Digital Commons Network^™

Pilgrimage, Trade And Empire: A Gis Investigation Of Pre-Hispanic Roads In The Ocoña And Chorunga Valleys Of Peru, Geri Evilla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines Inca imperial expansion into the Ocoña and Chorunga Valleys, through an investigation of precolonial roads and trails. It focuses on the Middle to Late Horizons (700 BCE-1534 CE), with specific attention to the last 100 years, when the region was occupied by the Inca state and experienced a rapid increase in population and architectural development. Data collected in excavations, and pedestrian, and drone surveys were used in geographic information systems, to map pre-Hispanic road systems. A combination of Least Cost Path and viewshed analyses were used to investigate land use patterns and tie this region into the …

The Shōnen Apocalypse: An Analysis Of The Shōnen Power System And Its Narrative Functions, Mario Da Silva Melo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My thesis has two primary goals. First, it provides an overview of the history of manga as a medium, and manga studies as a field. In doing so, I observe a lack of terminological and methodological specificity. As a result, I provide a formalist approach to thematic criticism in order to address the above issues. Second, my thesis primarily centers on shōnen power systems and their narrative functions. Power systems are "magic rules" that determine how superhuman abilities mechanically function. I identify two main power systems in shōnen manga: spiritual manipulation and transformations. My thesis posits that shōnen manga authors …

Some Results In Thermodynamic Formalism, C. Evans Hedges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates several key questions at the intersection of dynamical systems, computability theory, and thermodynamic formalism. In the symbolic setting, we establish novel results regarding the statistical properties of equilibrium states, deriving bounds on probabilities of configurations and relating these bounds to the Gibbs property through the homoclinic relation. Additionally, we examine the computability of thermodynamic quantities such as pressure, ground state energy, and residual entropy. We show that topological pressure is computable from above for general subshifts and computable for strongly irreducible shifts, with similar results extending to ground state energy and residual entropy.

Extending beyond subshifts, we …

The Embodiment And Experiences Of Gender Euphoria Among Transgender And Nonbinary Communities: A Mixed Methods Inquiry, Brendon T. Holloway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gender euphoria is a critical aspect of embodiment for transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people that has long been overshadowed in academic research by deficit narratives and gender dysphoria. While gender dysphoria is the distress an individual may experience related to their gender, gender euphoria encapsulates the positive emotions a TNB person may experience because of positive gendered experiences. Despite community documentations of gender euphoria since the 1970s, academic research on gender euphoria has only recently begun to emerge. This three-paper dissertation advances this body of scholarship by exploring how gender euphoria is conceptualized, experienced, and embodied in TNB communities. Utilizing …

Excellence Gaps: A State-Based Review Of Policies, Jonathan M. Jennings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates how state education policies address excellence gaps among student subgroups in gifted education. Using a multiple case study design, it examines the policy mechanisms, identification practices, and funding models employed across states to promote equity in advanced academic access. Grounded in critical policy analysis, the study highlights systemic disparities perpetuated by inconsistent definitions, underfunding, and limited accountability structures. Findings reveal that while some states adopt promising interventions - such as universal screening and dual enrollment support - many fall short in ensuring sustainable, inclusive practices. This research calls for reform grounded in transparency, comparability, and justice for …

The Narratological Maus, Isla Lader

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Complete Maus, a memoir graphic novel surrounding the events of character Art Spiegelman as he collects, records, and illustrates his father’s life pre-the Holocaust in Europe, his time in Auschwitz, and then life in the United States has been one of the focal Holocaust survivor testimonies and has redefined the genre it exists in as both a graphic novel, but also as a form of testimony. Like many popularized works dealing with the Holocaust, though, cultural preconceptions of Jewish people, genocide, and audiences’ desire to find morals within the work have made it so often audiences come to …

