bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Riding the Wave: How the Media Shapes South Korean Concepts of Beauty
Authors:   , Streng Catherine Ann
Published: February 2025

This thesis features a qualitative analysis of eight Korean media products — both fiction and nonfiction. For many years, South Korea (hereafter also called Korea) has been called the "world's plastic surgery capital" by many publications, such as Business Insider and The New Yorker. Although Business Insider considers the United States the "vainest country in the world," the numbers of cosmetic surgeries, percentage wise, per person in Korea still outnumber those in the United States, with 20 procedures per 1,000 persons. In this thesis, I argue by using the cultivation theory that Korean television, such as K-Dramas, talk shows and films, which celebrate transformations and feature makeovers and thus normalize cosmetic surgery, create a fantastic space for viewers where the viewers are compelled to act on a media-generated desire to undergo cosmetic surgery in the belief that doing so will also transform or better their lives in the same way it does for the characters in these Korean television productions.
Surface Chemistry and Work Function of Irradiated and Nanoscale Thin Films Covered Indium Tin Oxides
Authors:   , Che Hui
Published: February 2025

In this study, we used UV-ozone Ar sputtering, X-ray photoelectron and ultra-violet photoelectron spectroscopies and sputtering based depositions of RuO2 and Se nano-layers on indium tin oxides (ITOs). We elucidated the effect of Ar sputtering on the composition and chemistry of Sn rich ITO surface. We demonstrated that while a combination of UV-ozone radiation and Ar sputtering removes most of the hydrocarbons responsible for degrading the work function of ITO, it also removes significant amount of the segregated SN at the ITO surface that's responsible for its reasonable work function of 4.7eV. We also demonstrated for the first time that sputtering cleaning ITO surface leads to the reduction of the charge state of Sn from Sn4+ to Sn2+ that adds to the degradation of the work function. For the nano-layers coverage of ITO studies, we evaluated both RuO2 and Se. For RuO2 coated ITO, XPS showed the formation of a Ru-Sn-O ternary oxide. The RuO2 nano-layer reduced the oxidation state of Sn in the Sn-rich surface of ITO from +4 to +2. The best work function obtained for this system is 4.98eV, raising the effective work function of ITO by more than 0.5 eV. For the Se coated ITO studies, a systematic study of the dependence of the effective work function on the thickness of Se overage and its chemistry at the Se/ITO interface was undertaken. XPS showed that Se reacts with Sn at the Sn-rich surface of ITO determined the presence of both negative and positive oxidation state of Se at the Se/ITO interface. The Se also reduced the oxidation state of Sn from Sn4+ to Sn2+ in the Sn-rich ITO surface. The highest effective work function obtained for this system is 5.06eV. A combination of RuO2/Se nanoscale coating of optimally cleaned ITO would be a good alternative for device applications that would provide work function tuning in addition to their potential ability to act as interface stabilizers and a barrier to reaction and inter-diffusion at ITO/active layers interfaces responsible for long term stability of devices and especially organic solar cells and organic light emitting diodes.
Uniserial Representations of Vec(R) with a Single Casimir Eigenvalue
Authors:   , Kuhns Nehemiah
Published: February 2025

In 1980 Feigin and Fuchs classified the length 2 bounded representations of Vec(R), the Lie algebra of polynomial vector fields on the line, as a result of their work on the cohomology of Vec(R). This dissertation is concerned mainly with the uniserial (completely indecomposable) representations of Vec(R) with a single Casimir eigenvalue and weights bounded below. Such representations are composed of irreducible representations with semisimple Euler operator action, bounded weight space dimensions, and weights bounded below. These are known to be the tensor density modules with lowest weight λ, for any non-zero complex number λ, and the trivial module C, with Vec(R) actions π_λ and π_C, respectively. Our proofs are cohomology arguments involving the first cohomology groups of Vec(R) with values in the space of homomorphisms between two irreducible representations. These results classify the finite length uniserial extensions, with a single Casimir eigenvalue, of admissible irreducible Vec(R) representations with weights bounded below. In almost every case there is at most one uniserial representation with a given composition series. However, in the case of an odd length extension with composition series {π_1,π_C,π_1,…,π_C,π_1}, there is a one-parameter family of extensions. We also give preliminary results on uniserial representations of the Virasoro Lie algebra.
Resistance Exercise and Alcohol: Combined Effects on Physiology and Performance
Authors:   , Levitt Danielle E.
Published: February 2025

