Digital Commons Network^™

Finite Mixture Modeling Towards Applications In Material Science And Biomedical Data, Jason Hasse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation contains three chapters on different applications of mixture regression models, broadly in materials science and public health. We begin with a basic application of finite mixture models and regression mixture models. The materials science analysis was performed entirely using data from finite element simulations of the additive manufacturing process via powder bed fusion. Visualization of the clustering solution as applied to the additive manufacturing designs highlighted the intuitive patterns that could be found. These patterns simultaneously yield the regression coefficients and subgroups of the geometric regions, providing a way to predict stresses and strains in a new geometry …

Engagement Across The Cultural Divide: Accommodative Communication In The Study Abroad Context, Charles W. Choi Ph.D.

All Faculty Open Access Publications

Study abroad contexts can generate apprehension and reluctance to communicate across cultural difference, constraining opportunities for meaningful intercultural engagement. This qualitative study examines how students described intercultural willingness to communicate and intercultural competence during study abroad. Using Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) as an interpretive framework, semi-structured interviews were analyzed thematically, yielding four interrelated themes: intercultural apprehension as it relates to a willingness to communicate, intergroup dynamics, accommodation, and intercultural communication competence. Participants described how apprehension and perceived group boundaries shaped whether interaction felt possible or worthwhile, while accommodation (both behavioral and psychological) helped them remain engaged, manage perceived distance, and …

Using L1-Magic For Feature Enhancement And Reduced Redundancy In Hyperspectral Data, Ashley Alfred

Mathematics Dissertations

Hyperspectral imaging offers detailed spectral information, but achieving high spatial resolution typically requires large and expensive equipment. This study explores an alternative approach: enhancing low-quality hyperspectral bands using an L1-norm minimization technique known as L1-magic. The goal is to improve the utility of low-cost hardware by preserving discriminative features, promoting sparsity, and reducing spectral redundancy. We apply L1-magic to enhance low-quality bands and hypothesize that this method selectively amplifies key features while suppressing redundant information. Experimental results indicate that the enhanced bands approach the quality of high-resolution data, enabling robust feature extraction without reliance on high-end hyperspectral cameras.

Understanding Motor Competence In Autism And Developmental Coordination Disorder: From Everyday Performance To Underlying Postural Control Mechanisms, Crystal E. Alvarez

Kinesiology Dissertations

Motor competence plays a foundational role in children’s participation, physical activity, adaptive behavior, and overall quality of life. Although motor difficulties are highly prevalent in autism spectrum disorder (autism) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD), these challenges are frequently under-identified and insufficiently characterized, particularly in autistic populations. Existing research demonstrates substantial overlap in motor challenges across autism and DCD; however, relatively little work has integrated caregiver perceptions, standardized motor assessment, and mechanistic postural control measures within the same investigation. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to examine motor competence and postural control in autistic children, children with DCD, and neurotypical …

Ultra-Low Noise Ion Detection For Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Searches, Karen E. Navarro

Physics Dissertations

Neutrinos are the most abundant particles in the universe that carry mass. Yet, we know very little about them since they are electrically neutral and interact weakly. A small instance after the Big Bang, an imbalance occurred that caused matter to be produced in greater quantities than antimatter. A leading candidate for this unexplained process is leptogenesis. Leptogenesis predicts that neutrinos are Majorana particles: a particle that is its own antiparticle. Today, particle detectors are being constructed to search for this property through the yet unobserved neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) . If observed, this would demonstrate that neutrinos are …

Nuclear Deterrence And Nuclear Modernization: A Strategic Analysis Of Global Nuclear Threats And U.S. Policy, Abraham Morland

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The nuclear imperative comes from the idea that all three legs of the Triad must be retained to ensure a viable deterrent posture, provide flexibility in a response, and give decision makers options to create uncertainty in an adversary’s decision calculus. The nuclear imperative is the need to fund suggested shortfalls in the nuclear enterprise and modernize the U.S. Triad, not just one or two legs, but all three, due to the ever-increasing nuclear risk. To understand the current state in which the United States finds itself and the need for the nuclear modernization program, this thesis will review nuclear …

Applied Machine Learning In Mineral Prospectivity Mapping In The South Pass-Granite Mountains Of Wyoming, Carl D. York

