K-State Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports: 2004 -
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/2097/4
This is the collection for doctoral dissertations and masters theses and reports submitted electronically by K-State students. Electronic submission of doctoral dissertations was required beginning Fall semester 2006. Electronic submission for masters theses and reports was required beginning Fall 2007. The collection also contains some dissertations, theses, and reports from the years 2004 and 2005 that were submitted during a pilot test project. Some items before 2004 have been digitized and are available in K-State Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports: pre-2004. Check the Library catalog for dissertations, theses, and reports not found in these collections.
All items included in this collection have been approved by the K-State Graduate School. More information can be found on the ETDR Information Page. Items within this collection are protected by U.S. Copyright. Copyright on each item is held by the individual author.
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Item Open Access Seasonal life cycle of the Lone Star Tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the influence of prescribed burning on tick abundance and presence of microorganisms(2025) Salazar Aguirre, AndreaThe lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) is the most common and widely distributed tick species in the Central and Eastern United States and dominates tick communities in the Kansas Flint Hills. All life stages of A. americanum feed on humans as well as a variety of vertebrate hosts, serving as vectors for several pathogens, such as Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, Francisella tularensis, and Heartland virus. In addition to pathogen transmission, infestations of this tick can cause irritation, blood loss, and reduced productivity in livestock. This dissertation examined the ecology of A. americanum in the Kansas Flint Hills and evaluated prescribed burning as a long-term, sustainable method to manage tick populations and reduce tick-borne pathogen burdens. The research was conducted at the Kansas State University Beef Stocker Unit, a tallgrass prairie site where prescribed burning was applied in different seasons (spring, summer, and fall). Understanding how prescribed fire affects tick abundance, seasonal activity, and pathogen presence is integral to developing integrated management practices that protect human and animal health. In Chapter 2, the seasonal life cycle of A. americanum populations under field conditions in Kansas was studied. Field collections suggest that the life cycle takes two years to complete, which was similar to reports from other regions in the Central United States. In year one, adults lay eggs in early summer, and larvae emerge from late July through October. Fed larvae or newly molted nymphs overwinter, with nymphs reappearing as early as March in year two. Nymph ticks remain active through summer, molting into adults by late summer or fall. In Chapter 3, I evaluated the effects of long-term prescribed burning on A. americanum populations. The results showed a significant reduction in tick abundance in burned pastures compared to the unburned control. Burns performed in the spring were seen to be the most effective. Consecutive applications of prescribed burning over several years kept a low tick population, which indicates a lasting suppressive effect of the fire. In Chapter 4, the impact of prescribed burning on the presence of microorganisms in field-collected A. americanum was investigated. Overall, 36.7% of ticks were positive for Rickettsia spp., 8.3% for E. chaffeensis, and 5.3% for E. ewingii, while R. rickettsii and F. tularensis were not detected. Although prescribed burning significantly reduced tick abundance, it did not affect the presence of tested microorganisms across treatments. Co-occurrence analysis showed that E. chaffeensis and E. ewingii were detected together more often than expected by chance, suggesting possible interactions within the tick or during feeding; the two species were acquired from the same host. In general, this research contributes to a better understanding of A. americanum ecology, its response to prescribed fire, and pathogen dynamics in the Flint Hills region.Item Open Access Assessment of rapid on-farm diagnostic and prognostic technologies for infectious and production-limiting diseases in dairy and beef cattle(2025) Schelkopf, ConradThe objective of this dissertation is to explore and assess diagnostic technologies that enable rapid, on-farm detection and prognosis of diseases in cattle. This research primarily focuses on utilizing electronic nose (eNose) technology to detect infectious and production-limiting diseases. The first chapter is dedicated to the review of volatile organic compound (VOC)-based detection technologies for disease diagnosis in cattle. The review assessed three broad categories of VOC-based detection methods, including analytical chemistry instrumentation, sensor-based devices, and biological detectors. The diagnostic performance of these VOC-based detection methods was evaluated across diseases such as bovine respiratory disease (BRD), bovine tuberculosis, Johne’s disease, mastitis, metritis, ketosis, and trypanosomiasis. The review highlighted current success and existing knowledge gaps to guide future research within this field. The second chapter evaluates the use of an eNose to diagnose BRD in Holstein calves before and after an experimental challenge with bovine herpes virus-1 and Mannheimia haemolytica. Twelve calves were followed over 13 days with nasal swabs and expired air collected once daily in the pre-challenge (days 1-3) and post-challenge (days 6-13) periods. The eNose was able to correctly identify pre- and post-challenge nasal swab and expired air samples with a high degree of accuracy. The eNose demonstrated potential as a field-based diagnostic tool for the detection of BRD with nasal swabs as the optimal sample type. The third chapter expands on the work in chapter two by using the eNose for the detection of naturally occurring BRD in 363 crossbred beef cattle. The observation of clinical respiratory signs served as a comparator test to the analysis of nasal swabs by the eNose. Cattle evaluated in this study were diagnosed as either BRD or non-respiratory controls. Multiple eNose training sets were developed and tested throughout this study for assessment of diagnostic performance. Ultimately, the eNose training set developed in chapter two provided the best agreement with clinical signs for diagnosing BRD. This research supports the development and application of universal eNose training sets that can be applied across different cattle populations. The fourth chapter shifted the focus of chapters two and three