Sustaining Queerness: A Phenomenological Study Of Colorado Educators, Devani Lemmon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to engage queer Colorado educators to explore how to sustain their identities as queer educators in a politically fractured state. By focusing on Colorado, I could assess the extent to which the legal protections afforded there adequately support educators in sustaining themselves. Additionally, the findings from Colorado had the potential to further illuminate factors influencing teacher sustainability and retention on a much larger scale. The questions for this research project were: 1) How are queer educators sustaining themselves and each other in an increasingly volatile political climate? 2) What, if any, factors impact queer …

E Ho’Omau Mākau, We Will Continue: The Living Sovereign Entities Of Contemporary Hawaiian Songs, Kēhaulani Lagunero

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the relationship between contemporary Hawaiian mele (songs) and Hawaiian ea (sovereignty), focusing on how mele acts as sovereign living entities representing cultural resilience, identity, and resistance to settler-colonial influences. Through semi-structured interviews with Kānaka Maoli, participant observation at cultural events, and close analysis of mele, I identify that these songs are not only expressions of cultural memory, but also living embodiments of ea—sovereignty because they are alive, and they are alive because they are ea. Drawing from the frameworks of cultural survival, survivance, symbolic power, and defiant indigeneity, I explore how mele actively engage …

Carbon Monoxide Releasing Polymeric Micelles, Riya Joshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Carbon monoxide (CO), traditionally known as a toxic gas, has emerged as a potential therapeutic agent due to its cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and vasodilatory properties. This study explores the development of CO-releasing polymeric micelles as a controlled delivery system for biomedical applications. Using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), we synthesized diblock copolymers incorporating CO-releasing moiety diphenylcyclopropenone (DPCP) with hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) to enhance solubility and stability of the overall CO releasing system. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electron microscopy (EM) confirmed the formation of well-defined micelles, while fluorescence assays demonstrated efficient CO release with the use of Iridium photocatalyst under 470 …

Phenomenological Inquiry: High School English Language Arts And Reading Professional Development Design And Delivery, Michelle Jestice

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative, phenomenological inquiry aimed to understand the overall essence of public high school English language arts and reading professional development design and delivery from an inclusive, sociocultural, responsive theoretical lens. The lens extended previous scholarship, combining six educational concepts and theories to develop an ideological framework for high school English language arts and reading professional development design and delivery. They include Vygotsky’s (1978) sociocultural theory, Knowles’ (1978) andragogy, Shulman’s (2013) content-pedagogy-curricular contextualization, Hammond’s (2015) culturally responsive teaching, Bennett’s (1986) intercultural competencies, Smale-Jacobse and others’ (2019) and Tomlinson and others’ (2003) concepts of differentiation: referred to as SACReD. A central …

How Executive Leaders Build Trust: Navigating Organizational Disruption During The Covid-19 Mega-Crisis, Marji Karish

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic, declared a global health crisis by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, created a “mega-crisis” characterized by intersecting physiological, economic, political, social, and cultural disruptions. This study examines how senior organizational executives narrate their response to the crisis, focusing on their engagement with organizational stakeholders. Using a constructivist grounded theory methodology, I conducted in-depth interviews with 12 organizational leaders to construct the Theory of Social Crisis Leadership Communication (SCLC).

Findings highlight the centrality of trust as an interdependent relationship in which executive leaders and organizational stakeholders rely on each other to navigate crises successfully. …

Infographic: Pisa Insights - Students' Mathematics Anxiety, Dominique Russell

Teacher infographics

Each cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) includes a student questionnaire. One topic – mathematics anxiety – is characterised by feelings of tension, fear or apprehension when a person is faced with mathematics-related tasks. Today’s infographic provides useful prompts for teachers when considering their own students.

