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"America in Miniature": Constructing White Masculinity Through Imagined Black Performance in Vernacular and Choral Music in the United States
No full textThis dissertation examines the construction of hegemonic white masculinity in the United States through performances of imagined Blackness that, through blackface minstrelsy, were created and solidified in the nineteenth century and, through its legacies, have continued to be performed and developed in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. While the blackface mask eventually fell out of favor, its embodied sonic legacies persisted, traces that Gage Averill calls “blackvoice” and Matthew D. Morrison calls “Blacksound.” Nostalgia contributed heavily to blackface minstrelsy’s popularity and its subsequent longevity as its listeners yearned for a fabricated past. I consider three musical communities to examine how the legacies of blackface minstrelsy have aided constructions of hegemonic white masculinity in United States vernacular and choral music in these examples, particularly through competition and fraternity. Chapter 2 examines the Barbershop Harmony Society, which, in 1938, codified a version of barbershop harmony that inaccurately credited the genre to white men and thus centered their participation. Chapter 3 focuses on the Philadelphia Mummers Parade, the nation’s oldest folk festival, which has routinely invited controversy throughout its history due to the parade’s syncretic origins of European yuletide customs and American blackface traditions. Finally, Chapter 4 considers choral performances, particularly my experiences as a performer in Pennsylvania Music Educators Association festivals in 2011 and 2012 and as a member (2012–2016) and director emeritus (2018–2024) of the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club. I analyze how these experiences privileged hegemonic white masculinity over nearly all other identities and how, in my role as director, I aimed to combat its continued (re)construction within the Glee Club. I demonstrate the continued construction of hegemonic white masculinity, through the vestigial practices of blackface minstrelsy, in these musical communities by engaging scholarship from a diverse array of fields as well as employing autoethnography, data analysis, examination of historical documents, ethnographic interviews, and (participant) observation. I also offer potential avenues for deconstructing that hegemonic white masculinity through Black feminist resistance, as theorized by Patricia Hill Collins and exemplified in the work of the barbershop quartet, HALO, to hopefully enact lasting change in these genres and, eventually, the United States at large.Music Histor
Japanese EFL Learners' High-Frequency Written and Spoken Receptive Word Knowledge
No full textAmong all words in the English language, those that appear frequently are of particular importance. Research suggests that receptive knowledge of the 2,000 to 3,000 highest-frequency word families provihdes second-language (L2) English learners with a foundational basis for understanding language produced in English writing and speech (Nation & Waring, 1997). Therefore, in EFL contexts it would be beneficial to understand which of these words learners have acquired through years of study.In this study I analyzed data collected from weekly vocabulary quizzes among primarily lower-proficiency university L2 English learners in Japan. The participants were assessed on their receptive knowledge of the 1,650 highest-frequency English flemmas (i.e., groupings of a word’s dictionary form, its inflected forms, and identical forms of different parts of speech) from the New General Service List (Browne et al., 2013), in both written and spoken forms. The data were fit to the Rasch model, which produced a hierarchy of words based on their difficulty estimates. Finally, I conducted backward stepwise regressions to develop multivariable models to predict which of these words were likely to be more- or less-widely known by the participants.
The results showed a hierarchy of three-to-four levels and four-to-five levels of difficulty among written and spoken words, respectively. Additionally, comparisons of word knowledge estimates between modalities, as well as learners’ comparative abilities to identify words when read and when heard, indicated that most learners identified words more often when read, although several learners also recognized words similarly when read or heard, and a small number performed better when words were heard. There was also substantial variation among words with similar frequency profiles. Within most 100-word bands, some words were universally known while others were universally unknown, with the number of known words gradually decreasing as the bands included less frequent words.
