Digital Commons Network^™

Emotional Perception Of Presidential Candidate Debate Statements: An Examination Of The 2016 U.S. Presidential Debates, Peta-Ann Cherie Long

Dissertations - ALL

Presidential campaigns mainly focus on political communication to gather voters’ support for their candidates. Candidates’ ultimate aim is to convince voters to vote for them and not their opponents. Campaign debates are one way to evaluate candidates. Debates provide the candidates a platform to persuade voters to support them over their opponent(s). The candidates stand together and can be analyzed on important issues to the viewers. The statements made by candidates are aimed at winning the elections. James B. Lemert (1993) addresses the question of whether television presidential debates help to inform voters. He argues that while there are arguments …

Representation Of People With Disabilities In Legislatures: A Proposed Model Of Approval Representation, Yohannes Takele Zewale

Dissertations - ALL

This research examines the effect of the right to legislative representation for people with disabilities in the fields of Political Science and Law through a combination of doctrinal analysis and interviews with 12 individuals with disabilities. These individuals are disability rights advocates, politicians, and leaders of disability organizations from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and Egypt, which are the only jurisdictions that have constitutionally recognized descriptive representation of people with disabilities in their legislatures. The research investigates the legal issues and challenges that people with disabilities face in achieving descriptive representation in their legislatures. Additionally, the research identifies gaps and deficiencies …

Climate Justice Before The Anthropocene: How Inclement Weather Shaped British And Irish Romanticism, Lauren Cooper

Dissertations - ALL

Climate Justice Before the Anthropocene examines British and Irish Romantic literature through the lens of climate. The tail end of the Little Ice Age and two volcanic eruptions halfway around the world contributed to severe and unpredictable climate patterns in the British Isles between 1790 and 1820 that exacerbated existing social inequities and economic distresses. In poems and novels that engaged with this extended climate crisis, the project argues, we encounter an emergent discourse of environmental justice that undercuts the celebrations of “nature,” the advocacy of human and animal rights, and the defenses of art that scholars so often identify …

On Multi-Sensor Adaptive Birth Theory For Labeled Random Finite Sets Tracking, Anthony Trezza

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation provides a scalable, multi-sensor measurement adaptive track initiation technique for labeled random finite set filters. The lack of a well-defined, systematic approach is problematic for many applications, especially when fusing ambiguous sensor measurements. We begin by showing that a naive solution leads to an exponential number of newborn components in the number of sensors. An efficient solution is derived by formulating a ranked assignment truncation problem. A truncation criterion is established for a labeled multi-Bernoulli random finite set birth density that has a bounded L1 error in the generalized labeled multi-Bernoulli posterior density. This criterion is used to …

The Use Of Instructional Materials In Elementary Science Classrooms, Mary Jo Hoeft

Dissertations - ALL

This mixed methods study explored how elementary teachers reported using a commercially published instructional unit to plan and deliver science instruction in their elementary classrooms. Of particular focus is what elements of the program teachers eliminated during planning and instruction, what outside materials teachers added to instruction, what modifications they made to the materials, and their rationales for these changes to the prescribed program. This study consisted of two phases. The first was a survey of elementary science teachers who taught the Smithsonian Science for the Classroom units. Data collected from this phase informed the subsequent interview phase. I used …

Representation Matters: A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Media Texts About Eight Black Women College Presidents At 4-Year Institutions, Laura Hazel Jack

Dissertations - ALL

Research has found that diversity has a positive impact on innovation, but the profile of higher education leaders has not become drastically more diverse. Although there have been modest changes, they have not been consistent with the changing demographics of college students. The few high-profile presidential appointments of Black women that have received media attention have been the exception rather than the norm. This dissertation used critical discourse analysis and content analysis to examine how eight Black women college presidents were written about in the media. The research questions explored the discourse about Black women college presidents and their leadership …