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The South Pass-Granite Mountains, comprised of Archean to Tertiary rocks embedded with an Archean greenstone belt in Central Wyoming, have historically been mined for gold, iron, steel, and silver. Rare earth elements have been of increasing interest in the region and thus, several datasets have become available. Knowledge driven and data driven models are used in mineral prospectivity mapping with input data including geological mapping, geochemical data, geophysical (USGS Critical Mineral magnetic and gravity data), radiometric (U, Th, K) data and multispectral remote sensing data. Mineral prospectivity has seen a rapid improvement in recent years using advancements in machine learning …

Drone Dichotomy: Investigating The Application Of Unmanned Aerial Systems For Offensive And Defensive Chemical, Biological, Radiological, And Nuclear-Related Tasks, Evan Jacob Martinovitch

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This thesis investigates the application of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for both offensive and defensive chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) tasks to determine if they serve as a force multiplier on the modern battlefield. As CBRN weapons reemerge as realistic threats alongside the rapid proliferation of UAS, the intersection of these fields presents unique challenges and opportunities. Through a methodology that examines the history of the UAS-CBRN intersection, military doctrine, and the status of UAS technology, this research evaluates the capability of current and emerging UAS against specific CBRN delivery, reconnaissance and surveillance, and decontamination tasks. The analysis conducted …

Small Mammal Communities Within And Land Coverage Around Southwestern Missouri Prairies, Kaitlyn J. Bebensee

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Land alterations can reduce the amount of suitable habitat necessary for persistence of an associated species. Within such constrained habitats, limited resources may elicit competition, which could cause shifts in abundance and occurrence of species. Missouri prairies have been declining in size, making it imperative to collect reference data on mammal populations within and land use types around remnants. For this study, I trapped small mammals in Southwestern Missouri prairies because they can be indicators of environmental health and can vary in abundance between prairies. I focus on the diet of two dominant small mammals, Peromyscus maniculatus and Microtus ochrogaster …

Northern Luzon In A Taiwan Flashpoint: The Philippines’ Place In U.S. Strategy, Carson Keller

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

While the defense of Taiwan from a potential invasion by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has long been a topic of debate and scrutiny in U.S. strategic thinking, the role of its southern neighbor, the Philippines, has received far less attention. This thesis argues that northern Luzon would constitute key terrain in a cross-strait conflict and may become an early target of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) operations. Its proximity to Taiwan and position along the Luzon Strait, particularly the Bashi Channel, places it at the center of efforts to control access to the hypothetical battlespace. Drawing on PLA and …

Flow Regime Shifts And Channel Morphological Adjustments In Response To Changing Climate Patterns: Examples From Gasconade River, Missouri, Usa, Katherine E. Brand

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Recent changes in climate patterns due to anthropogenic inputs (i.e. greenhouse gases/CO₂) have caused alterations to precipitation events leading to altered flow regimes. Changes in the magnitude and frequency of flood events results in physical adjustments to river morphology, including changes in width and depth. As rivers experience more frequent and larger flood events, they accommodate by changing their morphological characteristics. The Gasconade River, a tributary of the Missouri River located in southcentral Missouri, USA, has exhibited recent patterns of acute bank erosion with limited understanding of its causes and effects on the river. This study aims to understand how …

Extending The Fruiting Season With Container Grown Primocane-Fruiting Blackberries Grown In A High-Tunnel, Edwin James Tucker Iii

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Blackberry production has become an important part of many small fruit orchard operations because they’re easy to grow, produce a large crop, and sell well at market. The current blackberry season in Missouri extends from mid-June to mid-August, depending on the cultivar chosen. This fruiting season is common for floricane-fruiting blackberry cultivars (cultivars that fruit on one-year old canes). Primocane-fruiting blackberry, or blackberries that fruit on current season growth, have the potential to further extend the harvest season of blackberry into September and October especially if grown in a high-tunnel. This study had two objectives. The first objective was to …

The Use Of Performance Feedback To Decrease Latency Of Clinical Documentation, Taylor Reynolds

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Organizational behavior management (OBM) applies behavior-analytic principles to workplace settings. This study evaluated the effects of performance feedback on documentation latency among full-time staff in an ABA clinic. Reducing documentation latency is intended to improve the timeliness and accuracy of clinical documentation and to reduce risk related to non-reimbursement and liability. An ABABC design was used to evaluate the effects of performance feedback and the addition of a lottery reinforcement system on documentation latency. For each participant, the sequence consisted of a standard feedback phase (A), an enhanced feedback phase (B), a return to standard feedback phase (A), a reintroduction …