Among single-variable predictors, age of acquisition ratings, rather than frequency, explained most of the variance in written (36%) and spoken (33%) word knowledge estimates. Frequency values based on the SUBTLEX-US corpus frequency measures were second, accounting for 28% and 29% of the variance in written and spoken word knowledge estimates, respectively. Models incorporating additional variables, such as loanword status, first-language age of acquisition, and word length measured by the number of letters, explained 44% and 45% of variance in spoken and written word difficulty, respectively. Finally, a model that included only word-intrinsic variables, such as length and concreteness, accounted for nearly as much variance in written word knowledge estimates (41%) but less in spoken word knowledge estimates (36%).
This study provides the first comprehensive high-frequency word profile of Japanese university L2 English learners and advances the development of predictive models of L2 word difficulty. The insights gained should benefit learners, teachers, and material designers in Japan by identifying high-frequency words that might warrant attention even after years of study. Because few learners had mastered the highest-frequency words, the results also highlight why Japanese EFL university learners might struggle with materials designed for L2 English learners, such as graded readers or listening exercises.Applied Linguistic
COMPREHENSIVE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT: INVESTIGATING POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENT (PTE) FATE AND TRANSPORT, BIORETENTION MEDIA AMENDMENT, BIOCHAR, AND INNOVATIVE DESIGN FOR WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
No full textStormwater runoff contains a wide range of inorganic pollutants, including potentially toxic elements (PTEs), whose fate and transport are influenced by water quality parameters (e.g., dissolved organic carbon (DOC), salinity, and pH) and storm characteristics (e.g., depth, duration, and intensity). Managing stormwater runoff remains a persistent challenge due to concerns over pollutant loads and ecosystem health. To mitigate these impacts, stormwater management practices (SMPs) are widely implemented. Among SMPs, bioretention systems are constructed with engineered soil media designed to intercept and retain pollutants from infiltrating stormwater. However, due to the variability in stormwater quality, a comprehensive understanding of PTE fate and transport within bioretention systems remains incomplete. Key knowledge gaps remain regarding the governing mechanisms of PTE desorption from bioretention systems under varying DOC concentrations and environmental conditions. The pH buffering capacity of amended engineered media for PTE immobilization has been assessed in other environmental contexts but remains poorly evaluated in stormwater bioretention applications. Sustainable media amendments for enhanced PTE removal and innovative bioretention bed designs also require further evaluation to assess their effectiveness in achieving treatment objectives. To address these knowledge gaps, this study aims to advance stormwater management by focusing on four key objectives: 1. Investigating the influence of DOC on PTE desorption within bioretention media; 2. Evaluating the efficacy of dolomite-amended engineered media for pH neutralization and PTE immobilization; 3. Assessing the capacity of spent coffee ground-derived biochar (SCGB) to sequester PTE from stormwater; and 4. Analyzing the effectiveness of a step-tiered bioretention bed in improving water quality.
To examine the effects of DOC on PTE mobility in bioretention media, soil samples were collected from a vegetated bioretention bed and subjected to DOC concentrations of 0, 15, and 50 mg-C/L to assess the desorption of ten PTEs (Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Sn, Sb, and Pb). Results indicated that increasing DOC concentrations increased all monitored PTE desorption except Sb. The buffering capacity and immobilization of PTEs by dolomite-amended media were assessed through batch experiments using both laboratory-formulated and field-collected bioretention media, as well as column experiments. Dolomite dissolution (e.g., 0.282 mole fraction) rapidly neutralized pH to the recommended range (pH 5–8) within five minutes and immobilized all PTEs (Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) except As. To explore a sustainable alternative, SCGB was produced and evaluated for Pb removal. SCGB synthesized at 700°C effectively sequestered Pb from simulated stormwater, reducing solution concentrations below the action level (10 µg/L). Lastly, the effectiveness of a step-tiered bioretention bed was assessed by monitoring key water quality parameters, including conductivity, PTEs (Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb), major cations (Na, Mg, K, and Ca), and Cl at different steps. Results indicated that the step-tiered design successfully reduced pollutant concentrations, with decreased concentrations observed as stormwater moved through successive steps. Overall, this research addresses critical gaps in stormwater management, providing novel insights into bioretention system performance and contributing to the development of more effective, sustainable stormwater treatment solutions.Environmental Engineerin
