Digital Commons Network^™

Licensed Professional Counselors’ Experiences Of Treating Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Jazzmine Dallas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Freedom Of Thought And Speech: Charles C. Burleigh And The Refraction Of Quaker Principles In Abolitionist Non-Violence, Jennifer Rycenga

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Charles C. Burleigh (1810-1878), an important American Abolitionist speaker, agent, and theorist, was also an advocate for non-violent resistance. He had many opportunities across his 30+ years fighting slavery to test his non-violent principles, due to mob violence against Abolitionist gatherings. At some of the most significant of these events, such as the destruction of the Abolitionist's Pennsylvania Hall in 1838, Burleigh witnessed the strength and resolve of African-American and white women in upholding non-violence and moral suasion.

While Burleigh never became a member of the Society of Friends, his life and thought run parallel to ideas and practices of …

Boundaries Of Belonging: The Role Of Christian Campus Climate In Lgbtq+ Student Suicidality, Madison L. Vaccaro

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

LGBTQ+ students at religiously-affiliated colleges experience unique stressors related to discrimination, campus climate, and stigma, which have been linked to negative outcomes including suicidal ideation. Drawing on sociocultural theories of suicide and minority stress, the present study examined whether internalized LGBTQ+ related stigma mediated the relationships between discrimination, negative campus climate, and suicidal ideation among college students attending religious institutions. Participants (N = 75) included college students who identified as LGBTQ+, recruited mainly within the Pacific Northwest. Participants were majority White, assigned female at birth (AFAB), and diverse in gender identity and sexual orientation. Measures assessed experiences of discrimination, campus …

The Political Culture Of Taxation, Steven M. Karceski, Steven Pfaff

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

In My Tax Dollars: The Morality of Taxpaying in America, Ruth Braunstein explores the political culture of taxation in contemporary America. Calling our attention to the origins of contemporary tax debates, she shows how morality and American civil religion influence how citizens understand taxation, citizenship, and the proper scope of government. In this article, we review Braunstein's main arguments and the evidence she presents in support of them. We take stock of the book's theoretical frame work and the applicability of the concepts it borrows from the sociology of religion. For all there is to like about Braunstein's book, …

Sexual Harassment: What Utahns Need To Know, Brie Sparks, Susan R. Madsen

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination are ongoing challenges that affect individuals, workplaces, and communities across Utah. When individuals experience harassment, unfair treatment, or marginalization due to gender, their sense of safety, confidence, and self-worth are diminished. These experiences disproportionately impact women, particularly in settings where they are underrepresented or face unequal power dynamics. Addressing these issues requires a shared commitment to creating respectful environments that support the well-being and success of all Utahns.

Hiring Trends In The Hotel Industry Post-Covid-19: Human Resource Professionals’ Perspectives, Anthony Liu

JWU Dissertations & Theses

The U.S. hotel industry experienced severe workforce disruption following the COVID-19 pandemic, including layoffs, employee exits, persistent labor shortages, and shifting employee expectations (Baum et al., 2020; Ghani et al., 2022; Kwok, 2022; Liu-Lastres et al., 2023). Although hotels increased wages, expanded scheduling flexibility, and improved benefits, many hotels continued to experience staffing shortages that affected recruitment, retention, operational efficiency, and service delivery (AHLA, 2024b; Aksoy et al., 2022; Ghani et al., 2022). Existing research has examined employee outcomes and organizational responses; however, limited empirical attention has been given to hotel HR professionals’ experiences and perspectives on post-pandemic hiring …

Boiling Flow Estimation For Aero-Optic Phase Screen Generation, Jeffrey W. Utley, Gregery T. Buzzard, Charles A. Bouman, Matthew R. Kemnetz

