Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Two Desensitizing Agents In Treatment Of Dentin Hypersensitivity In Cervical Lesions (A Randomized Clinical Trial), Hend Sayed Ahmed, Mohamed Fouad Haridy, Hoda Fouda, Sara Katarya, Youssef M. Haridy

Dentistry

No abstract provided.

The Primary Care Experiences Of American Indian Patients Diagnosed With Opioid Use Disorder (Oud), Frank Johnson Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

This study utilized descriptive phenomenology to describe the lived experiences of AmericanIndian patients diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD), when they visit their primary care provider. The specific aims were to: 1) describe what was beneficial when visiting their provider; 2) describe what was detrimental when visiting their provider; and 3) provide recommendations for improving primary care services. Twelve participants were interviewed and the essence of the phenomenon emerged as “the interaction between the provider and patient”. A model was created. The constituents of the essence were beneficial interactions and detrimental interactions. The major themes that emerged from beneficial interactions …

Men’S Preconception Diet Quality Patterns Predict Supportive Food Parenting Practices: Evidence From A Longitudinal Cohort Study, Mariane H. De Oliveira, Brian K. Lo, Matthew M. Lee, Stephanie Armbruster, Natalie Grafft, In Young Park, Alejandra Cantu-Aldana, Katherine W. Bauer, Rebekah Levine Coley, Sebastien Haneuse, Kirsten Davison, Jess Haines

Human Genetics Publications

Background: Food parenting practices play a vital role in shaping children's food intake, yet evidence linking fathers' earlier diet patterns to later parenting is limited. This study examined the association between fathers' diet quality patterns during their adolescence and food parenting practices during fatherhood.

Methods: Data were drawn from Fathers & Families (F&F), a father-based cohort that recruited participants from an ongoing cohort in the United States that has followed participants since adolescence. Participants (n = 584) reported their dietary intake during adolescence (ages 10-18) using a Youth/Adolescent Food Frequency Questionnaire across multiple survey waves (1996-2011), and reported their food …

Traumatic Stress Recruits An Excitatory Orbitofrontal-Amygdala Pathway To Drive Maladaptive Aggression, Mikaela Aholt

Theses

Traumatic stress is a reliable predictor of heightened aggression, yet the mechanisms linking stress exposure to aggression remain poorly understood. The Nordman lab previously found that traumatic stress activates the posterior ventral segment of the medial amygdala (MeApv) to drive persistent increases in aggressive behavior. However, why traumatic stress would engage an aggression-promoting pathway is unclear. To address this, the inputs to the MeApv were mapped and a population of excitatory, but not inhibitory, neurons in layer 5 of the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) were identified. The OFC is classically viewed as an inhibitory brake on amygdala-driven impulses, yet emerging …

Evaluation Of Otolith Microchemistry For Identifying Walleye Stocked As Fry Or Fingerlings, Joshua Fluur

Theses

Walleye (Sander vitreus) is a popular sport fish whose populations are often supported by maintenance or supplemental stocking, with most fish stocked as fry, fingerlings, or advanced fingerlings. Evaluation of stocking efficacy is important to inform decisions regarding fish stocking rates and sizes and allocating hatchery fish to locations where maintenance or supplemental stocking is most needed. Several types of artificial tags or marks have been proven useful in the identification of stocked fish, but they often have various drawbacks. Natural chemical markers in otoliths offer several advantages compared to conventional tags or marks and can be used to identify …

The Making Of Shi'a Resistance In Afghanistan: Historical Roots, Communist Rule, And Soviet Occupation, 1978–1989, Sayed Sajjad Hojet

Theses

This thesis examines Shi'a political mobilization in Afghanistan from the 1978 Saur Revolution through the Soviet occupation, ending in 1989. It argues that Shi'a resistance was not simply a religious reaction to Marxist rule but a complex movement shaped by long-term marginalization, influenced by rival political ideas, and connected to cross-border networks in Iran. It traces how persecution under Amir Abdurrahman Khan created a system of political exclusion that shaped Shi'a collective identity before the communist takeover, and how ideologies such Marxism and Political Islam further politicized Shi'a youth in the mid-twentieth century. The PDPA's coercive policies after 1978 helped …

Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Equitable Post Disaster Resource Allocation Incorporating Social Vulnerability, Trevor John Mogaka

Theses

Prior Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) approaches frame post‑disaster recovery as a sequential decision-making problem over infrastructure elements, using graph-based system models and resilience-oriented rewards. This thesis builds on an existing DRL framework by introducing a modified CDC Social Vulnerability Index (mCDC-SVI), developed using Max-min scaling, to quantify social vulnerability.A synthetic interdependent infrastructure testbed is divided into four socio‑economic regions using federal poverty and SNAP eligibility guidelines. The DRL simulation and Deep Q‑Network architecture are retrained under a multi-objective reward function that is efficiency-equity weighted (α:β). Agents are evaluated across unconstrained and constrained budget scenarios to examine how varying α and …

Relationships Between Therapists And Diverse Children's Populations And Their Effects, Brenda Sanchez Vega

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Roughly around 13.8% of children and adolescents in the United States receive some sort of counseling or therapy; the main focus of the research is on racial/ethnic minoritized children. Because APA’s ethical codes don’t address all possible situations, positive client-therapist relationships are bound to develop, including dyads or dual relationships, improving treatment progress. With the United States continuing to grow in diversity, there’s still a big gap in the literature surrounding minority children in therapy. Speculating if therapy approaches are used effectively for all children, including minoritized children. Based on past research already conducted, developing a positive client-therapist dual relationship …

Expressive Suppression Within Male Blue-Collar Coloradans, Kelsi C. Smits

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Blue-collar workers are a population that impacts nearly everyone who interacts with modern infrastructure.  Although they are crucial to modern life they are a population that is not widely researched or understood. This study aims to gain a more robust understanding of blue-collar workers by investigating male blue-collar workers in Colorado. This study will investigate how male blue-collar workers regulate their emotions. Emotional regulation will be measured using the Emotional Regulation Questionnaire. It is hypothesized that male blue-collar workers within Colorado will show that emotional suppression is a used emotional regulation tactic. It is essential to understand this because emotional …

The Houston Eclipse, Korey Hans

Theses

The Houston Eclipse is a sports branding project for a fictional WNBA team, built on the idea that design can shape the fan experience. In a market where consumer attention is constantly being fought over, the brands that stand out are the ones that make people feel something. Sports already carries that emotional weight, but most fan-facing products don't take full advantage of it, often reducing team identity to a logo placed on top of a product without regard for the form it's applied to. This project approaches branding as a full system rather than a single mark. Drawing on …

Student Engagement As A Predictor Of Stem Student Success, Mosab Shaher Abu Al Foul

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study investigates factors influencing engagement, persistence, and degree completion among underrepresented minority (URM) students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Guided by Tinto’s Interactionist Model (1975) and Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory(1977), it examines how institutional practices and socioeconomic conditions contribute to inequities in student outcomes. Using a non-experimental, correlational design, the study analyzes National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data and institutional records from a Midwestern Research 2 university (N = 620; URM subsample n = 52). Binary logistic regression, MANOVA, and t-tests were used to assess relationships among High-Impact Educational Practices (HIEPs), engagement indicators, faculty interaction, pre-college …

Towards Continuous Carbon Fibers From Corn Oil, Ismail Akanmu Adebayo

Theses and Dissertations

The global demand for carbon fibers has experienced exponential growth over the last decade, driven by the desire for materials with high strength and low density for applications in aerospace, automotive, wind energy, and specialty industrial markets. Currently, carbon fibers are almost exclusively produced from petroleum-based precursors, most commonly polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and petroleum-derived pitch. The high production costs associated with these fossil-based precursors limit the broader adoption of carbon fibers and represent a significant barrier to market expansion. The development of a bio-based carbon fiber precursor derived from renewable feedstocks would help transition this market away from fossil carbon sources …

Machine Learning Applications For Numerical Simulation Of Co2 Sequestration, Adeboye Kayode Adeyinka

Theses and Dissertations

Global CO2 emissions significantly exceed the capacity of planned sequestration projects. Among subsurface storage sites, deep saline aquifers offer the largest theoretical capacity because they occur naturally across most sedimentary basins. However, major geological uncertainties, such as permeability variations and sand continuity, complicate these projects due to sparse well data. Consequently, analyzing CO2 sequestration projects in saline aquifers require robust reservoir simulation which are unfortunately, computationally complex with long runtimes, presenting severe bottlenecks for extensive risk assessment.

