Digital Commons Network^™

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study: Perspectives On The Parental Engagement Strategies Of Rural African American Parents Of Middle School Students, Barbara Ragin Champagne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore and ascribe meaning to African American parents' lived experiences in the education of their middle school students in rural east-central South Carolina. Two theoretical frameworks guided this study as they related to the levels and the effect of parental self-efficacy on parental engagement: Hoover-Dempsey and Sandler's revised model of parental involvement and Bandura's self-efficacy theory. The central research question for this study was "What are the perceptions and lived experiences of rural African American middle-school parents and their involvement in parental engagement activities?" Three subsequent sub-questions on parental self-efficacy, role …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? Exploring The Crisis Of Faith Process Of Former Members Of The Cjlds Within The United States, Kent Taylor Critchlow

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Christians are experiencing a crisis of religious faith throughout the United States at an alarming rate, especially among millennials. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, there were 20 primary and secondary reasons that created a crisis of religious faith and there were 13 reasons that motivated each participant to eventually abandon their Church membership. Over 80% of the reasons why the participants left the Church were directly and indirectly tied to the Prophet Joseph Smith and to the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. The use of the Internet played a significant role in expediting …

Predicting The Outcomes Of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Tinnitus: Applications Of Artificial Neural Network And Support Vector Machine, Hansapani Rodrigo, Eldré W. Beukes, Gerhard Andersson, Vinaya Manchaiah

School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences Faculty Publications

Purpose:

Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) has been found to be effective for tinnitus management, although there is limited understanding about who will benefit the most from ICBT. Traditional statistical models have largely failed to identify the nonlinear associations and hence find strong predictors of success with ICBT. This study aimed at examining the use of an artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM) to identify variables associated with treatment success in ICBT for tinnitus.

Method:

The study involved a secondary analysis of data from 228 individuals who had completed ICBT in previous intervention studies. A 13-point reduction …

Impact Of International Travel And Diarrhea On Gut Microbiome And Resistome Dynamics, Manish Boolchandani, Kevin S Blake, Drake H Tilley, Miguel M Cabada, Drew J Schwartz, Sanket Patel, Maria Luisa Morales, Rina Meza, Giselle Soto, Sandra D Isidean, Chad K Porter, Mark P Simons, Gautam Dantas

2020-Current year OA Pubs

International travel contributes to the global spread of antimicrobial resistance. Travelers' diarrhea exacerbates the risk of acquiring multidrug-resistant organisms and can lead to persistent gastrointestinal disturbance post-travel. However, little is known about the impact of diarrhea on travelers' gut microbiomes, and the dynamics of these changes throughout travel. Here, we assembled a cohort of 159 international students visiting the Andean city of Cusco, Peru and applied next-generation sequencing techniques to 718 longitudinally-collected stool samples. We find that gut microbiome composition changed significantly throughout travel, but taxonomic diversity remained stable. However, diarrhea disrupted this stability and resulted in an increased abundance …

Federated Learning Enables Big Data For Rare Cancer Boundary Detection, Sarthak Pati, Pamela Lamontagne, Daniel Marcus, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.

The Polyamine Spermine Potentiates The Propagation Of Negatively Charged Molecules Through The Astrocytic Syncytium, Jan Benedikt, Christian J Malpica-Nieves, Yomarie Rivera, Miguel Méndez-González, Colin G Nichols, Rüdiger W Veh, Misty J Eaton, Serguei N Skatchkov

2020-Current year OA Pubs

The interest in astrocytes, the silent brain cells that accumulate polyamines (PAs), is growing. PAs exert anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidepressant, neuroprotective, and other beneficial effects, including increasing longevity in vivo. Unlike neurons, astrocytes are extensively coupled to others via connexin (Cx) gap junctions (GJs). Although there are striking modulatory effects of PAs on neuronal receptors and channels, PA regulation of the astrocytic GJs is not well understood. We studied GJ-propagation using molecules of different (i) electrical charge, (ii) structure, and (iii) molecular weight. Loading single astrocytes with patch pipettes containing membrane-impermeable dyes, we observed that (i) even small molecules do not …

Tiktok Tourette's: Are We Witnessing A Rise In Functional Tic-Like Behavior Driven By Adolescent Social Media Use?, Jessica Frey, Kevin J. Black, Irene A Malaty

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Perceptions of Tourette syndrome (TS) and tic disorders are often driven by social media. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media consumption greatly increased, particularly in the adolescent population. In parallel with increased social media consumption, there has also been an increase in tic severity and functional tic-like behavior (FTLB). Given that many of the tic videos posted on social media are misleading, perpetuate false beliefs about TS, or reinforce tic-like behaviors, there is increasing concern that these videos are driving the rapid increase in FTLBs. Several studies have reviewed newly presenting cases of FTLB and have found shared characteristics, including …

Achieving Sustainability In The Facades Of Existing Residential Buildings In The City Of Riyadh - Saudi Arabia An Applied Study On One Of The Prototypes Buildings Of The Ministry Of Housing In Riyadh, Hatem El Shafie, Nouf Alomairi

