Patient-Derived Ovarian Cancer Models Provide Insight Into Cancer Cell-Intrinsic And Immune Cell-Dependent Effects On Therapeutic Response, Parisa Nikeghbal

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy, largely due to late diagnosis and resistance to chemotherapy. This dissertation applies patient-derived organoids (PDOs), xenograft-derived organoids (PDXOs), and humanized xenografts (huPDX) to investigate therapeutic responses and immune interactions. Organoids were shown to retain critical features of the original malignancy. Across platinum-sensitive, -resistant, and -refractory cases, both PDOs and PDXOs exhibited drug sensitivities that aligned with patients’ clinical classifications. Building on this foundation, a drug screen revealed novel strategies. Auranofin restored platinum sensitivity in Notch3-active models, afatinib broadly reduced viability, and adavosertib–gemcitabine and sorafenib–topotecan combinations produced synergy. Extending this work, immune interactions …

Knowledge Production As Identity Expression: A Third-Space Perspective On Sustainable Careers, Alicja Syska

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

This conceptual paper advances our understanding of sustainable careers by focusing on the knowledge creation activities of third-space practitioners in higher education. Specifically, we apply and extend the Process Model of Sustainable Careers to examine how different forms of knowledge production in three different institutional and national contexts – writing for publication, practice-based expertise, and curriculum development – contribute to career sustainability at the intersection of academic and professional/administrative roles and domains. The critical element of this extension is ‘identity expression’ in the form of knowledge production, which acts as an integrating mechanism that flows through and connects the original …

Instrumental Music Educator Strategies To Reduce Or Remove Participation Barriers For Middle School Students, Rachel A. Gorden Mercer Ed.D

Doctorate in Education

Scholars have found that students who participate in instrumental music programs achieve higher academic levels, have better attendance, and build stronger community connections than students who do not participate. This dissertation examines successful strategies for increasing participation in instrumental music programs by reducing socioeconomic barriers, enhancing instrument access, creating ensemble opportunities, and fostering a positive culture within the instrumental program for students during the middle school years. Music educators have found successful strategies to recruit and retain students despite the barriers they encounter.

Researchers have investigated the benefits of participating in instrumental music and the reasons why students discontinue their …

Design And Evaluation Of The Influence Of Mutual Induction On Microbial Electrolysis Cell Performance And Biogas Production, Ashley L. Blackwell

Civil Engineering ETDs

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) present a pathway for energy recovery in wastewater treatment by converting organic substrates into methane or hydrogen. Traditional MEC designs typically rely on physical electrode contacts and expensive materials, which restrict their scalability. This study introduces the first induction-based MEC that uses mutual inductance between an external copper wrap and an internal coil to generate a fluctuating electrical potential, removing the need for expensive electrodes. The induction-stimulated reactor showed faster total organic carbon removal and a higher CH4/CO2 ratio compared to a conventional anaerobic digester, indicating improved carbon-to-methane conversion, although total gas yield remained similar. Microbial …

Graph Based Planning With Guarantees, Trazon Tyrik Jimerson

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This thesis presents two graph-based methods with formal guarantees for motion planning and routing. First, the invariant-set motion planner (ISMP), which uses constraint admissible positive invariant (CAPI) sets of closed-loop dynamics, is adapted for spacecraft attitude planning to avoid moving keep-out zones. Contributions include time bounds for maneuvers via exponential stability, a single-stage reachability graph from one-step backward reachable CAPI sets, and its multi-stage expansion to certify node safety over time. Simulations verify safe attitude control with moving obstacles. Second, we formulate a convex optimization problem over a network for evacuation planning with operational constraints such as helicopter capacity and …

Real-Time Frequency Tuning Of Kinetic Energy Harvesters Via System Mass Adjustment, Rahul Adhikari

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This research presents a method for real-time frequency tuning of piezoelectric kinetic energy harvesters through system-mass adjustment. Custom 3D-printed proof masses with cavity arrays were used to redistribute solid or liquid mass, enabling controlled modification of resonant frequency. Experimental studies using microparticles and liquids—including water, silicone oil, and sodium polytungstate—demonstrated an achievable tuning range of 115.27 Hz with sub-hertz resolution (< 0.1 Hz), confirming precise and repeatable frequency control. Finite-element modeling guided design optimization, while a microfluidic channel system enabled automated liquid filling for real-time operation. A MATLAB-based EH_Tuning application was developed to visualize and predict frequency responses. The combined …

Design And Development Of Evacuated Photovoltaic-Thermal Systems For Efficient Cogeneration Of Heat And Electricity, Behnam Roshanzadeh

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

In conventional PV systems, most of the solar energy is dissipated into the environment as heat. Accordingly, hybrid Photovoltaic-thermal systems have been developed to utilize the waste heat from PV cells for various thermal applications. However, most PVT systems suffer from low thermal performance compared to solar thermal collectors, as the absorber plate in PVT systems is partially or fully covered by PV cells. This dissertation focuses on improving the thermal performance of PVT systems by introducing the evacuated PVT systems.

