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Using Goal Setting with Self-Monitoring Technology to Increase On-Task Performance in Students with Attention Difficulties
Get PDFStudents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have difficulty maintaining their focus during class lessons and often require reminder prompts from an adult including a teacher or instructional assistant. This study used goal setting paired with a technology-based application and Smartwatch to explore increases in elementary student on-task time during math class. The study sought to answer the question if a functional relationship existed between goal setting with the use of the Smartwatch to self-monitor and an increase in on-task time during math lessons. Secondary questions focused on determining if a functional relationship existed between self-monitoring and an increase on class assessment scores and an effect on student and teacher perceptions of attention concerns and pro-social behaviors. A feedback loop for self-regulating behavior including identifying a need, setting a goal, self-monitoring towards that goal, and then self-reflecting on their progress and performance was implemented within the intervention. The study’s design was a single case, A-B-A-B withdrawal design used with 6th grade elementary age students (n = 4) with ADHD or attentional concerns. The students self-monitored with Smartwatches along with the Strides application during their math class in the general education classroom in a team-taught environment. The study evaluated the effect of goal setting with a self-monitoring application using Smartwatches had on 6th grade students’ on-task time during math class. The study also evaluated the effect of goal setting with a self-monitoring application using Smartwatches on 6th grade students’ performance in accurately solving mathematical problems following a class focus lesson. Finally, the study evaluated the effect of the self-monitoring strategy on student classroom, emotional, and social behaviors during the math focus lessons. Data gathered included responses on emotional and social behavior scales, observational data regarding on-task time, and end of lesson math assessments. Data was analyzed using visual analysis regarding the six single case design features of mean, standard deviation, variability, trend, immediacy of effect, and percentage of data exceeding the mean for both the on-task time percentages and the score on the mathematics assessments. Mean scores of on-task times along with level and trend were analyzed within each phase and across phases. The results demonstrated a functional relationship between the use of the self-monitoring technology and on-task time during math classes. The students all met the pre-established goals for increased on-task time during the self-monitoring phase. The responses from both students and the teachers also indicated that the intervention led to improvement on the students’ classroom social and emotional behaviors. The study did not establish a relationship between increases in on-task time and performance on daily math assessments. Implications for practice include using Smartwatches to increase student on-task time within the general education classroom without additional adult support. Using this technology can aid the development of independent self-awareness skills of attention. Additional research is needed to further explore the effect of self-monitoring on student achievement scores. Longer intervention times should be conducted to determine if the effects of using the self-monitoring technology are maintained and generalized across academic lesson units.Keywords: self-monitoring, technology, ADHD, goal setting, elementar
Inhibition of TC-83 Alphavirus by Small Molecule Saracatinib and Piscidin Peptide Candidates
Get PDFVenezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) is an encephalitic alphavirus that is known to cause disease in the central nervous system (CNS). It is naturally transmitted by infected mosquitoes and causes disease in equines and humans on a regular basis in various parts of the world. VEEV also has the potential to be aerosolized, and when infection is acquired via the respiratory route, the chances of CNS penetration are higher, with increased incidences of morbidity and mortality. Even if infected individuals clear the infection, there is a potential for long term neurological sequelae in survivors, thus increasing the disease burden. There are currently no FDA-approved therapeutic intervention strategies to treat the encephalitic manifestations of VEEV infection-induced disease. This thesis project focused on establishing early stage efficacy measurements for a candidate small molecule inhibitor, Saracatinib, which is already FDA-approved for the treatment of cancer. In addition, this project also involved screening a small library of synthetic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from a parent piscidin peptide. Piscidins are fish-derived, naturally occurring AMPs that have been demonstrated to have antibacterial and immunomodulatory properties. My project was based on the hypothesis that Saracatinib and synthetic