Machine learning algorithms can overcome these limitations by drastically reducing computational runtimes, enabling rapid scenario testing and optimization. Despite this potential, existing literature …

Mechanistic Investigation Of Arsenic Removal From Drinking Water Using Metal–Organic Frameworks And Granular Activated Carbon, Mousa Almousa

Theses and Dissertations

Arsenic contamination in groundwater represents a critical environmental and public health challenge due to its high toxicity and widespread occurrence in natural aquifers. Chronic exposure to arsenic, even at trace levels, is associated with severe health effects, including skin lesions and increased cancer risk. Conventional treatment technologies, such as adsorption using activated carbon or metal oxides, often suffer from limited selectivity, regeneration difficulty, and reduced efficiency under varying pH conditions. Therefore, developing advanced sorbent materials with high capacity, selectivity, and structural stability is essential for addressing arsenic pollution in decentralized water systems.Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have recently emerged as promising materials …

Stigma Is Committing: Public Perceptions Of Race, Substance Use, And Civil Commitment, Meliyah Anderson-Tryon

Theses and Dissertations

Civil commitment in the United States is a legal process through which individuals experiencing severe mental illness may be involuntarily admitted for psychological treatment. Despite its far-reaching consequences, public knowledge and perceptions of civil commitment remain largely underexamined. These gaps may contribute to increased stigma toward individuals with severe mental illness or those who engage in substance use. This study used a vignette-based experimental design manipulating a hypothetical individual’s race and presence or absence of past substance use. The hypothetical individual was portraying symptoms related to schizophrenia, subsequently leading to being civilly committed. Participants (N = 208) evaluated perceived dangerousness …

Geochemical Modeling Of Co2 Sequestration In Saline Aquifer: Broom Creek Saline Aquifer, Lawrence Chima Asouzu

Theses and Dissertations

Geological carbon sequestration in deep saline aquifers is widely regarded as a critical technology for mitigating anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. This dissertation presents a formation-specific, kinetically constrained reactive transport modelling study of CO₂ storage performance in the Broom Creek Formation, a quartz- and feldspar-dominated saline aquifer in the Williston Basin, North Dakota.

A high-resolution geological model was constructed in Petrel using well logs, well tops, and Sorensen’s permeability correlation, then exported via RESCUE file into CMG GEM for dynamic reactive transport simulation. The base-case scenario involved injection of CO₂ at 15 MMScf/day for one year, followed by 199 years of post-injection …

Non-Terrestrial Colonial Security And Critical Contingency Operations, Augustine Gabriel Wesley Batten

Theses and Dissertations

Since the turn of the century, the dependence of state functionality and capability on cyber infrastructure has grown exponentially, resulting in an equally expanding list of means to exploit this dependency. Cyberattacks have demonstrated the ability to target the space industry and critical infrastructure beyond our atmosphere. The potential damage this growing threat can bring is what this research aims to prepare for and mitigate. The purpose of this research is to determine cyber-attack indicators and develop responses designed to mitigate the effects of worst-case scenarios. It is important to understand that this study included a theoretical scenario to address …

Additively Constructed Concrete Culverts (Acc), Eugene Kwabena Assuah-Damoah

Theses and Dissertations

Rural culvert systems in cold regions like North Dakota face rising replacement needs due to aging infrastructure, harsh deterioration, and limited precast supply. Additive construction with concrete (ACC) offers promise but is constrained by proprietary mix designs, limited validation for non-linear geometries such as ring-type pipes, and challenges in reinforcement integration. This study addresses these gaps through three efforts. First, a non-proprietary mix (MIX7, w/c = 0.37) using local materials achieved optimal printability (190–200 mm flow) and 28‑day strengths of 55–60 MPa; full-scale 18‑inch pipes met ASTM C76 Class II/III requirements. Second, literature shows ACC permanent formwork performance depends on …

Wifi-Based Teleoperation System For A 3d-Printed Rc Car, Manvel Beaver

Theses and Dissertations

In the field of autonomous vehicle (AV) research, developers often face a significant gap between low-power hobbyist kits and cost-prohibitive industrial platforms. This thesis presents the design, integration, and validation of "Das Mueller," a high-performance, 1/10th-scale unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) designed to provide a transparent and cost-effective testbed for neural network development. By bridging the interoperability gap between the Donkey Car software framework and the 3D-printable Tarmo5 mechanical chassis, this project establishes a modular architecture centered on the NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX single-board computer.

