Digital Commons Network^™

English Language Development Teachers’ Cognitions And Self-Efficacy Of Reading Instruction For Adolescent Multilingual Learners, Jenna N. Hafner

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences, cognitions, and perceived self-efficacies of high school English language development (ELD) teachers in providing literacy instruction to adolescent multilingual learners (MLs). The study focused on three subpopulations of adolescent MLs, including students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE), experienced MLs who have been in U.S. schools for more than five years, and traditional MLs who have been in U.S. schools for fewer than five years and who have not had gaps in their prior education. The purpose of the study was to contribute to a gap in the current literature around …

Administrators’ And Teachers’ Perceived Importance Of The Holistic Framework For Professional Development Elements: Survey Research, Adrianna Cate

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

This study researched the six elements of the Holistic Framework for Professional Development (HFPD) to understand administrators’ and teachers’ perceived importance and how demographic variables impacted those perceptions. This was done to contribute to the current gap in the literature regarding how to design and carry out effective professional development. The quantitative survey research utilized exponential, non-discriminative snowball sampling to recruit participants. Fifteen administrators, 64 teachers, and six participants working in ‘other’ roles in their school participated. These participants were citizens of fifteen different countries and worked across eleven countries worldwide. Even given this diverse sample, the results of this …

The Impact Of Project Based Learning On Student Motivation, Ashlee Cournia

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between student motivation and project-based learning. It was believed that engaging students with a project related to factors cognizant of the real world would help to increase student motivation in all areas. In order to improve student motivation in the classroom, the author sought to find ways to increase student learning using a project-based learning approach. This study utilized the qualitative research method with a case study design. Participants were observed in their natural settings through the implementation of a Project Based Learning Unit. Research has shown that students’ motivation, …

Exploring Ignatian Pedagogy's Role In Shaping Holistic Student Success In The Current Neoliberal Era: A Qualitative Inquiry At Saint Ignatius High School, Rwanda, And Lycée Du Saint-Esprit, Burundi, Olivier Kayitare

Doctoral Dissertations

The growing influence of neoliberalism in education has shifted priorities toward a transactional, utilitarian model that emphasizes technical skills, standardized testing, and market-driven outcomes over holistic development. Education systems increasingly focus on preparing graduates for labor market demands, often sidelining moral, emotional, social, and spiritual formation. This shift creates tension for Jesuit schools, which emphasize a transformational approach to education rooted in ethical leadership, critical thinking, and social responsibility. In countries like Rwanda and Burundi, Jesuit schools face added pressure from state policies and parental expectations shaped by market ideologies. This study examined how Ignatian pedagogy is implemented in this …

Water Governance And Water Futures In The United States And Australia, Robert Haskell Abrams

Natural Resources Journal

The world’s hydroclimate has become more extreme in the last several decades—a phenomenon described in technical terms as the loss of stationarity. Focusing particularly on the drought-induced stresses, this Article examines water governance in the American West and Australia seeking aspects in the laws, institutions, and approaches of each nation that could be adapted to advantage by the other in coping with the onset of reduced flows in major river basins—most prominently, the Colorado in the U.S. and the Murray-Darling in Australia. Significant similarities of history, settlement of arid regions, and legal systems abound. These include Anglo settlement bringing riparian …

Enhancing Outpatient Referrals To Heart Failure Clinics, Charla Furing

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

Heart failure patients require complex and specialized treatment that can be provided for in a heart failure clinic. Heart failure is extremely complex and the recommendations for management require observation and diligence. Lindberg et al. (2022), recommends patients with heart failure receive specialized care from providers trained in optimizing therapy, especially patients with new onset heart failure, worsening heart failure, or those unable to tolerate first-line treatments in optimal doses. Patients require referrals to the providers specializing in heart failure management. This study created a comprehensive outpatient referral form for outpatient providers utilizing published heart failure referral forms, heart failure …

Heart Failure And The Need For Better Patient Education, Amber Ball

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

Heart failure is becoming a more prevalent condition, evidenced by the fact that 25% of patients who are diagnosed with heart failure are readmitted within 30 days of being discharged due to exacerbation of this disease process. Heart failure symptoms can worsen due to inadequate patient education and other issues with patient self-management of the disease process leading to readmissions and increased hospital stays—adding to an already burdened healthcare system.