Turbulent Landscapes: Reading The Borders Of Contemporary Latinx And Indigenous Literatures, Florencia Lauria

Dissertations - ALL

Engaging with contemporary Latinx and Indigenous border literatures, films, and other cultural productions, my dissertation considers the tensions between Latinx migration and Indigenous sovereignty, claiming that their uneasy relation demands sustained critical and political attention. While Latinx cross-border migration and Indigenous peoples’ sovereignty struggles share important connections in the context of a colonial racial capitalist system of oppression, they cannot be easily collapsed into each other. Expanding upon Marisol de la Cadena’s concept of “partial connection,” my dissertation counters theoretical discourses that insist on commonality as the basis for Indigenous and Latinx intragroup solidarities. Moving beyond Gloria Anzaldúa’s borderlands concept …

“But Is It Worth The Maintenance?”: Exploring The Ways Adolescent Preservice Teachers Develop Teaching Identities And Implement Pedagogical Practices, Tiffany Hamm

Dissertations - ALL

The climate crisis is an environmental issue that affects people of all walks of life but has disproportionate effects on those living in impoverished communities. The climate crisis therefore is not only an issue of environmental justice, but also social justice. However, incorporating environmental issues within education has typically been left to science classrooms. Teaching for environmental social justice, however, has the potential to extend beyond science content and science classrooms, and instead be incorporated in content across all academic disciplines. This dissertation is a teaching experiment that explored the ways adolescent preservice teachers from various disciplines develop their teaching …

The Phenomenon Of The Singleton Educator: Exploring Art Teachers Experiences As Singleton Teachers In Rural Communities, Mary Arlene Podsiedlik

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation documents the storied experiences of seven singleton art educators teaching in small rural school districts in the Central New York region. Participants shared their stories of working as lone art content teachers and the rewards and challenges of being a singleton educator. This phenomenological research study identifies the characteristics of the singleton phenomenon as experienced by those who live and work in this environment. Enlisting a narrative research approach of shared meaning making and phenomenological design, participants described their stories of singleton-ness through a three-interview process of data collection and group panel discussion. Participants identified several characteristics of …

Standard Rodent Diets Differentially Impact Alcohol Consumption, Preference, And Gut Microbiome Diversity, Aline Zaparte, Evan Dore, Selby White, Franciely Paliarin, Cameron Gabriel, Katherine Copenhaver, Samhita Basavanhalli, Emily Garcia, Rishith Vaddavalli, Meng Luo, Christopher M. Taylor, David Allen Welsh, Rajani Maiya

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex and widespread disease with limited pharmacotherapies. Preclinical animal models of AUD use a variety of voluntary alcohol consumption procedures to recapitulate different phases of AUD, including binge alcohol consumption and dependence. However, voluntary alcohol consumption in mice is widely variable, making it difficult to reproduce results across labs. Accumulating evidence indicates that different brands of commercially available rodent chow can profoundly influence alcohol intake. In this study, we investigated the effects of three commercially available and widely used rodent diet formulations on alcohol consumption and preference in C57BL/6 J mice using the 24 …

A Case Study: Exploring Covid-19 Pandemic Influence On Videoconferencing Groupware Implementation In U.S. Signal Brigades., Jeremiah Strickland Owoh

Dissertations - ALL

In March of 2020, the President of the United States announced that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) constituted a national emergency. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued an order to federal agencies instructing them to “maximize telework across the nation ... while maintaining mission-critical workforce needs.” This imperative was issued to slow the spread of COVID-19. The same actions were taken by other public sectors. The conventional means through which military leaders provide leadership and direction to their units were replaced with new practices due to the pandemic. Before the pandemic, there was a correlation between organizational adoption …

Jtc 24: Unstoppable Drive, Mackenzie Ross

University of Mississippi News

This story is part of the 2024 Journey to Commencement series, which celebrates the pinnacle of the academic year by highlighting University of Mississippi students and their outstanding academic and personal journeys from college student to college graduate.

