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Free Slave: Artist Statement, Thesis, And Working Novel, Leeland Francis Johnson

Masters Theses

This is a fictional slave narrative about a young man born free and taken into slavery. He wrestles with the concepts of forgiveness and mercy as he undergoes his trials and tribulations. As I am a white man taking on this endeavor, I wrestle with the artist's statement about how much care I have taken to make this a replica of a faithful slave narrative. I hope this work will be viewed as a tributary piece.

A Case Study Examining School Leadership And General Education Teachers' Perceived Preparedness For Inclusion Of Students With High-Functioning Autism, Melony Yvonne Marciniak

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study in a Pre-K-12 Christian school environment was to understand the perceived preparedness and perceived efficacy of education professionals and general education middle- and high-school teachers for inclusion of students with high-functioning autism (HFA). The education professionals included a school nurse, one special education teacher, a director of special education and a religion teacher. Three theories guiding the research were self-fulfilling prophecies as defined by Merton (1948), Gilbert and Wilson’s (2007) theory of prospection, and Bandura’s (1995) theory of self-efficacy. The central research question was: How do education professionals and general education teachers in a …

Challenges Experienced By Newly Qualified Nurse-Midwives Transitioning To Practice In Selected Midwifery Settings In Northern Malawi, Mathews Brave Mtegha, Elizabeth Chodzaza, Ellen Chirwa, Fatch Welcome Kalembo, Maggie Zgambo

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Literature shows that newly qualified nurse-midwives face challenges integrating into the workforce during their transition period from education to practice. However, little is known about the needs and challenges of Malawian nurse-midwives during their transition from education to practice. The aim of the study was to explore the transition experiences of newly qualified nurse-midwives working in selected midwifery units in Northern Malawi. Methodology: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using semi-structured interview guides from a purposive sample of 19 participants (13 newly qualified nurse-midwives and 6 key informants). The researchers developed two interview …

G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 6 (Grk6) Regulates Insulin Processing And Secretion Via Effects On Proinsulin Conversion To Insulin, Matthew J Varney, Wouter Steyaert, Paul J Coucke, Joris R Delanghe, David E Uehling, Babu Joseph, Richard Marcellus, Rima Al-Awar, Jeffrey L Benovic

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty Papers

Recent studies identified a missense mutation in the gene coding for G protein-coupled receptor kinase 6 (GRK6) that segregates with type 2 diabetes (T2D). To better understand how GRK6 might be involved in T2D, we used pharmacological inhibition and genetic knockdown in the mouse β-cell line, MIN6, to determine whether GRK6 regulates insulin dynamics. We show inhibition of GRK5 and GRK6 increased insulin secretion but reduced insulin processing while GRK6 knockdown revealed these same processing defects with reduced levels of cellular insulin. GRK6 knockdown cells also had attenuated insulin secretion but enhanced proinsulin secretion consistent with decreased processing. In support …

Comparing Kidney Health Outcomes In Children, Adolescents, And Adults With Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis., Debbie S. Gipson, Jonathan P. Troost, Cathie Spino, Samara Attalla, Joshua Tarnoff, Susan Massengill, Richard Lafayette, Virginia Vega-Warner, Sharon Adler, Patrick Gipson, Matthew Elliott, Frederick Kaskel, Damian Fermin, Marva Moxey-Mims, Richard N. Fine, Elizabeth J. Brown, Kimberly Reidy, Katherine Tuttle, Keisha Gibson, Kevin V. Lemley, Larry A. Greenbaum, Meredith A. Atkinson, Sangeeta Hingorani, Tarak Srivastava, Christine B. Sethna, Kevin Meyers, Cheryl Tran, Katherine M. Dell, Chia-Shi Wang, Jennifer Lai Yee, Matthew G. Sampson, Rasheed Gbadegesin, J J Lin, Tammy Brady, Michelle Rheault, Howard Trachtman

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Importance: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) across the lifespan. While 10% to 15% of children and 3% of adults who develop ESKD have FSGS, it remains uncertain whether the natural history differs in pediatric vs adult patients, and this uncertainty contributes to the exclusion of children and adolescents in clinical trials.

Objective: To examine whether there are differences in the kidney health outcomes among children, adolescents, and adults with FSGS.

Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used pooled and parallel analyses, completed July 5, 2022, from 3 complimentary data sources: (1) …

Remnants Of Educational Leadership And Desegregation Etched In The Memories Of Black Educational Leaders: An Oral History, Janice Barge Clarke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study the experiences of Black (a.k.a. African Americans/ Negroes) educationalleaders were explored focusing on the period during the transition to a more desegregated public- school setting in the state of Florida. Using retrospective storytelling and reflections of ‘leading’ during desegregation, the lived experiences of those in educational leadership roles were captured in the form of oral histories and analyzed using critical race theory. The effects of desegregation is recounted from their vantage point, from the dissolution of the ‘all Black’ schools to the impact it had on the communities. The research question was: What are the stories told …

Impacts Of A Workplace-Based Weight-Control Intervention On Objective And Perceived Physical Activity Among A Subgroup Of Workers, Rachel Tabak, Ryan Colvin, Jaime R Strickland, Ann Marie Dale, Maura Kepper, Tara Ruggeri, Bradley Evanoff

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Physical activity (PA) has many benefits; however, groups facing barriers to health-promoting behaviors are less likely to be physically active. This may be addressed through workplace interventions. The current study employs objective (accelerometry) and perceived (International Physical Activity Questionnaire [IPAQ]) measures of PA among a subset of participants from the "Working for You" study, which tests a multi-level (work group and individual) workplace intervention targeted at workers with low-incomes. Linear mixed and hierarchical logistic regression models are used to determine the intervention's impact on moderate- to vigorous-PA (MVPA) and achieving the PA Guideline for Americans (≥150 minutes MVPA/week), respectively from …

Exploration Of The Effectiveness Of Trauma Systems Therapy For Foster Care, Laura Marie Doran

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Permanency is the desired outcome when a child has been placed into a foster care placement. That permanency outcome can involve a return to their birth family, being adopted by a new family, or guardianship with a relative (Lockwood et al., 2015). Achieving the final goal requires foster parents to understand trauma, dysregulated behaviors, and parenting techniques. The foster parent’s attachment and commitment to the foster child is affected by their understanding of those three topics. Trauma training is key to accomplishing that fuller understanding (Patterson et al., 2018). Foster parents’ comprehension of the trauma effects on behaviors and the …

Third Culture Kids' Repatriation And Planned Transition To College From A South Asian Country: A Qualitative Collective Case Study, Sandra Wiemann Blank

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative collective case study was to understand the transition to college in the United States of third culture kids (TCKs) who have spent at least one year in South Asia during their upbringing (ages 6-18). Schlossberg’s adults in transition theory was employed to study planned transitions to college. This study attempted to answer the research questions: How do TCKs perceive the major events or benchmarks in their transition to college? How did expected and unexpected outcomes impact TCKs’ experience during their transition to college? What resources do TCKs typically access during their repatriation to college transition …

Conflict Surrounding The Red Castle: The Smithsonian Institution During The Civil War, Amber Turner Darby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This research project is an attempt to explain the social, racial, cultural, and economic history of the Smithsonian Institution during the Civil War. While the Institution aimed to maintain political neutrality since its establishment in 1846, various events such as the Compromise of 1850 and the Presidential Election of 1860 initiated a four-year-long war that placed the city of Washington and the Institution near enemy lines. During this war, the Institution suffered from labor losses, was forced to halt progress on research, and constantly feared destruction of the artifacts from Confederate attacks. This research project also examines the early history …

A Case Study Of Cultural Awareness Integration Throughout The Elementary Education Curriculum, Kristina Nicole Laird-Arnold

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this instrumental case study was to understand the critical aspects of cultural awareness education at the elementary level. This study intended to assess a variety of educators’ perceptions of elementary students’ cultural awareness and character development by asking what role culture awareness plays in the development of the whole child. This instrumental case study sought to identify teachers’ perceptions of the current educational provisions of teaching and learning through cultural proficiency in elementary education. The central research question was: How do elementary teachers’ perceptions of cultural awareness help integrate content throughout the educational curriculum? It was used …

