A Psychological Perspective On Police Brutality: Current Statistics, Characteristics, And Trends Regarding Excessive Use Of Force, Ashley Salter

Dissertations

The purpose of this literature review was to utilize a psychological perspective on police brutality to identify current statistics, characteristics, and trends concerning excessive use of force. There were four fundamental goals of this literature review: (a) examine current statistics, characteristics, and trends regarding excessive use of force by law enforcement officers; (b) examine which populations are most likely to suffer from excessive use of force; (c) examine current methods in training law enforcement officers; and (d) propose a new model for training law enforcement officers. Also included is a discussion of a proposed idea for the training of police …

Colombian Women’S Experiences Of Cosmetic Surgery And Its Relationship To Body Image, Austin Gonzalez-Randolph

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand women’s experiences of cosmetic surgery and its effects on body image on women from the Colombian cities of Bogotá and Pereira. The participants of this study were women of Colombian descent, who reside in Colombia. This was done with the hopes of better understanding how culture impacts views on cosmetic surgery. Colombia appears to have a culture that is very enmeshed with cosmetic surgery. This study provides an initial exploratory and qualitative investigation into the perception of body image as it relates to cosmetic surgery among six young women living in Colombia; …

Implementation Of Social Emotional Learning To Service The Whole Child, Willard Willette

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Today’s students are facing an overwhelming number of obstacles that hinder their emotional, social, and academic growth. As a principal, I recognized this growing burden my students were carrying. Such hindrances as a rise in gun violence, continued socioeconomic disadvantages, and countless other more personal obstacles and their effects on students were evident inside the school setting. Many of our students were traumatized by these life changing circumstances and then left clueless as to how to handle them or the challenges life may bring next. The adults in our school and many of the families did not have the …

These Fish Were Made For Walking: Morphology And Walking Kinematics In Balitorid Loaches, Callie Hendricks Crawford

Dissertations

Terrestrial excursions have been observed in multiple lineages of marine and freshwater fishes. These ventures into the terrestrial environment may be used when fish are searching out new habitat during drought, escaping predation, laying eggs, or seeking food sources. The physiological demands for life under water and on land are vastly different and require different functional adaptations. Fish with terrestrial excursions must be capable of dealing with the stresses of both aquatic and terrestrial environments for varying periods of time. To deal with these stresses, amphibious fishes exhibit many morphological and behavioral adaptations. These adaptations have led to a range …

Intermittent Dynamics Of Dense Particulate Matter, Chao Cheng

Dissertations

Granular particle systems are scattered around the universe, and they can behave like solids when there exist strong force-bearing networks, so that the granular system can resist certain stress without deformation. When such a network is not present, particles yield to small stress and behave like a fluid. A wide range of systems exhibit intermittent dynamics as they are slowly loaded, with different dynamical regimes governing many industrial and natural phenomena. While a significant amount of research on exploring intermittent dynamics of granular systems has been carried out, not much is known about the connection between particle-scale response and the …

Impact Of User Traversal On Performance Of Stem Learners In Immersive Virtual Environments, Eric W. Nersesian

Dissertations

The emerging technologies of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) may have vast implications to societal communication and representation of information. AR/VR computer interfaces are unique in that they may be placed spatially around the user in three-dimensional (3D) space; this affords new methods of both presentation and user interaction with the target information.

This may be especially impactful in the education of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals. Prior research has shown that simulations and visualizations improve the performance of STEM learners compared to live instruction and textbook reading. Yet, research into AR/VR as a learning environment for widespread …

Deep Learning On Image Forensics And Anti-Forensics, Zhangyi Shen

Dissertations

Image forensics protect the authenticity and integrity of digital images. On the contrary, as the countermeasures of digital forensics, anti-forensics is applied to expose the vulnerability of forensics tools. Consequently, forensics researchers could develop forensics tools against possible new attacks. This dissertation investigation demonstrates two image forensics methods based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and two image anti-forensics methods based on generative adversarial network (GAN).

Detecting unsharp masking (USM) sharpened image is the first study in this dissertation. A CNN architecture comprises four convolutional layers and a classification module is proposed to discriminate sharpened images and unsharpened images. The results …

Private Sound Environments In Public Space: Use Of Headphones In Public Parks And Public Transit, Chathurthi S. De Silva

Dissertations

The use of headphones is now so commonplace that it is almost second nature for many people to use them. Not only do these people use headphones all the time, but they use them nearly everywhere, including in urban public spaces. In using headphones, people create their own “private sound environments” in public space. This phenomenon merits attention from researchers since the creation of private sound environments may well alter people’s experiences of public space.