Faculty Publications

Aero-optic effects due to turbulence can reduce the effectiveness of transmitting light waves to a distant target. Methods to compensate for turbulence typically rely on realistic turbulence data, which can be generated by i) experiment, ii) high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD), iii) low-fidelity CFD, and iv) autoregressive methods. However, each of these methods has significant drawbacks, including monetary and/or computational expense, limited quantity, inaccurate statistics, and overall complexity. By contrast, the boiling flow algorithm is a simple, computationally efficient model that can generate atmospheric phase screen data with only a handful of parameters. However, boiling flow has not been widely …

Operational Feasibility Of Reinforcement Learning For Vehicle Routing Under Heterogeneous Fleet Capacity Constraints, Freddy Giovanny Aviles Moreno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Reinforcement learning methods have demonstrated strong performance on vehicle routing benchmarks, yet their behavior under severe capacity constraints remains unexplored. This dissertation investigates whether PPO-based neural routing policies maintain operational viability when vehicle capacity is severely constrained, as occurs in resource-limited rural logistics settings.

Through controlled experiments on synthetic instances and validation on real-world rural healthcare networks in Florida, this research reveals a critical capacity threshold effect. Moderate capacity reductions from 40 to 20 produce negligible performance loss (4.1%), while severe reductions to capacity 10 trigger catastrophic failure with 243% degradation, manifested through degenerate single-customer routing patterns. Convergence analysis identifies …

Education For Sustainable Economic Development – Insights From Brazil, Ozéias Rodrigues Da Rocha

Doctoral

Purpose: This doctoral thesis examines the impact of Education for Economic Sustainable Development (ESD) in the municipality of Turmalina-MG, Brazil, with a focus on how primary education contributes to sustainable economic growth, environmental sustainability, and social equity. The research is guided by the central question: What is the impact of Education for Economic Sustainable Development (ESD)? The study also evaluates the extent to which local educational initiatives align with specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Methodology: Data were collected from one dominant primary school in Turmalina-MG through semi-structured …

The Chemotherapy Use And Adverse Effects Of Patients With Lung Cancer At Regional General Hospital In Surabaya, Indonesia, Rika Yulia, Aguslina Kirtishanti, Heru Wijono, Eko Setiawan, Bobby Presley, Tjie Kok Go, Ni Putu Irma Mayani, Anna Febriani, Halim Priyahau Jaya, Fauna Herawati

Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research

In Indonesia, lung cancer is the leading cause of death related to cancer, according to Global Cancer Observatory. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment since it works systemically and can prevent cancer cells from spreading to other organs. Cytotoxicity of chemotherapy can also put patients at high risk of experiencing adverse effects. This study aimed to evaluate the congruity of chemotherapy use with treatment recommendations and the profile of adverse effects, not only acute but also delayed adverse drug reactions. This prospective observational study involved 41 adult patients with lung cancer who received chemotherapy. Data is collected through patients’ medical …

Enhancer Rna Transcription Near Segmentation Gene Enhancers Can Be Analyzed In Situ Using Fish, Christine Mau, Benjamin Schmid, Ezzat El-Sherif

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are non-coding transcripts produced at enhancer regions, which appear to be involved in transcriptional regulation. Up to date, these have been primarily investigated using labor- and cost-intensive genomic techniques. However, the precise mechanisms by which eRNA transcription or eRNA transcripts themselves mediate transcriptional regulation remain unclear. Here, we present a novel experimental approach that allows us to analyze characteristics of eRNA transcription in fixed and live whole Drosophila melanogaster embryos. We employ the anterior–posterior patterning genes as a model system to investigate the dynamics of eRNA expression, utilizing an imaging-based approach. We combined high-sensitivity fluorescence in situ …

Neddylation Maintains Oocyte Quality By Stabilizing Mitochondrial Transcription, Avery A Ahmed, Tessa E Steenwinkel, Bethany K Patton, Peixin Jiang, Matthew D Meyer, Jaspreet K Rishi, Mei Leng, Alexander B Saltzman, Elizabeth S Anaya, Momal Sharif, Laurie J Mckenzie, Laura Detti, Anna Malovannaya, Sean M Hartig, Stephanie A Pangas

