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Risk Factors Associated With Opioid Misuse Among Military Personnel, Brittany Sullivan, Mark Bonica, Chris Armijo, Anne Jamieson, Semra Aytur

Honors Theses and Capstones

Risk Factors Associated with Opioid Misuse Among Military Personnel

Opioid overdoses are increasing among military personnel. Opioids are a class of drugs that include heroin, synthetic opioids, and pain relievers. Almost half of all Veterans returning from deployment in Afghanistan and Iraq have chronic pain; one in six veterans turn to opioids for pain relief.

Veterans between the ages of eighteen and fifty-three are five times as likely to have a Substance Use Disorder and two times as likely to have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in contrast to the general public.

Risk factors that have been shown to increase the probability …

Eeg And Emg Sensorimotor Measurements To Assess Proprioception Following Acl Reconstruction, Teagan Frances Northrup

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is the primary source of rotational stability in the knee by preventing the tibia from sliding in front of the femur. When the ACL is torn, it typically must be repaired through reconstructive surgery which results in proprioceptive deficiencies in the knee. Proprioception plays an important role in understanding where one’s knee is in space, sensing movement and reacting accordingly. This study examines an alternative method of measuring proprioceptive responses to a stimulus (motion) by using electromyogram (EMG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals to observe muscle and brain activity. Two participants (one with an ACL reconstruction …

Sex Differences In Internalizing And Externalizing Behaviors In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Caroline C. Cherry

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study used a retrospective practice-based research method to compare levels of internalizing and externalizing behaviors of a clinically-ascertained sample of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n=90). As measured by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), internalizing and externalizing behaviors were compared to normative behavior, and between boys and girls with ASD. Findings suggest that in a clinical sample, children with ASD are more likely than typically developing children to have internalizing and/or externalizing problems. No significant sex differences were found for Internalizing Problems, Externalizing Problems, or Total Problems scores on either the parent or teacher …

No Laughing Matter: Failures Of Satire During The 2016 Presidential Election, Jamie Noelle Smith

Honors Theses and Capstones

The 2016 presidential election was so full of unusual characters and unprecedented scandals, that media outlets, from the nightly news to late-night, had to adjust to this new normal in politics. Indeed, not even the jokesters on the handful of political satire shows on television were immune to the necessary changes that all the media had to take in covering Donald Trump. Given how many people tuned into to these shows each week, it is no surprise that the role that political satire television may have played in the election results was fodder for those giving post-election hot takes. Many …

Understanding Self-Reported Sexual Violence Perpetration: Correlates And Prevention Participation, Jacqueline F. Klatt

Honors Theses and Capstones

Bystander prevention programs seek to educate individuals on the nature of sexual violence and increase bystander efficacy. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bringing in the Bystander (BITB) prevention program through self-reports of perpetration behaviors as well as risk factors associated with perpetration. The bystander prevention program was implemented on a rural mid-sized public university and first-year students were surveyed three times at separate time points (2 weeks, 5 months, and 12 months) after the program conclusion. Results from a correlational and logistic regression analysis show that endorsement of violent peer norms, rape myth acceptance, and rape …

A Nutritional Analysis Of Food Menus Offered At Local Older Adult Assisted Living Facilities, Chloe R. Schmir

Honors Theses and Capstones

Nutrition is important in all stages of life, especially in the later years. The purpose of this study was to analyze the food offerings from local assisted living facilities on a nutritional basis. Upon collecting weekly food menus, they were evaluated based on the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) in the domains of food groups, food variety, and excess fats, sugars, and salt. Not a single facility met the DGA requirements completely in food groups or food variety. The food groups facilities were most deficient in were fruits and dairy. Furthermore, each of the menus had items rich in …

The Perceived Influence Of Ethics Education In Business, Jessica Selensky

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Social Work Education And Mental Health Stigma, Dana K. Prisloe

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Wine About It: How Climate Change Is Affecting International Wine Markets, Krysta Suzanne Gingue