Resistance exercise (RE) training is a well-known and effective method for promoting increases in muscle mass and strength. A single bout of RE induces physiological disturbances that require coordinated activation of the immune system and intramuscular signaling in order to return the tissue to homeostasis and adapt to the RE challenge. On the other hand, acute binge alcohol consumption can affect the immune response to an inflammatory challenge, intramuscular anabolic signaling, and muscle protein synthesis, and the effects of alcohol on these processes are opposite that of RE. Furthermore, individuals who report more frequent exercise also report a greater frequency of binge drinking. However, few investigations exist regarding the effects of binge alcohol consumed after a bout of RE on RE-induced physiological changes and performance recovery. Therefore, the overarching purpose of the investigations contained within this dissertation was to investigate the effect of alcohol consumed after RE on the RE-induced changes in mTOR pathway signaling, muscle protein synthesis, inflammatory capacity, strength recovery, and power recovery. Although RE increased mTOR pathway signaling and inflammatory capacity after exercise and reduced maximal strength and explosive power the day after exercise, we observed no effects of alcohol (1.09 g ethanol∙kg-1 lean body mass, designed to result in a peak blood alcohol concentration of approximately 0.12 g∙dl-1) consumed after RE on mTOR pathway signaling, 24-hour rates of muscle protein synthesis, inflammatory capacity, or strength and power recovery in resistance-trained individuals.
Teaching First-Semester General Chemistry Using 3D Video Games following an Atoms First Approach to Chemistry
Authors:   , Jenkins Dave A
Published: February 2025

The unified learning model (ULM) focuses on students' engagement, motivation, prior knowledge, and working memory. This study employs the use of video games to assess students' learning through a 3D chemistry gaming environment. In this human-subjects research, students carried out missions and applied reasoning to solve problems appropriate for general chemistry content. For learning to occur, students must be engaged and motivated as stated in the ULM. Learning cannot necessarily be accomplished by experience alone, and critical thinking is required to turn the experience into learning. The interpretation of educational theory applied to video games and this proposed study are discussed. A moderately positive correlation was found between exam score and study time (playing the game). Essentially the more time spent playing the game or an online activity the higher the exam scores. There was an alpha level less than 0.05 (p < 0.05) between the experimental group and non-traditional group (no game or online activity). Supporting that there was a statistically significant difference between groups, the null hypothesis was accepted between the game and online activity. Furthermore, as stated under the ULM, engagement is necessary for optimal learning.
Creative Self-Efficacy and Personality: From Imagination to Creativity
Authors:   , Blackmon Kristen N
Published: February 2025

Imagination and creative self-efficacy are important components of the creative process and outcomes but are rarely investigated together. To explore the relationship between personality factors, imaginative thinking, and creative self-efficacy, survey responses were gathered from university students in a southwestern region in the United States (n = 1,731). Personality was measured using the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP), imagination was measured using the Imaginative Capability Scale (ICS), and creative self-efficacy was measured using items based on reliability in previous studies. Participants were asked to complete the three surveys along with demographic information through an online format. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted first to confirm measurements used. After fit indices confirmed measurement models used, subsequent analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling (SEM). The model of best fit supported creative self-efficacy as a strong predictor of all three factors of imagination. Additionally, the model indicated a strong relationship between conscientiousness and conceiving imagination as well as other notable relationships with personality factors.
Putting Bullying into Perspective: Peer Aggression as a Function of Perspective Taking, Empathy, and Psychological Willingness
Authors:   , Moyer Danielle N.
Published: February 2025

Bullying has long-term negative effects on the mental health and wellbeing of everyone involved. School-wide interventions have been successful in some contexts, but they often require significant institutional and financial resources. Empathy is comprised of a cognitive component (perspective taking) and an affective component (empathic concern), both of which may be necessary for prosocial behavior. According to relational frame theory (RFT), empathy involves a transformation of stimulus functions across deictic relations (I-YOU, HERE-THERE, NOW-THEN), which also requires psychological willingness (i.e., psychological flexibility). The present study investigated this theoretical model of empathy based on RFT and the role of this model in middle school bullying. Results tentatively support this model by demonstrating two ways in which psychological flexibility moderates the relationship between deictic framing ability and empathy. The utility of deictic framing and psychological flexibility in predicting bullying behaviors was also examined. Deictic framing ability and psychological flexibility were expected to negatively predict bullying behaviors, and psychological flexibility was expected to moderate the relationship between deictic framing ability and relational bullying in particular. Additional research questions explored the roles of deictic framing and psychological flexibility in the relationship between relational bullying and other relevant psychological determinants: (a) parental discord, (b) social anxiety, and (c) social roles. The results of this study were insufficient to apply this model to bullying behaviors. Methodological and statistical limitations are discussed in depth, and future directions to improve on this study and clarify these relationships are emphasized.
Response to Intervention (RTI) and Promising Practices: What Works at the Secondary Level
Authors:   , Little Regena Ann
Published: February 2025