from the diagnosis to the prognosis of BRD with an eNose. Crossbred beef cattle (n = 258) had nasal swabs collected at the time of their first treatment for BRD and analyzed by the eNose. Cattle were followed for 60 days post-sampling for determination of treatment-related outcomes. The eNose training sets were created and tested based on two classification methods: a two-outcome classification (first treatment success or first treatment failure) and a three-outcome classification (first treatment success, retreatment, or did not finish the 60-day follow-up due to BRD-related death or culling). Multiple eNose optimization methods were tested to increase the accuracy of the eNose's ability to correctly predict the observed treatment outcome. Unfortunately, the overall accuracy of the predicted treatment outcomes was poor for the eNose, regardless of which method was employed. The fifth chapter further evaluates BRD prognosis in crossbred beef cattle; however, a different rapid detection device was utilized. Cattle (n = 84) that were evaluated for BRD a second or greater time had whole blood samples collected, which were then analyzed using a point-of-care blood analyzer to measure cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations. Cattle were followed for 60 days post collection for determination of either recovery from BRD or did not finish the 60-day follow-up period due to BRD-related death or culling. Two cTnI thresholds were independently associated with an increased probability of BRD-related culling or death. However, careful consideration regarding the test’s limitations and strategic implementation is essential for effective integration into BRD management practices. The sixth chapter compares an eNose to existing cow-side diagnostic tools for the detection of ketosis in dairy cattle. Postpartum serum, whole blood, urine, and milk samples were collected from 60 Holstein dairy cows. Laboratory serum beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations were used to determine the true ketosis status of each cow. The eNose was used to characterize the cow’s ketosis status by analyzing milk and urine samples. These eNose results were compared with the results from urine ketone test strips and a handheld blood ketone meter. Results indicated the eNose underperformed compared to conventional cow-side ketosis detection tools. Further optimization of the eNose is needed before deployment as a field diagnostic tool. The seventh and final chapter highlights key considerations and outlines future direction for applying VOC-based detection technologies for the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases in cattle. Knowledge gleaned from chapters one, two, three, four, and six provided the framework and primary areas of focus. Emphasis is placed on the need for standardized methodologies to improve reproducibility, comparability, and eventual translation of VOC-based diagnostics into practical field applications. In conclusion, the culmination of this work has contributed to the field of rapid, on-farm diagnostics for disease detection and prognosis in cattle. Research related to an eNose as a VOC-based detection method for both ketosis and BRD represents novel approaches for the use of this tool in live animal studies. This work supports early and accurate identification of infectious and production-limiting diseases with the goal of providing tools that help veterinarians and cattle producers improve disease management, animal welfare, and overall herd productivity.Item Open Access Exploring the complexities of crafting new normality through collaborative situated resilience practices between high-containment laboratories and communities(2025) Barnhart, DavidThis dissertation develops Resilience-as-Practice (RAP) as a theoretical and analytical framework for understanding how resilience is co-constructed between high-containment laboratories and community stakeholders. Situated within a processual ontology and grounded in Leadership-as-Practice, the Communicative Theory of Resilience, and the Communicative Constitution of Organizations, RAP conceptualizes resilience as a socio-material, communicative accomplishment emergent through everyday organizing. Central to this framework is the concept of the resilience episode, defined as a situated, empirical unit of analysis that marks a trajectory shift toward a collaboratively produced “new normal.” Using a single instrumental case study of the National Bio-Agro Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, this research examines how resilience practices are enacted in situ through communicative and material resources. Guided by phronetic iterative qualitative data analysis, the study draws on interviews and field observations to answer two research questions: (1) How are resilience practice(s) co-constructed between high-containment labs and community stakeholders to overcome barriers to building community trust? and (2) What factors prevent co-action spaces from solidifying and producing resilience, particularly in building trust between high-containment labs and communities? Findings identify five enabling practices, organizing around experiential engagement, strategic facilitation, calibrated transparency, priority convergence, and diverse communication, and five constraining factors, including limited resources, operational constraints, language intimidation, conflicting matters of concern, and lingering fears and rumors. The study contributes to resilience and leadership scholarship by offering a practice-based ontology of resilience, emphasizing hybrid agency and emergent organizing.Item Open Access Seeking socially just information: Exploring adult learners’ knowledge application for critical algorithmic literacy(2025) Carlson, CatieThis research acknowledged the power, influence, and biases that information discovery algorithms hold. Information discovery occurs as we interact with online platforms that feed us information whether they are passive (e.g. social media scroll) or active (e.g. search results). Because information shapes thought processes and beliefs, the power, influence, and biases of these algorithms impact social justice movements. Using hermeneutic phenomenology, this research examined adult learners’ understanding of information discovery algorithms through their application of critical algorithmic literacy to inform future critical pedagogy methods. The findings identify 14 categories aligned with the research’s four research questions and provide insights into how critical algorithmic literacy can improve for adult learners in educational settings. Key implications for practitioners based on this research include improving source evaluation teachings, integrating content creation into information literacy development, and a lack of mention of libraries within the conversation.Item Open Access