Chingonas In Charge: A Phenomenological Study Of Latina Educational Leaders In Colorado, Paulina Yvette Lerma-Banuelos

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite comprising 76% of the U.S. teaching workforce (2017−2018), Latina women held only 8.5% of principal roles and 2.7% of superintendent positions. In places such as Colorado, where Latinos make up 15.1% of the population, this inequity highlights the pressing necessity for better representation. The present study used a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the fundamental essence and attributes of leadership among Latina K−12 administrators in Colorado, with a focus on the concept of “chingona” and its transformative significance in their professional journeys. The name “chingona” was historically rejected by young Latina women because of connotations to being aggressive or …

Understanding The Roles Of Individual And Family-Based Resilience Resources And Mechanisms In Youth With Painful Disorders Of Gut-Brain Interaction, Corinne Taylor Evans

All ETDs from UAB

Background Children living with chronic pain are at risk for many negative physical and mental health consequences. However, certain positive attributes and factors can help lessen or prevent such consequences. Children with painful disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBIs) experience deficits in social, emotional, and physical functioning. However, it is unknown whether a combination of individual and family-based resilience factors may lower these risks and contribute to improved physical and mental health responses. Methods 120 children with painful DGBIs were recruited from a pediatric gastroenterology clinic. Children and caregivers completed a series of questionnaires measuring individual and family-based resilience resources (e.g., …

Editorial: The 2nd Asia Pacific International Religious Tourism And Pilgrimage Conference (Apirtp), Darius Liutikas, Imam Wahyudi Karimullah, Sonny Elfiyanto

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Editorial and overview of 2nd International Asia Pacific Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage Conference (APIRTP) was held in Universitas Islam Malang in Malang, Indonesia on 17 – 20 January 2024.

The Modern Pilgrimage Of Umrah: The Convergence Of Spiritual Devotion And Pop-Consumer Culture In Indonesia, Syamsu Madyan, Habil Abyad, Imam Wahyudi Karimullah

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study explores Umrah’s significant growth as a religious tourism model in Indonesian Muslim society. The discussion examines factors that influence that growth, from the increased income levels of Indonesian middle-class Muslims to the Umrah propaganda generated by the wave of social media. This study will also capture Umrah as a solution for Indonesian Muslims to the long waiting queue for Hajj quota in Indonesia, as it is seen as a good opportunity for religious commodification through the touristic market being exercised by stakeholders such as policymakers and travel agencies. As the Umrah tourist market will be analysed in this …

Marketing Management Of Cemetery-Based Religious Sites To Improve The Economic Level Of Society, Dian Mohammad Hakim, Imam Wahyudi Karimullah, Winarto Winarto, Maskuri Maskuri

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This study discussed the potential of cemetery-based religious tourism as an economic development strategy, with the Sunan Ampel Cemetery in Surabaya, Indonesia, as a case in point. By analysing its marketing management strategies, the study demonstrates that successful tourism development requires more than just pulling in tourists; it requires an integrated approach that includes infrastructure and technology development, stakeholder collaboration, and local community involvement. With close to two million visitors each year, Sunan Ampel is an excellent example of the huge economic gains from successful religious tourism efforts. This paper emphasises the need to convert historical religious sites from passive …

Religious Tolerance Through Prayer: Legal Analysis And Inter-Religious Prayer Interactions Communities In Realising Religious Harmony, Zuli Dwi Rahmawati, Siti Sumadiyah

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Joint prayer is an activity that is performed by different religious groups at the same time and place. This practice can be done in the form of one or several people praying while others agree, or everyone prays together according to their respective religions. In Indonesia, the practice of joint prayer shows a discourse on religious tolerance in the diversity of society. The practice of prayer between religious people often triggers discussions on pros and cons among Indonesian people. In this article the law and the interaction of prayer between religious communities as an effort to understand the key role …

Untapped Halal-Friendly Tourism Potential For Taiwan, Arina Khoirunnisa, Indrawati Indrawati, Yu-Fang Yen, Subhash Kizhakanveatil Bhaskaran Pillai

