Dignity During a Pandemic: Dignity Therapy Delivered Through Telehealth is not Feasible in the Deep South

Electronic Thesis or DissertationAs time is limited, creation of a legacy document, particularly when aided by a care partner, is an effective method of facilitating a sense of dignity. However, access to care has been a problem for many individuals enrolled in community dwelling hospice care. Providing Dignity Therapy, (DT) a short-term individualized psychotherapy intervention for those at end of life, via telehealth could be one possible response to address this lack of access. Enrollment in hospice is often late in the disease process, indicating a need for short term interventions and a consideration of hospice participant attrition rates. The current study examined feasibility and efficacy of a telehealth delivery of the DT protocol to community dwelling hospice patients and their care partners and investigated challenges associated with hospice research recruitment through semi-structured interviews with hospice staff. Results of feasibility showed three potential participants were recruited but none consented to participate. The results from the feasibility study precluded our ability to assess efficacy as planned. Seven members of the hospice staff completed qualitative interviews designed to understand the lack of feasibility of this study. Results identified four main themes that point to the value of the DT intervention, an overwhelming disapproval of telehealth delivery of interventions, a close consideration of research methods, and the need for future research to further the advancement and clinical use of this effective intervention, particularly in rural and underserved areas

A Qualitative Study Examining How School Leaders Facilitate Data Informed Instruction in Secondary Schools

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThis research examines what educational administrators can do to help secondary teachers effectively use data to inform their instruction and improve their practice. This qualitative study focused on the interviews of principals and teachers in 14 secondary schools that have used data to improve their school's accountability measures markedly in the past three years. In researching this topic, I interviewed teachers and leaders on their practical experience using and promoting data-informed instruction at the secondary level. Precise instruction tailored to each student promotes a growth model of education that serves all students. The research questions focused on the link between data use and focused instruction in the secondary classroom and how can school leaders build a bridge between their leadership and teacher practice.The limitations of previous studies were that most of the studies used only primary schools' math and reading classes, and small sample size. This research implies that administrators could have a better understanding of how to support teachers across all subjects, and thus improve data use and focus instruction. Future research should emphasize methods to measure gains in learning with data informed instruction and the precision teaching model. There exists a lack of research on the links between data coaches and student outcomes. This future research could help improve perceptions of practices that are difficult to implement. This method along with what is known about collaboration, teacher capacity and leadership could allow school leaders to better understand their role in helping teachers to better implement data-informed instruction in classrooms

The Organellar Genomes of Melanthalia Abscissa and Polyopes Polyideoides (Rhodophyta, Florideophyceae)

Electronic Thesis or DissertationFlorideophyceae is the most species rich red algal class, including large numbers of well-studied, economically important species and lesser-known clades. We present the complete plastid and mitochondrial genome assemblies of two Florideophycean species, Melanthalia abscissa (Gracilariaceae) and Polyopes polyideoides (Halymeniaceae). We identified more large-scale rearrangements within the plastid genomes of Gracilariales than within Halymeniales. Maximum likelihood phylogenies using rbcL data support the placement of both M. abscissa and P. polyideoides samples in monophyletic genera. However, not all genera within Halymeniales were recovered as monophyletic. Sequences that appear to be derived from red algal plasmids were identified within the plastid genome of M. abscissa. Determining the presence or absence of plasmid-derived sequences in the P. polyideoides plastome is more difficult due to a lack of publicly available data for Halymeniaceae. The addition of the sequences produced by this study will support further phylogenetic and systematic research on these Rhodophytan genera and orders. Keywords: plastid genome, mitochondria, phylogeny, rbc

The Role of Texture on the Stability of Layered Materials

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThe role of grain boundaries (GBs) in determining the structural, mechanical, and thermal properties of two-dimensional materials, focusing on tungsten diselenide (WSe2) and graphene was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The phase transformation, mechanical failure, and thermal conductivity in these materials are explored. Exploring the kinetics of the phase transformation from graphene to diamane reveals that the transformation stress is significantly influenced by the thickness and temperature of the precursor graphene layer, whereas the transformation strain remains independent of these factors. Heterogeneous nucleation at GBs as a crucial mechanism differing from transformations in pristine graphene was also unveiled . The effects of GB misorientation angles and interlayer configurations on the shear-assisted transformation of multilayer graphene into diamane revealed that external shear aids the formation of ABC stacked graphene layers, which subsequently transforms into a few-layer diamond structure. Transformation is optimized by halting shear at an interlayer distance of 2.3 Å. Higher misorientation angles increased defect density, influencing diamond phase stability post-decompression. A computational toolkit for generating GB structures in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as WSe2 is developed. This toolkit enables the replication of experimentally observed GBs and examine their impacts. Validation with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirmed that simulated structures closely represent experimental observations. In studying the mechanical properties of WSe2 monolayers with symmetric tilt GBs, the tensile strength and fracture strain decrease with increasing temperature, with brittle cracking as the dominant failure mode. The influence of topological defects, loading rates, and temperature on the mechanical behavior of monolayer WSe2 was also revealed. Finally, the impact of GBs on the thermal transport properties of monolayer WSe2 was studied using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulation. Higher defect density reduced thermal conductivity and Kapitza conductance due to increased phonon scattering at GBs. Both Kapitza resistance and thermal conductance are adversely affected by higher defect densities, underscoring the importance of GB characteristics in thermal management applications. Overall, this dissertation provides comprehensive insights into the influence of GBs on the properties of two-dimensional materials, offering valuable implications for the design and optimization of electronic and thermal management systems in nanodevices