An investigation into faculty developers' experiences in the process of assisting faculty in teaching with technology in higher education: A multiple case study(2025) Edouard, GusmanMany higher education institutions (HEIs) struggle with preparing their faculty to teach with technology in diverse teaching settings, be it traditional, hybrid, or online. Numerous studies examined how HEIs equipped faculty members (FM) to leverage technology tools in their teaching. However, most of these investigations gathered data from the perspectives of FMs. The literature has largely overlooked the pivotal roles of faculty developers (FD), professionals who assist faculty in leveraging technology in their teaching. This qualitative multiple-case study, guided by the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) Framework and the Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement (ADKAR) Change Management Model, examined the experiences of four FDs in assisting FMs to use technology for teaching and learning at two research-intensive universities. Findings revealed five major themes that capture FDs' experiences and perceptions of their work and roles. Precisely, this study revealed that: (a) change was a fundamental aspect of the FDs' work and role, (b) FDs' work assisting FMs to teach with technology was a complex, multifaceted process of navigating change to develop faculty's technological and pedagogical knowledge and skills, (c) FDs' experiences were multifaceted, defined by both professional opportunities and institutional challenges, (d) FDs worked to overcome role ambiguity and misconceptions to justify their value as academic partners and collaborators, and (e) various factors, including organizational structure, leadership support, and FD unit location on campus influenced FDs' work. Practical implications for educational programs that train FDs and HEI administrators who hire FDs are discussed. Recommendations for future studies are also provided.Item Open Access Exploration of Gen Z perceptions of organizational culture, person organization fit and loyalty(2025) Brown, AnneGeneration Z (Gen Z), born 1995-2012, is projected to become the largest cohort in the U.S. workforce by 2030, coinciding with Baby Boomer retirements. As companies increasingly hire Gen Z, understanding their distinct values, expectations, and workplace behaviors is critical for retention. Organizational culture and employees’ sense of fit are strongly linked to organizational loyalty. This study examines how full-time Gen Z professionals in U.S.-based companies perceive organizational culture and person-organization fit, and how these perceptions influence loyalty. Using a basic qualitative design grounded in social constructionism, the study gathered insights through two rounds of semi-structured interviews and workplace artifacts. The research applied both Schein’s (1981, 1983) and Schein and Schein’s (2017) three levels of organizational culture framework and Kristof’s (1996) person-organization (PO) fit theory as a conceptual lens to explore how Gen Z interprets artifacts, values alignment, and underlying workplace assumptions. Findings show Gen Z needs to feel comfortable asking questions and strongly prefers flat organizational structures. They want cultures that promote learning and transparency from senior leaders. Participants emphasized the critical importance of aligning personal and professional values with company values. Career progression opportunities and supportive, positive, authentic environments foster loyalty, which for Gen Z is rooted in relationships and differs from traditional tenure-based definitions. The study offers organizational leaders and human resources development (HRD) executives’ practical strategies to improve Gen Z engagement and retention.Item Embargo T-TExTS (Teaching Text Expansion for Teacher Scaffolding): Enhancing text selection in high school literature through knowledge graph-based recommendation(2025) Gelal, NirmalThe selection of diverse, thematically aligned literature is a significant challenge for high school English teachers due to limited time and resources. This study presents T-TExTS, a knowledge graph-based recommendation system designed to address this problem by scaffolding educators in their text selection process. We constructed a domain-specific ontology using KNowledge Acquisition and Representation Methodology (KNARM), which was then instantiated into a knowledge graph to power the recommendation engine. Our core contribution is a comparative analysis of two graph embedding paradigms: shallow methods (DeepWalk, Biased Random Walk, and Hybrid model) and a deep method (Relational Graph Convolutional Network, R-GCN). The models were evaluated on both link prediction and recommendation ranking tasks. While the shallow DeepWalk model achieved the highest AUC for link prediction (0.9739), the deep R-GCN model proved superior for the primary tasks of recommendation ranking, outperforming other models on metrics such as Hits@10, MRR, and nDCG@10. This finding supports our hypothesis that deep embedding approaches, by capturing richer relational semantics, are better suited for recommendation tasks on knowledge-augmented datasets. The results demonstrate that T-TExTS provides an effective, ontology-driven solution to assist educators in making more informed and inclusive curricular decisions.Item Open Access Is it time for Super Prime?(2025) Effling, Chesney AlaynaUSDA Prime carcass numbers have risen steadily over the past 25 years, but the grade remains undifferentiated in value-based marketing programs. As Prime availability grows, opportunities exist to capture added value by differentiating this grade, similar to the USDA Choice grade. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate palatability characteristics of strip loin steaks from upper 2/3 Prime (Super Prime), Low Prime, Top Choice, and Low Choice across three degrees of doneness (DOD): Rare, Medium, and Well-Done. Steaks were designated for consumer evaluation, trained sensory evaluation, or objective measurements. There were no (P > 0.05) quality grade DOD interactions for any consumer or trained panel-evaluated traits. Super Prime steaks were rated higher (P < 0.05) for all sensory traits evaluated by consumers and trained panelists compared to all other grades. Low Prime, Top Choice, and Low Choice did not differ (P > 0.05) for juiciness, flavor, or overall liking, although Low Prime was more tender (P < 0.05) than Low Choice. A higher percentage (P < 0.05) of Super Prime steaks were rated as acceptable for juiciness, flavor, and overall liking than all other quality grades. Rare steaks were juicier and more tender (P < 0.05) than Medium and Well-Done steaks, while Medium and Well-Done samples were similar (P > 0.05) for those traits. There was a quality grade DOD interaction (P < 0.05) for objective