The primary focus of RtI has been at the elementary school level. However, over the past few years there has been a shift, and RtI has been expanding to secondary schools. Through this expansion, it is unclear if RtI has been effectively implemented at the secondary level. The ultimate goal for any school implementing change is institutionalization or sustainability. Therefore, this qualitative case study examined the institutionalization or sustainability of RtI systems in one high school. This study was designed to deepen the understanding of secondary RtI and to add to the literature on RtI at the secondary level. The purpose was to understand how one secondary school addressed the complexity and uniqueness of the secondary environment while sustaining RtI practices. The participants in this study shared several research-based practices that they believed assisted struggling students to become academically successful. The findings regarding RtI practices and implementation were supported by researchers whose works were analyzed in the literature review. The study concluded that understanding the phases of change, the three major forces which influenced change and a clear, well thought out plan are vital components to success.
Crisis and Catharsis: Linear Analysis and the Interpretation of Herbert Howells' "Requiem" and "Hymnus Paradisi"
Authors:   , Davenport Jennifer Tish
Published: February 2025

Hymnus Paradisi (1938), a large-scale choral and orchestral work, is well-known as an elegiac masterpiece written by Herbert Howells in response to the sudden loss of his young son in 1935. The composition of this work, as noted by the composer himself and those close to him, successfully served as a means of working through his grief during the difficult years that followed Michael's death. In this dissertation, I provide linear analyses for Howells' Hymnus Paradisi as well as its predecessor, Howells' Requiem (1932), which was adapted and greatly expanded in the creation of Hymnus Paradisi. These analyses and accompanying explanations are intended to provide insight into the intricate contrapuntal style in which Howells writes, showing that an often complex musical surface is underpinned by traditional linear and harmonic patterns on the deeper structural levels. In addition to examining the middleground and background structural levels within each movement, I also demonstrate how Howells creates large-scale musical continuity and shapes the overall composition through the use of large-scale linear connections, shown through the meta-Ursatz (an Ursatz which extends across multiple movements creating multi-movement unity). Finally, in my interpretation of these analyses, I discuss specific motives in Hymnus Paradisi which, I hypothesize, musically represent the crisis of Michael's death. These motives are initially introduced in the "Preludio," composed out on multiple structural levels as Hymnus Paradisi unfolds, and, finally, I argue, are transformed as a representation of the process of healing, and ultimately, catharsis.
Art Unfettered: Bergson and a Fluid Conception of Art
Authors:   , Thompson Seth Aaron
Published: February 2025

This dissertation applies philosopher Henri Bergson's methodology and his ideas of duration and creativity to the definitional problem of art, particularly as formulated within analytic aesthetics. In mid-20th century, analytic aesthetics rejected essentialist definitions of art, but within a decade, two predominant definitions of art emerged as answers to the anti-essentialism of the decade prior: functionalism and proceduralism. These two definitions define art, respectively, in terms of the purpose that art serves and in terms of the conventions in place that confer the status of art onto artifacts. Despite other important definitions (including historical and intentionalist definitions), much of the literature in the analytic field of aesthetics center on the functional/procedural dichotomy, and this dichotomy is an exclusive one insofar as the two definitions appear incompatible with each other when it comes to art. I use Bergson's methodology to demonstrate that the tension between functionalism and proceduralism is an artificial one. In turn, abandoning the strict dichotomy between these two definitions of art opens the way for a more fluid conception of art. Using Bergson's application of duration and creativity to problems of laughter and morality, I draw parallels to what a Bergsonian characterization would entail.
Hydrophobicity of Magnetite Coating on Low Carbon Steel
Authors:   , Akhtar Mst Alpona
Published: February 2025