Molecular Dynamics Insights Into The Structural Behavior And Interactions Of Complex Biological Systems, Shenghan Song

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

All-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are essential for examining the structural and dynamic aspects of proteins at high resolution, complementing experiments limited by resolution, size, and complexity. Advancements in algorithms and hardware have enhanced the role of computational tools in scientific research, allowing for more accurate simulations of proteins with standard residues. However, simulating real biological systems, which include non-standard residues such as lipid membranes, remains challenging despite the assistance of tools like CHARMM-GUI. My research initially focused on simulating the PICK1 BAR dimer using steered MD simulations to investigate its structure and dynamics. Simulation works expanded to include systems …

Exploring Social Workers Potential Role In Mitigating Maternal Mortality Through Coordinated Care, Jena Brown-Talib

Honors Theses

Maternal health disparities persist as a significant challenge in Mississippi, particularly for African American women. This thesis explores the intersection of coordinated care models and social work interventions in addressing maternal mortality. Coordinated care involves collaboration among physicians, nurses, practitioners, social workers, community health workers, and other support services, aiming to maximize pregnant patients' overall health outcomes.

Analyzing strategies of social workers within coordinated care models is important for improving maternal health outcomes within this study. A qualitative approach was chosen to delve beyond statistics and illuminate the reality of maternal health disparities and the efforts to resolve them. Data …

The Impact Of School-Based Education Program On Body Image In Middle School Students, Elizabeth Hendon

Honors Theses

Body dissatisfaction is an emerging public health concern and carries significant health-related consequences. These implications encompass mental health challenges, eating disorders, unhealthy weight management practices, adverse effects on self-esteem, and potential physical health consequences. Because adolescence is a critical period for healthy body image development due to age-related transitions occurring at this time, it is essential to implement an education program to promote positive body image. Educational programs focused on protective factors designed to enhance self-compassion can potentially improve body image, eating attitudes, and body satisfaction. School-based body image education programs aim to provide adolescents with the knowledge, skills, and …

Fixing A Hole: A Retrospective Cohort Study Evaluating Hav, Hbv, Tetanus Screening, And Vaccination During Hospitalization In Persons Who Use Substances, Amber C. Streifel, Jose Eduardo Rivera Sarti, Monica K. Sikka, Michael Conte, Bradie Winders, Cara D. Varley

OHSU-PSU School of Public Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background:Rates of serious injection-related infections in persons who use drugs have increased. Resulting admissions are an opportunity for screening and vaccination of preventable infections such as hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and tetanus. Design and methods:We conducted a retrospective review of adults with documented substance use admitted for bacterial infection between July 2015 and March 2020. We evaluated HAV, HBV, and tetanus vaccination status at admission, along with screening for HAV and HBV infection and immunity. We identified the proportion of patients at risk for infection who received HAV, HBV, and tetanus vaccines during admission and patient-level …

Using A Digital Entertainment Tax To Strengthen Local Information Infrastructure In The United States: A Conceptual Exploration, Lee Shaker, Antoine Haywood

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

As traditional local media decline, how might state and local governments provide support for local information infrastructure? We offer a proposal for states (or communities) to tax digital entertainment and then leverage existing community media centers (CMCs) to facilitate the distribution of the proceeds to local media outlets. Compared to other public subsidy plans, this approach is viable nationwide without federal action and offers several advantages that could lead to more immediate and durable support for local information infrastructure. To contextualize our proposal, we model both the possible revenue generation and distribution of funding that would result from its implementation.

Second Reaction: Letters To A Prisoner, Polly Parkinson

Teacher Education and Leadership Student Research

This article reviews Letters to a Prisoner by Jacques Goldstyn, first published in France in 2015--a picture book without words that tells the story of a peaceful protestor who is imprisoned.