The aim of this project was to address the gap in nurse led patient education early on during hospitalization of patients admitted with a new diagnosis of heart failure or …

Exploring Sustainable Biopolyesters: Synthesis From 1,4-Butanediol And Aliphatic Diacids, Vinashkumar Jayantibhai Chaudhari

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

In this thesis, we applied 1,4-butanediol, which is an emerging biobased and low-cost monomer, was synthesized with a series of aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, namely succinic acid, adipic acid, and sebacic acid using melt polycondensation to Biobased polyesters. The resulting polymers poly(butylene succinate) (PPeS), poly(butylene adipate) (PPeA), and poly(butylene sebacate) (PPeSe) chemical structures were analysis through Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed the elimination of side reactions in the obtained polyesters. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was employed to analyze physical properties, and the impact of dicarboxylate chain length and long short diol on crystalline structure and …

Transition Metal Disulphide (Co, Ni, Fe) As Electrocatalyst For Overall Water Splitting, Urvashi Gondaliya

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Increasing energy demands and environmental awareness have promoted extensive research on the development of alternative energy conversion and storage technologies that are both highly efficient and environmentally friendly. Among them, water splitting is very appealing, and it is considered as a good renewable and sustainable approach for the generation of green H₂ energy, however its implementation at industrial level is hindered due to the requirement of highly active and durable electrode material. Therefore, developing efficient electrocatalysts is of significant importance for high-performance water splitting. In the past few years, much effort has been devoted to the development of alternative …

The Effects Of Reprocessing, Post-Processing Conditions, And Environmental Exposure On The Physical Properties Of Post-Industrial And Post-Consumer Polyethylene, Grant M. Howard

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

THE EFFECTS OF REPROCESSING, POST-PROCESSING CONDITIONS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF POST-INDUSTRIAL AND POST-CONSUMER POLYETHYLENE

An Abstract of the Thesis by

Grant Howard

Plastic pollution is a rapidly growing problem. Globally, millions of tons of plastic waste are produced, and that amount is projected to increase each year. To address this, recycling of commodity thermoplastics like polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate, have become a point of emphasis in industry. Companies have started to investigate the use of recycled plastics instead of virgin plastics in their products. The advantages of using recycled material are to receive tax breaks, …

Development Of Non-Precious Iron-Cobalt Alloy Catalyst For Electrocatalytic Reaction, Harsh Panchal

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The development of a FeCo alloy catalyst with tunable Fe/Co ratios is examined to improve electrocatalytic performance in reactions like the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Many energy conversion devices, such as fuel cells, metal-air batteries, and water-splitting systems, depend on these interactions to function. These technologies have huge potential to meet the increasing need for hydrogen production and renewable energy sources worldwide, which are critical to attaining a sustainable energy future. When compared with noble metal-based catalysts, the FeCo alloy catalyst shows much higher catalytic activity, according to previous studies. Hydrothermal …

Soybean Oil-Derived Acrylate/Methacrylate Ether For High Resolution Additive Manufacturing (3d Printing) Technology, Tanuj Patel

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing is one of the rapidly developing techniques, as industries continue to explore new ways to create prototypes and end-use parts, one of the significant challenges that remains is the reliance on petroleum-based plastics for 3D printing, especially in the production of photocurable resins. that may be used to prototype complex structures and sophisticated geometries that are typically challenging to produce with conventional methods. Thus, replacing petroleum-based plastics with renewable resources is increasingly important for additive manufacturing (3D printing) of photocurable resins. The use of bio-based renewable resources in AM is a feasible alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics. Henceforth, …