Superhydrophobic coatings (SHC) with excellent self-cleaning and corrosion resistance property is developed on magnetite coated AISI SAE 1020 steel by using a simple immersion method. Roughness measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), contact angle measurement (CAM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), potentiodynamic polarization test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and qualitative characterization of self-cleaning behavior, antifouling property and durability of the coatings are assessed. A water contact angle as high as 152o on the coated surface with excellent self-cleaning and resistivity to corrosion and good longevity in atmospheric air is obtained. Self-cleaning test results prove that these surfaces can find applications in large scale production of engineering materials. Potentiodynamic polarization tests and EIS tests confirm that the superhydrophobic low carbon steel surfaces have better resistance to corrosion compared to bare steel and magnetite coated steel in 3.5% NaCl solution. But the longevity of the coated steel surfaces in 3.5% salt solution is limited, which is revealed by the immersion durability test. However, hydrophobic coatings (HC) have better stability in normal tap water, and it can stay unharmed up to 15 days. Finally, hydrophobic coatings on low carbon steel surface retains hydrophobic in open atmosphere for more than two months. Results of this investigation show surface roughness is a critical factor in manufacturing hydrophobic steel surfaces. Higher contact angles are obtained for rougher and more uniform surfaces. A linear mathematical relationship (y =6x+104; R2 = 0.93) is obtained between contact angle (y) and surface roughness (x).
Influences on Latino Males' Enrollment in Four-Year Colleges
Authors:   , Jones Victor Jerrell
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study was to explore characteristics that influence Latino male students' enrollment in four-year colleges. This study utilized a mixed-methods approach and acquired information specifically pertaining to the high school Latino male population. Participants for the study included Latino male high school students in Grades 9-12, parents of Latino male high school students in Grades 9-12, and counselors of high school students in Grades 9-12. The study was conducted across two campuses. Data for student and parent participants were obtained through an online survey questionnaire and counselor data was obtained through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The results of this study reveal that there are influential characteristics that contribute to Latino males' potential enrollment in college. Of the data obtained from student participants, 70.2% of participants on Campus 1 and 90.5% of participants on Campus 2 planned on attending college. Responses from parent surveys found that 85.8% of parents had expectations for their Latino male student to attend college. Through the semi-structured focus group interviews, it was found that the school district and campuses in which the study was conducted had several procedures or processes in place to positively encourage Latino male student enrollment in four-year colleges. Results of this study provide a better understanding and insight on characteristics that influence the high school Latino male student in Grades 9-12 to enroll in college.
Preservice Special Education Teachers' Sense of Preparedness to Instruct English Learners with Disabilities
Authors:   , Montalvo Ricardo
Published: February 2025

This study examines the sense of preparedness of preservice special education teachers (PSETs) to instruct English language learners. Pre- and post-survey measures were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for a group of PSETs as they engaged in their second semester of student teaching experience. To explore emerging themes, a post-qualitative analysis was performed using focus groups. Quantitative results revealed no statistical difference except for the Self-Efficacy subscale. Focus group data showed increased confidence levels resulting from the student teaching experience. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare pre-survey results between PSETs who had and PSETs who had not taken advanced coursework or participated in student teaching. With the exception of the subscale, Attitude Towards ELs in the Classroom, results revealed no statistical difference between the two groups. At the same time, qualitative, open-response questions revealed PSETs who had participated in advanced coursework and student teaching seemed to have a deeper understanding of ELs' instructional and linguistic needs. Contributions to the literature are presented which may help in designing teacher preparation programs to increase PSETs' sense of preparedness to better serve ELs with disabilities.
Performance Editions of Three Works for Winds by Gyorgy Druschetzky
Authors:   , McDannald Brandon K.
Published: February 2025

Gyorgy Druschetzky was a noted Czech composer of Harmoniemusik, who wrote more than 150 partitas and serenades, along with at least thirty-two other selections for larger wind groups. This is in addition to twenty-seven symphonies, eleven concertos (most for wind instruments), two fantasias, forty-seven string quartets, two operas, a ballet that is lost, and other miscellaneous chamber music for various combinations of wind/string instruments. Three of his works for winds have existed only in manuscript form since their composition: Concerto in E-flat pour 2 clarinett en B, 2 cors en E-flat, 2 fagott; Overture to Mozart's Die Zauberflöte; and Partitta a la camera a corno di bassetto primo, secondo, terzo, due corno di caccia, due fagotti. These works remain remarkably interesting to modern ears and deserve to be heard in the twenty-first century. Along with a brief examination of Druschetzky's life and how it figures into the history of Harmoniemusik, this work presents each piece edited into a modern performance edition.
Room and Elevated Temperature Sliding Wear Behavior of Cold Sprayed Ni-WC Composite Coatings
Authors:   , Torgerson Tyler B.
Published: February 2025

The tribological properties of cold sprayed Ni-WC metal matrix composite (MMC) coatings were investigated under dry sliding conditions from room temperature (RT) up to 400°C, and during thermal cycling to explore their temperature adaptive friction and wear behavior. Characterization of worn surfaces was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Raman spectroscopy to determine the chemical and microstructural evolution during friction testing. Data provided insights into tribo-oxide formation mechanisms controlling friction and wear. It was determined that the steady-state coefficient of friction (CoF) decreased from 0.41 at RT to 0.32 at 400˚C, while the wear rate increased from 0.5×10-4 mm3/N·m at RT to 3.7×10-4 mm3/N·m at 400˚C. The friction reduction is attributed primarily to the tribochemical formation of lubricious NiO on both the wear track and transfer film adhered to the counterface. The increase in wear is attributed to a combination of thermal softening of the coating and a change in the wear mechanism from adhesive to more abrasive. In addition, the coating exhibited low friction behavior during thermal cycling by restoring the lubricious NiO phase inside the wear track at high temperature intervals. Therefore, cold sprayed Ni-WC coatings are potential candidates for elevated temperature and thermally self-adaptive sliding wear applications.
Implications of Diet in Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Postprandial Changes in Circulating Monocytes and Endotoxemia
Authors:   , Venable Andrea Henning
Published: February 2025