A Case Study Of Audio Video Technology And Film Teachers’ Preparedness, Brian Ronald Holt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to provide a deeper understanding of audio video technology and film (AVTF) teachers’ preparedness to teach this curriculum in the state of Georgia. Their preparedness will generally be defined as the degree of formal training, or lack thereof, for teaching the AVTF curriculum in Georgia public schools. The research questions were as follows: Central Question: To what degree are current AVTF teachers’ formal training experiences sufficient in teaching a CTE course offering? Sub-Question 1: What are AVTF teachers’ training experiences? Sub-Question 2: What research-based teaching strategies are employed by AVTF teachers? Sub-Question …

Leadership Competencies For Christian Directors At International Schools In Saudi Arabia, Ayanna Saran Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As Christian leaders expand their influence into the Middle East, it is important for both leaders and institutions to know what competencies are essential for these leaders. Educational leadership in Saudi Arabia is under reformation as expats and nationals work in collaboration to lead international schools towards Vision 2030. To compile a list of essential competencies, this exploratory qualitative research explored which skills, behaviors, and knowledge were recommended by recruiters and Saudi principals for international directors. The exploratory research included interviews with three Saudi principals and three recruiters who shed light on the essential competencies for expatriate directors. Based on …

Equipping Members Of Watchmen Supernatural International Ministries To Share The Gospel Effectively In The Local Community, Claudette Elaine Mckenzie Nicholson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that members of Watchmen on the Walls Supernatural International Ministries are not having successful results when they share the gospel message locally. The purpose of this DMIN Project is to equip unisex adults and adolescent members of Watchmen on the Walls Supernatural International Ministries to conduct evangelism. The thesis project seeks to design a plan to enhance the knowledge and abilities of WWSIM members to share the gospel effectively. The design is a theoretical and practical training plan that will impact twelve participants in the classroom, on the streets, and in a coordinated outreach in one of …

Measuring Audio Smoothness, Richard Zhang, Colin Downs-Razouk

Defensive Publications Series

A computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a smartwatch, etc.) may determine audio smoothness (e.g., an aspect of audio quality) of an application session based on an audio smoothness metric that measures the number of bytes of an audio sample that arrive at audio output device (e.g., a headset, an earpiece, a speaker, etc.) on time. For example, the computing device may determine the audio smoothness metric based on the number of buffer overruns (e.g., an anomaly that occurs when a program writes data to a buffer at a faster speed than the data is …

Behavior Of A Multi-Planetary Search Engine, Ashish Duggal

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure describes computer-implemented systems and methods for providing search results to users located in remote areas utilizing local hardware and locally cached data to return search results at little or no cost and providing a greater search breadth tier that utilizes remote hardware and data with an associated cost. User profiles associated with the users located in the remote areas may drive an aggregate, anonymized and frequency adjust model to determine subjects of interest to the plurality of users.

Automating Network Device Configuration Template Discovery, Derek Engi, Gonzalo Salgueiro, Ravi Garg, Bradley Wise

Defensive Publications Series

Establishing network device "golden" configuration templates typically relies on largely manual efforts and a dialogue between network consulting engineers and customers. Techniques are presented herein that streamline the process of discovering and baselining network standards by examining underlying themes and relationships between micro-templates in customer environments. Aspects of the presented techniques employ a Masked-Language Model (MLM), in a way that an MLM was not necessarily intended, to detect locally significant attributes in network device configurations for the express purpose of identifying structures that are common across a set of devices. Under further aspects of the presented techniques, the creation of …

Predictive Ev Mode Drop In Phev To Prevent Mileage Collapse, Axel Unger

Defensive Publications Series

No abstract provided.

Standard Combination Of Charging Columns With Washing Water Filling Stations, Axel Unger

Defensive Publications Series

No abstract provided.

Horizontal Storage Module With Bow And Arrow Ejection Principle Mechanism

Defensive Publications Series

No abstract provided.

Method To Simplify Detailed Testing In Distributed Microservice Architectures, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes a mechanism in which a user action(s) can be executed, and the internals of the system recorded when the actions are manually run, so that the system behaviour through to completion of the action(s) can be captured, analyzed, modified, shared, and compared against in subsequent iterations.