tenderness and moisture measures. Across all DODs, Super Prime steaks were the lowest (P < 0.05) for WBSF. These results indicate that consumers preferred the eating quality of upper 2/3 Prime steaks over the other grades evaluated and supports the opportunity for a premium program within the Prime grade, offering the beef industry a valuable opportunity to capture added value from this highest grade within beef.Item Embargo Kinase-mediated regulation of CryAB in muscle: from NUAK-dependent signaling to extracellular vesicle–driven amyloid secretion(2025) Zhao, ZiweiThis thesis examines the role of NUAK kinase and CryAB in muscle proteostasis, addressing two key questions: (1) how does NUAK activity prevent protein aggregation, and (2) how do pathogenic CryAB alleles perturb proteostasis and promote amyloidogenesis? NUAK is a member of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) family, a conserved group of serine/threonine kinases with broad regulatory functions. To define the requirement for NUAK catalytic activity, I introduced point mutations at residues essential for phosphotransfer activity. Three independent loss-of-function alleles abolished enzymatic activity, leading to aberrant protein accumulation and progressive muscle degeneration, thereby establishing NUAK kinase activity as indispensable for muscle integrity. A prior yeast two-hybrid screen identified a physical interaction between NUAK and CryAB. To test whether CryAB is a direct substrate, I overexpressed NUAK, which enriched for phosphorylated CryAB species. Mass spectrometry of HA-tagged CryAB purified from muscle tissue identified serines 68 and 70 as phosphorylation targets. Alanine substitutions at these positions eliminated the modification, confirming NUAK- dependent regulation of CryAB through site-specific phosphorylation. The second half of this work delineates how CryAB pathogenic mutations perturb proteostasis and promote inclusion formation. Mutational analyses revealed two phenotypic classes: conventional aggregates and distinct inclusion-like structures. CryAB aggregates colocalized with canonical protein quality control markers including ubiquitin, p62/SQSTM1, and Bag3, consistent with impaired proteostasis. In contrast, CryAB inclusions were characterized by a unique association with desmin, extracellular vesicle (EV)-associated proteins (Rab27, CD81, Alix, TSG101), and localized preferentially at fiber peripheries. Transmission electron microscopy and Congo red staining confirmed that these inclusions are amyloidogenic. Preliminary genetic perturbations demonstrated that depletion of EV biogenesis components in CryAB mutant flies reduced both the size and abundance of amyloid inclusions, implicating EV pathways in their assembly. Collectively, these findings define NUAK as a critical kinase that maintains muscle proteostasis through phosphorylation of CryAB and establish that pathogenic CryAB mutations induce amyloidogenic inclusions whose formation is modulated by extracellular vesicle pathways. This work uncovers new mechanisms linking kinase signaling, molecular chaperones, and vesicle biology to amyloid pathology in muscle disease.Item Embargo Visual quality assessment of plant-based meat products using deep learning(2025) Aljishi, Abdullah Mohammed MThe growing demand for plant-based meat alternatives has heightened the need for robust quality control systems to ensure visual and structural consistency. Traditional quality assessment methods rely heavily on human inspection, which can be subjective, time-consuming, and prone to variability. This thesis investigates the use of deep learning techniques, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs), to automate the visual quality assessment of plant-based meat products. A modified ResNet-18 model, pre-trained on ImageNet, was fine-tuned to perform regression on expert-provided quality scores. The dataset consists of high-resolution images labeled by human evaluators, covering a range of visual characteristics such as color, surface texture, and structural uniformity. Data preprocessing included resizing, normalization, and augmentation to improve model robustness. The model was trained using a combination of optimization techniques, including the Adam optimizer, learning rate scheduling, and regularization strategies like dropout and weight decay. Performance was evaluated using standard regression metrics, including Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and R². The overall effectiveness of the proposed convolutional neural network (CNN) model was demonstrated in terms of all these measures, suggesting that deep learning can be effectively applied to quality assessment tasks in plant-based meat production. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using deep learning for visual quality assessment in food production. By automating the evaluation process, the proposed approach has the potential to improve consistency, reduce labor costs, and support scalable quality control in the plant-based food industry.Item Open Access Enhancing literacy through picture-word interventions: A mixed methods study on English learners in southwestern Kansas(2025) Struzik, EugeneThis quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of the Picture Word Induction Model (PWIM) on vocabulary, comprehension, and literacy attitudes among fifth-grade English Learners at Sunrise Elementary School, a pseudonym for a rural school in southwest Kansas. Employing a convergent parallel mixed methods design, the study integrated quantitative assessments and qualitative interviews to provide a comprehensive evaluation of PWIM’s influence on literacy outcomes, attitudes, and engagement. The study included 44 fifth-grade English Learners who participated in an eight-week PWIM intervention. Quantitative data were collected using FastBridge assessments and the Garfield Reading Attitude Survey. The Garfield data revealed statistically significant gains in both recreational (z = 4.04, p < .001) and academic (z = 3.62, p < .001) reading attitudes, while FastBridge results showed descriptive improvements in vocabulary and comprehension that were not statistically significant within the study’s timeframe. The qualitative strand consisted of semi-structured interviews with 17 focal participants. Analysis indicated that students developed greater confidence in reading aloud, shifting from fear and avoidance to increased willingness to volunteer and persist when encountering unfamiliar words. PWIM also reduced resistance to writing tasks by providing scaffolded vocabulary entry points, encouraged reading habits beyond school, and supported higher engagement and enjoyment of literacy activities. Taken together, these findings suggest that PWIM contributed meaningfully to attitudinal and confidence growth, creating more positive literacy identities for English