It is well established that continual consumption of a diet high in fat leads to the development of chronic conditions such as obesity, cardio metabolic syndrome, and atherosclerosis that are associated with high incidence of cardiovascular disease. Recent studies have identified endotoxin-derived inflammation as a major diving force for the development of these conditions. Our laboratory has recently demonstrated that consumption of a single high-fat meal results in acute postprandial endotoxemia and alters monocyte cell surface adhesion molecule expression and scavenger receptor CD36 expression. These collective projects describe our efforts to understand the physiological significance of these postprandial changes and if supplementation with spore-based probiotics are able to provide any form of protection against these responses that are associated with the onset of atherogenesis.
Sonic "Alchemy": An Original Composition for Piano and Electronics with Critical Essay
Authors:   , Wen Bihe
Published: February 2025

This paper presents the history and the theoretical study of mixed music and focuses on two piano solo works and two mixed electroacoustic compositions for piano and electronics. By discussing the working process and giving the analysis of the original composition Alchemy for piano and electronics, this paper investigates the relationship between cause, source and spectromorphology, reflecting how the concept of energy-motion trajectory are embodied in this mixed electroacoustic work. Alchemy is a mixed composition for piano solo and 8-channel fixed electronics focusing on the gestural play and sonic expression. The live piano part explores the gestural sound played with a slide (cup), paper clip, and objects placed inside the piano. The 8-channel electronics part is mainly derived from the recorded acoustic piano. It extends the sonic potential of source materials and presents the diverse vectorial movements of spatialization.
Themes of Social Justice in the Choral Music of Jake Runestad
Authors:   , Hathaway Christopher M.
Published: February 2025

With his thought-provoking and socially relevant music, American composer Jake Runestad has quickly become one of the most performed choral composers of the 21st century. Although music and social justice have been tied together for centuries, there is a new movement bringing social justice to American choral music in a noticeably increased manor, and Jake Runestad is a leading composer in this movement. In this paper, I provide a detailed analysis into the social justice themes employed by Runestad, interviews with him and several well-respected American choral directors programming and commissioning his music, as well as compositional devices employed within his compositions. The purpose of this study is to show Jake Runestad's place as an American choral composer by offering a historical overview of the social justice themes in American music and Western choral music separately. I will then narrow the scope to Jake Runestad, who since 2013 has been using his choral music to bring awareness to human inequalities within the United States today.
Advancing a Community's Conversations About and Engagement with Climate Change
Authors:   , Hansen Carla Grace
Published: February 2025

The goal of this project completed for the Greater Northfield Sustainability Collaborative (GNSC) was to understand how Northfield, Minnesota citizens are experiencing climate change. Thirty individuals were interviewed to find out what they know about climate change, what actions they are taking, what they think the solutions are to the problems, and what barriers they have to more fully engaging with climate change issues. The interview results are intended to promote and advance the community's discussion on climate change via social learning and community engagement activities such as town hall forums and community surveys. These activities encourage citizens in the community to have direct input into the development of the community's climate action plan (CAP). Analysis of the interviews showed that the interviewees are witnessing climate change, that most are taking at least some action such as recycling or lowering thermostats, that they can name barriers to their own inaction, that they say communication about climate change remains confusing and is not widespread in Northfield, and that they are able to provide numerous suggestions for what the local and broader leadership should be doing. The analysis also showed wide individual variation within the group. Interviewees who were less knowledgeable about climate were less likely to be taking action and do not participate in social groups where climate change is discussed. Conclusions are that the whole group would like more and better communication and education from our leaders, that they also expect our leaders to be part of creating solutions to climate change, and that the solutions the interviewees suggested provide a very thorough initial list of mitigation and adaptation strategies for the city's future CAP.
Toward an Ecocentric Philosophy of Energy in a Time of Transition
Authors:   , Frigo Giovanni
Published: February 2025