High-Entropy (Feconimnal)3o4/Cnt And (Feconimnal)3o4/Rgo Hybrid Bi-Functional Catalyst For Hydrogen And Oxygen Evolution Reactions, Bhumikaben V. Makawana

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Developing efficient and durable electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for advancing sustainable energy conversion technologies. In this study, high-entropy (FeCoNiMnAl)₃O₄ and its hybrid forms supported on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were synthesized with varying carbon concentrations (5 mM, 10 mM, and 15 mM) and evaluated for their bifunctional electrocatalytic performance in alkaline media. The rGO-supported catalyst with 10 mM concentration exhibited the best HER performance, achieving a low overpotential of 162 mV at 10 mA/cm², followed by rGO (15 mM) and rGO (5 mM) …

Generation Of A Transgenic Vector For The Purpose Of Transforming Charcoal Rot Resistance Into Soybeans (Glycine Max), John M. Bear Jr

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

Charcoal rot, caused by Macrophomina phaseolina, is among the most devastating fungal pathogens affecting G. max, particularly in drought-susceptible regions such as the midwestern United States. Traditional agricultural practices have included crop rotation and irrigation, which have proved ineffective or economically unfeasible. Charcoal rot infects over 500 other species of plants and can overwinter as dormant sclerotia which can germinate once soybeans are re-planted and infect young plants. As a result, transgenic solutions have offered a promising alternative for the development of disease-resistant soybeans. This thesis documents the construction of a transgenic vector to express BOZO, a …

Zn–Assisted Synthesis Of M (Mn/Fe/Co/Ni)-N-C Catalysts For Multifunctional Electrochemical Activity, Kemila A. Chaudhary

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The design and development of atomically dispersed M-N-C catalysts (metal (M) supported on an nitrogen-carbon (NC) matrix with high multifunctional electrocatalytic performance is desirable but proved to be very challenging. Herein, we synthesized M-N-C catalysts (M = Fe, Co, Mn, and Ni) using Zn-assisted high temperature treatment and characterized using various techniques. The prepared catalysts were tested for their electrocatalytic performance towards oxygen and hydrogen evolution reaction (OER and HER) as well as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline media. The results indicated that Mn-N-C catalyst showed higher performance towards both the ORR (E_1/2 = 0.90 V) and …

Design Of A Subthreshold Cmos Inverter-Based Amplifier For Low-Noise And Low-Power Applications, Landon Alexander Schmucker

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

Amplification is a fundamental function in most analog circuits. There is a fast-growing demand for low-power, low-noise, and high-gain amplifiers. Modern semiconductor processes are increasingly optimized for digital applications, which has introduced new challenges in analog design. To address these challenges, analog designers have investigated replacing conventional analog circuits with digital implementations. One promising application is the typical CMOS inverter as an amplifier.

This research presents a CMOS inverter-based amplifier with feedback designed to achieve low power consumption, low input noise, and high gain. Unlike typical CMOS inverter-based amplifiers, this topology has two distinctive features: (1) it uses a MOSFET …

Failure Characterization Of Aluminum Resistance Spotwelds Using Ls-Dyna & Developing Machine Learning Model To Predict Spotweld Failure Parameters And Test Results, Akshay Arthur Kulkarni, Joao Felipe Carvalho De Moraes, Aaditya Lakshmanan, Sazol Kumar Das, Lily Ann Slabbert, Ashwin Yeagappan

Defensive Publications Series

[0001] This project developed methodology to create failure cards for aluminum resistance spotwelds using LS-DYNA, with a project objective to achieve reasonable accuracy (>90%). Rigorous testing and simulation activities were conducted while developing the methodology. The methodology includes mathematically fitting a failure model to match the test data efforts and deviation from the test data. Weld development and the testing process included weld schedule development through robustness testing and microhardness testing to study heat affected zones around the weld nugget properties. Welded coupons were cross-sectioned to analyze for cracks and porosity in the weld nugget. Eventually, lap shear, coach …

The Confluence, Volume 4, Issue 1, Full Issue

The Confluence

No abstract provided.