Curing Bodies With Bodies: Renyao (Human-Derived Drugs) In Late Imperial China, Erqi Cheng

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation explores the philosophical and socioeconomic context of late imperial Chinese pharmacology and medical therapies from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. It examines the rise of human-derived drugs (renyao) in the sixteenth century and their subsequent decline in the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, influenced by a complex interplay of changes in social mores, urban tastes, commercial publishing, and philosophical ideologies. By drawing from a diverse range of sources including bencao (materia medica) works, formularies, Daoist texts, government documents, biji (belles lettres), novels, collected verses, and local gazetteers, the dissertation argues that Chinese medical culture in the Ming …

Evaluating The Clustering Behavior Of Antimicrobial Peptoids For Application In Implantable Medical Devices, Anand Sunil Wadurkar

Theses - ALL

Treating biofilm infections on medical implants is a significant healthcare challenge, often requiring device removal and potentially leading to amputations. This study investigates the efficacy of biocompatible peptoids as a novel strategy to combat these infections. This study employs atomistic simulations and small-angle X-ray scattering to investigate the self-assembly behavior of four peptoid sequences (TM1, TM4, TM6, TM22). Peptoids forming supramolecular assemblies display enhanced complexation with polyanionic microgels, promising for antimicrobial coatings on implantable devices. Atomistic simulations and experimental data analysis reveal a strong link between peptoid sequence, hydrophobicity, and propensity for self-assembly. The highly hydrophobic TM4 forms large multimeric …

Investigating The Formation Of The Zirconium-Rich Lithologies Of The Grenville Province Using Zircon Thermometry Of Granitoids From The Adirondack Mountains, John St. Denny

Theses - ALL

The Grenville Province (1200-980 Ma) is known to consist of many rocks which are abundant in zircon. This is seen by the large size of Grenville-age zircons and their abundance in the detrital record. A possible explanation for this is the temperature at which these rocks formed. This hypothesis states that the melts which formed the zircon-rich Grenville lithologies were exceptionally high temperature, enabling them to incorporate a significant amount of zirconium. As it is believed that most zirconium in a melt is incorporated into zircon, a high concentration of zirconium in a magma would crystallize an abundance of zircon. …

Revelations Of Mary Shelley: Death, Immortality, And The Creator-Creature Relationship In Frankenstein, Yuqing Liu

Theses - ALL

This thesis aims to explore the cultural, and societal backgrounds, and interpersonal relationships that influenced Mary Shelley in crafting Frankenstein, and to understand how these elements are mirrored in the novel. It endeavors to examine the linkage between the intentions that authors embed within their works and the realm of reality. Analyzing Shelley's inspirations and motives through the prism of her social context and personal connections, this thesis delves into the Romantic and Gothic literary traits manifested in Frankenstein. Through this inquiry, a creative work inspired by Frankenstein was developed, intending to serve as a vessel for reflection on philosophical …

Building A Cinematic World For Queer: Ways Of Winking Back At Barbie (2023), Diana Durk

Theses - ALL

This essay examines Reddit commentary of the new Barbie film that gave a space for some audience members to connect themselves to the film through queering its plot and characters. Through Reddit commentary, users explored the character design and how characters perform identity within this film and how it relates to their own experiences of gender and identity. This essay excavates how gender identity is communicated within popular culture and the need to queer a film to create one’s own representation. Through the importance of understanding the harm of a binary lens and how the binary gaze creates a stereotypical …

Ceramic Crossroads: Orientalism, Originality, And Replication In 19th-Century Europe And Beyond, Zihan Lin

Theses - ALL

This thesis paper explores how European ceramic art has been influenced by Eastern Asia and the Islamic world, particularly since the rise of colonialism in the 19th century, and how this phenomenon is interpreted through Orientalism, a critical theory pioneered by Edward Said. This study approaches this topic from three perspectives. To begin with, it conducts a comparative analysis of European ceramic art before and after the 19th century to analyze how Europe became the authoritative interpreter of Eastern culture during this period. During this process, originality and authenticity became secondary, while replication and appropriation were the mainstream. Additionally, the …

