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open access

Exploring Psychological Intimate Partner Violence Using Brief Expressive Writing Essays

Description: Non-physical intimate partner violence (NPIPV) is the most pervasive type of abuse, yet literature has predominantly focused on physical IPV victimization. This study employed a mixed-methods design utilizing archival expressive writing data previously collected to identify the presence of NPIPV victimization. Participants wrote about their experience after a relationship dissolution using the expressive writing paradigm. They were asked to share their deepest thoughts and feelings across two s… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Laajala, Allison
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Exploring the Association of Language Brokering and Parent-Child Relationship in Korean Immigrant Families

Description: This study focuses on investigating the dynamics of language brokering as Korean immigrant families experience environmental challenges associated with immigration. This study was conducted with qualitative research design with purposive sampling of Korean immigrant families. Six parent-child dyads were recruited and participating children were between 12 to 16 years old. Semi-structured interviews were conducted separately with parents and children in either English or Korean. Thematic analysi… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Lee, Eunkyung
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Exploring the Relationship between Mental Health and Substance Use, Stable Housing, and Completion of the RISE Court Program

Description: This thesis analyzes participants of the RISE Court program, a specialized court in Tarrant County, Texas, focusing on women involved in prostitution. The study investigates the intricate relationship between mental health, stable housing, substance abuse, and successful completion of the court program. Through a comprehensive analysis of participant data, the findings reveal insights into the intersection of mental health and the outcomes of participants in the RISE Court program. Contrary to … more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Smith, Paisley Elizabeth
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Exploring the ROI of 1:1 Computing Programs at the High School Level

Description: This dissertation explored the cost and value of 1:1 computing programs in high schools in Texas. The study examines whether the total cost of ownership of these programs can be justified by the student testing gains and graduation rates. It investigates whether student learning outcomes show a definable correlation between positive gains and the implementation of 1:1 computing programs. The study also explores whether there is a measurable return on investment of 1:1 programs based on testing … more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Kissel, Tara Michelle
Partner: UNT Libraries

Factors Affecting MeHg Contamination of Spiders and Insect-Mediated MeHg Flux from Human-Made Ponds

Description: The present study focused on methylmercury (MeHg) in emergent aquatic insects and spiders from human-made ponds. This dissertation addresses two main topics: (1) factors affecting variation in spider MeHg concentrations around human-made ponds and (2) the magnitude of MeHg transported out of human-made ponds by emergent aquatic insects (insect-mediated MeHg flux). Spiders were specifically targeted in this study because they have been proposed as sentinels of MeHg contamination (organism whose … more
This item is restricted from view until January 1, 2029.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Hannappel, Madeline Pratt
Partner: UNT Libraries

Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolases in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and the Legume Model Medicago truncatula

Description: Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is a widely conserved amidase in eukaryotes, best known for inactivating the signal of N-acylethanolamine (NAE) lipid mediators. In the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, FAAH-mediated hydrolysis of NAEs has been associated with numerous biological processes. Recently, the phylogenetic distribution of FAAH into two major branches (group I and II FAAHs) across angiosperms outside of Arabidopsis (and in other Brassicaceae), suggests a previously unrecognized complexity … more
This item is restricted from view until January 1, 2025.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Arias Gaguancela, Omar Paul
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

FruitPAL: An IoT-Enabled Framework for Automatic Monitoring of Fruit Consumption in Smart Healthcare

Description: This research proposes FruitPAL and FruitPAL 2.0. They are full automatic devices that can detect fruit consumption to reduce the risk of disease. Allergies to fruits can seriously impair the immune system. A novel device (FruitPAL) detecting fruit that can cause allergies is proposed in this thesis. The device can detect fifteen types of fruit and alert the caregiver when an allergic reaction may have happened. The YOLOv8 model is employed to enhance accuracy and response time in detecting dan… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Alkinani, Abdulrahman Ibrahim M.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Glucose-Induced Developmental Delay is Modulated by Insulin Signaling and Exacerbated in Subsequent Glucose-Fed Generations in Caenorhabditis elegans

Description: In this study, we have used genetic, cell biological and transcriptomic methods in the nematode C. elegans as a model to examine the impact of glucose supplementation during development. We show that a glucose-supplemented diet slows the rate of developmental progression (termed "glucose-induced developmental delay" or GIDD) and induces the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) in wild-type animals. Mutation in the insulin receptor daf-2 confers resistance to GIDD and UPRmt in a daf-1… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Nahar, Saifun
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