piscidin-derived AMPs will demonstrate antiviral activities against VEEV. This project was performed using the attenuated TC-83 strain of VEEV, in the context of several human-derived cell lines of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Analysis of antiviral activities of Saracatinib in the nontoxic range demonstrated that endothelial cells were highly responsive to treatment and showed significant reduction in viral load in treated cells. Screening of the synthetic piscidin library has identified four candidates that showed a statistically significant reduction in viral load in a human astrocyte cell line. Cumulatively, these data provide the foundation for further development of Saracatinib and prioritized synthetic piscidin AMPs as therapeutic intervention strategies against VEEV infection
A New Approach to the Development of Cryptographic Hardware Based on Specialized Computer-Aided Design Tools
Get PDFThis research looks to provide a new approach to the development of cryptographic hardware by providing specialized computer-aided design tools. Specifically, when working with cryptographic algorithms, there are number of operations that can take a significant amount of time. Many researchers have to manually develop a scheduler of operations to allow their implementation to efficiently implement the algorithm. This requires both an understanding of the underlying cryptosystem and the mathematical functions that have to be applied throughout the algorithm. This research presents a generic mechanism for converting the algorithms into the underlying commands for the cryptographic hardware. We show how this implementation can be used to implement algorithms with performance approaching custom-designed hardware. We also provide the framework for developing real-time configurable implementations using new FPGA-like lookup tables within ASICs. Finally, we provide an extensible LLVM-based model for the framework that can be used by future implementers, with a focus on isogeny-based cryptosystems
Three Essays on Business and Politics in Adam Smith
Get PDFThis dissertation explores nascent themes of Theory of the Firm and Public Choice in Adam Smith’s writings. The first chapter argues that Smith conceives of a framework for moral entrepreneurship based on prudence in Theory of Moral Sentiments. The second chapter argues that many of the puzzling aspects of Smith’s commentary on joint-stock companies can be clarified when we examine them through the lens of Smith’s “impartial spectator” theory. The third chapter argues that Smith is not merely a forerunner of behavioral economics, but also of behavioral political economics, which is a growing field that applies the tools and insights of behavioral economics to political actors
Political Leadership in Autocracies: Impacts on Democratization and International Cooperation
Get PDFThis paper is a capstone research project in Global Affairs.Scholarly work on the dynamics of autocratic leadership and its impact on international cooperation has increasingly challenged conventional assumptions about democratization and governance. This research contributes to the literature by examining the role of political leadership within autocratic regimes from 2006 to 2024, assessing how varying degrees of democratization influence international cooperation. Building on Geddes' typology of autocracies, personalist, military, and single-party, this study introduces Wiatr’s hybrid regimes to highlight the evolving nature of authoritarian governance. This research argues that regimes with greater democratization traits, such as accountability and policy flexibility, are more adept at engaging in international cooperation. Using data from the Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI), this research quantitatively analyzes the relationship between democracy status and international cooperation across 1,297 observations
The Impact of David Baker's Pedagogy in the Field of Jazz Improvisation Education
Get PDFABSTRACT THE IMPACT OF DAVID BAKER’S PEDAGOGY IN THE FIELD OF JAZZ IMPROVISATION EDUCATION Michael M. Walker, Sr., Ph.D.George Mason University, 2024 Dissertation Director: Dr. Charles R. Ciorba The Purpose of this study was to address how and to what extent David Baker’s jazz pedagogy impacted the field of jazz improvisation education. The study examines interviews of six leaders in university jazz programs and/or professional performing musicians with firsthand knowledge of Baker’s life and teachings. All are established pedagogues and performers in the field of jazz. Profiles of the interview transcripts were created for this qualitative study to alleviate the idiosyncrasies of speech in the interviews. Thematic connections were derived with the use of headings from the interview questions. The interview data in the profiles exposed empirical information that was used for interpretive analysis. Results indicated Baker’s educational methods and books had a substantial impact in the field of jazz education. Findings also revealed that his relationships with his students had a significant impact on jazz education. Evidence from the participants interviewed uncovered a connection that transcended his methods and pedagogical ideas. It was concluded that David Baker left a lasting heritage for jazz education. His seminal methods and pedagogy provide a living legacy. Keywords: pedagogy, Bebop, lingua franca, transcriptions, definitive recording, jazz improvisatio