Honors Theses and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to understand the social context surrounding wine and how consumers and producers will act within the existing market structures to physical changes to wine due to climate change. After defining the socially embedded structure of market values, this paper questions how they will survive with the visible and invisible changes being made to wines and wine regions. Through various case studies the paper uncovers climate events happening across the world and how they will potentially change the economic landscape of wine markets. The different lenses required to understand the market lead to competing conclusions. …

Predictive Analytics For Fantasy Football: Predicting Player Performance Across The Nfl, Jack W. Porter

Honors Theses and Capstones

The goal of this research is to develop a quantitative method of ranking and listing players in terms of performance. These rankings can then be used to evaluate players prior to and during a fantasy football draft. To produce these rankings, we develop a methodology for forecasting the performance of each individual player (on different metrics) for the upcoming season (16 games) and use these forecasts to estimate player fantasy football scores for the 2018 season.

More specifically, this work answers the following:

1. In what order should players be drafted in a 2018 fantasy football draft and why?
2. Which players …

Do Hotel Guests Act According To Their Intentions As It Relates To Sustainability In A Hotel Setting?, Heather A. Price

Honors Theses and Capstones

As humans continue to use our planet’s resources at a rapid pace, we must act quickly to implement solutions and strategies that will create a positive impact on our environment. The hotel industry represents a huge opportunity for increasing sustainability practices, as these establishments tend to consume tremendous amounts of natural resources through energy and water usage; thus creating quite a bit of waste. For this customer-centric industry, change starts with consumer expectations and intentions to act. The purpose of this study was to assess hotel guests’ values and intentions for sustainable hotels, and compare how this aligns with their …

The Importance Of Transparency And Willingness To Share Personal Information, Drew D. Sullivan

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study investigates the extent to which individuals are willing to share their sensitive personal information with companies. The study examines whether skepticism can influence willingness to share information. Additionally, it seeks to determine whether transparency can moderate the relationship between skepticism and willingness to share and whether 1) companies perceived motives, 2) individual’s prior privacy violations, 3) individuals’ propensity to take risks, and 4) individuals self-efficacy act as antecedents of skepticism. Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression is used to examine the relationships between all the factors. The findings indicate that skepticism does have a negative impact on willingness to …

Detection Of Borrelia Burgdorferi In Historic Tick Samples And Its Relevance To The White-Tailed Deer Population In New Hampshire, Tasya Rakasiwi

Honors Theses and Capstones

The cases of Lyme disease in New Hampshire have increased over time. There are speculations that increasing number of Lyme disease cases in New Hampshire are due to environmental factors, such as warmer climate, white-footed mouse population, white-tailed deer population, opossum population, and forestation coverage. In this study, we processed whole tick samples from 2000, 2001, and 2003 for Borrelia burgdorferi by Real-Time TaqMan PCR. In addition, we also processed homogenized tick samples from 2010, that previously tested positive for B. burgdorferi and had been stored at -80°C since 2010, for repeat B. burgdorferi testing by Real-Time TaqMan PCR. Then, …

Observations Of Ion Density And Temperature Around The International Space Station During Two Geomagnetic Storms, Alex M. Wright

Honors Theses and Capstones

The International Space Station (ISS) is a low Earth orbit research facility and host to an international crew. Geomagnetic storms cause changes in the Earth’s magnetic field and affect the ion density and temperature in the ionosphere which could pose a hazard to ISS crew. This hazard is measured by the Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) which measures ion density, ion temperature, and the charge differential of the ISS relative to its surrounding environment. I analyzed data collected by Narrow Sweep Langmuir Probe for two storms in 2015. Ion density and temperature were affected by geomagnetic storms, but the effects …