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Age-related decline in oocyte quality increases the risk of infertility, miscarriage, and birth defects. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a key contributor to this decline. Here, we report that oocyte-specific deletion of Uba3, which encodes the catalytic subunit of the E1 NEDDylation-activating complex, causes sterility in mice. Fully grown, germinal vesicle–stage Uba3 conditional knockout oocytes exhibit mitochondrial dysfunction, including elevated reactive oxygen species, impaired oxidative phosphorylation, and depletion of mitochondrially encoded RNA transcripts. Proteomic analysis identified alterations in mitochondrial-associated proteins, including enrichment of mitochondrial matrix and respiratory chain components and reduced abundance of electron transport chain complexes. These defects were associated …

Conformational Cycling Of The Wntless Transporter Drives Trafficking And Secretion Of Wnt Morphogens, Yunhui Ge, Taciani De Almeida Magalhaes, Hongjiang Wu, Dick J H Van Den Boomen, Thu Uyen Nguyen, Tongyi Dou, Gaya P Yadav, Sukyeong Lee, Zhao Wang, Andrew Lemoff, Xuemei Luo, Sumitha S Menon, Min Zhang, Jin Wang, Zhicheng Jin, Jiansen Jiang, Adrian Salic, Pengxiang Huang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Wnt proteins are lipid-modified morphogens fundamental in development and disease. During Wnt biogenesis, the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-like transporter Wntless (WLS) escorts lipidated Wnts from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane, then transfers them to extracellular carriers, forming active and soluble morphogen-carrier complexes. To dissect the mechanisms involved, we solve cryo-EM structures of Wnt-bound WLS and unliganded WLS, and perform structure-guided functional experiments. Wnts engage WLS via three conserved hairpins, which are all required for Wnt trafficking to the cell surface and carrier-mediated secretion. Wnt release from cells is driven by dramatic conformational changes in the WLS transmembrane domain, reminiscent …

Under Pressure: Effects Of The Hot Docs Behavioral Parent Training Program On Caregiver Blood Pressure, Bria N. Ferera

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Chronic stress is heightened for caregivers of children with heightened disruptive behaviors. With chronic stress supported as a major factor leading to maladaptive parenting and caregiving practices, exploring new ways to collect data on parenting stress remains a critical research priority (van der Lubbe et al., 2024). Behavioral Parent Training (BPT) programs are linked to improved parent-child relationships and reduced problem behavior (Armstrong, 2006; Agazzi, 2021; Patrusky, 2025). However, few studies have used physiological biomarkers in conjunction with self-reported measures to explore connections in this area. Similarly, other physiological considerations are rarely considered upon evaluation of the impacts of BPT …

Trophic Structure Of Reef-Fish Assemblages In The Eastern Gulf Of Mexico Varies By Depth And Reef Type, Jessica L. Van Vaerenbergh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Globally, marine ecosystems are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic stressors, leading to reef degradation, changes in reef-fish assemblages, and altered trophic structure. In this study, I investigated reef-fish underwater visual survey data collected over a decade (2013-2023) from paired natural and artificial reefs in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. I applied the novel Normalized Reef Status Index (NRSI) to evaluate how biomass was distributed across the three trophic categories (i.e., Lower Trophic Position (LTP; 2.0-2.9), Central Trophic Position (CTP; 3.0-3.9), and Upper Trophic Position (UTP; ≥4.0). This index is a metric to assess the ecological status of reef systems by investigating …

Development And Evaluation Of The East Florida Coastal Ocean Model (Efcom), Orion B. Scharton-Witmer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Florida’s Atlantic coast has abundant resources in beaches, state parks, aquatic preserves, and wildlife refuges as well as densely populated coastal cities in low lying areas that are all subjected to natural disaster threats from the oceans. There is an urgent need for a high-resolution coastal ocean circulation model for this region. Based on the application of the Finite Volume Community Ocean Model (FVCOM), an East Florida Coastal Ocean Model (EFCOM) is developed, downscaling from the deep ocean, across the continental shelf, and into the estuaries. It employs an unstructured grid with horizontal resolution varying from 3 kilometers at the …