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PERIODONTAL DISEASE AND EATING DISORDERS IN ADULT PATIENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
No full textEating disorders (ED) are psychiatric conditions that have a considerable influence on oral health. Even though oral manifestations of EDs have been studied in the past, there is a lack of clarity surrounding the effects on periodontal health. Contrasting findings warrant further research to establish evidence and guide management. We aimed to study the association between eating disorders and periodontal disease in adult patients visiting Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry (TUKSoD) for dental care. Secondarily, we assessed the prevalence of periodontal disease in patients with and without EDs and studied the role of potential confounders (diabetes, smoking, plaque index). Our null hypothesis was that there is no association between eating disorders and periodontal disease. Demographic and diagnostic data, and medical history of patients visiting the Temple dental school between 01/01/2020 and 12/31/2023, with an ED and/ or periodontal diagnosis were extracted from AxiUm (TUKSoD’s electronic health records), after approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Temple’s Information Technology (IT) team. The association between eating disorders and periodontal disease was studied using descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariable analysis performed using R software (version 4.3.1). ED patients were 10% less likely to have periodontal disease. However, this was not statistically significant (OR= 0.8, 95%CI= 0.5-1.3). Patients aged 50-69 years were most likely (OR= 11.5, 95%CI= 9.5-14.0) to have periodontal disease. Males were more likely than females (OR= 1.3, 95%CI= 1.1-1.5). Diabetes (OR= 1.3, 95%CI= 1.1-1.6) and tobacco use (OR= 2.3, 95%CI= 2.0-2.7) increased the likelihood of having periodontal disease. ‘Poor’ plaque index scores (OR= 3.2, 95%CI= 2.5-4.2) increased the odds of having periodontal disease and regular brushing lowered the odds. Sociodemographic and medical history appeared to be important risk factors for periodontal disease.Oral Biolog
CULTIVATING A SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM FOR PLATFORM SERVICE BUSINESSES: A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INQUIRY IN THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM INDUSTRY
No full textThe proliferation of platform service businesses brings up significant challenges which have not received adequate scholarly attention in the hospitality and tourism literature. Focusing on the emerging challenges in three critical domains of practice, namely customer service, customer-provider dispute resolution, and platform stakeholders’ virtual and physical engagement, this dissertation proposes three essays to correspondingly conceptualize the research phenomenon and empirically explore feasible solutions to cope with these challenges. Altogether, this dissertation will enrich the theoretical understanding of the interplay among multiple stakeholders in the platform ecosystem. Practically, this dissertation contributes to cultivating sustainable service platform ecosystems in the hospitality and tourism industry.Tourism and Spor
Nurses Perceptions of Clinical Preparedness for Autistic Adolescents with Psychiatric Comorbidities in the Acute Hospital Setting
No full textAdolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder are a complex population. The addition of psychiatric conditions further challenges nurses providing care in the acute care setting.Temple University. College of Public HealthNursingA poster presented at the 2025 TUHS Nursing Research & EBP Conference, which took place April 24, 2025, in Philadelphia, PA
PHYSICS-INSPIRED AND CONTROL-ORIENTED MODELING OF LITHIUM BATTERIES FOR ACCURATE STATE-OF-CHARGE PREDICTION AND FAST-CHARGING
No full textThis dissertation presents a physics-inspired, data-driven framework for lithium-ion battery modeling and control, designed to enhance state prediction accuracy and optimize fast-charging strategies across diverse operating conditions. It addresses key challenges in battery management systems for critical applications such as electric vehicles, focusing on improving performance, adaptability, and safety under extreme temperatures, high charge/discharge currents, and varying states of charge. Conventional methods often fail to fully utilize battery capacity, particularly in low-temperature conditions, resulting in reduced performance and limited range. The research proposes a novel methodology combining data-driven techniques with physics-based insights to overcome these issues. A key innovation is the development of PhITEDD (Physics-Informed Temperature Dependent Explicit Data-Driven), a framework that enhances model accuracy, interpretability, and generalizability while reducing reliance on proprietary knowledge.