An evacuated-tube PVT system was designed and simulated for domestic hot water supply. The evacuated-tube PVT system demonstrated 40% …

Efficacy Of Oil And Gas Production Site Remediation In U.S. Arid/Semi-Arid Regions, Skye Ontiveros

Architecture and Planning ETDs

Oil and gas production (OGP) is expanding, paralleled by its polluting leaks and spills (LS), and outpaced by its waste. This raises the question: Does remediation of LS occur effectively when needed to protect the environment and public, particularly in major producing regions like arid/semi-arid regions (ASAR), which account for approximately 72% of US oil and 42% of gas production? To answer, a review of the eight largest national remedial laws, sourced from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), identified 14 OGP exemptions for remedial determinants (RDs): factors affecting remedial frequency and efficacy (e.g. LS monitoring and chemical disclosure). An …

Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea And The Role Dental Hygienists Play In Achieving Optimal Health And Quality Of Life: A Pilot Study, Kari S. Roth

Dental Hygiene ETDs

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current practice, confidence, barriers, and experience of dental hygienists who screen or identify signs, symptoms, and risk factors of those who struggle with pediatric obstructive sleep apnea. This study was designed to provide a brief perspective to identify gaps or needs for improvement in dental hygiene practice. Members of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association participated in an electronic survey. While 231 participants responded, most reported some familiarity with obstructive sleep apnea in children, but many are unaware of guidelines from other professional organizations for screening protocols. Results depict a lack …

Hearing Their Voices: Exploring Parent Perspectives Regarding Augmentative And Alternative Communication In Home And Community Contexts, Heather Rose Diluzio

Special Education ETDs

Parents of children who have extensive support (ESN) who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) have reported challenges in supporting their children’s communication in home and community contexts. This qualitative interview study explored the perspectives of six mothers of children with ESN who use aided AAC to examine the supports families have, or would like to have, to integrate aided AAC meaningfully into their child’s communication in home and community settings. Findings revealed that these parents were the primary force behind their child’s access to aided AAC due to limited support from formal systems and professionals. Themes included: parents’ deep …

Testing Tocqueville’S Troops: American Democracy At War In Mexico, Corbin V. Cali

History Theses

This thesis explores Alexis de Tocqueville's theory of democratic armies through the lens of the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), testing his predictions about how democratic social conditions influence military institutions and performance. Tocqueville argued that armies in democratic societies would face tensions between egalitarian ideals and military discipline, with citizen-soldiers resisting hierarchy while professional officers, often isolated from civil society, grew dangerously ambitious for war. He predicted that democratic armies would show energetic initiative but struggle with weak formal discipline, and that equality would fundamentally change the relationship between the military and the broader society. The Mexican-American War serves as an …

Contemporary Martian Geomorphic Processes And The Suitability Characterization Of Terrestrial Analogues, Daniel Paul Mason

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Both historical and contemporary evidence for geomorphic activity on the surface of Mars is apparent. This evidence is showcased by features including a) well-preserved deltaic remnants in an otherwise cold and arid environment, present along the western flank of Jezero Crater, and b) the seasonal appearance of candidate recurring slope lineae throughout Martian equatorial, lower, and mid-latitudes as seen within both the Eos Chasma region and on the walls of Raga, Lohse, Rauna, and Tivat Craters. In this dissertation, I elucidate the role that geomorphic processes, whether aqueous or dry, have played in shaping both the ancient and contemporary Martian …

Simulation Of Stress Induced By Laser Heating Of Glass, Austin Marsh Schuberth

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

The purpose of this work is to create a method for accurately simulating the stresses due to heating from femtosecond laser pulses. Our work aims to calculate stress and strain in glass exposed to laser pulses used for laser welding. We simulate the effects of thermal heating, thermal expansion, and the viscoelasticity of glass for a single straight weld bead. The laser heating of K9 borosilicate glass was simulated using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). Thermal models developed by other researchers in earlier work were utilized in calculating the temperatures due to the laser exposure to the glass material. 2D simulations …

When Two Worlds Collide: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Teacher Identity Development Of Graduate Students Of Additional Languages, Hannah L. Garver

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

This study explores a population that has been understudied in teacher identity research: native English-speaking graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) of additional languages who assumed this role with no prior teaching experience. Influenced by my own experience as a GTA, the purpose of this study is to gain insight into how this population’s experiences shape their identities as teachers and later careers. This qualitative study uses narrative inquiry as a method by which to examine their experiences through the stories told by participants: six former GTAs of French and German.