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Housing ensures stability and an appropriate climate for the individual and the family. The provision of adequate housing is one of priorities and concerns in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The research problem lies in the lack of selection the facades, shapes, and materials in a well-studied scientific way that fits with the existing residential buildings, to protect them from the external environment and weather in Riyadh city. Hence, this paper aims to find the best suitable modern techniques and design solutions that positively impact the facades of residential buildings, and to reach the architectural configuration of the outer cover …

Diversification Of Suffering: An Analysis Of The Historiography Of The Home Fronts Of First World War Germany And Austria-Hungary Of The Past Quarter-Century, Gage Overton

Student Scholarship & Creative Works

The scholarship analyzing the home fronts of Germany and Austria-Hungary during the First World War has grown sharply in the past quarter-century. These studies revealed many details that were scarcely known to many historians and introduced perspectives of the home front that were largely ignored beforehand. The scholars highlighted in this analysis all provide discussions which have deepened our understanding of the war, like the German government's punishment of women for "sexual treason," the extent of Vienna's devastation caused by hunger and disease, and the relationship between theatre and Austrian identity. Overall, the recent scholarship on this subject has demonstrated …

The Evolution Of Banned Books Week, Olivia Samuels

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Give Us Back Our Books! An Analysis of Banned Books Week and Why 2022 Is Different Although many will argue that Banned Books Week is simply another event to spread awareness that occurs in a similar manner every year, this year seems to stand out. Throughout this research I strove to provide an overview of Banned Books Week and how it has arguably evolved up to this point. This argument is framed by analysis of texts surrounding this event that serve as secondary sources for its evolution. I also utilized interviews with professionals in the English field because they provide …

Online Vs In Person Schooling- Which Is More Effective?, Allie Payne

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

When I started this project, I was hoping to learn if online school was more effective, or in person school was more effective. I was hoping to learn whether or not I should register for online classes next semester. At first, I was hoping that online school would be a better option, because of the flexibility it entails. Research was conducted using library and internet resources to locate both primary and secondary research. For this study, personal accounts from the past and present online students shared their personal experiences with online learning. After conducting research, I have concluded that while …

Internship Portfolio-Hville Blast And Holtz Leather Co., Sarah Gronberg

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Born Or Lived: Forming Personal Identity, Nicholas Hatch

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Identity is one of the most significant aspects of an individual's life. Your identity affects how you see yourself and how others see you. An individual's identity is very complex and many factors contribute to the formation of their identity. Considering this, this prompted the question; What are some of the biggest factors of identity formation and why are they important? Looking through various scientific papers as well as the experiences of individuals, I have come to the conclusion that sexual orientation, gender identity, personal circumstance, and lived experience are among the more significant factors of identity formation. They are …

Eric Watson Senior Recital, Arkansas State University Department Of Music

Performance Programs

No abstract provided.

Dual-Country Middle School Science Air Quality Curriculum Guide, Cassandra R. Sendra

Honors Capstones

The focus of this unit is to engage and enrich students’ perspectives on the human impact on Earth in different areas of the world. This unit will allow students to interact and learn about students in another country, learn about the air quality similarities and differences and what could affect the results of testing the air quality in two communities in different parts of the world. The goal of this unit is to have the students understand how humans impact the world around them and to compare their community to another community. The students will be accomplishing this goal utilizing …

Historical Astronomy Books Reveal Our Evolving Understanding Of Time, Sara Miner

Fall Student Research Symposium 2022

Our understanding of time and its patterns has drastically changed throughout human history. Part of this change is a result of scientific discovery and invention. Astronomy and physics have changed how we understand our place in the universe as well as our effect on time.

Impact Of Evs On Global Warming, Deweender Sharvin Sethu, Ho Kai Sheng, Khalish Marican

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

This research aims to define the relationship between electric vehicles (EVs) and the total CO2 emissions of the world. The research question is “does the transition to EVs actually make an impact on the total CO2 emissions”. The dependent variable for this research is the total carbon emissions of 195 countries from 1990 to 2019. This secondary data is obtained from the World Bank. The key independent variable used is the total number of Tesla EVs sold in each country from 1990 to 2019. We use Tesla as the company has an exceptionally high market share in the EV market. …

Mental Health And Academic Achievements, Priyangaa Rajendran, Sundareswar Selvaganesan, Keren Natha, Vanessa Ng

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

No abstract provided.

Launch 2022, Otterbein Theatre And Dance Department

2022-2023 Season Productions

A fundraiser for the New York Senior Showcase, the ninety-minute program will include the favorite songs, dance, scenes and monologues of the Class of 2023. It will be an afternoon of celebration and joy, the perfect opportunity for you to see these rising stars one last time before they are “launched” into the professional world of show business. All proceeds, including donations beyond the admission fee, will benefit the NY Senior Showcase.

Ensemble Concerts: Wind Symphony, December 4, 2022, Anthony C. Marinello Iii, John Gonzalez

School of Music Programs

Center for the Performing Arts
December 4, 2022
Sunday Afternoon
3:00 p.m.

