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Workers\u27 Compensation for Local Government Entities in Tennessee, February 2025
Get PDFhttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/govpubs-tn-comptroller-office-research-education-accountability/1163/thumbnail.jp
Preservice Teachers’ Perceived Use of ChatGPT to Assist in K-5 Lesson Planning: An Asynchronous Online Workshop
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to examine the perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intent of using ChatGPT in lesson planning for K-12 teachers. This mixed methods research sampled 15 elementary preservice teachers from a university in the Southeastern United States. Participants took part in a within group explanatory sequential study that consisted of two phases, called the ChatGPT Workshop (CGPTW). Phase One of the CGPTW included an intervention in which participants watched an online, asynchronous instructional video showing them how to use ChatGPT in lesson planning and then modified an existing lesson plan that they created prior to the CGPTW. All participants in Phase One took three surveys (pre-, during-, and post-workshop) to measure their perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intent of using ChatGPT in lesson planning over time. Phase Two consisted of one-on-one interviews and a focus group. Of the 15 Phase One participants, six volunteered to take part in Phase Two that consisted of one-on-one interviews and a focus group. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected throughout the CGPTW. Results strongly indicated that participation in the CGPTW directly correlated to an increase in perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and intent of using ChatGPT in lesson planning
Jet Fuel Melts Steel Democracies: The Relationships Among Dark Personality, Belief in Conspiracy Theories, and Political Violence
No full textConspiracy theories are defined generally as the belief that a ‘shadowy group’ or collective is intentionally acting against one’s in-group. The last decade has seen significant sociopolitical and socioeconomic shifts, with rising antidemocratic sentiment in democracies and the COVID-19 pandemic contributing to new research on conspiracy theories. Recent studies have consistently found that dark personality traits are positively associated with belief in conspiracy theories. Other studies have also documented the potential links between conspiracy theories and antidemocratic beliefs, actions, and subsequent political violence. The present study builds on previous work examining specific conspiracy theories by exploring the relationship of dark personality to the endorsement of political violence (antidemocratic actions) as mediated by conspiracy thinking. It was hypothesized that the dark personality characteristics would have significant and positive associations with antidemocratic actions and those relationships would be mediated by conspiracy mentality. Additionally, the mediation was hypothesized to be conditional on psychological distress moderating the effects between conspiracy and antidemocratic actions. The sample consisted of data from 306 adult Americans was gathered via CloudResearch Connect. While a representative sample was hoped to be obtained, the data suggested that the sample trended towards being well-educated, white, liberal-leaning, and of middle-upper class based on their self-reported socioeconomic status. Each scale met the standards for good validity, which was important given the relative newness of some of the study’s scales. All four dark personality characteristics had significant and positive relationships with antidemocratic actions. Conspiracy mentality was a partial mediator of most of the Dark Tetrad’s impact on antidemocratic actions, with the sole exception being subclinical psychopathy. Psychological distress did not moderate the impact of conspiracy mentality on antidemocratic actions. This undermines recent research’s findings that psychological distress could be an important variable in determining the antecedents of political violence. However, post hoc analyses did indicate that psychological distress possibly has a unique interaction with dark personality. Psychological distress successfully moderated the relationship between each of the Dark Tetrad and antidemocratic beliefs. Implications for future studies’ assessment of conspiracy, definition of antidemocratic beliefs, and the role of psychological distress in assessing for dark personality are discussed
West Tennessee State Normal School 1915
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/item-of-the-month-2025-08/1006/thumbnail.jp
A Large Family of Strongly Regular Graphs with Small Weisfeiler-Leman Dimension
No full textGraph isomorphism Problem; Strongly regular graphs; Weisfeiler-Leman algorith
Uniform stabilization in Besov spaces with arbitrary decay rates of the magnetohydrodynamic system by finite-dimensional interior localized static feedback controllers
No full textDo I Belong Here? Experiences of Transgender Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Domestic Violence Shelters
No full textculturally responsive services; help-seeking; intimate partner violence; shelter; transgende
The Book of Common Prayer
No full texthttps://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/item-of-the-month-2025-09/1000/thumbnail.jp
Energy Decay Rates in Nonlinear Second-Order Evolution Equations with Underdamping and Overdamping