Using data in the form of semi-structured interviews and some participants’ …

Guillaume Dustan's Ethico-Politics Of The Body, Noah Mertz

Foreign Languages & Literatures ETDs

In this MA Thesis, I lay out a synthetic overview of polemical French writer Guillaume Dustan's (1965-2005) political philosophy. He is criticized first as irresponsible and dangerous for his defense of barebacking (sex without condoms) in the midst of the AIDS epidemic, and then, after his death, as a neoliberal/anarcho-capitalist for his focus on individual liberty. My overview touches on Dustan's Freudian belief that repression is the root of all social ills, his functional ethics of self-responsibility, the revaluation of heteronormative Judeo-Christian morality towards 'virtusex,' and his social contract that minimizes repression. Dustan’s goal is for you to autonomously subjectify …

Physical Education Through The Lens Of A Transgender Individual, Allison L. Graham

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Transgender students face unique challenges in K–12 physical education (PE) that other groups of students do not experience. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the life history of a transgender woman, Evergreen, with a focus on her experiences in PE throughout K-12 school. This study was guided by Queer Theory (Jagose, 1996) and Atkinson’s (1998) life history methodology, data was collected through nine semi-structured interviews and participant-selected artifacts. Data was analyzed using Merriam and Tisdell’s (2016) coding procedures to identify themes. Findings revealed distinct experiences across four areas: (1) Elementary School PE—positive memories centered on play …

Predicting The Unpredictable: Advancing Risk Management In Fitness Centers Through Data Science-Driven Judicial Outcome Modeling, Hongyoung Kim

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

This study developed a prediction model of judicial outcomes in fitness exercise-related injury lawsuits to identify key factors influencing fitness centers’ success in litigation. Using 209 U.S. court cases from Westlaw, Phase One employed text mining and content analysis to identify legal variables. Phase Two applied descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression to evaluate the combined influence of these variables on judicial outcomes. For the multiple logistic regression analysis, the sample size was reduced to 184 cases after excluding 25 remanded cases.

Results showed that victim behavior, hazardous facility conditions, and enforceable waivers or exculpatory clause defenses significantly predicted judicial …

Can Web-Based International Standardized Tests Be More Inclusive? A Udl Mixed-Methods Study Of Accented Tasks, Abdelbaset Haridy

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

This dissertation explores the critical, yet understudied, issue of using a variety of accents/dialects within standardized listening assessments. The current study argues for a paradigm shift from dominant accent to the use of a variety of accents in foreign language testing and assessment. The shift is guided by the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), World Englishes, and Intercultural Communication Theory. Following a mixed-methods design, the study compares student perceptions (N=202) and experts’ (N=64) opinions across two distinct linguistic contexts: English and Arabic. College student participants rated listening samples across nine parameters, including Fluency, Accuracy, Comprehensibility, Intelligibility, and Approachability. …

Arcsine Ratio Sine Generalized Distributions With Applications To Biomedical And Engineering Data, Kizito E. Anyiam, Mohamed A. F. Elbarkawy, Ehab M. Almetwally, Okechukwu J. Obulezi, Mohammed Elgarhy

Mesopotamian Journal of CyberSecurity

gonometric distributions offer a powerful approach to solving complex problems in probability and statistical modeling. In this study, we introduce a novel class of distributions: the Arcsine Ratio Sine Generalized (ARS-G) family. We provide a complete set of explicit formulas for the family’s statistical properties. Our key illustration is the ARS-Weibull (ARS-W) distribution, which uses the Weibull model as its foundation. This particular model demonstrates remarkable flexibility, with its hazard function capable of assuming diverse shapes, including bump, bathtub, reversed bathtub, J-shaped, and L-shaped profiles. We thoroughly examine the ARS W distribution’s statistical properties and employ various established estimation methods …

Speaking Up Or Helping Out? The Impact Of Gendered Feedback On Voice And Helping Ocbs And Imposter Phenomenon And Self-Confidence, Jacklyn Scymcyk

Theses and Dissertations

Grounded in Self-Discrepancy Theory (Higgins, 1987) and Role Congruity Theory (Eagly & Karau, 2002), this study examines how gendered differences in feedback influence employees’ self-views and subsequent citizenship behaviors. Specifically, the research aimed to investigate how the relative frequency of task performance feedback and contextual performance feedback impacts self-confidence and imposter phenomenon, and how these self-views, in turn, predict voice and helping organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs), respectively. Initial phases of this study validated measures for perceptions of task and contextual performance feedback frequency, favorability, and adequacy. The final phase used moderated-mediation polynomial regression analyses to test hypotheses. Exploratory cluster …

Earline Williams

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

Catherine Shipman Burgess

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

Pen And Punishment: Revenge And Role Reversal In Edith Wharton’S World. A Rewriting Of Gender Roles And The Subversion Of Patriarchy., Shelly Ann Justin