Learners, even though measurable achievement effects were not yet statistically significant. The study highlights the potential of PWIM as a visually scaffolded and student-centered instructional model that can foster both affective and behavioral shifts in literacy, with implications for future research and classroom practice in linguistically diverse settings.Item Open Access A case study about community college support practices for first-year, first-generation community college student-athletes(2025) Worrels, DerrickAbstract The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) oversees athletics at 525 community colleges, involving approximately 70,000 student-athletes annually. Many of these athletes are first-generation college students (FGCSs), a demographic that constitutes almost two thirds of all students at two-year institutions. However, data on the percentage of first-generation student-athletes at community colleges are scarce. These students often come from low-income families with limited exposure to higher education and face unique challenges, including academic preparedness, time management, financial constraints, and social integration. Despite their recruitment for athletic performance, many first-year, first-generation student-athletes fail to persist beyond their first year. The purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to gain an understanding of the college support practices provided by community colleges to enhance the involvement of first-year, first-generation student-athletes. Findings revealed that while general support systems exist for student-athletes, few practices are tailored specifically to FGCSAs. Themes that emerged across institutional departments included the need for improved data tracking, expanded mental health services, mentoring from coaches and peers, and the benefits of programs like TRIO and intrusive advising. Faculty, staff, and leadership cited a strong culture of care and collaboration, though acknowledged gaps in targeted support and disaggregated data collection. Recommendations include the implementation of FGCSA-specific advising, structured mentoring programs, and partnerships to extend wraparound support services beyond the athletic sphere.Item Open Access A post COVID-19 pandemic exploration of teaching strategies, attitudes, and values of Southern California community college faculty(2025) Abril, MariOn March 11, 2020, the COVID-19 virus unexpectedly became a global pandemic, forcing the World Health Organization (WHO) to take dramatic action to prevent the spread of the virus and disrupt education forever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, educational institutions were quarantined to avoid spreading the virus, forcing students and faculty to move to fully online instruction. The forced transition to fully online instruction was hard for many people. Students stopped coming to class, faculty chose to retire or leave altogether, and colleges struggled to provide services to students and faculty. Further impacting faculty and adult learners were the unforeseen emergencies and crises during the pandemic, including employment and economic loss, displacement, eviction, homelessness, loss of family members due to COVID-19, and medical emergencies (Walker, 2021). Closing campuses and moving to remote learning caused a spectrum of psychological consequences, including fear, loneliness, overthinking, sleeplessness, and stress, giving rise to a heightened sense of uncertainty (Zhai & Du, 2020). All forms of in-person participation, like graduations, public forums, athletic competitions, and social organizations, were also canceled, raising concerns about how communities and leaders perceived the campus and its role as town-gown relations shifted (Bristow, 2016). Faculty who continued teaching during this challenging time needed to take extra steps to maintain communication, collaboration, and students' emotional engagement with the learning community. This qualitative study explored the experiences of community college faculty in Southern California who taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. It examined how faculty participants adapted their teaching methods, attitudes, and educational values in response to the sudden transition to fully online instruction. Additionally, it included what new technologies faculty used in their classes and their perspectives on teaching evolved during this unprecedented shift as well as the future of online education. Findings from the two research questions revealed that faculty adapted to online teaching by using new technology and implementing strategies to engage students in their online classes better. They updated their syllabi with online etiquette, mental health resources, and digital tools. Many allowed late work and practiced holistic grading, valuing participation and improvement over traditional grading. Faculty used platforms like TechConnect Zoom and Canvas to increase interaction and foster connectivity in a distance education environment. The research findings also indicated that while faculty participants' core values remained steady, their attitudes and teaching philosophies shifted significantly during the pandemic, especially with those who had never taught online. Faculty became more empathetic and flexible by prioritizing student well-being and adapting their teaching practices to address new challenges such as student anxiety, isolation, and access to technology. The transition to online education prompted many faculty to innovate and reconsider their approaches to inclusivity and support for students. Despite ongoing tensions about teaching modalities, faculty maintained high standards and a commitment to professional development, demonstrating resilience and a renewed focus on understanding students' lives beyond the classroom. Higher education has changed, become more student-centered, innovative, and online. College faculty are teaching more online and hybrid classes while new polices address distance education, generative artificial intelligence, digital literacy, and access to resources. Ongoing professional development is essential for faculty to stay current and adapt to these changes. The research also revealed several key topics that merit further investigation to deepen the understanding of faculty, students, and institutional experiences in the post-pandemic era. These topics included disciplinary differences in teaching practices, variations in faculty adaptation, post-pandemic student retention and success, equity impacts related to gender and race, student adaptation to teaching changes, post-pandemic administrative and staff work changes, campus climate and faculty engagement, theoretical perspectives on educational change, evolution of learning paradigms, faculty employment patterns, shared governance and faculty voice, and teaching