Modeling Momentum-Diffusion In The Solar Wind, Evin C. O'Shea

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Sun is both a resource and a danger. We must be able to predict or have forewarning of large solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and their potential threats to astronauts, GPS, radio communications, and power grids. I have used the Energetic Particle Radiation Environment Module (EPREM) code, which is used by PREDICCS, UNH's radiation dosage predictions website, to model interstellar-pickup ions (PUIs). I add to the model by including a momentum-diffusion term which contributes to the change in the distribution as it evolves in time. Here, I investigate how the given model of momentum-diffusion affects the energetic …

Algorithms And Automation: Fostering Trustworthiness In Artificial Intelligence, Andrew B. Ware

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Sensitivity Of Black Phosphorus To O2 And Atmosphere Measured By Macroscopic Four-Point Probe, Cameron Flynn

Honors Theses and Capstones

Scientific interest in black phosphorus, a two-dimensional semiconducting allotrope of phosphorus, has increased in the last few years, since it was shown in 2014 to have very good properties for fieldeffect transistors. Unfortunately, practical use of the material is delayed because of its tendency to degrade into a phosphoric oxide when left in air. In this thesis I present the effects of atmospheric air and pure oxygen on the transport properties of bulk black phosphorus with and without light exposure. For continuous measurements carried out by millimeter-scale four-point probe, we see no change in the resistance of bulk samples exposed …

Do President Trump’S Tweets Increase Uncertainty In The Us Economy?, Michael Simpson

Honors Theses and Capstones

When President Trump tweets, does it change uncertainty in the economy? This study gathers President Trump’s tweets off his twitter accounts from October 2016 to October 2017 and classifies each of them as either negative (expected to increase uncertainty), positive (expected to decrease uncertainty) or neutral (no effect expected on uncertainty). I find that tweets with a negative sentiment were followed by an increase in uncertainty in the VIX and S&P 500 1 and 2 minutes after the tweet. Similar results were found for positive tweets. Non-neutral tweets increase trading volume in the VIX and S&P 500 by up to …

Current Trends In Same-Sex Couples In The United States: How Race And Gender Affect Education, Income Levels, And Urban Living, Emily Lane Haley

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Modeling Momentum-Diffusion In The Solar Wind, Evin C. O'Shea

Honors Theses and Capstones

Energetic particles accelerated by large solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are a threat to astronauts, global positioning systems (GPS), radio communications, and power grids. It is therefore vital that scientists be able to predict how such particles move and gain energy within the interplanetary medium in order to forewarn society impending hazards so that mitigating actions can be taken. In this work, I take a step towards this goal, using the Energetic Particle Radiation Environment Module (EPREM) code, which is used by UNH's radiation-dosage predictions website, I model interstellar-pickup ions (PUIs). I add to the model by including …

An American Hugo Chávez? Investigating The Comparisons Between Donald Trump And Latin American Populists, Charlotte Blair Harris

Honors Theses and Capstones

Following the 2016 presidential election of populist outsider Donald Trump, several think pieces throughout the popular press conjectured a comparison between Trump and former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. Citing their populist rhetoric, brash and coarse sense of humor, and shared propensity for fiery tirades against the press, these articles made foreboding predictions about the status of American democracy. However, these short and sometimes anecdotally-based opinion pieces failed to acknowledge several important differences between Trump and Latin American populists like Chávez. This paper will address this gap in understanding by evaluating the comparison from an academic perspective. Through in-depth case studies …

Labor Migration And Wage Effect On English Players, Matthew D. French

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

The Molecular Analysis Of Hawaiian Bird Diets, Alissa C. Scinto

Honors Theses and Capstones

The aim of this project is to utilize high-throughput molecular methods to investigate the diets of three non-native and one native Hawaiian bird species. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has made it possible to produce thousands of sequencing reads of DNA in a relatively short amount of time. This metabarcoding technology has been used to identify a range of different taxa, from bacteria in the human gut to fungi in the soil. More recently, this approach has been used to identify insects in the diets of birds and other species, including bees and bats. Samples underwent genomic sequencing using a targeted approach …

The Realities Of The Most Powerful Office In The World: A Comparison Between Public Opinion And The Legal Underpinning For Executive Action In U.S. Foreign Affairs, Cameron N. Brusko