La Problématique De L'Immigration Dans La Littérature Et Le Cinéma Africain : Regards Croisés De La Romancière Fatou Diome Et Du Cinéaste Mati Diop

Electronic Thesis or DissertationAfrica remains the Continent that has suffered the most in the history of the last five centuries of our humanity. The Atlantic slave trade which began in the 15th century had quite frightening consequences on black Africa and the after-effects of this triangular trade remain indelible. In 1850 a new form of exploitation of black people began as colonization and again, the Continent and Black Africa, as usual, will pay a huge debt. The ensuing dilemma could be viewed through the long period of political instability orchestrated by external powers who looted the Continent's natural resources. The 1990s marked the beginning of Africa's awakening through the democratic process. Even if today the trend remains towards distrust, we must admit that Africa has begun the era of its development to the great surprise of the sovereign powers.As sub-Saharan Africa's growth rate remains among the highest in the world with other pertinent issues such climate change, deforestation of the continent with the corollary of famine, civil wars and military coups which plunge countries into disarray, young Africans will have no other option than to take their destiny into their own hands and see crossing the dreadful Atlantic Ocean as the best option in the aim of acquiring milk and honey. Jacques Attali rightly speaks of "the nomadic man" as "man is born from travel; Both his body and his mind are shaped by nomadism. What is unique to man is, first, the running of a biped" (Attali, 66).Unfortunately, the solution they think of is far from the best. At the risk of their lives, they often decide to take the path to Europe via routes that are rather strewn with pitfalls. And once they set foot on European lands, they realize the bitter reality, which is different from the projections from media

Technical Challenges of Emulating the Human Voice on Violin via Transcription of Reynaldo Hahn's Art Songs

Electronic Thesis or DissertationIn this study, I demonstrate the importance of considering the pronunciation and meaning of text in songs as well as the characteristics of the human voice when transcribing for violin. To provide a practical tool for future transcription projects, this study is organized according to the techniques used in transcribing a vocal line for violin, drawing on examples from the transcriptions of three art songs by Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947): "Si mes vers avaient des ailes," Chansons grises: No. 5, "L'heure exquise," and "À Chloris." I picked these specific songs because of the abundance of available material on them, which includes recordings and writings. Despite the popularity of these three songs, there is no scholarship on violin transcriptions of these songs, nor on the transcriptions of any of Hahn's songs, making this study the first of its kind. Due in part to the different methods of sound production, the violin and the human voice each possess certain sonic idiosyncrasies that prevent them from exactly recreating each other's timbre. For example, not only do they have different ranges, but vocal production requires moving air to phonate, whereas the violin does not, and these differences have distinct implications for transcription. In this transcription project, I explore these considerations in depth. Foundational elements of this transcription project include the pronunciation of consonants and vowels via specific violin techniques, which rely on the use of the bow and left-hand fingers. These techniques include vibrato, string choice, position choice, shifting, bow distribution, detaché, slur, and portato. Additionally, I explore interpretive considerations such as when to breathe, how to execute certain ornaments, choice of tessitura, and violin resonance.This study provides a framework of violin transcription principles that string teachers can share with their students, performers can utilize when interpreting vocal music on the violin, and transcribers can employ when creating future violin transcriptions of songs in French and potentially adapt these principles to songs in other languages

Sufficient Dimension Reduction Through Imbalanced Learning

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThe Big Data era has advanced our information storage capabilities, yet it has also introducedchallenges such as the "curse of dimensionality". This issue creates challenges for traditionalstatistical modeling due to the increased complexity and computational demands ofhigh-dimensional data. To address these challenges, Sufficient Dimension Reduction (SDR)techniques serve as intermediate steps that facilitate model building, data visualization, andstatistical inferences.Despite extensive research on SDR, there has been limited focus on applying resamplingtechniques to address the class imbalance that arises from slicing steps within SDR frameworks.Imbalanced data is prevalent in data mining and machine learning, where one classsubstantially outnumbers another. Solutions to this problem typically fall into data-leveland algorithm-level methods.This dissertation begins with a literature review of existing SDR techniques and data-leveland algorithm-level methods for addressing imbalanced data. Following this review, twonew SDR approaches are proposed: CUMOTE and HybMOTE. These approaches fall withinthe inverse regression scheme and utilize resampling techniques to offer more consistentand robust estimations than existing methods. A key innovation is the slicing step, whichincorporates resampling techniques and mitigates imbalanced data issues that occur duringslicing. The empirical study shows that the proposed methods have improved the consistencyand accuracy of estimation, as well as addressed some of the limitations of existing methods.Finally, the proposed method is applied to real-world data applications to demonstrate howit can be incorporated into the data analysis procedure