modality and student success.Item Open Access Growth of hexagonal boron nitride from molten nickel solutions: a reactive molecular dynamics study(2025) Ahmadisharaf, AminMetal flux methods are excellent for synthesizing high-quality hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals, but the atomic mechanisms of hBN nucleation and growth in these systems are poorly understood and difficult to probe experimentally. Here, we harness classical reactive molecular dynamics (ReaxFF) to unravel the mechanisms of hBN synthesis from liquid nickel solvent over time scales up to 30 ns. These simulations mimic experimental conditions by including relatively large liquid nickel slabs containing dissolved boron and a molecular nitrogen gas phase. Overall, the reaction takes place almost exclusively on the surface of the liquid nickel, owing to the low solubility of nitrogen in bulk nickel and the intermediate species’ preference for the metal–gas interface. The formation of hBN invariably begins by reaction of dinitrogen with nickel-solvated boron atoms at the surface, forming intermediate N–N–B species, which typically evolve into B–N–B units through a short-lived intermediate where a single nitrogen atom is coordinated by one nitrogen and two boron atoms. The resulting B–N–B units, in turn, coalesce with growing hBN nuclei and carry nitrogen between hBN nanocrystals in an Ostwald ripening process. The amount of hBN produced on the tens of nanosecond time scale depends critically on the boron concentration, while having a much weaker dependence on the N2 pressure for the regime considered (N2 pressures of 2.5–10 MPa, Ni-B solutions with 6–12% boron by atom fraction). The highest rate of hBN formation occurs at the lowest temperature considered (1750 K, just above the melting point of nickel), while no hBN sheets are formed at 2000 K or above. An analysis of the transition pathways for nitrogen atoms shows that the final step, incorporation of small B–N motifs into larger hBN sheets, is the rate-limiting step in the regimes considered. While raising the temperature from 1750 to 2000 K has little effect on the formation of intermediates (N–N–B, B–N–B, etc.), the lack of large hBN sheets at temperatures >1900 K is explained by decreased probability of the final step and increased probability of break-up of hBN into B–N motifs.Item Open Access Residue profiles and therapeutic applications of unapproved anti-inflammatory drugs in cattle(2025) Fritz, Bailey RenéeDisease and routine management procedures result in cattle regularly experiencing pain, inflammation, or stress. The ‘Five Domains’ animal welfare paradigm establishes that animals should have freedom from pain, injury, and disease and freedom to express normal behaviors. Effectively managing pain and inflammation due to disease and management procedures can meet these basic welfare needs. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and glucocorticoids are commonly used to treat pain, inflammation, and stress. Because there are few approved anti-inflammatory drug options for cattle in the United States, veterinarians must use drugs in an extra-label manner in certain situations. However, for extra-label drug use (ELDU) to be legal, veterinarians must determine a conservative withdrawal interval (WDI) to avoid violative residues in edible tissues and ensure the treated animal does not enter the food chain prior to the end of that period. Variability in animal populations – whether due to age, breed, physiologic status, or disease state—can alter the pharmacokinetics of drugs. Thus, it is prudent to generate data to enable estimation of WDI for drugs in healthy populations and those of interest for a particular drug regimen. Industrial hemp (IH) is being evaluated in cattle as a novel, sustainable feed source and for possible therapeutic applications. Inclusion of IH in cattle feed or as a drug is currently illegal, in part due to concerns over the transfer of cannabinoids into edible tissues. However, data supporting tissue cannabinoid concentrations and therapeutic effects of IH are of interest to both promote and inform its approval as a feed ingredient. This dissertation begins with a review of unapproved anti-inflammatory drugs pharmacokinetics and current IH research in cattle. Further chapters discuss residue depletion profiles for salicylic acid in milk following aspirin treatment in cows and for cannabinoids in tissues following IH administration in steers. Additional pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic considerations for IH in cattle are explored through (1) evaluation of the effects of IH and repeated transportation events on measures of stress and inflammation and (2) description of the plasma cannabinoid profile after long-term IH administration. Salicylic acid was detected in the milk and WDI were estimated for treated cows. Results indicated that a 120 h to 156 h WDI may be appropriate; this is longer than the previous 24-hour recommendation. Following aspirin administration, prostaglandin production was reduced for up to 12 h. When this aspirin report was initially published, extra-label aspirin use was common in dairy cattle and the FDA used enforcement discretion in not pursuing action against administration of unapproved, over-the-counter marketed products. However, concerns with mass aspirin treatment of dairy cows during the highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak have since prompted prohibition of extra-label aspirin use. Following administration of IH inflorescence to Holstein steers, a variety of cannabinoids, including the psychoactive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC) and the bioactive cannabidiol (CBD), were detected in tissues. Both CBD and 9-THC accumulated in adipose tissue. Slow depletion of some cannabinoids resulted in WDI estimates with a large degree of extrapolation. Exposure estimates for human consumers demonstrated that a single demographic (newborns) exceeded the most conservative international toxicity threshold for 9-THC. Additional research should establish safe thresholds of cannabinoids in younger (vulnerable) demographics. Results showed that IH administration, in a complex relationship with transportation and time, may reduce prostaglandin E2 metabolites (a measure of inflammation). Transported cattle had increased activity during transportation. However, both transported and non-transported cattle lay down more following the return of the transported group. Transport elicited changes in blood parameters and cortisol that are consistent with previous reports. These data will enable the design of impactful future studies regarding IH use in cattle. During long-term IH administration, predominantly acidic cannabinoids were detected in plasma. (−)-7-nor-7-carboxy cannabidiol (CBD-7-acid) reached the highest concentrations and depleted the most slowly