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper explores the relationship between public opinion data and the consequent policy decisions enacted by the federal government. Specifically, it will examine President Trump’s policy implementations regarding the United States’ role in foreign affairs. Multiple public opinion polls, both domestic and international, will be utilized throughout to establish an understanding of the public’s complex views of this role. Antecedent to this, however, the nature of public opinion will be reviewed by providing a definition for public opinion, examining the various influences throughout one’s life, evaluating the criticisms and problems associated with it, and understanding how it ultimately relates to …

The Impact Of Work Experience On Commitment To The Healthcare Administration Profession, Caroline Sweny

Honors Theses and Capstones

This research study analyses the relationships between career commitment and gender, career status, and career satisfaction. Results indicated three major findings. First, men are more likely to be committed to the healthcare administration profession. Second, commitment to the healthcare administration profession decreases as individuals advance further into their career. Third, commitment to the healthcare administration profession decreases the more satisfied an individual is with the progress they have made toward meeting their overall career goals. Further research is needed to understand the implications behind these findings.

Flight To Quality In Cryptocurrencies, Scott Brockelbank Jr.

Honors Theses and Capstones

The topic of cryptocurrencies has been on the forefront of investors’ minds as they have seen ridiculous returns from the volatile swings in price. Its value highly debated because the asset is not backed by a hard asset. If we look back at the beginning of our country, we see how each state had its own currency and the difficulties that users faced around who would accept that as legal tender. The birth of a federal currency was accepted because it served as a medium of exchange and was backed by gold through the U.S. government. The final evolution of …

The Effect Of Remittance Inflows To India: An Empirical Analysis, Justin Poisson

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper studies the relationship between remittance inflows and GDP in India. An empirical regression analysis is applied to India’s data to analyze the effect of remittance inflows to the level of GDP and GDP growth. Results show that remittance inflows have a positive and significant effect on the level of India’s GDP, and a positive but insignificant effect on GDP growth. Data used in this research come from the World Bank.

Relationship Between Interplanetary Conditions And Changes In The Geomagnetic Field To Understand The Causes Of Geomagnetically Induced Currents, Cameron P. Maillet

Honors Theses and Capstones

Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs) are electrical currents induced in ground-level conductive networks, like power lines and pipelines, which can cause costly damage to infrastructure. GICs are induced in response to fast changes in the geomagnetic field (GMF) according to Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction. The purpose of this study was to identify the parameters of the solar wind and interplanetary shocks which are most strongly correlated with large, fast changes in the magnitude of the GMF. GMF data is 1-min averaged time series of mid- and high-latitude magnetometer measurements in the Sym/H and AL indices, respectively. For solar wind data, …

I Skate Therefore I Am: Athletic Identity Amongst Collegiate Level Hockey Players, Rachel E. Berg

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study explores athletic identity among men’s, women’s and sled hockey athletes and whether or not there is significant differences between the groups. An exploratory study was done that consisted of a quantitative survey that utilized the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, better known as the AIMS, in order to look in to the three types of athlete’s identity (Brewer, Van Raalte, & Linder, 1993). A snowball sample was used to garner participants from men’s, women’s and sled hockey teams from a moderately sized New England College, for the survey. There were 7 responses from each team, a total of 21 …

Brand & Celebrity Associations: An Investigation Into Brand & Celebrity Trait Congruence And The Potential For Trait Transference, Pamela S. Merriman

Honors Theses and Capstones

In today’s marketplace, a significant amount of brands are utilizing celebrity endorsers as a marketing tool. Traits of the brand and the endorser are typically not congruent. As a result, trait transference between a brand and a celebrity can occur once the brand and celebrity endorser are linked in the consumer’s mind. Further, celebrity endorsers often endorse multiple brands at one time. Therefore, it may be possible for traits to transfer from one brand to another via a common celebrity endorser. Although research has shown that the traits of celebrity endorsers can influence br and perceptions and vice versa, no …