Understanding User Privacy in Immersive Multimedia Platforms
Get PDFVirtual reality (VR) technology has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is used in various applications, including entertainment, healthcare, and military sectors, where sensitive data is handled. However, as a system at its infancy, VR platform's protection of the sensitive data is unknown. Therefore it is vital to identify the potential vulnerabilities in the system, and devise robust mechanisms to protect the data. We focus this study on the human computer interaction (HCI) component in VR, as this is the most different part compared with traditional devices such as smartphones and desktops.In VR, users interact with virtual content through a head-mounted display (HMD) and hand controllers, often exhibiting intensive eye movements to view the panoramic virtual content. Unlike traditional devices, VR system track user movements through various sensors embedded in the HMD and controllers, while completely blocking users' view of the physical world. These differences in VR HCI raise questions about efficiency of existing privacy protection methods, vulnerabilities stemming from the user’s blocked view of the physical world, and the feasibility of utilizing eye movement patterns for user identification in VR. In response to these questions, our projects include developing a privacy protection method that utilizes human visual system (HVS) features, exposing a keystroke inference attack in VR that eavesdrops controller acoustic emanation, and achieving seamless user identification in VR utilizing eye movement data captured by the HMD’s eye tracker. In the first work, we explore the HVS for reliable and unobservable VR HMD authentication. Our system, OcuLock, explores HVS biostructure and unique HVS features triggered by immersive VR content to enhance authentication stability. OcuLock is empowered by an electrooculography (EOG) based HVS sensing framework and a record-comparison driven authentication scheme. Experiments through 70 subjects show that OcuLock is resistant against common types of attacks such as impersonation attack and statistical attack with Equal Error Rates as low as 3.55% and 4.97% respectively. More importantly, OcuLock maintains a stable performance over a 2-month period and is preferred by users when compared to other potential approaches. In the second work, we expose a placement-flexible keystroke inference attack in VR by recording and analyzing the clicking sounds of the moving hand controller during keystrokes. As the first acoustic inference attack in VR, our system, Heimdall, overcomes unique challenges unaddressed by previous acoustic attacks on physical keyboards and touchscreens. These challenges include differentiating sounds in a 3D space, adaptive mapping between keystroke sound and key in varying recording placement, and handling occasional hand rotations. Experiments with 30 participants show that Heimdall achieves key inference accuracy of 96.51% and top-5 accuracy of 85.14%-91.22% for inferring passwords with 4-8 characters. Heimdall is also robust under various practical impacts such as smartphone-user placement, attack environments, hardware models, and victim conditions. In the third work, we propose a seamless user identification method based on eye tracking data acquired during free viewing. Our system, OcuTrack, utilizes user-specific patterns of the interplay between eye movements and visual content to identify users when they view different types of content. OcuTrack is empowered by an eye movement-visual content decoupling scheme and a comparison-driven user identification framework. The effectiveness of OcuTrack is demonstrated through extensive evaluations where our model achieves an impressive F-score of 0.9166 with a minimal fluctuation within 0.04 when presented with different visual content. OcuTrack is also robust under various practical impacts such as different hardware models and user conditions
An Informed Exploration of the Technology-Supported Learning Needs and Preferences of First-Time Fathers in the Perinatal Period
Get PDFThis study employed qualitative research methods to conduct an in-depth learner needs analysis of the learning motivations, needs, and preferences of first-time fathers in the perinatal period. Occurring within the informed exploration phase of a Design-Based Research approach, the study aimed to understand the unique learning experiences of first-time fathers to inform recommendations for the instructional design and development of a resource to support fathers in their transition to fatherhood. Guided by Knowles’ adult learning theory, this study examined fathers’ learning goals, motivations, and preferences for technology-supported learning in the perinatal period. A qualitative content analysis of an online community for new fathers informed the development of semi-structured interview questions. Data were collected