after cessation of IH administration. A handful of cannabinoids, including CBD-7-acid, were detected in cattle not receiving IH. This suggests that cattle not receiving IH could have detectable cannabinoid concentrations in the blood if cohoused with animals that are exposed to IH. In conclusion, our results provided information for generation of WDI following administration of aspirin to lactating cows. Our data provide information on target tissues and marker residues for post-slaughter surveillance and a suggest a promising candidate for ante-mortem testing of IH exposure. Treatment with IH may reduce some inflammatory markers. Further work should continue to evaluate the food safety profile of cattle exposed to IH as well as the potential therapeutic benefits of IH administration.Item Open Access Behavioral intentions of Saudi female students in the College of Computer Science and Engineering at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia toward using mobile computer devices in their learning(2025) Alnehari, NaifThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is making crucial progress and development in all fields, including education, as it develops higher education to compete globally. Among these strategies is the effective integration of technology into the educational environment, a key goal of Vision 2030. The spread of mobile computer devices among students has proven effective in student learning. However, there is still a lack of studies about the effectiveness of these mobile computer devices in higher education, especially among Saudi female students. Therefore, processes are involved before integrating any technology into the educational environment; one is to understand students' acceptance of these devices in their learning journey. Thus, the purpose of this study is to predict the behavioral intention of Saudi female students in the College of Computer Science and Engineering at Taibah University in Saudi Arabia to learn with mobile computer devices based on the constructs of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh et al., 2003). This study employed a quantitative, non-experimental survey design to collect data. The number of responses received was 134; 127 were valid. The multiple linear regression analysis was administered to answer the research questions. The results revealed that effort expectancy and social influence were significantly associated with the female Saudi students' behavioral intentions toward using mobile computer devices in their learning (β = 0.444, p < 0.001; β = 0.174, p = 0.033). Performance expectancy had no statistically significant relationship with the behavioral intentions of Saudi female students regarding the use of mobile computer devices (β = 0.108, p = 0.232). In addition, multiple linear regression results were presented, showing that the model accounted for 39% of the variance in the behavioral intentions of Saudi female students regarding the use of mobile computer devices in their learning. The current study also revealed some challenges students face when using mobile computer devices for learning. These include classroom infrastructure issues, such as limited Internet access and low-quality hardware, as well as battery and device performance problems when downloading files and applications. Additionally, some educational websites and content were incompatible with these devices. Based on these findings, the current study provides recommendations for future research and for improving educational practices when integrating mobile computer devices.Item Open Access Navigating academic momentum: Investigating the policies, practices, and perceptions pertaining to a dual enrollment program that is accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships(2025) Gayle, MichaelThis qualitative case study examines the policies, practices, and stakeholder perceptions of a dual enrollment program at a two-year community college accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP). Using Adelman’s (2006) model of academic momentum as the theoretical framework and the NACEP standards as a conceptual guide, the study explores how such accreditation influences program design, implementation, and student outcomes. The research focuses on one Midwestern institution, analyzing document artifacts and conducting interviews with eight stakeholders including faculty, counselors, and administrators. Findings reveal that NACEP accreditation provides structural clarity and academic rigor, while stakeholder collaboration enhances student access, retention, and success. Key themes include governance, curriculum alignment, faculty credentialing, evaluation strategies, and equitable outreach. The study concludes that an intentionally structured dual enrollment program can foster academic momentum by enabling students to earn transferable credits, adapt to postsecondary environments, and graduate on accelerated timelines. Recommendations highlight the need for dedicated advising, improved enrollment systems, and broader access strategies to expand program efficacy.Item Open Access Pain modeling and NSAID pharmacology in meat-type goats: Development, comparative efficacy, and pharmacokinetics(2025) Weeder, MikaelaIn recent years, there has been a growing trend among consumers of animal products to prioritize the ethical treatment of animals. Most animal products are derived from food-producing animals, including but not limited to cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, and goats. Ensuring the ethical treatment of food animals includes addressing a range of animal welfare concerns, including pain recognition and pain alleviation. Pain responses in livestock animals are often challenging to interpret and assess objectively due to their complex nature and the inherent stoicism of prey animal species. This stoicism, while adaptive for survival, complicates the recognition and effective treatment of pain in food animal species, making pain management a significant welfare and veterinary challenge. Goats have become increasingly popular in recent years, both as companion animals and for production purposes. However, compared to other livestock species, the timely and accurate recognition and treatment of pain in goats remains limited. Painful events in goats commonly arise from routine husbandry procedures such as disbudding and castration, as well as from health conditions like lameness or mastitis. While these events are challenging, effective pain management is essential for ensuring positive animal welfare and optimizing productivity. Efficient and timely pain management not only ensures the ethical treatment of livestock animals like goats but also helps address growing concerns among consumers of animal products regarding animal welfare. This dissertation presents a comprehensive evaluation of three amphotericin B-induced