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The Banality Of The Social: A Philosophy Of Communication Of Social Media Influencer Marketing, Kati Sudnick Aug 2020

The Banality Of The Social: A Philosophy Of Communication Of Social Media Influencer Marketing, Kati Sudnick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project engages in a philosophy of communication approach in order to understand the role of social media influencer marketing within a historical moment defined via Hannah Arendt’s understanding of the social. Social media influencer marketing emerges as a new form of celebrity endorsement in which those finding fame on the Internet engage in word-of-mouth marketing for brands and organizations on their own personal social media pages, blurring the line between organic and sponsored content. According to Arnett (2010), philosophy of communication acts as a background road map for understanding foreground public action. Utilizing a myriad of metaphorical coordinates as …


The Role Of Boredom, Loneliness, And Technology Use As Predictors Of Sexual Responsibility Among Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Natalie Drozda Aug 2020

The Role Of Boredom, Loneliness, And Technology Use As Predictors Of Sexual Responsibility Among Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Natalie Drozda

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictors of sexual responsibilities (i.e., sex positivity and sexual health as well as sexual risk responsibility) for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The predictors examined included boredom, loneliness, online risk behavior, intent to use dating apps/websites for casual sex, and intent to use dating apps/websites for romance. Gender differences in sexual responsibility subscales were also explored. ANOVAS yielded women with autism exhibited more sexual responsibility on both subscales than men. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine significant predictors of Sex Positivity and Sexual Health as well as Sexual Risk Responsibility …


Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries With Boron Doped Diamond As An Electrode., Alex M. Bates Aug 2020

Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries With Boron Doped Diamond As An Electrode., Alex M. Bates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the interest and implementation of renewable energy accelerates, so does that of grid energy storage. It is widely believed that a cost-effective energy storage technology will bring about the proliferation of renewable energy. Redox flow battery (RFB) technology represents a promising solution to cost-effective grid energy storage. Compared to other technologies, RFBs have a long lifetime, high efficiency, are non-flammable, significantly reduce cost, and separately scale power and energy. The separation of power and energy enables increased energy capacity by simply adding electrolyte volume. Of the challenges facing RFB technology, one readily apparent is the cost of the active …


(Pseudo)Phase Tuning In The Service Of Synthesis: Technologies For Sustainable Catalysis., Justin Douglas Smith Aug 2020

(Pseudo)Phase Tuning In The Service Of Synthesis: Technologies For Sustainable Catalysis., Justin Douglas Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Strategies for manipulation of chemical phases were explored with emphasis on synthetic chemistry applications. Some strategies are fairly divergent from their origin, but all ultimately began from investigations of micellar media. Accordingly, Chapter 1 reviews the historical development of micellar catalytic processes. Chapters 2 and 3 detail development of synthetic methods in micellar solutions of designer surfactant PS-750-M. PS-750-M was designed to create benign micellar solutions which effectively mimic toxic organic solvents; it contains a proline-based linker between its hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions which imparts increased polarity to the micellar core. Chapter 2 details an interfacial nucleophilic substitution of perfluoroarenes …


Gun Ownership As An Expression Of Whiteness And Masculinity., Michael Daugherty Aug 2020

Gun Ownership As An Expression Of Whiteness And Masculinity., Michael Daugherty

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public discourse on the topic of gun ownership in the U.S. is polarized, with the debate framed as a binary between unquestioned gun rights versus a complete ban. Gun ownership can have grave consequences: guns are used to commit acts of violence and suicide. Interviews with white male gun owners explore the influence of white backlash, masculinity, and racial identity development in their decisions to own guns. This project explores the extent these reasons are related to race on the part of white males, starting with these two questions: How much does race play a factor in the action and …


Implicit Bias And Voluntarily Childfree Adults, Virginia Elizabeth Powell Aug 2020

Implicit Bias And Voluntarily Childfree Adults, Virginia Elizabeth Powell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study aimed to determine if there is a negative bias towards voluntarily childfree adults or an association of negative views and attitudes with voluntarily childfree adults, controlling for other participant characteristics such as race, religion, or sexual orientation. At this stage in the research, voluntarily childfree adults are generally defined as legal adults who have the intention to remain childfree for the rest of their lives, due to reasons other than fertility issues. A negative view or bias is defined as any attitude which is not a desirable interpretation of behavior or lifestyle. A negative bias against voluntarily …


Negative Effects Of Coming Out As Lgbtq+ In A Non-Supportive Family, Ashley Nicole Hemphill Aug 2020