The research utilizes a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) approach and rapid prototyping to address critical challenges …

Integrating Emotional Intelligence Into Interpreter Training: A Syllabi Analysis And Curriculum Review Framework, Caroline Lynn Becker

Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examines how Interpreter Training Programs (ITPs) incorporate emotionalintelligence (EI) into their curricula. To examine how these competencies are addressed, this study analyzed course syllabi from accredited four-year interpreter education programs using a structured review protocol. Syllabi from Collegiate Commission on Interpreter Education- accredited programs at both public and private institutions were included. Findings indicate that EI is rarely named, explicitly taught, or formally assessed within course descriptions or assignments. While many programs include components aligned with EI domains, such as ethics instruction, supervision, cultural engagement, and reflective practice, these elements are embedded implicitly rather than framed as …

A Comparative Study Of Dsmc Codes For Rarefied Atmospheric Re-Entry Applications, Laina Behrenbrinker

Theses and Dissertations

Hypersonic atmospheric re-entry involves complex rarefied flow phenomena, including thermochemical non-equilibrium and plasma formation, which must be accurately predicted to assess vehicle performance and communication blackout. The Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method is applied to model these effects through code-to-code comparison and rarefied re-entry simulation. DSMC codes SPARTA and Comet are compared with a 2D cylinder test case to evaluate consistency in predicted flowfield quantities. This is followed by 2D and 3D axi-symmetric simulation of the Varda re-entry capsule at 78 km altitude to characterize plasma formation. 2D cylinder results show agreement in translational and rotational temperature and neutral …

Studying The Hidden Heat: A Theoretical Approach To Better Understanding The Thermal Conditions Of The Yellowstone Volcano In Wyoming, Usa, Daniel Burke Brunson

Theses and Dissertations

Using the spatiotemporal record of the 2.1–0 Ma ignimbrite flare-up of the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field (YPVF) as a proxy for batholith formation at depth, this dissertation develops and applies the Finite Difference Heat Flow Simulation (FDHFS) program to model crustal thermal evolution beneath the supervolcano. FDHFS, a modular C++ numerical simulator, solves the transient heat equation incorporating variable thermal conductivity, radiogenic heat production, and directional advection in three-dimensional Cartesian grids. Validation against analytical benchmarks and seafloor-spreading analogs confirms its fidelity for combined conduction-advection processes in heterogeneous crustal settings.

High-resolution volume–time analysis of major ignimbrite pulses (Huckleberry Ridge, Mesa Falls, …

Modeling Melt Season Snow And Ice Albedo Based On Calibration With Climatological And Physiographic Data In The Wind River Range, Wyoming, Logan Dietrich

Theses and Dissertations

Glaciers in high mountain regions are the source of critical water supply for a large portion of the global population, providing freshwater for several uses such as agriculture, irrigation, drinking water, energy production, and the economy. Climate change is causing the increased melting of mountain glaciers, and in turn putting constraints on several of the aforementioned uses of freshwater that is sourced from high mountain regions as well as increasing the risk of natural disasters such as mudslides and glacial lake outburst floods. Understanding the factors that influence glacial melt is important when assessing the mass balance of glaciers and …

Safety Assurance In A Collegiate Flight Program With Safety Management Systems (Sms): A Mixed-Methods Approach To Evaluating Safety Risk Control Effectiveness, Erin Dunker

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined safety assurance and the effectiveness of safety risk controls within a collegiate flight training program operating under a Safety Management System (SMS). Using a mixed-methods approach, the research integrated quantitative survey data with organizational safety performance data to evaluate how safety risk controls function across operational domains. A survey instrument, the Collegiate Aviation Safety Risk Control Effectiveness Scale (CASRICES), was developed and validated to measure perceptions of safety risk control effectiveness among respondents using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Reliability, and Construct Validity Analyses.