through interviews with 19 fathers who were either expecting a child or having a child born within the past two years. Interview transcripts were analyzed using focused and pattern coding to identify emerging themes related to fathers’ motivations and goals for learning, their learning focus and priorities, father-to-father connections and support, their use of technology for learning, father-specific learning content, and fathers’ learning preferences. Personas were developed based on findings from the interviews to inform design recommendations. This study shows that fathers have distinct learning needs, preferences, and experiences, particularly in using technology to support their learning in the perinatal period. Fathers are intrinsically motivated to learn and prioritize learning practical skills, particularly when lacking prior knowledge and experience. Their learning preferences and activities changed over time, shifting from proactive to just-in-time learning. Fathers utilized technology in various ways to support their learning, including accessing social media for short, digestible pieces of microlearning that could be incorporated into their daily lives. Additionally, fathers expressed an interest in father-specific content but found the stereotypes and low expectations presented in much of the existing content offensive and unhelpful. The most significant finding of the present study is the crucial role of father-to-father connection and support, a preference that impacted fathers’ learning goals and preferences across the perinatal period
Targeting Mechanisms of Resistance to Endocrine Therapy in Combination with CDK4/6 Inhibitors in ER+ Metastatic Breast Cancer
No full textThis work is embargoed by the author and will not be publicly available until May 2034.Despite the great success of the selective CDK4/6 inhibitors in treating Estrogen receptor positive (ER)+/ HER2- metastatic breast cancer (MBC), acquired and intrinsic resistance remain inevitable. To date, there are no known reliable biomarkers for predicting treatment response or to redirect therapy and overcome resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors in the clinic. Preliminary findings collected by the Side Out 3 (SO3) trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03195192), a clinical study aiming at identifying predictive markers of response to endocrine therapy (ET) in combination with CDK4/6 inhibitors, showed that increased expression of the epigenetic regulator EZH2 was associated with lack of response to treatment. Using a combination of observational and mechanistic approaches, this study aimed at understanding the role of EZH2 in the development of resistance to CDK 4/6 inhibitors in ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer and exploring its potential as a therapeutic target to redirect treatment. To investigate EZH2 role, isogenic ER+/HER2- breast cancer model systems with stable acquired resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors palbociclib and abemaciclib were developed. To determine if EZH2 expression alone is sufficient to modulate response to CDK 4/6 inhibition, EZH2 overexpression was induced in non-resistant cells through lentivirus transduction. To assess EZH2 therapeutic potential, EZH2 was knocked down in CDK4/6 resistant cell lines with shRNA transfection and response to treatment with two EZH2 inhibitors, Tazemetostat and MS1943, was compared across parental and resistant cell lines in 2D and 3D culture. Taken together, our data suggest that EZH2 may represent a new therapeutic target in ER+/HER2- MBCs that are resistant to CDK 4/6 inhibition in combination with ET. Our data also indicate that resistance to treatment may be driven through EZH2 non-canonical activities opening new opportunities for developing new precision targeted approach for MBC patients.2034-05-1
Memory Politics and Building Multinational States in Africa: Collective Memory, Identity Conflict, and Constitution Making in Ethiopia
No full textThis work is embargoed by the author and will not be publicly available until May 2029.The dissertation “Memory Politics and Building Multinational States in Africa: Collective Memory, Identity Conflict, and Constitution Making in Ethiopia” investigates the complex interplay between collective memory and identity conflicts in shaping the constitutional framework in Ethiopia, a key example of a multinational state in Africa. This study focuses on how varying interpretations and narratives of collective memory influence ethnic and political dynamics, affecting both national narratives and internal conflicts. It particularly examines the role of these collective memories in the constitutional making process, assessing how Ethiopia's diverse ethnic and cultural identities are represented and managed within the 1995 Federal constitution. Employing both theoretical analysis and empirical research, including interviews and constitutional document analysis, this research provides insightful contributions to the understanding of nation-building in Africa, underlining the significant impact of memory politics and identity in the formation and functioning of multinational states.2029-05-1