Calibrating Traffic Microsimulation for Optimization of Intelligent Transportation Systems Using Roadside Radar

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThe transportation sector is a significant contributor to global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. One of the root causes is traffic congestion, which also inconveniences road users and imposes substantial economic costs. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) have emerged as a potential solution, integrating advanced sensing and networking hardware to enable more efficient use of existing infrastructure. The successful deployment of ITS for emissions reduction, however, relies on precise and dependable traffic microsimulation models, which describe the car-following, intersection, and lane-changing dynamics. The complexity of these models often leads to a "reality gap" between simulation and real-world applications, hindering the effective transfer of simulation-based optimization (SO) results to practical scenarios. Addressing this reality gap is crucial for implementing strategies that prevent over-optimization to the simulation build trust among decision-makers when considering simulation-based impact studies. This dissertation explores the challenges and importance of addressing the reality gap in traffic microsimulation for ITS and emissions reduction through several interconnected studies. The first study investigates the relationship between traffic microsimulation inputs and the variance in output metrics, identifying key parameters for reducing uncertainty and guiding real-world data collection efforts. The second study compares measured driver behavior distributions to results from car-following models, highlighting discrepancies and the effectiveness of default simulation parameters. The third study presents a novel method for fusing partially overlapping radar data to extract vehicle trajectories, providing a replicable process for other researchers. Finally, the fourth study focuses on calibrating car-following models using roadside radar trajectories, in both a single trajectory and simulation-wide context, investigating the impact on signal control improvement quantification. By addressing the reality gap through these studies, this dissertation aims to enhance the reliability and trustworthiness of traffic microsimulation as a tool for designing and evaluating traffic control measures. The findings significantly contribute to the successful implementation of ITS solutions for reducing congestion and emissions in modern transportation systems

Uneasy Lies the Head: Kingship and Masculinity in Early Modern English Drama

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThis project examines the interconnected relationship between kingship and masculinity in the early modern period. Although both kingship and masculinity have been studied separately, the conversation surrounding the two in tandem is still relatively small, in part because of an emphasis within the field of gender studies (and especially masculinity studies) on the working classes, rather than the nobility (and rightly so). In fact, it is only within the past decade that scholars have begun discussing kingship and masculinity together, rather than as separate concepts. This project’s intervention is therefore presenting these two topics as constitutive. A problem of early modern masculinity was that one must construct a body, and the kings playwrights chose to dramatize were in the unique position of having to construct two. Each king struggles to perform masculinity while also maintaining their body politic and body natural, ultimately failing to fulfil the expectations of their position. I argue that this connection between masculinity and kingship, familiar and timely for early modern audiences, is a useful framework for the performativity of governance on stage, and provided an impetus to critique the king for his failings and a willingness to execute him for not fulfilling the expectations placed upon him.I begin by outlining the expectations held for kings, tracing them through the medieval speculum principis, or mirrors for princes tradition, into the early modern period alongside their connections to masculinity. I then examine how these ideas were presented through early modern plays, starting with morality plays and leading into drama written for the public stage. The remaining chapters act as case studies of three different kings in early modern drama, as conceived by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, who struggle to perform masculinity while also maintaining both their body politic and their body natural, ultimately failing to fulfil the expectations of their position. I conclude by examining the ways in which the public stage continued to present these ideals to playgoers, ultimately shaping their understanding of what a good king is and encouraging them to take matters into their own hands when those expectations were not met

K-Pop Girlies: an Investigation into Photocard Collecting

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThe lived experiences of girlies have predominantly existed in the K-pop fandom space. However, girlies have long been ignored in academic spaces as their practices are seen as temporal, with effects limited to the fleeting nature of youth and popular culture. This qualitative thesis seeks to understand who K-pop girlies are and how their engagement in fandom spaces, including collecting photocards, shapes their life. Therefore, representing a crucial aspect of interpersonal communication and community crafting. Through qualitative interviews with 11 K-pop girlies and my own autoethnography, this thesis utilized a phenomenological approach to investigate three research questions attending to girlies, photocard collecting, and my own experiences as a BTS fan. Interviews were then subjected to thematic analysis. Specifically, to be a girlie, one must actively engage with a community, pass the vibe check, have a strong feminist collection, and demonstrate radical inclusivity. Photocard girlie practices specifically are shaped by love for their idols, the randomized nature of photocards, motivation to complete their collection, actively taking part in consumerism, and having an emotional connection to their photocards. This investigation into photocard collecting offered a unique insight into the communicative practices of girlies and the importance of physicality in fandom. Photocards provide a vehicle for the emotional intensity K-pop girlies have for their favorite artists. Looking forward, this thesis serves as the foundation for future K-pop consumption research and girlie studies, advancing scholarship centering girlie perspectives