Get PDFThis dissertation investigates the long-time behavior of solutions to nonlinear evolution equations, emphasizing stability and energy decay within the framework of functional analysis and nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). The primary focus is on hyperbolic-like dynamical systems with dissipation, where unchecked energy propagation can result in persistent oscillations or blow-up phenomena. Unlike parabolic models, which naturally diffuse energy, hyperbolic systems require external dissipation—applied either internally or on the boundary—to induce effective energy decay. A central challenge in stabilization theory arises from the infinite-dimensional nature of hyperbolic instabilities, which necessitates carefully designed damping mechanisms with particular geometric and topological properties. While compact perturbations can successfully induce strong energy decay, they frequently fall short of ensuring uniform decay rates across various system configurations. Consequently, this dissertation evaluates the effectiveness of diverse dissipative mechanisms in achieving uniform energy decay relative to the topology of the underlying phase space. Particular emphasis is placed on examining overdamping and underdamping, both of which can significantly affect the rate at which energy diminishes. A qualitative analysis of how these phenomena impact energy decay is presented through rigorous stability criteria and measured dissipation rates. Moreover, more damping does not always equate to faster or more stable energy decay. In fact, excessive damping can sometimes provoke instability rather than enhance stability—a phenomenon that reveals a counterintuitive stability paradox within nonlinear dynamical systems. Understanding the nuanced long-term behavior of dissipative dynamical systems is thus crucial for effectively controlling energy decay and maintaining stability in nonlinear PDE frameworks. Hyperbolic systems, such as wave equations and dynamic elasticity models—including plates and shells—require precisely tailored damping strategies to mitigate instability and achieve controlled energy dissipation. This research addresses critical questions regarding how different damping mechanisms influence energy decay rates and the fundamental question of how rapidly energy in a dissipative system diminishes over time. By developing sophisticated analytical tools capable of establishing explicit decay rates and robust stability criteria, the dissertation systematically investigates the conditions under which optimal energy dissipation is attained. The findings notably resolve the observed stability paradox, providing valuable insights into why greater damping does not necessarily produce better stability outcomes. By bridging rigorous mathematical theory with practical applications, this work advances stabilization theory for infinite-dimensional systems. It highlights the necessity of balanced damping design, demonstrating that carefully moderated dissipation often yields superior stability and decay properties compared to excessive damping measures. The broader implications of these findings extend significantly into mathematical physics, engineering, and materials science, specifically impacting areas such as vibration control, structural dynamics, and energy optimization in dynamic systems. Thus, this dissertation contributes to a deeper understanding of energy dissipation mechanisms, establishing a foundation for future research aimed at improving stability and energy management across various nonlinear systems
Caregiving responsibility and psychological distress among community-dwelling cancer survivors in the United States
No full textPurpose: There are over 18 million cancer survivors in the U.S., with a projected increase of 24.4% over the next decade. Currently, little is known about the relationship between a cancer survivor’s caregiving responsibility and their psychological distress. This study examines whether cancer survivors who assume the role of informal caregivers (surviving caregivers) experience greater psychological distress than cancer survivors without caregiving responsibilities. Methods: Data were drawn from the National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS5, Cycles 1 through 4, 2017–2020). The analytical sample included 2,579 U.S. cancer survivors. Caregiving responsibility was self-reported, and psychological distress was assessed through the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4). Accounting for the complex design features of HINTS and jackknife replicate weights, a multivariable multinomial logistic regression model was fit to compute adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and their associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Overall, 19.3% of cancer survivors had mild psychological distress, and 10.9% had moderate to severe psychological distress. Approximately 19.1% of the cancer survivors self-reported caregiving responsibilities. Compared to cancer survivors with no caregiving responsibilities, surviving caregivers had more than twofold greater odds of experiencing mild (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.17, 4.29) and moderate to severe (aOR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.07, 4.46) psychological distress. Other factors associated with greater psychological distress among cancer survivors included female sex, lower perceived health status, and having one or more chronic diseases. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that caregiving among cancer survivors has a substantial adverse impact on their mental and emotional well-being. Cancer surviving caregivers are a distinct subgroup that navigates both survivorship and caregiving burdens at the same time. There is a need to identify and develop tailored interventions, programs, and resources for this vulnerable group of cancer survivors