Gene Editing And The Accessibility Of Bioterrorism: Rethinking Global Biosecurity In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Nicholas Morales

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

COVID‑19 demonstrated how a single biological event can strain health systems, disrupt supply chains, undermine national security, and erode public trust. This shock occurred as biotechnology became dramatically more accessible: gene editing and synthetic biology tools once limited to specialized laboratories are now widely available through inexpensive equipment, open‑source data, and decentralized expertise.

This expanded access accelerates innovation but also broadens the threat landscape. The ability to reconstruct pathogens using publicly available sequences and mail‑order DNA shows that complex biological synthesis is no longer confined to state programs. These risks are amplified by opaque biotechnology activities in China, Russia, and …

Using 1:1 Behavior-Analytic Instruction To Enhance Outcomes Of A Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum: A Retrospective Single-Case Clinical Evaluation, Cierra Vandermeer

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which people acquire and apply skills to manage emotions, form relationships, make responsible decisions, and pursue personal and shared goals, and these competencies shape identity development and daily functioning (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning [CASEL], 2020). While there are many SEL programs and curricula that exist for school-aged children, there are few curricula that a) have a focus on 1:1 instruction for preschool to primary-aged children, and b) integrate and incorporate Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles. This thesis reviewed a retrospective case study of a six-year-old female-identifying student who participated in …

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (Pfos)-Induced Disruption Of Mitochondrial Activity And Cell Adhesion In Liver Cells, Phuong Dam Nam Tran

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent environmental pollutant associated with potential hepatoxic effects and other health risks. Despite its widespread distribution, the mechanisms underlying its toxicities remain to be fully understood. To investigate PFOS toxicology, my study utilized HepG2 and THLE-2 human hepatic cell models to replicate conditions reflecting PFOS accumulation in the liver. Cell viability, cell stress, and cell death assays were conducted to assess the toxicological influence of the chemical on both cell lines. Total RNA extraction was performed, followed by cDNA sequencing, and RT-qPCR. The XTT viability assay revealed a dose-dependent decrease in number of viable cells …

Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus Niger) Occupancy In A Southern Missouri Woodland, Daniel Garten

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Species occupancy, which relates the probability of presence of a species at a specific place and time, is an important component of conservation and wildlife management. Principally it is used for estimation of a species’ distribution as well as understanding species interactions and quantifying environmental effects. The purpose of this study was to analyze occupancy of the Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) across multiple seasons (2019–2022) at Bull Shoals Field Station (BSFS), and to identify potential covariates associated with detection and colonization. Data were drawn from camera trap surveys from 26 sites during summer and fall seasons. Multi-season occupancy models …

When Speech Speaks Louder Than Truth: Language Variation And Credibility In The Courtroom, Melanie E. Spinnie

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

This study aims to investigate how linguistic variation affects perceptions of credibility in courtroom settings. It focuses on how jurors, judges, and other individuals in the legal system may exhibit bias (consciously or unconsciously) based on how a defendant or witness speaks-- this could include speech disorders as well as differences in dialect, accent, and speech style. Through review of relevant literature, review of a relevant historical case, conducting a survey, and conducting a semi-structured interview, this study explores whether certain speech patterns or characteristics are disproportionately associated with negative judgments during legal proceedings, such as reduced credibility and trustworthiness. …

A Qualitative Exploration Of Counselor Traits And Wellness Practices, Emily Velidow

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study is a qualitative thematic analysis of counselor wellness practices as well as how selfidentified personal traits are part of how a counselor practices and prioritizes wellness. Theoretical underpinnings of the study integrate trait activation theory (Tett & Burnett, 2003), Martin Seligman’s wellbeing theory (Seligman, 2011), and Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977). Participants included nineteen licensed counselors (N=19). Analyzed responses lead to four main themes, each with two to four subthemes. Resulting themes included (1) intentional caseload and workday structure, (2) deliberately emphasizing physical wellness, (3) setting boundaries attending to mental and emotional energy, and (4) the …