Cybersecurity And Global Threats: A Comparative Analysis Of Estonia And Russia’S Policies, María Paula Morales Palacios

The Confluence

As digital technology continues to reshape the foundations of modern life, the question of how states respond to cyber threats has become increasingly urgent. This paper examines how political systems shape national cybersecurity policies by comparing Estonia and Russia, two countries facing similar external threats but governed by vastly different structures. Estonia’s democratic framework emphasizes transparency, citizen participation, and international cooperation, while Russia’s semi-authoritarian model centers on state sovereignty, centralized control, and strategic offensive capabilities. Drawing on key historical events, including the 2007 cyberattacks on Estonia and the 2016 attacks on Russian banks, the paper explores how each state’s political …

Novel Rpl30 Variant In Diamond Blackfan Anemia Demonstrates Early Impact On Erythroid Differentiation With Downregulated Gata1-Hsp70, Alexandra Prosser-Dombrowski, Irina Pushel, Jacqelyn Nemechek, Priyanka Kumar, Jay L. Vivian, Jennifer Gerton, John M. Perry

Research Days

Background: Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome caused by ribosomal protein gene mutations leading to apoptosis of erythroid progenitors. We identified a novel heterozygous variant (c.167+769C>T) in the noncoding region of RPL30 in a patient diagnosed with DBA.

Objectives/Goal: We hypothesized that this variant stunts erythroid differentiation at the proerythroblast stage and is pathogenic for DBA.

Methods/Design: We developed an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) model with a wild type (WT) and three CRISPR-Cas9 edited RPL30 mutant clones. iPSCs were differentiated into hematopoietic stem cells, which were assessed by flow cytometry and single cell …

Engineering A Novel Treg Population To Control Autoimmune Diabetes, Sofia Colon Guzman, Elly Puckett, Mary A. Markiewicz, Ryan T. Fischer

Research Days

We created a model to test the immunosuppressive capacity of Helios+FOXP3+ eTregs compared to nTregs against islet-specific autoreactive T cells. We also showed that nTregs decrease the response of these cytotoxic T cells when co-cultured with BetaLox5 cells.

Climate Change Anxiety And Hope Both Predict Action: A Moderation Analysis, Yuhan Bi, Grace Hyde, Orei Z. Odents, Kai Okagawa, Cassandra Hoffman, Kimberly A. Barchard

Spectra Undergraduate Research Journal

Climate change is associated with extreme weather events that have devastating effects on communities worldwide. These events disrupt ecosystems, damage infrastructure, and influence physical and mental well-being. Urgent action is needed. Prior studies demonstrate that people are more likely to take action if they feel anxious about climate change and if they feel hopeful they can make a difference. However, we hypothesized that anxiety and hope would interact: that anxiety would only predict action when people felt hopeful. Therefore, we used path analysis to determine if hope moderates the relation between anxiety and action.

In a cross-sectional design, 500 United …

Mississippi's Confederate Leaders After The War, William B. Hesseltine, Larry Gara

Journal of Mississippi History

No abstract provided.

Region-Specific Proteomic Changes In The Canine Oviduct During Oocyte Maturation Following Deslorelin-Induced Ovulation, Larindhorn Udomthanaisit, Sittiruk Roytrakul, Wirakan Kallayanathum, Sudchaya Bhanpattanakul, Sawanya Charoenlappanit, Theerawat Tharasanit

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Canine reproductive physiology is unique, with oocytes ovulated at an immature stage and completing meiosis within the oviduct. This study investigated protein expression in oviductal secretions from the ampulla and isthmus during oocyte maturation in dogs. Six anestrous female dogs were induced to eestrus using 4.7 mg deslorelin implants, followed by ovariohysterectomy at various time points. Samples were categorized into four groups (n=3 per group) based on oviductal region, histological confirmation, and oocyte maturation status. Proteomic analysis revealed regionspecific protein expression changes linked to oocyte maturation. In the ampulla, PRRG4, RCSD1, and UNC13C were downregulated, while CFAP54, ACLY, and MCOLN1 …

Evaluating Large Language Model Fidelity For Complex Surgical Reasoning And Planning In Rib Fracture Stabilization, Tino Castanon Md, K. E. Foley Md, J. Brewer Md, A. A. Smith Md

Surgery Research Symposium

No abstract provided.