Ecocentrism is a philosophical position developed in the field of environmental philosophy that offers an alternative view of the complex relationships between humans and the nonhuman world. This dissertation develops an ecocentric philosophy of energy in order to account for a wider set of ethics and values dimensions involved in energy politics. It focuses especially on inter-species justice as a crucial missing element behind even those energy policies that seek to transition society from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The goal is to develop an ecocentric philosophy of energy that accounts for the fundamental and deep ecological interdependences of human and nonhuman animals, plants, and other living and non-living beings. I start with an introduction and a summary of the chapters followed in chapter 2 by a clarification of the terms "paradigm" and "energy." In chapter 3 I offer an exploration of the origins of the "energy paradigm" or the predominant understanding of energy that emerged during modernity (18th century onwards). The modern energy paradigm progressively became a "traditional" forma mentis that is nonetheless based on flawed presuppositions about the human-energy-nature relationship. I criticize the homogeneous, colonizing and hegemonic nature of this paradigm, unveil its tacit anthropocentric and instrumental assumptions, and show how it still fuels contemporary lifestyles and policy. Chapter 4 presents a literature review that traces the most significant contributions from the humanities (broadly construed to include social sciences such as anthropology and sociology) to the study of energy. In this chapter, I also focus on the scarcer yet relevant literature on energy's metaphysical, ontological, and ethical dimensions. In chapter 5 I develop the theory of a radical, ecocentric philosophy of energy, building on the work of other ecocentric thinkers such as Holmes Rolston III, J. Baird Callicott, and Arne Naess. Chapter 6 suggests paths towards the realization, in praxis, of this ecocentric philosophy of energy. It provides the sketch of an "ecocentric energy ethic" to enhance an ecologically sustainable and inter-species just energy transition. This normative framework is intended as a flexible and nonetheless precise "moral compass" that supports an ecocentric turn in the human-energy-nature relationship. The energy ethic outlines key principles to evaluate the "morality" of energy policies, practices, and technologies. These principles can provide ethical guidance to energy practitioners (engaged consumers, energy users, educators, designers, and public policy makers) and thus contribute to the theoretical and practical achievement of an ecologically sound and inter-species just energy transition.
Decision Making in a Miniature Market
Authors:   , Barnes John
Published: February 2025

Although behavior analysts have studied the effects of motivation on preference assessments, consumer behaviorist have not. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the temporary removal of a choice on the order and frequency of purchases after the candy returned. Seventy percent of the time the participant purchased the removed candy first and 60% of the time the participant purchased more than in the baseline.
The Roles of Coaches, Peers, and Parents in High School Athletes' Motivational Processes: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors:   , Chu Tsz Lun
Published: February 2025

Grounded in self-determination theory and achievement goal theory, the purpose of this mixed-methods study was to examine the underlying motivational processes from social environments created by coaches, peers, and parents to motivational outcomes in high school athletes, with an emphasis on the relative influence of social agents in basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness). The quantitative part of this study tested a hierarchical model of high school sport motivation in a final sample of 311 student athletes (204 boys, 107 girls) using structural equation modeling: social factors (coach-, peer-, and parent-created motivational climates) -> psychological mediators (need satisfaction and frustration) -> types of motivation (autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation) -> consequences (subjective vitality, athlete burnout, and intention to drop out). Invariance across gender and across team type (varsity vs. non-varsity) was also tested. Adequate model fits were achieved in separate "brighter side" and "darker side" models across the overall sample, gender, and team type. The follow-up qualitative part of this study explored "how" beyond "what" coaches, peers, and parents contribute to the social environments, need frustration, and negative motivational outcomes in sport in a subsample of 37 student athletes (24 boys, 13 girls) who reported high amotivation/burnout and higher than average dropout intentions in the quantitative survey. Content analysis and observation were conducted to interpret the focus group interview data among athletes across gender and team type. The results of both quantitative and qualitative parts were integrated and compared to summarize the roles of coaches, peers, and parents in the "brighter and darker sides" of athletic experience in high school athletes.
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Teachers on the Use of Technology Applications with Children: A Survey of PK-5 Teachers in a South Texas Region
Authors:   , Prishker Nydia
Published: February 2025

This quantitative methods study explored the knowledge, attitudes and practices of PK-5 teachers on the use of technology applications in the classroom. The Texas State Board of Education has set in place standards for technology applications that require the use of technology applications across all grades. Likewise, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published new guidelines on the use of technology by children. However, it is the responsibility of teachers to implement and embed these standards, while also paying attention to the recommendations of the AAP. I developed a survey that provided demographic information, and included 12 items to measure the knowledge, attitudes and practices of teachers of technology applications in the classroom. Participants included 251 PK-5 teachers from three different districts in a South Texas region. Multiple regressions were conducted for each of the constructs produced by a factor analysis. Knowledge and attitudes presented no statistically significant results from individual teacher characteristics, but there were statistically significant differences on attitudes by districts. The regression analysis for practice reported a statistically significant difference between teachers that held a master's degree and those who did not. I conclude that technology applications implementation in the PK-5 classrooms is still developing and evolving, but there is still no consistency across districts, and further research in this matter is still needed.
Social Vulnerability and Bio-Emergency Planning: Identifying and Locating At-Risk Individuals
Authors:   , Richardson Brian T
Published: February 2025

