with technical skills, gaps exist in their ability to critically assess information, ethically engage with digital content, and apply these competencies across academic and professional contexts. Grounded in the framework of technological self-efficacy, which emphasizes the belief in one’s ability to perform digital tasks, this study examines both the digital literacy skills student bring from high school and their self-perceptions of those skills during college. This study was guided by the following research …

Not Always Welcomed, Lavaughn Wesley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation explores the systemic barriers faced by adjudicated and long-term suspended youth during their reentry into the public school system, focusing on a local urban community in Pennsylvania. Through the lens of Institutional Complexity Theory, this study examines how interagency disconnection, implicit bias, inequitable disciplinary practices, and inadequate support structures contribute to the marginalization of historically underserved students, particularly Black youth, students with disabilities, and those from low-income households.

The research is driven by two central questions:

(1) What are the barriers for adjudicated youth during the reentry process?

(2) How can the home school reentry process …

Family Functioning And Adolescent Outcomes In Wilderness Therapy: A Quanitative Analysis Of Change And Predictive Relationships, Elizabeth Santone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the impact of wilderness therapy on adolescent and family functioning using archival data from a licensed outdoor behavioral healthcare program. The purpose of this research was to examine both individual and systemic changes over the course of treatment and to explore whether improvements in family functioning were associated with youth outcomes. The final sample included 1,293 adolescents who completed the Youth Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ 2.01) at intake and discharge. A subset of 454 adolescents and their caregivers also completed the Family Assessment Device (FAD) at both time points. Paired-sample t-tests revealed statistically significant improvements in both adolescent …

Hoarding And The Hoarded Home: A Phenomenological And Psychoanalytic Study, Brianna Stich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

While research on hoarding tends to isolate hoarders from the homes they hoard and in which they live, the hoard and the hoarder share a life in the home. This study explores how hoarders live with and live through their hoard at home. It combines psychoanalysis and phenomenology within a unique methodological framework to provide a hermeneutic reading of the psychological significances of the hoarded home. In this study, the contemporary conceptualization of hoarding is historically situated and critiqued from a phenomenological perspective, and the view that hoarding is a single, behaviorally-defined syndrome that is explainable by a cognitive-behavioral model …

Discovery Of The Multi-Ion Bridge Intermediate: A Computational Exploration Of The Mechanism For Azomethine Ylide Formation From N-Oxides, Martin J. Neal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Density functional theory (DFT) provides a method for calculating the ground-state energies of complex molecular systems through evaluating the electron density instead of the full wave function. When results match either experimental outcomes, calculations with DFT offer a computationally efficient method to help explain chemical phenomena. The transformation of tertiary amine N-oxides to azomethine ylides, a simple route to the precursor for 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions that result in the pyrrolidine scaffolds found in natural products, has received only minimal attention due to concerns that its mechanism includes a highly electrophilic intermediate. Utilizing DFT to model the mechanism of the conversion …

A Fish & A Bird, Deanna Moorehead

Theses

As a curtain of trees opens and dawn breaks over the glistening waters of Lake Ontario, a fish and a bird spot each other through the surface and fall madly in love. They dance and sing together from their respective atmospheres, yet each time the bird soars past the water's edge and onto the beach, the fish cannot follow. Night after night, by the light of the moon, the fish trains herself to leap out of the water, hoping to breach high enough to join her beau above. Late one afternoon, the fish approaches the shore, where the bird stands …