Hack To The Future, Jerry Zezima

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop Blog

At the risk of plagiarizing Popeye, who is a cartoon character and can’t sue me, I am what I am. I can’t say what I am in polite company, but I can say who I am: a guy nobody should want to be because, on most days, I don’t want to be myself.

Biomechanical And Sensory Feedback Regularize The Behavior Of Different Locomotor Central Pattern Generators, Kaiyu Deng, Alexander J. Hunt, Nicholas Szczecinski, Matthew Tresch, Hillel J. Chiel, Charles Heckman, Roger Quinn

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This work presents an in-depth numerical investigation into a hypothesized two-layer central pattern generator (CPG) that controls mammalian walking and how different parameter choices might affect the stepping of a simulated neuromechanical model. Particular attention is paid to the functional role of features that have not received a great deal of attention in previous work: the weak cross-excitatory connectivity within the rhythm generator and the synapse strength between the two layers. Sensitivity evaluations of deafferented CPG models and the combined neuromechanical model are performed. Locomotion frequency is increased in two different ways for both models to investigate whether the model’s …

Carlos Pedrell’S Al Atardecer En Los Jardines De Arlaja, Matanya Ophee

Soundboard Scholar

This article reproduces Al atardecer en los jardines de Arlaja by the Uruguayan composer Carlos Pedrell, preceded by a commentary. Together with Pedrell's other guitar works, this piece enriches our picture of Latin American guitar repertoire in the early twentieth century. In the case of Pedrell, we have a work written by a composer who studied in Paris and who wrote for three of the major guitarists of his time—Segovia, Pujol, and Llobet.

Autopsy V. Virtopsy: A New Approach For Postmortem Forensic Examination, Nicole Elaine Lawson

Honors Projects

Virtopsy as a potential new standard in forensic science investigation in the place of a conventional autopsy. In recent years there have been new advancements across the forensic field and in the scientific world as a whole. These advancements have changed many approaches bringing new capabilities and new challenges and pushback. This report takes a specific interest in the evolution of forensic autopsy. With improvements such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography scan (CT), X-Rays, and other approaches a new term and technique have been coined Virtopsy. As this new potential approach has come to light the resistance against …

Saint Jude's, December 4, 2022

Saint Jude's

A newsletter published for Deaf Catholics in Waltham, MA

Saint Jude's Finding Aid

Veteran Journalist Leads Exploration Of University And State, Lareeca Rucker

University of Mississippi News

Honors College class focuses on issues and progress 60 years after Meredith enrollment

American Attitudes Toward Nuclear Energy, Eric J. Kirchman

Honors Capstones

Despite the mature underlying technology behind nuclear energy production, public support varies widely among the American public and has often changed over time. This paper seeks to analyze patterns in Americans’ attitudes towards nuclear energy using aggregate polling data from previously collected national public surveys. Standard demographics such as age, education, and political affiliation are utilized in cross-sectional comparisons against public opinion. Males, conservatives and Republicans were found to have strong positive responses towards nuclear energy. Furthermore, time-series data indicates nuclear energy fell out of favor in the early 1980s. It was later favored again in the early 2000s. This …

Artificial Intelligence In The Medical Field: Medical Review Sentiment Analysis, Nicholas Podlesak

Honors Capstones

In this research project, natural language processing techniques’ ability to accurately classify medical text was measured to reinforce the relevance of artificial intelligence in the medical field. Sentiment analyses (analyses to determine whether the text was positive or negative) were performed on the prescription drug reviews in an open-source dataset using four different models: lexical, a neural network, a support vector machine, and a logistic regression model. Each model’s effectiveness was gauged by its ability to correctly classify unlabeled drug reviews (i.e., a percentage representing accuracy). The machine learning models were able to accurately classify the text, while the lexical …

Ideals Of Functions With Compact Support In The Integer-Valued Case, Themba Dube, Oghenetega Ighedo, Batsile Tlharesakgosi

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

For a zero-dimensional Hausdorff space X, denote, as usual, by C(X, ℤ) the ring of continuous integer-valued functions on X. If f ∈ C(X, ℤ), denote by Z(f) the set of all points of X that are mapped to 0 by f. The set C_K(X; ℤ) = {f ∈ C(X; ℤ) | cl_X(X \ Z(f)) is compact} is the integer-valued analogue of the ideal of functions with compact support in C(X). By first working in the category of locales and then interpreting …

Schoolhouse Rock! Rules: Orthodoxies And Unorthodoxies In Congressional Procedure, John Cannan

Faculty Publications

Is the Schoolhouse Rock! cartoon version of the conventional legislative process really dead? According to some legal academics, traditional Congressional procedures, documented in the cartoon I’m Just a Bill, have been replaced by unorthodox lawmaking—frequent and significant procedural legislative deviations. In actuality, the iconic cartoon and the traditional process are not ready for the grave just yet.

This paper documents the many nuances in orthodox and unorthodox lawmaking by reviewing over 1,500 laws passed between the 111th to116th Congresses and the information sources produced for each to evaluate how pervasive unorthodox law-making really is. The results show the true balance …