In Search Of Protective Factors Against Gun-Carrying For Black Male Youth: A Dissertation- Sectional And Longitudinal Analysis Of Secondary Data, Kevin Edward Antwi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between risk and protective factors and gun carrying among Black male youth using both individual-level and population-averaged effects. Grounded in the risk and protective factors framework and the ecological systems model, the study explores how protective factors at the individual, peer, school, and community levels influence gun carrying at a single point in time and over time. This research aligns with the Grand Challenges of Social Work by preventing gun violence and informing prevention efforts. Using the baseline and 11 waves of data from the Pathways to Desistance Study, the analysis identifies factors that reduce …

Dealing With Generation Z (Gen Z) Library Users In Information Services Provision: The Challenges Before Nigerian Public University Libraries, Inemesit Udom Udoh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Generation Z are today’s bubbling population in various organizational settings, including students in the institutions of higher learning, with diverse information needs and expectations. This study examined the challenges of dealing with Generation Z (Gen Z) library users in information services provision in Nigerian public university libraries. It adopted a mixed methods research design of quantitative and qualitative types, with a population of four hundred and one (401) professional librarians from 8 public university libraries. A sample size of 205 professional librarians was selected using proportionate stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected with structured questionnaire, semi-structured interview and observation …

Modular Design For Reliable Gigawatt Datacenter Campus, N/A

Defensive Publications Series

The present publication describes an automated switching methodology designed to enhance operational reliability and availability in large-scale computing facilities based on varying power contingency counts. By accounting for variables such as the total count of utility lines, individual line capacity, and specific backup power targets, the system dynamically determines optimal backup power utilization. This approach utilizes combinations of battery energy storage systems and onsite generation tailored to different contingency scenarios. The strategy reduces upfront infrastructure investments by avoiding the over-provisioning of backup power capacity.

Keywords: Automated Switching, Datacenter Power Management, Contingency Planning, Backup Generation, Battery Energy Storage Systems, Infrastructure Optimization.

Systems And Methods For Location-Verified Augmented Reality Tourism With Multi-Signal Presence Proof And Automated Creator Monetization, Olufemi Abioye

Defensive Publications Series

A web-delivered augmented-reality platform for location-based tourism is disclosed in which interactive story content is bound to real-world geographic locations and delivered through a standard web browser using WebXR, without installation of a native application. Physical presence at a location is established by a multi-signal verification engine that fuses geofence dwell detection, motion-trace analysis for spoofing detection, and cryptographic device attestation into a composite presence-confidence score; when the score exceeds a threshold, the system issues a signed completion token bound to a geofence hash and a time window to resist replay. Raw camera frames are retained on the user device, …

Technical Disclosure: System Architecture For Non-Equilibrium Material Synthesis: An Applied Framework For Soliton Restructuring And Boundary Layer Phase Modulation, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure establishes a deterministic field theory and system architecture for altering localized material states without traditional macroscopic thermal melting or brute-force nuclear kinetic bombardment. By leveraging the bulk-to-boundary duality established in Document #11829, this method manipulates matter at the fundamental 2D Conformal Substrate layer.

By applying localized electromagnetic and acoustic phase modulations, this architecture systematically alters the coordinate z-axis mapping of existing soliton excitations (particles). This forces localized matter to safely and precisely restructure its atomic configuration via non-equilibrium thermal phase space dynamics.