Method For Minimizing Over Booking Of Resources In Rhp Enabled Control Plane Networks, Anonymous

Defensive Publications Series

The present disclosure proposes a mechanism to improve network efficiency and resource utilization in Retain Home Path (RHP) enabled control plane networks. With optimized resource allocation, networks will be allowed to accommodate a larger number of services without losing RHP capability of existing services. The disclosure provides a way to work with overbooking of RHP efficiently by selecting protect paths which lead to the lowest spectrum utilization in the network for RHP enabled services. Current RHP solutions do not consider spectrum usage. This can lead to usage of extra spectrum, which could have otherwise been saved.

Battery Swelling Defender By Pogo Pins Detection To Discharge The Swelling Gas, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

This innovation method is integrated electrical circuitry with pogo pins placement to sense battery swelling area and then mitigate it by an automatic control flow. For control methodology, the battery defender design in system background and monitor the battery swelling status. Once pogo pins trigger a battery swelling alert then start to calculate the affected area to further turn on the mesh shutter until mitigating the battery swelling circumstance. One step further, this solution can detect battery swelling earlier and analyze long term user charging usage in the data lake then properly adjust charging behavior on tagged system for preventing …

Automatic Detection Of A Non-Effective Prime, Hp Inc

Defensive Publications Series

Some printheads require some servicing routines during the normal operation in order to keep the printheads in good conditions. Typically, the servicing routines consist of a combination of spitting, where the resistors are activated to spit ink, and blow primes, that consist of applying air pressure on the printhead vent to open the printhead regulator and eject some ink. Typically, the result of performing a non‐effective prime is a defect on the Image Quality, since during the servicing routines, the amount of ink ejected during a prime is lower than the required. This situation could occur if there is an …

Simply Constructed, Robust, Novel Combined (Flooded And Sprayed) Cooling System Of An E-Machine, Axel Unger

Defensive Publications Series

No abstract provided.

ˮAicsˮ Audi Intelligent Car Smell, Axel Unger

Defensive Publications Series

No abstract provided.

Blazed And Slanted Grating Mastering Using Crystallography-Based Silicon Etching, Lu Tian, Joe Lowney, Tom Mercier, Wei Jin

Defensive Publications Series

This disclosure describes crystallographic etching techniques to manufacture blazed or slanted silicon gratings such that their characteristic angles are defined by the facet angles of the silicon crystal substrate. The techniques enable the manufacture of precisely formed and uniform gratings with smooth surfaces over large areas. The grating pattern is achieved by using anisotropic, potassium hydroxide based, crystallographic etching of a silicon wafer along selected crystal planes. The grating structures manufactured by the described techniques can be used as master molds for replicated fabrication of nano-imprint optical devices such as waveguides.

Widening The Spectrum For Monochrome Led Displays With Occasional Voltage Spikes, Ian Rickard Muldoon

Defensive Publications Series

Monochrome LED displays, such as those used for augmented reality (AR) applications, can be unpleasant to view because of the single color used, which is often quite saturated. Approaches to address the issue with the use of phosphors or of LEDs of multiple colors are ineffective or impractical. This disclosure describes techniques to widen the spectrum of colors displayed via monochrome LED displays by occasionally spiking the voltage driving the LED to a higher level. The result is a display appearance that is less saturated and softer.

Assessment Moderation: Is It Fit For Purpose?, Lenore Adie

2021-2030 ACER Research Conferences

This presentation outlines the different practices and purposes of assessment moderation and analyses the benefits and issues of these. Two projects are presented; each seeks to improve teacher judgement. Both attempt to redefine what we mean by moderation and how moderation can be conducted to reach diverse and dispersed groups. The first draws on a current Australian Research Council project that is exploring the development of scaled exemplars, the use of commentaries of judgement decisions, and the use of digital platforms to support teachers grading student work. The second draws on the work of the Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) …

The Transformational Change Of Adaptive Assessment, Jarrod Hingston, Toby Newton

2021-2030 ACER Research Conferences

Organisational change theory often discusses the differences between adaptive change and transformational change; adaptive change being the process of incremental shifts that are intended to drive improvement, while transformational change requires major alterations in processes. In 2019, ACER embarked on a mission to develop a new adaptive testing and reporting system, with the goal of delivering an assessment that would improve the precision of results for every student. While the intention was to introduce an adaptive change in the assessments, the project truly transformed the way that ACER delivers assessments and reports results, a result recognised by the project being …