The PhITEDD framework combines physics-inspired features that connect the model to underlying battery processes, a Monte Carlo search algorithm for exploring extensive feature spaces, and an automated hyperparameter tuning mechanism. This approach strikes an optimal balance between model accuracy and complexity by quantifying individual feature contributions, enabling robust state prediction across a wide range of operating conditions. Its digital twin for state-of-charge forecasting achieves prediction errors below 1% using experimental drive cycle data while maintaining high accuracy for unseen aggressive drive cycles and varying operating conditions.
A key innovation of the framework is its temperature-dependent recalibration method, which adjusts model coefficients to optimize performance under new operating conditions, ensuring consistency across the full SOC (0%-100%) and temperature (−20°C to 40°C) range. The framework also investigates the impact of data sampling rates on model accuracy, providing practical guidelines for optimization. These advancements collectively enhance the interpretability, efficiency, and practicality of lithium-ion battery models, supporting improved battery utilization and extended lifespan.
The dissertation also addresses the fast-charging optimization problem using a direct data-driven control method. This strategy learns the battery’s Jacobian from input/output data to optimize the charging current profile, minimizing charging time while adhering to safety constraints such as maximum cell temperature and voltage. The data was generated using a full-order electrochemical Doyle-Fuller-Newman model integrated with a thermal model. The optimal solution comprises a hybrid charging strategy that charges a 5Ah NMC-811 cylindrical cell 66% faster than the standard CCCV method while ensuring safety limits like 4.2V and 57°C. This approach closely aligns with actual battery mechanisms.
By improving efficiency and safety, the proposed methodology has significant implications for the performance and adaptability of batteries in electric vehicles and other critical applications. The work reduces dependency on proprietary models, enhancing the accessibility and applicability of battery modeling tools. In summary, this dissertation advances Li-ion battery research by integrating physics-informed and data-driven methods, resulting in innovative modeling and control strategies for accurate SOC prediction and optimal fast charging under complex operating conditions.Mechanical Engineerin
Comparing effectiveness of intraoral scanner in caries detection
No full textBackground: Dental caries is the most common oral health conditions globally, necessitating the development of a diagnostic tool which is most accurate and reliable diagnostic for timely detection and intervention. Traditional diagnostic methods like visual checks and X-rays are not always the most reliable. They can miss details, give false positives, or vary depending on who is interpreting them. That is where digital intraoral scanners (IOS) come in. These scanners offer high-resolution imaging and real-time analysis, making them a promising tool for spotting cavities more accurately. However, concerns regarding their diagnostic accuracy, specificity, and agreement with traditional methods remain under investigation. This study evaluates the performance of the TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner in detecting carious lesions compared to examiner-based assessments and radiographic findings.
Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess how accurately the TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner can detect cavities. It also compared the scanner’s sensitivity and specificity to traditional examiner-based assessments and X-rays, which served as the gold standard. Another key objective was to evaluate inter-examiner variability in caries detection and determine the level of agreement between different diagnostic modalities.
Methods: A comparative diagnostic accuracy study designed to assess the performance of the TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner in detecting dental caries. A total of 21 patients were evaluated using three diagnostic modalities: visual-tactile examination by independent examiner, TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner assessment, and radiographic evaluation. Each patient underwent an examination by two calibrated clinicians, followed by scanning with the TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner. The radiographic findings were used as the gold standard to determine the accuracy of the other methods.