The EFA supported a three-factor structure consisting of Pilot Training Risk Controls, Safety Reporting …

Strengthening Teacher Retention Through Strategic Onboarding, Stacey Eger-Converse

Theses and Dissertations

The United States education system is currently facing a critical staffing crisis characterized by dwindling enrollment in teacher preparation programs and alarming rates of voluntary attrition. Each school year, school districts report difficulties filling certified positions. This cycle of departure incurs staggering fiscal costs and creates a "recursive loop" where high turnover leads to lower student performance and community dissatisfaction, which further drives teacher exits. While most new teachers participate in induction programs, districts continue to lose approximately half of their new hires, suggesting that current support structures are insufficient. This research addresses a significant gap in the literature: the …

The Speech, Language, And Feeding Development Of One Child With Wiedemann–Steiner Syndrome, Alyssa Ann Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the longitudinal speech, language, and feeding development of a child with Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome (WSS) from birth to age 10. The study aimed to characterize developmental patterns, identify strengths and challenges, and evaluate changes over time within the context of ongoing speech-language intervention. A qualitative longitudinal case study design was used, combining retrospective review of medical, therapeutic, and educational records with direct clinical assessment at age 10. Measures included the Oral and Written Language Scales–Second Edition (OWLS-II)), a spontaneous language sample, a phonemic inventory, a Childhood Apraxia of Speech screening, a caregiver feeding questionnaire, and a clinical feeding …

Modeling Type 2 Diabetes Progression, Hereditary Risk, And Treatment Outcomes: Integrating Prevention, Lifestyle Modifications, And Pharmacological Interventions, Grace Ebunoluwa Fatoyinbo

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains one of the most significant chronic health conditionsworldwide and continues to place pressure on healthcare systems through its long-term complications, treatment costs, and growing prevalence. The progression of T2D is influenced by multiple interacting factors, including hereditary predisposition, lifestyle behavior, treatment access, remission, relapse, and the development of complications. Because of this complexity, mathematical models can provide useful insight into disease dynamics and the possible effects of intervention strategies over time. This study develops a compartmental model for T2D progression using a system of ordinary differential equations. The population is divided into epidemiologically meaningful classes …

Numerical Verification Of A Gpu-Accelerated Particle-In-Cell Code For Low-Temperature Plasma Simulations, Wei Guo

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the numerical verification of Comet, a GPU-accelerated Particle-in-Cell with Monte Carlo Collisions (PIC/MCC) code designed for low-temperature plasma simulations. To ensure efficient deployment across heterogeneous computing architectures, the framework leverages the Kokkos performance-portability layer for high-performance execution. Verification was conducted through a series of hierarchical stages with increasing physical complexity, benchmarking each component of the fundamental PIC/MCC simulation cycle. This structured approach establishes the numerical fidelity of the code's algorithmic building blocks prior to its application in predictive plasma research.

The first stage verifies field interpolation and particle pusher modules against canonical single-particle cases, focusing on ion …

Bridging Culture And Education To Enhance Cherokee Student Health And Wellness, Lindsey Hammer

Theses and Dissertations

Indigenous populations face ongoing health disparities, often worsened by a lack of culturally relevant and Indigenous-led programs and interventions. This dissertation in practice was inspired by the need for community-driven, culturally grounded approaches that address these disparities for Cherokee Nation in Northeastern Oklahoma. Each of the three products are inspired by and aligned with the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), the Cherokee value of gadugi, and the concept of relationality, offering a holistic approach to community health and well-being. Not every product represents a fully implemented CBPR process but rather a CBPR-informed approach. Future stages will emphasize more meaningful …

Machine Learning For Laminar Heat Transfer In Supercritical Fluids, Luke Holtshouser

Theses and Dissertations

In the last 10 years machine learning has become increasingly more used in the field of fluid dynamics and heat transfer. However, with this increase in activity, gaps still exist with respect to supercritical fluids and laminar flows, where laminar flow in general seems understudied. For supercritical fluids, there are many peculiar studies that are isolated to unique systems or they are obscure enough to include everything but the kitchen sink. This strategy provides no real insights into how the field can make further progress in the utilization of the technology available, or rather build-upon previous knowledge. For this reason, …