An Autoethnography Of A Scholar Practitioner: Applying Social-Emotional Learning In A Math Classroom Through A Feminist Lens, Resha Layla Hissen

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Math anxiety occurs when individuals experience fear and stress while engaging in mathematical tasks (Lopez-Ramírez et al., 2025). While math anxiety is often examined through its impact on students, this autoethnography explores it through the lived experience of a Middle Eastern female mathematician and educator. Grounded in social-emotional learning (SEL) and feminist theory, this study investigates how personal, cultural, and gender-related experiences of mathematical trauma have shaped the author’s pedagogical approach. By tracing a personal journey from anxiety and emotional suppression to empowerment and reflective teaching, this work highlights strategies for integrating SEL and feminist-informed practices into K-12 public school …

Remembering Right Relations: A Land-Centered Framework For Settler Teacher Transformation, Aimee E. De Ney

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Settler colonialism is based in the separation of peoples from Lands and from one another, producing ongoing harm to human and more-than-human communities as evidenced in climate collapse, racialized violence, war, and widening social inequities. These conditions are sustained by ideologies of human supremacy-specifically white, male, Christian human supremacy-that deny personhood to most humans and to all more-than-humans, while enabling the attempted erasure of Indigenous peoples and the nation-state enforcement of anti-Black and anti-Brown racism. Situated on the Lands of the Coast Salish Peoples in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, this multiparadigmatic innovation dissertation develops a Land-centered framework …

Hiding In Plain Sight, Gayle M. Perreault

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Some autistic individuals reach adulthood without receiving a diagnosis, and the processes contributing to delayed recognition are not yet fully understood. This study explored how contextual conditions across development related to the emergence and use of camouflaging behaviors in late-diagnosed autistic adults from groups historically underrepresented in autism research. Using an inductive collective case study design, narrative interviews were conducted with seven autistic adults diagnosed after age 15. The analysis examined how participants described learning, maintaining, and interpreting camouflaging behaviors across childhood through early adulthood within social, environmental, and institutional contexts, with attention to how participants experienced environmental expectations and …

Fragmented Minds And Fractured Selves: A Cognitive Stylistic Analysis Of Mental Disturbance In Leaves Of Narcissus, Sarah M. Fayed, Amany M. El-Shazly, Fatma Ismail Dr.

Computer Science

What readers encounter in literature directly affects their views and impressions of the world. Hence, it is essential to acknowledge this effect and analyze it to understand how readers identify and pass judgment about significant issues. One important issue to investigate is the depiction of mental disturbance in modern fiction. The present work reconceptualizes the depiction of mental disturbance in Arabic fiction through an analysis of Somaya Ramadan’s Leaves of Narcissus. To this effect, Leaves of Narcissus (Awraq al-narjis) the depiction of mental disturbance is examined. The stylistic devices Ramadan uses, such as schema alterations to convey the content are …

Resisting Empire, Promoting Peace: Churches Confront The ‘Russian World’ Ideology Conference Statement, Katharina Kunter

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

From 1-3 December 2025, about 90 church leaders and representatives of churches, national councils of churches, ecumenical partners, and scholars gathered in Helsinki, Finland, for the conference, organised by the Conference of European Churches (CEC) in collaboration with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Orthodox Church of Finland.

The statement underscores that Russia’s war against Ukraine—fuelled by the ‘Russian World’ ideology—is a military, political, and humanitarian assault that threatens both the lives of millions and the democratic foundations of Europe.

Brotherhood Beyond The Halls: The Douglas Five, Randy Bailey

Written Testimonials

No abstract provided.

Hawaii_Raw_Data_06.01.26, Yasha Kahn, Lori Nichols, Panduka Nagahawatte

Hawaii

No abstract provided.

Maryland_Raw_Data_06.01.2026, Yasha Kahn, Lori Nichols, Panduka Nagahawatte

Maryland

No abstract provided.

Colorado_Raw_Data_06.01.2026, Yasha Kahn, Lori Nichols, Panduka Nagahawatte

Colorado

No abstract provided.

Ny_Buds.Csv, Yasha Kahn, Panduka Nagahawatte, Lori Nichols

CSVs

No abstract provided.

Ny_Concentrates.Csv, Yasha Kahn, Panduka Nagahawatte, Lori Nichols

CSVs

No abstract provided.