Key Technical Nomenclature

• Substruction: The technical process of isolating, reading, and interacting with the underlying 2D …

Technical Disclosure: Systemic Implementation Specifications For Inter-Module Telemetry, Bio-Acoustic Substrates, Optocoupled Air-Gaps, And Electro-Magnetic Containment Form Factors, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure establishes the explicit physical, material, electrical, and data-schema specifications required to realize and secure the open-source infrastructure detailed in Document #11827. To prevent downstream utility patent enclosure by proprietary corporate manufacturers, this document defines concrete public-domain implementation parameters for:

1. Schema-Agnostic Inter-Module Telemetry: Raw markdown metadata header serialization protocols.
2. Bio-Acoustic Standing Wave Substrates: Specific density, piezoelectric conversion metrics, and mechanical vessel interface constraints for non-chemical morphogenetic scaffolding.
3. Optocoupled Physical Air-Gap Circuits: Transient buffer relay topologies and fail-closed hardware architectures for local cryptographic computing integrity.
4. Electro-Magnetic Faraday Shielding: Multi-layer nickel-iron containment bulkhead ratios and drainage grounding paths calculated against high-energy …

Technical Disclosure: A Unified Planetary Scale Architecture For Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics, Cryptographic Governance, And Automated Labor Sovereignty, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure details a unified macro-system architecture designed to facilitate, manage, and scale the physical, administrative, and labor operations of a planetary-scale infrastructure array. Current technological ecosystems are fundamentally bottlenecked by active thermal throttling, localized supply-chain speculation, and closed digital rights management (DRM) frameworks that fragment development.

This multi-domain framework resolves these limitations through a three-layer topology:

1. The Physical Layer: Passive geometric routing of multi-variant heat-flux fields, non-chemical acoustic standing-wave cellular matrices, and turbine-free direct-loop magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) induction.
2. The Coordination Layer: Zero-knowledge edge-confined cognitive scaffolding, non-fiat logistical hypergraphs (M-EHN), and transparent game-theoretic defensive de-escalation matrices.
3. The Execution Layer: Open-standard computer-aided …

The Overdrive Anomaly: A Philosophical And Technical Appeal For Aligned Cognitive Scaffolding In Tomorrow's Stewards, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This appeal exposes a critical structural risk in the trajectory of modern global technology: the destabilizing asymmetry between exponential physical infrastructure and linear human cognitive development. By optimizing resources exclusively for external execution milestones—such as aerospace transit, automated manufacturing, and centralized compute networks—modern innovation paradigms treat human agency as a passive, downstream variable.

This paper demonstrates that without the systemic deployment of cryptographically secure, localized cognitive mentorship and sovereign security scaffolding, accelerating technological matrices will induce widespread psychological alienation and cognitive fragmentation. We present a formal, non-negotiable appeal to the global engineering community to reprioritize individual psychological sovereignty as the …

Systemic Integration Of Lifelong Agentic Mentorship, Contextual Scaffolding, And Sovereign Guardian Protocols In K-12 Pedagogy, Christopher L. Eckes

Defensive Publications Series

This specification details the architecture for a non-centralized, lifelong educational operating system that integrates machine learning as an individualized cognitive accelerator, psychometric auditor, and sovereign security layer. This protocol systematically replaces age-segregated, standardized instructional rotations with an immutable Dual-Focus Baseline Matrix paired with a localized Lifelong Cognitive Mentor.

By tracking an individual's development continuously from the primary entry point (K-1) through adulthood, the system implements Probabilistic Scaffolding—balancing automated aptitude mapping with deliberately engineered "negative learning" spaces. Furthermore, it incorporates an active Guardian Sensor Layerutilizing real-time linguistic and behavioral anomaly detection to insulate the child from predatory coercion and manipulative algorithm …

Strategies For Improving The Drug Importation Control System In Thailand: A Qualitative Investigation, Neeranart Potiyanon, Suntaree Watcharadamrongkun