lameness models to develop a reliable and repeatable transient synovitis model in meat-type goats. A species-specific grimace scoring system for goats is also introduced to support behavioral pain assessment. The analgesic efficacy of firocoxib and meloxicam is assessed following surgical castration in meat-type goats. Additionally, the effectiveness of firocoxib, meloxicam, and transdermal flunixin, each administered at three different dosages, is evaluated after lameness induction with amphotericin B, using both behavioral assessments and pain-specific biomarkers. Finally, the pharmacokinetic profiles of firocoxib, meloxicam, and transdermal flunixin at varying dosages are reported using descriptive statistical analyses. The results indicate that an amphotericin B lameness model, using a dose of 5 mg/0.25 mL, is a reliable and repeatable method for inducing transient synovitis in meat-type goats for research purposes. Pain assessment tools, including Visual Lameness Scoring (VLS), Visual Analogue Scoring (VAS), and Grimace Scoring, consistently indicated that lameness is a painful condition in goats. Additionally, the Grimace Scoring System developed specifically for evaluating facial expressions in goats during this study proved to be a successful tool for assessing pain-related grimacing behavior. Our results suggest that pain experienced by male goats during surgical castration may be effectively alleviated through the administration of oral meloxicam. The current study provides evidence that surgical castration is a painful husbandry procedure for goats, as demonstrated by multiple pain assessment methods, including kinetic gait analysis, plasma cortisol levels, and Visual Analogue Scoring (VAS). Kinetic gait analysis revealed altered weight distribution, with reduced weight-bearing in the rear limbs compared to the front limbs following castration. Plasma cortisol concentrations peaked immediately after castration but decreased following analgesic intervention. Additionally, VAS scores were consistently higher at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-castration in goats treated with firocoxib compared to those treated with meloxicam or control goats, suggesting meloxicam may offer more effective pain relief. In goats with experimentally induced lameness, analgesic interventions with transdermal flunixin at 3.3 mg/kg and 5.0 mg/kg were effective in reducing pain. Among treatments, the Mechanical Nociception Threshold (MNT) difference between lame and sound limbs was lowest in the high-dose transdermal flunixin group (5.0 mg/kg), indicating effective analgesia. Kinetic gait parameters, including stance time, stride length, peak force, and contact force, showed the smallest differences between lame and sound limb comparisons in the low-and high-dose transdermal flunixin groups (3.3mg/kg and 5.0mg/kg). Visual Lameness Scores (VLS) were reported to be lowest in the low-dose flunixin group on average (3.3 mg/kg), while Visual Analogue Scores (VAS) were lowest in the high-dose group on average (5.0 mg/kg). Descriptive pharmacokinetic data were collected for firocoxib, meloxicam, and transdermal flunixin at three dosage levels for each drug. To conclude, these results indicate that pain-associated outcome measures previously used in livestock species such as cattle are also effective in assessing pain in goats. There is a clear animal welfare benefit for meat goats that receive analgesia prior to or during painful procedures, such as surgical castration or treatment for lameness. Further research is warranted to investigate species-specific pain indicators relevant to goats, and to optimize analgesic strategies for managing pain during procedures like castration or in cases of lameness. Such studies will help provide more effective pain control options for meat-type goats.Item Open Access Geochronological and mineralizing fluid constraints associated with the Washita Valley Fault System(2025) Rickert, JamesAbstract The Arbuckle Mountains, Oklahoma, correspond to an inverted aulacogen uplifted during the Pennsylvanian (320-290 Ma). The Arbuckle Mountains are affected by a large-scale strike-slip fault system: the Pennsylvanian Washita Valley Fault System. Based on stable (O, C) and radiogenic Strontium isotope approaches on carbonate rocks and veins, previous studies have attempted to resolve the syn-tectonic diagenetic and paleo fluid-flow history of the Arbuckle Mountains. Results from these studies suggest that the diagenetic alteration of carbonate exposed within the Arbuckle Mountains was dominated by meteoric fluid structurally channelized along fault systems. Although the principal tectonic phase is linked to the Pennsylvanian Arbuckle Orogeny, two other deformation events have been documented on the field, suggesting a long lasting and complicated tectonic history, opening debate about the exact timing of the sinistral Washita Valley Fault System and its related paleo-fluid flow. To resolve the exact timing of the Washita Valley Fault System activity, we performed detailed field-based structural analysis coupled with in-situ U-Pb analyses on fault related carbonate veins. In addition, we used conventional O and C stable, and ∆47 clumped isotope analyses on carbonate veins and their direct host rocks to document the associated fluid-related alteration. Our preliminary results suggest that the Washita Valley Fault was active during Early Cretaceous (140-109 Ma), contradicting previously proposed Pennsylvanian ages (320-290 Ma) estimated by either stratigraphic correlation or from seismic data interpretation. In addition, our new stable isotope data also suggest that the Washita Valley Fault System acted as an open hydrological fluid system involving marine and meteoric water at 44-68 ˚C during its activity.Item Open Access Defining affordable housing: a study of secondary and tertiary impacts to housing affordability in Habitat for Humanity clients(2025) Isola, Andrew Charles IVHousing affordability is an important topic in the United States. Many communities currently have both a shortage in housing stock and, more importantly, a shortage in affordable housing stock. Many proposed policy and practice solutions exist to ease the strain on communities caused by the lack of affordable housing. Many of the proposed solutions are economic in nature, either supply side or demand side. However, research suggests that factors that impact housing affordability are more than just economic in nature but are also social and environmental in nature. By studying Habitat for Humanity clients in the state of North Carolina, this paper defines the myriad social, environmental, and economic factors that impact housing affordability and models the interactions between these factors, residents, and communities. These factors can be ranked as primary, secondary, or tertiary impacts to housing affordability.