In 2006, the United States Congress passed the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) which mandated that all emergency preparedness planning shall address at-risk populations. Further, in 2013, the reauthorization of this act, known as PAHPRA, defined at-risk individuals as "children, older adults, pregnant women, and individuals who may need additional response assistance." This vague definition leaves emergency managers, planners, and public health officials with the difficult task of understanding what it means to be at-risk. Further, once identified, the geographic location of at-risk individuals must be obtained. This research first uses the concept of social vulnerability to enhance the understanding of what it means to be "at-risk." Then, by comparing two data disaggregation techniques, areal weighted interpolation and dasymetric mapping, I demonstrate how error of estimation is affected by different scenarios of population distribution and service area overlap. The results extend an existing framework of vulnerability by stratifying factors into quantifiable and subjective types. Also, dasymetric mapping was shown to be a superior technique of data disaggregation compared to areal weighted interpolation. However, the difference in error estimates is low, 5 percent or less in 72 percent of the test cases. Only through local collaboration with community entities can emergency planners access the appropriate data to both: 1) understand the nature of at-risk individuals in their service areas and 2) spatially target resources needed to ensure all individuals are planned for in case of a bio-emergency.
The Relationship among Select School Variables and 8th Grade African American Male Academic Achievement
Authors:   , Bowser Jimmy Lee
Published: February 2025

This study was designed to investigate the correlational relationship between four school elements listed on the Texas Academic Progress Report (TAPR) and the academic achievement of 8th grade African American male students. Data for this study was provided from the Texas Education Agency's (TEA) Office for Public Information Requests. The study included four independent variables: percent of socioeconomically disadvantaged students, average years of teachers' experience, attendance rate and average class size in mathematics. The dependent variable was the 8th grade African American males' performance on the mathematics STAAR exam. The study examined scores from the mathematics STAAR exam for the years 2012-2014. The sample population included 1,540 schools and 47,169 individual test results. The results of the correlational analysis indicate that none of the independent variables were correlated to each other, but each of the independent variables had a statistically significant correlation with the dependent variable at the p < .05 level. The study also sought to explore the variance in academic achievement that could be explained by the four independent variables when used as a model. The results of the simple multiple regression suggest that not only were the results statistically significant at the p < .01 level, but the model explained 32.4% of the variance in 8th grade African American males' performance on the STAAR mathematics exam in the years 2012-2014.
Constructing Taiwan: Taiwanese Literature and National Identity
Authors:   , Lu Tsung Che
Published: February 2025

In this work, I trace and reconstruct Taiwan's nation-formation as it is reflected in literary texts produced primarily during the country's two periods of colonial rule, Japanese (1895-1945) and Kuomintang or Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) (1945-1987). One of my central arguments is that the idea of a Taiwanese nation has historically emerged from the interstices of several official and formal nationalisms: Japanese, Chinese, and later Taiwanese. In the following chapters, I argue that the concepts of Taiwan and Taiwanese have been formed and enriched over time in response to the pressures exerted by the state's, colonial or otherwise, pedagogical nation-building discourses. It is through an engagement with these various discourses that the idea of a Taiwanese nation has come to be gradually defined, negotiated, and reinvented by Taiwanese intellectuals of various ethnic backgrounds. I, therefore, focus on authors whose works actively respond to and engage with the state's official nationalism. Following Homi Bhabha's explication in his famous essay "DissemiNation," the basic premise of this dissertation is that the nation, as a narrated space, is not simply shaped by the homogenizing and historicist discourse of nationalism but is realized through people's diverse lived experience. Thus, in reading Taiwanese literature, it is my intention to locate the scraps, patches, and rags of daily life represented in a select number of texts that signal the repeating and reproductive energy of a national life and culture.
Infinitely Many Solutions of Semilinear Equations on Exterior Domains
Authors:   , Joshi Janak R
Published: February 2025

We prove the existence and nonexistence of solutions for the semilinear problem ∆u + K(r)f(u) = 0 with various boundary conditions on the exterior of the ball in R^N such that lim r→∞u(r) = 0. Here f : R → R is an odd locally lipschitz non-linear function such that there exists a β > 0 with f < 0 on (0, β), f > 0 on (β, ∞), and K(r) \equiv r^−α for some α > 0.
The Effects of the $0.50-Debt Test on Fast Growth Texas School Districts: A Case Study of Three Districts
Authors:   , O'Neal Thomas Edward
Published: February 2025