Statistical analysis was performed to compare the diagnostic modalities. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated to assess the performance of each method. Cohen’s Kappa test was applied to measure agreement between the TRIOS 5 scanner and radiographic findings. McNemar’s test was conducted to assess the significance of discordant diagnoses between the scanner and radiographic findings.
Results: The TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner had a high sensitivity of 89.4%, meaning it was very effective at detecting actual caries. However, its specificity was considerably low at 26.4%, leading to a significant number of false-positive results. The positive predictive value (PPV) was 31.1%, indicating that only 31.1% of caries cases detected by the scanner were truly present. The negative predictive value (NPV) was 87.0%, demonstrating high reliability in correctly identifying non-caries cases. The agreement analysis showed poor concordance between the TRIOS 5 scanner and radiographic findings, with Cohen’s Kappa score of 0.100, indicating substantial discrepancies in diagnostic outcomes. McNemar’s test revealed a statistically significant difference (p = 4.648) between the scanner and radiographic findings, suggesting that the scanner tends to over-diagnose caries.
Conclusion: The TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner can be a useful tool for improving cavity detection. Its high sensitivity but low specificity means it works best when combined with traditional diagnostic methods for more accurate results. More research is needed to create standardized protocols that ensure consistent diagnoses.
Clinical Implications: The TRIOS 5 intraoral scanner could be a helpful tool for early cavity detection, but radiographs are still necessary to avoid overtreatment. Future improvements in AI-driven diagnostic algorithms might boost the scanner’s accuracy and clinical usefulness. Standardized training and calibration for clinicians could also help reduce subjectivity in visual exams, leading to more consistent and reliable diagnoses.Oral Biolog
Identification of Barriers to Organ Donation
No full textThis quality improvement initiative explores whether educating the African American community about organ donation myths can enhance donation rates.Temple University. College of Public HealthNursingA poster presented at the 2025 TUHS Nursing Research & EBP Conference, which took place April 24, 2025, in Philadelphia, PA
Search Methods for Topical Exosomes: A Scoping Review
No full textThe databases included in this search are [list of databases: PubMed (NLM), Embase (Elsevier), Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate), Cochrane Library (Wiley), and CINAHL (Ebscohost) using a combination of keywords and subject headings. A grey literature search included TRIP medical database(tripdatabase.com). All final searches were performed on May 27, 2025 by the librarian and were fully reported on May 27, 2025. The full search strategies as reported by the librarian are provided in Appendix(___). They are also archived at [DOI].
A summary of the search results:
PubMed (NLM) from 1809 to 10/27/2025 (362 Results)
Embase (Elsevier) from 1974 to 10/27/2025 (1,157 Results)
Web of Science Core Collection (Clarivate Analytics) from 1900 to 10/27/2025 (192 Results)
Cochrane Library (Wiley) from inception to 10/27/2025 (28)
CINAHL (EbscoHost) from 1976 to 10/27/2025 (100 Results)
TRIP Pro from 1867 to 10/27/2025 (655 results)
Clinical Trials (Clinicaltrials.gov) (183 Studies)
The search resulted in 2,677 results. 283 duplicate studies were found and omitted by the librarian [SB] using EndNote 20 and following the following the Wichor Bramer method. This resulted in 2,394 records to screen from databases and websites. Studies were screened by title and abstract by two blinded and independent reviewers. If a tiebreaker was needed, a third reviewer was called in. This process was repeated for full text article screening and article selection.Lewis Katz School of MedicineKrausz Library of Podiatric MedicineFox Chase Cancer Center, SurgeryTo identify studies to include or consider for this systematic review, the review team worked with a librarian (SB) to develop detailed search strategies for each database. The PRISMA-S extension was followed for search reporting. The librarian (SB) developed the search for PubMed and translated the search for every database searched. The PubMed search strategy was reviewed by the research team to check for accuracy and term relevancy. All final searches were peer-reviewed by another librarian (Jacob Brintzenhoff, MLIS) following the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS checklist). The search included no major limits or date restrictions