This study answers five research questions about the use of headphones in parks and on transit: why people use them, when they begin using headphones …

Plant-Derived Extracellular Matrix Mimetic Scaffolds For Bone Repair Applications, Jessica Cardenas Turner

Dissertations

Autologous and allogeneic bone grafts are currently used to treat large bone defects or fractures that will not heal. However, for patients with osteoporosis or other conditions that impair the natural bone healing process, such as diabetes, smoking, bed rest, aging, autologous bone graft, which is the patient's own bone, is limited in quantity and its healing potential may be compromised. Allograft bone, or donated bone, lacks the necessary biological activity and has poor integration into defect. There is an urgent need for constructs/grafts capable of promoting bone cell function in fracture healing and large bone defects where the endogenous …

The Associations Of Chronic Stress, Social Support, Health Behaviors And Metabolic Syndrome Among Hispanic Women, Edna Esquer

Dissertations

The Associations of Chronic Stress, Social Support, Health Behaviors and Metabolic Syndrome Among Hispanic Women

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence is 25% among Mexican American women 30 – 49 years of age, compared to 22% among non-Hispanic Whites in the United States. Little is known about the additional contributions of chronic stress, social support and health behaviors to the development of MetS among this population.

Purpose: Describe the associations between chronic stress, social support, and health behaviors and the presence of MetS in Hispanic women living in an underserved community.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study design. The Adult Treatment Panel …

Corporal Punishment In Eastern Nigeria, Gerald N. Nwafor

Dissertations

In Nigeria, corporal punishment is used widely in Nigeria’s judicial system, the home, and the classroom. The prevalent opinion in the education community is that corporal punishment helps students learn better and faster, keeps order in the classroom, and promotes a high student performance level. Reliance on corporal punishment is embedded in the religious, cultural, social, and moral beliefs and understanding of life. Corporal punishment takes many forms, but the most common in the school system is caning or flogging, which is the forceful and severe striking of the student’s body, using a stick of wood, usually on the back, …

Subaltern Leadership Epistemologies: A Phenomenological Study Of Filipinx Administrative Leaders In Higher Education, Tricia Ryan

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomenon of Filipinx American subaltern leadership epistemologies by unveiling participant life histories, alongside participant leadership approaches and practices carried-out in institutions of higher education in the Unites States. The unique experiences made available in this study provided for an emergence of critical examination into untapped narratives; valuable data from Filipinx voices who, in the research literature about Filipinx Americans, are cited as invisible in educational settings. In-depth qualitative phenomenological research utilizing a three-interview series approach was used to explore and charter the connections between lived experience and current leadership epistemologies for …

Unresolved Issue In Education: Disproportionate Disciplining Of Hispanic Students In Education, Richard Ruiz

Dissertations

The disproportionate disciplining of Hispanic students has been a reoccurring issue that has persisted for decades. With the rising Hispanic populations nationwide and in the state of California, this issue must be addressed. Therefore, to contribute to the scholarship of this phenomenon, the author critically examined teacher and administrator perceptions and attitudes about students who embody a stereotypical urban street subculture. The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed-methods study was to examine the interplay of race, cultural capital, community, and communication, with the disproportionate disciplining of Hispanic students in schools where they are a minority population. The findings of this …

Perceptions Of The Influence Of Cell Phones And Social Media Usage On Students’ Academic Performance, Anne Tran

Dissertations

Cell phones, ubiquitous in many high schools, are often credited with helpingstudents connect with people and learn new concept. However, literature indicates that problematic cell phone and social media usage are negatively associated with student academic performance and mental well-being. As cell phone technologies continue to evolve, they become an integral part of today’s learning environment. Through the use of the documentary exploratory research method, this dissertation investigates stakeholders’ perceptions of the influence of cell phone and social media usage on high school students’ academic performance. Additionally, this study explores the current policies and practices regarding cell phone use in …

An Evaluation Of Timing Of Discharge Instruction And The Impact On Patient Satisfaction, Donald L. Tanner

Dissertations

Ambulatory surgical patients face unique challenges with discharge instruction comprehension and retention. The volume of information provided to patients, frequently combined with sedatives and narcotics, leads to failure to retain this crucial information needed for home care. At one healthcare facility, this failure to retain was reflected in the Outpatient Ambulatory Surgery- Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (OAS-CAHPS) survey scores which were below the facility goal of 75th percentile nationally. This project implemented a preoperative teaching intervention to provide written and verbal discharge instructions in the preoperative area prior to the administration of anesthetic agents to improve patient …

A Critical Analysis Of Gender Inequality In The Chef Profession In Ireland, Mary Farrell

Dissertations

As an original piece of research, this dissertation investigates the factors that contribute to gender inequality in the chef profession in Ireland. The aims of the study sought to establish the extent of gender inequality and the factors that contribute to it in the chef profession in Ireland. The first national gender inequality survey was designed to collect empirical and qualitative data of the chef profession. Joan Acker’s (1990) original theory of gendered organisations and Connell’s (1995) concept of hegemonic masculinity were employed to undertake a systematic gender analysis of the data emanating the survey. This analysis reveals, for the …