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Being the second largest belief, and fastest growing economy, many of the people from Muslim countries started travelling outside their countries due to increased economic prosperity and curiosity of exploring different cultures. The present study focuses on a non-Muslim country Taiwan, where the government is taking initiatives to attract the new segment of Muslim travellers. To support such initiatives, Halal-friendly-tourism is promoted in Taiwan. The pandemic period of 2019-2022 led to exploring different forms of tourism for reviving the ailing tourism sector, and cultural and heritage tourism is gaining prominence in this direction. Taiwan is trying to showcase its cultural …

Nostalgia, Trauma And Recovery: A Case Study Of Hazrat Hamza Shah Shrine, Ismail Rafik Shaikh, Subhash Kizhakanveatil Bhaskaran Pillai, Indrawati Indrawati, Irfan Syed Mirza, Yu-Fang Yen, Arina Khoirunnisa

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Religious tourism, as a pillar of spirituality and faith, continues to uplift and encourage believers in times of hardship. However, religious tourism was severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected many stakeholders at different levels. This study explores the experiences of various stakeholders at the Hazrat Hamza Shah Shrine in Goa over three different time periods: nostalgia (before the pandemic), trauma (during the pandemic), and recovery (following the pandemic). Utilising qualitative data from interviews and social media sentiment analysis (53 posts on Facebook, 185 on Instagram, 64 on YouTube, and 102 on Google Maps), the study has identified a …

Optimized Wireless Power Transmission For Low-Cost, Energy-Efficient Internet Of Things Devices In Residential Environments, Daniel Brook Hatch

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless power transmission (WPT) offers a promising solution for powering devices in locations where traditional electrical outlets are inaccessible, such as ceilings or outdoor environments. By utilizing electromagnetic waves, such as light, WPT enables power delivery without the need for physical connections. With line-of-sight (LoS) as its primary limitation, this technology offers significant flexibility and potential for a wide range of applications, making it a compelling focus for research and innovation. Despite the advancements in WPT technologies, their practical application for powering Internet of Things (IoT) devices in real-world scenarios remains underexplored. Many IoT devices are installed in locations where …

Longitudinal Relations Between Self-Esteem And Depression: A Continuous Time Analysis With Exploration Of Sleep Duration Effects, Mackenzie Cummings

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Adolescents and young adults face elevated risk for depression. While poor self-esteem and sleep disturbance are known risk factors, few studies have examined their unique and interactive contributions. Longitudinal research often overlooks unequal intervals and multiple sources of variance (e.g., between- and within-person). This study used continuous time structural equation modeling to address these gaps and examine relationships between self-esteem, sleep duration, and depression from adolescence into adulthood. Drawing on four waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 6,184), I tested whether sleep duration moderated the self-esteem–depression link and explored gender differences. …

24-Month Patient-Reported Outcomes For A Novel Lumbar Total Joint Replacement, Ahilan Sivaganesan, Marissa Koscielski, Ashmal Sami, J. Alex Sielatycki, Jeffrey Goldstein, Brady Riesgraf, Craig Humphreys, Scott Hodges

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Lumbar fusion remains a prevalent treatment for degenerative conditions; however, its limitations have sparked interest in alternative motion-sparing procedures. Our study evaluates 24-month postoperative patient-reported outcomes from an OUS pilot clinical study on a novel lumbar total joint replacement (TJR) for degenerative conditions.

METHODS: Data was collected from 63 patients, of which 56 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Self-reported measures collected for this study are Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Minimal Symptom State (MSS), Minimal Clinical Important Difference (MCID), Substantial Clinical Benefit (SCB). This retrospective analysis of prospective, IRB-approved collected data reports 24 month patient-reported outcomes …

Toward Sustainable Human Well-Being: A Multidimensional Assessment In Colorado, Uma Umut Baysal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evaluating progress in human well-being is essential for guiding effective policy and promoting sustainable development. Traditional approaches often emphasize economic and social dimensions while overlooking ecological indicators critical to long-term sustainability. This research addresses that gap by proposing a layered, scalable local framework for county-level analysis and bottom-up decision-making, integrating multiple objective indicators to assess and compare well-being outcomes across regions.