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Pen and Punishment: Revenge and Role Reversal in Edith Wharton’s World. A Rewriting of Gender Roles and the Subversion of Patriarchy. by Shelly Ann Justin An unlikely feminist writer sometimes becomes one of the greatest advocates for the feminine movement, and that is exactly what American novelist, Edith Wharton (1862-1937) has done for over 120 years through her essays, short stories, and more specifically, her novels. She is best known for her vivid novels that explore the complexities of American society, especially the upper class which examines the constraints and social expectations of New York’s upper …

395 East 151 St. Corp. V. Mhany Cluster Housing Development

All Decisions

In a rent-stabilized holdover for failure to sign a lease renewal, the court granted the occupant's motion to dismiss the petition against her (as "Jane Doe") for improper use of a pseudonym under CPLR 1024. The landlord claimed ignorance of her identity, but evidence showed it knew her name, having collected HRA payments on her behalf, and that she had interacted with management. The court denied the landlord's request to sua sponte join the occupant, finding her identity was known pre-commencement. The proceeding continues against the named tenant.

Lycopene, Race And Periodontitis: Disparities In Older Adults, Katherine Kwong, You Lu, Zhuo Huan Li, Susu Luo, Zhaoyu Huang, Zhong Chen, Na Zhao, Tung Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background Periodontitis is a severe gum disease that can be an indicator of other health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Lycopene has been suggested as an adjunct therapy for periodontitis. This study aims to investigate the association between insufficient lycopene intake and the risk of Periodontitis among non-Hispanic White (NHW) and non-Hispanic Black (NHB) older adults. Methods The study included 1,227 adults aged 65–79 years from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2009–2014). Total lycopene intake from daily diet was studied with age, race, marital status, smoking status, BMI, diabetes, sex, and education as independent variables in …

Grappling With Parenthood In 2025, Elisa Muyl

Capstones

In 2024, I became a parent for the first time. Within the first year of my child's life, president Trump was elected for a second term and came into office on the back of a right-wing project to “restore” the American family as the central unit of American life. I knew instinctively that the values and policies this project espoused would not work for my family or many others. At the same time, I was grappling with a profound sense of social alienation and the lack of structural support for new parents, exacerbated by the way that community is sustained …

Fake News Y Redes Sociales: Cómo El Algoritmo En Torno A La Migración Afecta La Salud Mental, Maria F. Alarcon

Capstones

Las redes sociales son la principal fuente de información para migrantes latinos en Estados Unidos, pero también son un terreno fértil para fake-news que afectan la salud mental y desinforman.

“Sin Tener Que Gastar”: Un Restaurante Gourmet En Nueva York Donde Pagas Lo Que Puedas, Oscar Alberto Flores

Capstones

Community Kitchen es un restaurante piloto gourmet en el Lower East Side de Nueva York que funciona bajo un modelo de “paga lo que puedas”, creado por el reconocido periodista gastronómico Mark Bittman. Ubicado en un vecindario marcado por una profunda desigualdad económica y altos niveles de inseguridad alimentaria, el proyecto busca demostrar que la comida de alta calidad puede ser accesible para personas de todos los ingresos. A través de un menú sostenible, precios flexibles, apoyo a agricultores locales —en su mayoría BIPOC— y salarios justos para jóvenes cocineros, Community Kitchen combina gastronomía, justicia social y comunidad. En …

Halt Under Threat Why Legislators Must Demand Compliance Before Change A Playbook For Action, Vanda Seward

Capstones

This playbook examines the implementation of New York State’s Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement (HALT) Act and presents evidence demonstrating that the law has not been fully or consistently enforced by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS). Drawing on findings from the New York State Inspector General, the Correctional Association of New York, the Justice Center, court rulings, and community testimony, the analysis documents persistent violations, including excessive and illegal use of solitary confinement, inadequate documentation, failures to protect vulnerable populations, and insufficient accountability for staff misconduct. The playbook critically evaluates the recommendations of …

Solicitantes De Asilo Enfrentan Audiencias Sin Abogados Ante Fallas En La Ayuda Legal De Nyc, Nicol V. Leon Arge

Capstones

Este reportaje examina cómo las fallas en el sistema de asistencia legal de la ciudad de Nueva York están dejando a personas solicitantes de asilo enfrentar la corte de inmigración sin representación legal, lo que incrementa su riesgo de detención y deportación. A través de los casos de tres mujeres de Ecuador y Venezuela, el texto documenta cómo las barreras idiomáticas, la sobrecarga de las organizaciones sin fines de lucro y las limitaciones de los programas financiados por la ciudad hacen que el acceso a abogados pro bono sea inestable o inalcanzable. Pese a las iniciativas anunciadas por la administración …