Counseling Program Advisory Committees: A Structural Recommendation, Allison K. Arnekrans, Ellen Armbruster, Leslie Neyland-Brown, Robin Dufresne

Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision

The 2024 CACREP accreditation standards now require counseling programs to assemble a program advisory committee to solicit feedback from stakeholders. While many programs have opted to establish advisory committees despite the lack of a requirement in the past, the inclusion of this new standard challenges programs to become more intentional and structured. The history and purpose of advisory committees will be reviewed, and a proposed structure is offered as a recommendation for programs.

Improving The Quality Of Veteran Health Care By Optimizing Va Integrated Primary Care: 20 Years And Beyond Of The Center For Integrated Healthcare, Jennifer S. Funderburk, Robyn Shepardson, Gregory Beehler, Kyle Possemato, Kristen Perry, Christina Shook, Jessica Martin, Katherine Dollar

The Journal of Integrated Primary Care

Primary care patients often present with mental and behavioral health concerns, such as depression or insomnia, leaving medical teams scrambling. To help fill this gap and increase access to care while aligning with patient preferences, a new service delivery model of integrated care, characterized by embedding behavioral health providers within medical teams, was embraced in a grassroots effort, with the VA being one of the first healthcare systems to implement it throughout all primary care settings. A common challenge to grassroot efforts is the lack of research establishing effectiveness and identifying ways to optimize the innovation’s impact. Innovative VA leaders …

Concerned Philosophers For Peace, Vol. 33 (2025), Concerned Philosophers For Peace

Concerned Philosophers for Peace

In addition to organizational information, honors, and awards, this issue contains the following articles:

• "The Nature, Ethics, and Politics of Uncivil Obedience," by Jennifer Kling
• "Hegemonic Gamblers Playing with Nuclear Fire," by Edward Demenchonok
• "The Truth Will Set Us Free: A Reflection and Response," by Angela Walter
• "On ‘The Post War Dream’: 80 Years Since the Nightmare," by Court Lewis

Children And Chairs, Artifacts And Reality, Adam J. Macleod

Catholic University Law Review

Where do children come from? The source of childhood—either nature or political will—is a matter not merely of chronology but of authority. Whoever makes children gets to define childhood. Legal childhood is one type of legal personhood. Legal personhood matters because legal persons bear legal rights and duties. Rights and duties direct how we act toward each other. Thus, our ideas about how persons come to be, who counts as a person, and how persons are defined in law determine in large part how we act toward persons, both other persons and ourselves.

A legal person is an artifact of …

Heterologous Expression And Application Of A Thermophilic Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenase, Le Xie, Longyun Peng, Yun Hu, Hongyan Ren, Haiyan Sun, Fubao Sun

Journal of Food Science and Biotechnology

[Objective ] This study aims to investigate the application of a novel thermophilic lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase (LPMO ) in the efficient cellulase-mediated hydrolysis of lignocellulosic substrates.[Method ] The thermophilic enzyme mgLPMO 10,derived from a compost metagenome,was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli (E.coli ).Its expression level was improved by modifying the signal peptide of the expression vector and induction conditions (temperature,IPTG concentration,and induction time ).The enzyme was then characterized in terms of the optimal temperature,optimal pH,thermal stability,pH stability,and the effects of metal ions on its enzyme activity.Subsequently,the synergistic hydrolysis efficiency of mgLPMO 10 with two thermophilic endoglucanases (TnCelB and DtCelB ) …