The first goal of this dissertation is to measure human well-being in Colorado counties by developing a Human Well-Being Index (HWBI). This index combines a newly developed Built Environment Index (BEI) comprising five sub-indices: accessibility, housing affordability, transportation, …

Paving The Way: Cultural Relevance In College And Career Readiness Programs, Jacqueline Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Students of color face persistent educational and systemic barriers that impact their success in college and career readiness (CCR) programs. Standardized approaches to CCR often fail to address the cultural identities, lived experiences, and needs of diverse learners (Castro, 2013; Malin et al., 2017; Welton & Martinez, 2014). Guided by the theoretical framework of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, with the extension of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, this instrumental case study investigates how one CCR initiative—the Legacy Scholars Program (LSP), implemented by a Western Urban School District—integrates culturally responsive practices to better serve students of color. Through interviews, observations, and artifact analysis, this …

Staff Education Program On Care Transitions For The Elderly, Emmanoela Mugha

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project was developed as a staff education program using the analyze, design, develop, implement, and evaluate (ADDIE) model with a focus on discharge planning in a medical clinic in northern Maryland. There is a gap in discharge planning for older adults due to shortage of providers and inadequate education related to care transitions among the elderly. The care transition process can be improved through education. The practice focused question was: “Does an educational project for nurses on care transitions for the elderly increase knowledge as compared pre-to post education?” The Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice model (Appendix A) was the …

Reducing Hospital Readmissions For Medicare Patients With Chf And Copd, Darrell Shatel Mccrimon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital readmissions for Medicare beneficiaries with congestive heart failure (CHF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) contribute to increased healthcare costs and adverse outcomes. Evidence-based interventions, such as discharge planning, multidisciplinary care coordination, and patient education, have been implemented to reduce ambulatory care-sensitive admissions (ACSA), yet challenges in care continuity persist. This integrative review examined strategies adopted by healthcare organizations to reduce ACSA among Medicare beneficiaries with CHF and COPD. Guided by the utilization management framework, the review analyzed 19 studies and identified six primary themes: (a) integrated care models, (b) discharge and transitional care, (c) patient-centered interventions, (d) economic …

Employee Engagement And Productivity Among Remote Workers In The Finance Industry, Mauriom Ndikeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related restrictions made remote work a defining feature of the modern workforce. Some finance industry leaders lack effective employee engagement strategies to increase productivity in remote work environments. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore successful employee engagement strategies some finance industry leaders used to increase productivity in remote work environments. This project was grounded in Kahn’s employee engagement theory. The participants were six finance industry leaders from financial organizations in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured Zoom interviews, field notes, …

The Impact Of Temperature Induced Vertebral Anomalies On C-Start Swimming Performance In Astyanax Mexicanus (Teleostei: Characidae), Kaleigh Arnold

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the impact that temperature-induced vertebral anomalies have on the C-start escape response of Astyanax mexicanus, a model species in evolutionary developmental biology. Employing three temperature treatments to induce varying degrees of skeletal anomalies, we assessed their effects on key swimming performance metrics including, C-start time, the curvature coefficient, head displacement distance, and displacement velocity. Through the use of linear mixed models (LMMs) and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), our results reveal that specific anomalies such as vertebral fusions and anomalous haemal and neural spines affected the curving ability of c-start escape responses, however, these did not negatively …

Zeeman Effect Observations Of Water Masers In The Star Forming Region Ngc 7129 Firs2, Marina Bethann Beltran

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Magnetic fields likely play an important role in star formation, yet their influence remains poorly understood due to the observational challenges in measuring them. The only direct method for measuring magnetic fields is through the Zeeman effect, the splitting of spectral lines in the presence of a magnetic field. Water masers, which trace high-density shocked regions, are known to occur throughout some of the earliest stages of the star formation process. They provide an excellent opportunity to observe the Zeeman effect. However, Zeeman detections in H2O masers have so far been limited primarily to isolated, high-intensity maser lines with simple …