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: Drug importation plays a critical role in Thailand’s healthcare system; however, barriers affecting its regulatory control and their public health implications remain inadequately examined. This study compared international drug importation procedures and evaluated Thailand’s control system with strategies for improvement.
Methods: Conducted in Bangkok between 2020 and 2023, this two-phase study employed a qualitative design. Phase 1 involved content analysis comparing drug importation procedures across Thailand, Singapore, Australia and the United States to identify best practices and potential solutions. Phase 2 utilized semistructured, in-depth interviews with 19 key informants from government and private-sector agencies. Data collection was guided by …

Artificial Intelligence In Hospital Pharmacy Practice: Effectiveness, Internal Validity, And Translational Readiness: A Systematic Review, Kwanchai Rattanamanee, Parnupong Kiewsiri, Prayuth Poowaruttanawiwit

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into hospital pharmacy, offering potential to enhance medication safety, therapeutic decision-making, and operational efficiency. However, the internal validity and translational readiness of current interventions remain uncertain.
Objectives: The objective of the study was to systematically review AI applications in hospital pharmacy and evaluate their effectiveness, internal validity, and readiness for clinical integration.
Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines and PROSPERO registration (CRD420251067936), We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and ThaiJO (2000–June 2025). for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort, quasi-experimental, and case–control studies …

Assortment Analysis Of Ophthalmic Medicines In The Republic Of Uzbekistan, Zoya Usmonova, Shakhnoz Umarova, Nargiza Sultanbaeva, Marina Taryanikova

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: Ophthalmic diseases are a significant public health concern globally and in Uzbekistan, where approximately 1 million individuals are affected.
Objectives: The objectives are to conduct an assortment analysis of ophthalmic medicines registered in Uzbekistan (2010–2024), to identify trends in drug registration, composition, dosage forms, and manufacturing sources.
Materials and Methods: Based on State Register data, medicines classified under Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical S01 were analyzed using marketing and qualimetric methods, focusing on the International Nonproprietary Names, dosage forms, manufacturers, and countries of origin.
Results: The number of registered medicines peaked at 352 in 2022, and then declined to 279 in …

Microwave-Assisted Extraction Optimization And Bioactivity Assessment Of Flavonoid-Rich Extract From Lantana Camara L. Leaves In Zebrafish Epilepsy Model, Prem Kumar B R, Shwetha Krishnamurthy, Gouri Nair, Sundara Saravanan Kamatchi

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: Lantana camara L. (Verbanaceae) is known for its bioactive compounds and has been reported for its potential therapeutic applications. Flavonoids from natural sources are acknowledged for their antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, suggesting a possible role in seizure management.
Objectives: This study intended to optimize the microwaveassisted extraction (MAE) of flavonoid-rich extract from L. camara L. leaves utilizing a designof- experiment approach and evaluate its antiepileptic property using the zebrafish model.
Materials and Methods: Four solvents (ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol, and water) were initially used, with ethanol yielding the highest total flavonoid content (TFC). A central composite design was employed …

Samannachan: A Thai Traditional Herbal Recipe With Cytotoxic Potential Against Breast, Cervical, And Ovarian Cancers, Perika Monkanna, Srisopa Ruangnoo, Pakakrong Thongdeeying, Arunporn Itharat, Pranporn Kuropakornpong, Reawfang Sriyom, Apinya Wiboonwattanakit, Kanyarat Namphonsan, Paponpachara Pibanpaknitee, Neal M. Davies

The Thai Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background: Samannachan (SMC) is a Thai traditional herbal recipe that has been used since 2005 at Khampramong Temple, Sakon Nakhon, to treat more than 6,000 cancer patients. However, scientific evidence supporting cytotoxic effects remains limited.
Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the SMC recipe and its ten herbal components against breast, cervical, and ovarian cancer cells compared to normal cells.
Methods: Cytotoxic activity was assessed using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay on breast (MCF-7, T47D, MDA-MB-231), cervical (HeLa), and ovarian (SK-OV-3) cancer cell lines, as well as on non-cancerous human keratinocytes (HaCaT). Both aqueous …