Grassroots Talent Development At La Maestra: Understanding The Perceptions Of Leaders And Staff, Gorn Huvanandana

Dissertations

This dissertation explored the leadership and staff perceptions of talent management (TM) in the San Diego-based community health center La Maestra. The organization initiated a scheme called Grassroots Talent Development (GTD) that focuses on developing its internal talents from the ground up, including using mentorship, on-the-job training, problem-solving techniques, and mission attachment reinforcement. The distinctive use of a holistic wellness model, Circle of Care (CoC), stemming from its core mission to serve underserved populations, has not only driven how the organization functions but also how it attracts, develops, and retains a diverse pool of talents. La Maestra innovated programs for …

An Inferentially Robust Look At Two Competing Explanations For The Surge In Unauthorized Migration From Central America, Nick Santos

Dissertations

The last 8 years have seen a dramatic increase in the flow of Central American apprehensions by the U.S. Border Patrol. Explanations for this surge in apprehensions have been split between two leading hypotheses. Most academic scholars, immigrant advocates, progressive media outlets, and human rights organizations identify poverty and violence (the Poverty and Violence Hypothesis) in Central America as the primary triggers responsible. In contrast, while most government officials, conservative think tanks, and the agencies that work in the immigration and border enforcement realm admit poverty and violence may underlie some decisions to migrate, they instead blame lax U.S. immigration …

Leadership Development In Saudi Arabia’S Private Sector: A Mixed Methods Approach, Khaled Hanaky

Dissertations

There is currently a proliferation of business-focused leadership development programs in Saudi Arabia. These programs represent a reaction to the shortage of qualified leaders who can drive and sustain both recent and future advances introduced by Saudi Vision 2030, the national transformation program that is introducing social and economic reforms. Importantly, business leadership development has not been studied in this context of contemporary Saudi Arabia.

This study examined the state of Saudi leadership development programs by employing an explanatory sequential case study design that focused on a particular leadership development program. Through the use of surveys and participant interviews, results …

Synthesis And Self-Assembly Of Amphiphilic Block Copolymers For The Fabrication Of Non-Spherical Polymersomes, Tamuka Chidanguro

Dissertations

Polymersomes, also known as polymer vesicles, have gained a lot of interest over the past two decades. These hollow spherical systems are made via the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers and have found use in a range of areas from drug delivery, to cellular models, to nanoreactors. Their hollow nature allows them to carry hydrophilic cargo in their inner compartment and hydrophobic cargo in their membrane. Over the last decade, increasing efforts have focused on controlling the morphology of polymersomes. Research has shown that polymersome morphology plays an important role for instance in drug delivery, where tubular or rod-like vesicles …

Semantic Classification Of Multidialectal Arabic Social Media, Tom Rishel

Dissertations

Arabic is one of the most widely used languages in the world, but due in part to its morphological and syntactic richness, resources for automated processing of Arabic are relatively rare. Arabic takes three primary forms: Classical Arabic as seen in the Qur’an and other classical texts; Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as seen in newspapers, formal documents, and other written text intended for widespread distribution; and dialectal Arabic as used in common speech and informal communication. Social media posts are often written in informal language and may include non-standard spellings, abbreviations, emoticons, hashtags, and emojis. Dialectal Arabic is commonly used …

Professional Counter-Strike: An Analysis Of Media Objects, Esports Culture, And Gamer Representation, Steven Young

Dissertations

Esports are growing in popularity at a rapid pace worldwide. In contemporary society, individuals watch esports broadcasts as part of their normal media consuming practices. This dissertation focuses on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO), which is currently the most recognized first-person shooter esport worldwide and the third most popular game across all esports genres (Irwin & Naweed, 2020). Interested in how the cultural knowledge and experience of esports and gamers who populate the scene are represented in media, I explored professional CS:GO esports broadcasts from two prominent professional leagues, ESL Pro League (EPL) and ELEAGUE. A thematic analysis of …

The Religion Beat Gets Beat: The Rise And Fall Of Stand-Alone Religion Sections In Southern Newspapers, 1983-2015, Tara Yvette Wren

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

THE RELIGION BEAT GETS BEAT: THE RISE AND FALL OF STAND-ALONE RELIGION SECTIONS IN SOUTHERN NEWSPAPERS, 1983-2015

by Tara Yvette Wren

February 2021

This paper explores the religious news coverage of five southern newspapers in Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas. The newspapers researched in this study are among those that published a stand-alone religion section. Newspapers surveyed include – The Clarion-Ledger (Mississippi), The Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), The Dallas Morning News (Texas), The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia), and The Tennessean (Tennessee). The period researched focused on stand-alone religion sections published from the papers mentioned above between 1983 …