Empowerment Or Entrapment? A Critical Analysis Of Microfinance Operations Among Female Borrowers In Kitui County, Kenya, Eric Kioko Musembi

Theses - ALL

“Empowerment or Entrapment? A Critical Analysis of Microfinance Operations among Female Borrowers in Kitui County, Kenya” is a research project that aims to understand the dynamics of microfinance loan expectations and their implications for women. For this study, one cannot help but borrow or get insights from those who have written about the culture of Africa. To a greater extent, they all touch on the anthropological aspect of Africa. I use anthropological/ cultural theoretical perspectives, political economy, and Afro-feminism as my leading theories. I hypothesize that where women are typically engaged in heavy domestic chores and are undervalued and under-compensated …

Mental Health Problems Of The Firstborn Children In China, Jianye Zou

Theses - ALL

The aim of this thesis is to investigate the negative psychological impact that first-born children experience when facing the impending arrival of younger siblings in their families and the factors of these problems in China. In addition, this thesis helps the children prepare for the process of fitting in the new family structure via relevant artworks. Based on the unique situation, such as the only-child policy and culture of Chinese society, this thesis analyzes the factors affecting first-born children during the transition from being an only child to having siblings during the arrival of a second child within the family. …

We Are Performing Against Ourselves: The Relationship Between Respectability And Relatability, Asajahnique Collins

Theses - ALL

This thesis investigates the influence of digital platforms on Black women’s everyday performance of self. It places social media within a broader context in which Black women negotiate their embodied relationship to a wide variety of influences including but not limited to the church, popular culture, mass media, and Black feminist theories and cultures. In what follows, I provide a reflexive critique of the TikTok genre known as Black Girl Luxury (BGL) and explore audience responses to the content within this genre. Black Girl Luxury is a carefully manufactured aesthetic and appearance that is made to have the illusion of …

Public Lands And Capitalism: The Case Of The Adirondack Park, Weston (Trent) Fenner

Dissertations - ALL

This dissertation examines the tensions that surround land management in the Adirondack Park of New York State (NYS), while paying special attention to how the market intrudes into these conflicts. To look at these tensions, this project explores contests over the regulation of public and private land, conflicts over how wilderness is imagined and managed, and the controversies that flow from efforts to alleviate high-use problems in the Adirondack Park. These contests are the basis of the following research questions which reveal the impact of land management conflict in the Adirondack Park, and expose how the market influences park management …

The Interplay Of Professional Identity Development, Theoretical Orientation Development, And Mentorship: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Classical Adlerian Practitioners, Xiaoxuan Qu

Dissertations - ALL

The understanding of professional identity development, theoretical orientation development, and mentorship is evolving in counselor education training. Although continuous efforts to understand these phenomena are made, the interplay of professional identity development, theoretical orientation development, and mentorship is not explored yet. Studies must be conducted on the intricate patterns between these three phenomena critical to counselor preparation and training. This study marks an endeavor to unravel the intricacies of professional identity development, theoretical orientation development, and mentorship. Specifically, this qualitative research explores the professional identity development experiences of practitioners who adhere to a specific theoretical orientation—classical Adlerian—and undertake mentorship-style psychotherapy …

The Democratization Of Design : A Case Study Looking At The Do-It-Yourself Designers On Dribbble, Rebecca Davis Kelly

Dissertations - ALL

Graphic design students no longer need to attend institutions of higher education (IHE) to gain entry-level skills for a variety of design related areas with the rise of new learning platforms like YouTube, edX, etc. A recent series of studies found that 70% of respondents (working designers) reported learning their craft online. This study examines these do-it-yourself designers (DIYD), and the implications of their educational choice for both the practice of design and for traditional design education. Due to the changes in educational opportunities, what and how designers learn is important to the design industry and IHE. Enrollment in formal …