A three-district case study was conducted to determine the effects of the 50-cent debt test on fast-growth Texas school districts. The 50-cent debt test for Texas schools came into existence as part of Senate Bill 351 in 1991. Prior to the passing of Senate Bill 351, districts in Texas were limited to issuing 10% of their assessed valuation. Of the 75 school districts that currently meet the criteria to be considered a fast-growth district, 15 of the districts had an Interest and Sinking tax rate of $0.50 in 2014. Also, 33 of the 75 districts had an Interest and Sinking tax rate of $0.40 or higher in 2014. The 50-cent cap on the interest and sinking fund tax rate for districts is arbitrary and inefficient. The limit does not take into account a district's enrollment growth or the wishes of local taxpayers who might vote to authorize debt to build additional facilities or a higher tax rate to pay down debt sooner. Over the past 20 years, Texas voters have approved $96.7 billion of the $118.4 billion resulting in over 81% of funding sought for facilities being approved. The issuance of the approved bond authorization by these voters is governed by the Texas Attorney General's Office, and local districts must pass the 50-cent test by statute. This study examined the impact the 50-cent test has had on three districts through interviews with district staff, and by analyzing and comparing enrollment and various financial data. Specifically, property values, bond types and terms, as well as project delays and operating budgets were assessed.
Suona la tromba: A Discussion of the Trumpet Aria through the Works of Giovanni Legrenzi and Carlo Pallavicino
Authors:   , Wallin Spencer
Published: February 2025

The early trumpet arias by Giovanni Legrenzi and Carlo Pallavicino are important works in the trumpet repertoire that have remained relatively unpublished and unstudied. This dissertation will look at the history of the trumpet in opera, discuss the development of the trumpet aria, and provide examples of how to approach the performance of the trumpet aria. Through study and performance of the early trumpet arias by Legrenzi and Pallavicino, trumpet soloists will be able to learn the necessary techniques to collaborate with singers and perform all trumpet arias.
The Impact of Teacher Professional Development on Student Achievement at a North Texas High School as Measured by End-of-Course Assessments in Algebra I and English Language Arts
Authors:   , Younkman Freddy W
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study determined if a significant relationship existed between the amount of professional development that teachers participated in and the impact on the classroom instruction that followed. The goal was to study the effect that this had on student achievement in the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for English 1 and Algebra 1 for students at a large north Texas high school. Testing years for the study included the school years 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16. Additional variables included the work in three areas of teacher professional development over the three-year period. Fourteen teachers, in two subjects, were studied in their implementation of classroom instruction. Particular attention was given to the instructional changes, and the number of hours of professional development in the areas of instruction, technology, and differentiation. Teachers were given opportunities to participate in 18 hours of professional development in all three areas in each of the three years. Teachers were then asked to incorporate the work that they completed each year into their day to day classroom instruction. The goal of the implementation of the professional development in addition to the curricular specifics regarding instruction of state standards was expected to produce increased state scale score marks for the students in the classes. Results of the study indicated success for students in the area of English 1 end-of-course assessment. From the beginning of the study, where student success rates in English state assessment was calculated at 47% overall passing rate, to the completion of the study, where student success was charted at 70% overall passing rate, significant changes were noted. In addition to the improvements made in English I, there were also significant changes made in the approaches to the Algebra 1 assessment. Classroom instructional practices were noted as much improved, and professional learning community collaboration produced significant classroom instructional improvements.
Analysis of Mature and Young Thrombocytes in Zebrafish
Authors:   , Fallatah Weam
Published: February 2025

Eukaryotic platelets are small cell fragments that are released into the bloodstream from megakaryocytes, and their production is initiated in the bone marrow. They are mainly involved in blood hemostasis and thrombus formation. The newly synthesized platelets are called reticulated platelets or young platelets. Zebrafish thrombocytes are equivalent to mammalian platelets and have similar characteristics and functions. Likewise, zebrafish has both young and mature thrombocytes. Only young thrombocytes as reticulated platelets are labeled with thiazole orange. Similarly, labeling zebrafish thrombocytes with a specific concentration of DiI-C18 showed two populations of thrombocytes (DiI+ and DiI-). Again, only young thrombocytes showed DiI+ labeling. The mechanism of selective labeling of young thrombocytes by is unknown. Furthermore, there is no zebrafish line where young and mature thrombocytes are differentially labeled with fluorescence proteins. Therefore, in this study, we identified and confirmed that the RFP labeled cells of Glofish were young thrombocytes. In addition, we found that myosin light chain 2 (MLC2) promoter is expressed in young thrombocytes. We also generated a transgenic zebrafish line, GloFli fish, where the young and mature thrombocytes are labeled with red and green fluorescence proteins respectively. Furthermore, this study showed a two-fold increase in glycerol-phospholipids (GP) in mature thrombocytes compared to young thrombocytes suggesting the lipid composition may be important for differential labeling. Therefore, we tested the liposomes prepared with different ratios of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and observed that the lower amounts of PE favor the DiI-C18 labeling whereas higher concentrations of PC are less efficient. Also, in both PE and PC, increased concentrations of both resulted in decreased binding. These results are consistent with our observation that mature thrombocytes have higher concentrations GP and thus DiI-C18 may not bind to them efficiently compared to young thrombocytes.