Design And Modeling Of Bioinspired Polyelectrolytes With Controlled Architectures For Gene Delivery Applications, Kelli Stockmal

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the development of a range of bioinspired polyelectrolytes with controlled architectures for gene and drug delivery applications. Glycans are ubiquitous in biological systems, and understanding the role of saccharide stereochemistry, as well as cationic charge, on polymer behavior in aqueous solution and the interactions with nucleic acids can provide insight into how synthetic polyelectrolytes can be used for non-viral gene delivery and other biological applications. The first chapter provides an introductory overview on how cationic polyelectrolytes can be used to aid the delivery of RNA for controlling gene expression in a variety of cell types, how …

Higher Education Business And Technology Leaders’ Behaviors That Drive Outcome Alignment, Katherine Lynch-Holmes

Dissertations

Higher education institutions (HEIs) face unprecedented challenges, including capacity alignment, financial sustainability, and even public confidence (Grajeck & Brooks, 2020; Grawe, 2019; Oblinger, 2019; Simone, 2020, Wheeler, 2020, Witt & Coyne, 2019). Financial challenges force HEIs to reduce costs by making decisions like cutting programs, laying off staff or merging institutions to reduce operating costs (Chen et al., 2019; Sellingo, 2017; Witt & Coyne, 2019). Higher education leaders (HELs) must act as trusted partners and broker technology to align processes, support, and outcomes (Luftman 2000; Petkovics, 2018; Reinitz, 2019). Unfortunately, higher education’s business-technology (BITA) alignment remains lower than other national …

Elucidating The Role Of The Msaabcr Operon In Persister Cells Formation And Stress Response In Staphylococcus Aureus, Shanti Pandey

Dissertations

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that causes lethal systemic conditions such as infective endocarditis, osteomyelitis, sepsis and pneumonia. Chronic in nature, these diseases are often refractory to the antibiotic treatment. Such recalcitrance is mainly caused due to the presence of persister cells, which are a bacterial subpopulation that exhibits extreme, yet transient antibiotic tolerance accompanied by a transient halt in the growth. However, upon cessation of antibiotic treatment, resumption in growth of persister cells causes recurrence of infections and treatment failure, displaying tremendous clinical significance. In this study, we show the involvement of the msaABCR operon in persister …

Using Native Ads In Public Relations Campaigns: A Study Of Instagram Influencers In Kuwait, Ahmad Alhaidar

Dissertations

Native advertising through online influencers is one of the fastest-growing online advertising formats that public relations practitioners use worldwide. However, there is a lack of research about how public relations practitioners utilize native advertising in social media in the Middle East. The current study focused on Kuwait, one of the areas with the most notable growth in Instagram usage in recent years.

This study examines the effects of persuasion knowledge, the congruence between influencer and product, and parasocial relationships on ad credibility, influencer credibility, sharing intention, brand interest, and purchase intention. The scholar utilized a 2 (persuasion knowledge: active vs. …

Applied Microeconomics And Business Intelligence In The Digital Age, Thomas J. Weinandy

Dissertations

The Digital Age is defined by advances in big data, low-cost computing, and modern analytical methods. In three chapters, I apply microeconomic thought to the influence these digital technologies have on business and consumer decision-making.

Chapter One considers how Transportation Network Companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft impact the relationship between the quantity of car service trips and fuel prices. I find that a single day 1% increase in fuel prices is associated with a 0.367 to 0.486% decrease in the number of TNC trips and a 0.033 to 0.088% increase in the number of taxi trips, even though the …

Reframing National Women's History Month: Practicalities And Consequences, Skylar Bre’Z

Dissertations

This study evaluates the practicalities and consequences of designating one month (March) out of the calendar year for the commemoration of women’s history. In the 1970s and 1980s, national women’s organizations such as the Women’s Action Alliance (WAA) collaborated with the Smithsonian Institute and the Women’s History Program at Sarah Lawrence College to build programs to increase awareness of women’s history. Using an interdisciplinary approach grounded in feminist theory, media studies, and historical memory studies, this project contextualizes the commemoration through its connection to 1970s women’s activism, explores its usefulness as a tool for building educational equity, and questions its …

Impact Of Tuition Resets On Student Enrollment At Private Four-Year Not-For-Profit Colleges And Universities: A Quantitative Analysis Of Ipeds Data, Brian T. Dietz

Dissertations

The high price of a college education can be a topic of interest, discussion, and at times, distress, for students, families, and higher education leaders alike. Research reveals cost is an important consideration for most students as they decide if and where to enroll in higher education. In recent decades, annual increases to the published price of tuition have often been followed by subsequent growth in financial assistance at many colleges and universities. One result of this reciprocal relationship has been a swift upward spiral in tuition prices, rising at a rate that prompts angst about the affordability of a …