"Google is my friend": An Exploration of Older Adult Media Literacy

Description: The advancement and incorporation of media in daily life continue to grow exponentially as the median age of humanity continues to rise. While there are media literacy education programs targeted toward children and adolescents, older adults are often left out of these initiatives. Based on ethnographic research conducted at two senior centers in Denton, TX, this thesis explores the way older adults analyze and interact with media. Data collection methods include participant observation and sem… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Williams, Mikaela Anne
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

"The Gordita's Guide to Body Positivity"

Description: "The Gordita's Guide to Body Positivity" is an autobiographical documentary reflecting on society's expectations of the female body image and how it affects Latinx women. Through personal recollections, media content, and archival material, the film explores beauty expectations, body discrimination, and body positivity. The document analyzes the documentary styles such as autoethnography and narration incorporated into the film and provides historical and theoretical context to body image in th… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Calderon, Jessica Andrea
Partner: UNT Libraries

Green Manufacturing of Lignocellulosic Fiber through Bacterial Degradation Process

Description: Lignocellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on earth and offers excellent potential for sustainable manufacturing. Because lignocellulose is structurally complex and resistant to decomposition, innovative degradation strategies are necessary to unlock its value. In this dissertation, a green manufacturing process through enzyme-triggered self-cultured bacteria retting for lignocellulosic fiber was developed and investigated. The mechanism of the lignocellulosic fiber retting at a controlled … more
This item is restricted from view until January 1, 2025.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Fu, Yu
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Harmonic Function in Rock: A Melodic Approach

Description: This dissertation explores the influence of melody on harmonic function in pop and rock songs from around 1950 to the present. While authors define the term "function" in several ways, none consider melody in their explanations, and I contend that any discussion of harmonic function in rock must include melody. I offer a novel perspective on function by defining it through what I call tension-as-anticipation, and I define a "melodic function" that accounts for the sense of tension and relaxatio… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Oliver, Matthew Ryan
Partner: UNT Libraries

"Have You Ever Had a Broken Heart?"

Description: Have You Ever Had Broken Heart? is a collection of essays that interrogate memory, loss, and grief through the intersection of personal narrative, films, the actress Frances Farmer, and woman saints and mystics from the twelfth through seventeenth centuries who were punished for daring to speak to G-d. The essays engage with autotheory and include a myriad of forms, such as segmented, one sentence, and hybrid works. The films discussed range from the philosophical, such as Ingmar Bergman's Wint… more
This item is restricted from view until January 1, 2029.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Moore, Katherine
Partner: UNT Libraries

Homoleptic and Heteroleptic Platinum(II) Complexes for Organic Light Emitting Diodes and Humidity Sensors: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications

Description: This dissertation focuses on the design, synthesis, characterization of platinum (II) pyridylazolate complexes and develop high performance organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) and design and execute high-sensitivity humidity sensors based on the luminescent metal-organic complexes of platinum. A majority of existing platinum compounds do not dissolve in organic solvents, making it difficult to analyze the photophysical characteristics of complexes in solution, a key part of understanding chem… more
This item is restricted from view until January 1, 2029.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Farvid, Seyedmajid
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Horses Against Tanks: Historical Memory and the German Invasion of Poland

Description: The entrance of the German Invasion of Poland and depiction thereof into modern historiographical conversations offers historians superior articulation of the creation of historical memory, mythos, and identity ‒ especially in wider terms of European Imperialism. By utilizing the current trends in gendering of empire, the use of auto-biography and life writing to understand felt realities and obfuscated truths, and the attempts by empire to queer and utilize labeled deviations to control and g… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Palmer, Matthew Steven
Partner: UNT Libraries

The Idiomatic Techniques and Procedures of Composer Kevin Walczyk (b. 1964) that Define a Unique Musical Language

Description: Award winning composer Kevin Walczyk's describes himself as a "musical storyteller," using all musical elements of structure, melody, harmony, and counterpoint to convey programmatic content. A variety of subjects are conveyed that include historical events, people, physical objects or locations, and literary texts. Deeper matters, such as spiritual themes, are also often incorporated in his music that enhance the musical program. The technical procedures employed—pertaining particularly to t… more
This item is restricted from view until July 1, 2024.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Wollam, Seth Frederick
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Impact of Kindergarten Classroom Assignment on Classroom Teachers and Student Achievement

Description: To determine the impact of an administrator's decision on student placement in kindergarten classrooms, teachers were asked to share their perceptions on how that decision impacted their ability to deliver instruction and follow the district scope and sequence, as well as how that decision impacts student academic achievement and social and emotional development. This qualitative study was designed to gather data from kindergarten teachers using focus group interviews and individual interviews … more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Fountain, Angelica Brianna
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Impact of Leadership on School Culture and Teacher Retention

Description: To determine the impact that school leaders have on school culture and teacher retention, a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach was used to study schools in a district feeder pattern in in a large, suburban district in Texas with a student population of approximately 25,000. In Phase 1, teachers at one elementary, one middle, and one high school were asked to complete a 26-question Likert scale survey about school culture. The last statement in the survey asked participants if they we… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Spaulding, Shelly
Partner: UNT Libraries

The Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Attachment Security and Psychological Well-Being

Description: Socioeconomic status (SES) has been shown to reliably predict parenting practices, family well-being, and psychological outcomes throughout the lifespan. The current study employed a cross-sectional, quantitative design in which adult participants (N = 336) completed an online survey measuring demographic variables, financial stress, attachment security, and psychological well-being. The study results suggest that (a) both current and family history of financial stress negatively predicted atta… more
This item is restricted from view until July 1, 2024.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Zuniga, Sabrina Graciela
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

The Impact of Team Size on Principal Self-Efficacy in Their Role as Instructional Leaders

Description: The ever-changing role of public-school principals is complex and overwhelming. Because instructional leadership impacts teaching practices and student achievement, this important principal role should be cultivated with principals having sufficient time to engage as instructional leaders. A generic qualitative inquiry methodology was used to explore how the size of an administrative team impacts principals' instructional leadership self-efficacy. Exploration was achieved through 10 one-on-one,… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Graham, Ashlee
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Increasing Caregiver Reliability on Anecdotal Assessments

Description: Functional analyses are the gold standard of confirming maintaining variables of problem behavior. Despite widespread support, many clinical settings instead use anecdotal assessments. These have been shown to have poor reliability when used by non-experts but can be useful for confirming maintaining variables of problem behavior when agreement has reached a certain level. We used behavior skills training to teach new staff member pairs behavior function to increase their reliability on these a… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Drummond, Cody McPhail
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Instructors and Underrepresented Students in Microbiology: Educational Digital Tool Use, Trends, Perceptions, and Success

Description: The purpose of this three-article dissertation was to expand knowledge and theory regarding digital tool use in biology laboratory courses, such as microbiology, which requires specific laboratory skill development through the perception of instructors and students. Article 1 establishes the broad digital literacy and fluency problem in education by providing definitions and the context behind digital literacy fluency and its impact on acquisition of knowledge in digital learning environments. … more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Bradshaw-Ward, Danita M.
Partner: UNT Libraries
open access

Investigating Novel Streptomyces Bacteriophage Endolysins as Potential Antimicrobial Agents

Description: As antibiotic resistance has become a major global threat, the World Health Organization has urgently called scientists for alternative strategies for control of bacterial infections. Endolysin, a protein encoded by a phage gene, can degrade bacterial peptidoglycan (PG). Currently, there are three endolysin products in the clinical phase. We, thus, are interested in exploring novel endolysins from Streptomyces phages as only a few of them have been experimentally characterized. Using bioinforma… more
Date: December 2023
Creator: Maneekul, Jindanuch
Partner: UNT Libraries

Investigating the Molecular Framesworks of Phloem-Cap Fiber Development in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)

Description: The current study focuses on the vascular cambium and the reiterative formation of phloem fiber bundles in cotton stems. The role of the TDIF-PXY-WOX pathway was examined in regulating cambial activity and the differentiation of phloem fibers. A study was conducted to identify and characterize the cotton WOX family genes, focusing on WOX4 and WOX14, aiming to identify and analyze their phylogenetic relationships, tissue-specific expression profiles, functional roles, and metabolic consequences… more
This item is restricted from view until January 1, 2026.
Date: December 2023
Creator: Kaur, Harmanpreet
Partner: UNT Libraries
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