Negative Effects Of Coming Out As Lgbtq+ In A Non-Supportive Family, Ashley Nicole Hemphill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study will explore the effects of coming out in a non-supportive family. The coming out process is when an individual discloses their sexual identity to another person. Coming out can be a wonderful experience for some or a negative life-changing moment. This interpretive phenomenological study examined the patterns and themes found through four extensive interviews. The four participants recruited through social media and flyers participated in an interview where they were asked questions about their coming out experience. The minor common themes were experiences by three out of the four participants. These minor common themes were failed parenting, coming …


Jangle Fallacy: Is Grit Distinct From Other Psychological Constructs?, Natasha Godkin Aug 2020

Jangle Fallacy: Is Grit Distinct From Other Psychological Constructs?, Natasha Godkin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper assessed the redundancy of the construct of grit (Crede, Tynan, Harms, 2017) compared to other similar constructs using structural equation modeling to remove the effect of measurement error. A series of models regressed grit and its subdomains (passion and perseverance of effort) on self-control, conscientiousness, achievement striving, and resilience. The R-squared values for these models ranged from 0.62 to 0.89. It is concluded that the concept of grit is mostly redundant with other constructs and is therefore an example of a Jangle fallacy (Kelley, 1927). The unique aspect of grit is mostly related to its passion …


Potential Toxicity Of Silver Nanoparticles To Microbial Communities And Macroinvertebrates, Joseph Kusi Aug 2020

Potential Toxicity Of Silver Nanoparticles To Microbial Communities And Macroinvertebrates, Joseph Kusi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are the most common nanomaterials incorporated in commercial products due to their antimicrobial activity. Recently, AgNPs were detected in surface waters suggesting the potential for bioavailability in the aquatic receptor organisms. This dissertation research attempts to understand the potential toxicity of AgNPs on water quality indicators, focusing on the microbial community and amphipods. This study evaluated whether: (1) the antimicrobial properties of AgNPs pose potential risks to microbial communities in pathogen impaired streams; (2) AgNPs can cause a shift in functional diversity and metabolic fingerprinting of microbial communities; (3) survival and growth of Hyalella azteca (amphipods) could …


A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Abortion Attitudes And Perceptions Among Women Living In Alabama And South Carolina, Anthony Peluso Aug 2020

A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Abortion Attitudes And Perceptions Among Women Living In Alabama And South Carolina, Anthony Peluso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legal induced abortion is a safe option for terminating a pregnancy for women of reproductive age in the United States (U.S.), though access has varied since the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton cases in 1973. Information is lacking on women’s attitudes toward and perceptions of abortion as well as on related constructs such as pregnancy attitudes and contraceptive use. Exploring these constructs is important in that it can provide much needed context to women’s reproductive life planning. This research aimed to explore perceptions of abortion access and safety and examine the potential associations between attitudes toward abortion access …


Pentecostal Women And Religious Reformation In The Progressive Era: The Political Novelty Of Women’S Religious And Organizational Leadership, Sherry Kaye Ms. Aug 2020

Pentecostal Women And Religious Reformation In The Progressive Era: The Political Novelty Of Women’S Religious And Organizational Leadership, Sherry Kaye Ms.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Progressive Era in America from 1870 to 1920 introduced unprecedented change in the way Americans lived, worked, and thought about themselves in relation to the rest of the world. New platforms of charitable benevolence, religious activism, and legislative reform were enacted to meet the changed demographic landscape initiated by waves of new immigration from Europe. The tenor of religious worship shifted in mainstream and evangelical churches to reflect not only new ways of response to these changes, but new ideas of women as authoritative leaders in secular and religious institutions. Charismatic evangelical women influenced by an era of change …


Determining If Classroom Pets As Part Of An Empathy-Based Intervention Affect Public Elementary School Students’ Empathy, Randa Dunlap Aug 2020

Determining If Classroom Pets As Part Of An Empathy-Based Intervention Affect Public Elementary School Students’ Empathy, Randa Dunlap

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine if consistent exposure to classroom pets in public elementary school classrooms affected children’s empathy. The sample included 44 students (females = 22; males = 22; mean age = 8.3 years) from four third-grade classrooms. A pre-test, post-test design was used to measure students’ empathy levels, and percentage changes in empathy scores were recorded for all groups. The sample was a convenience sample, and random assignment to treatment groups was not possible. Treatment included using classroom pet fish along with empathy-based lessons. Of the four participating classrooms, one classroom was the …


Thwarted Interpersonal Needs, Depression, And Sleep Disturbances In Primary Care: Does Gratitude Help You Sleep?, Heather R. Altier Aug 2020

Thwarted Interpersonal Needs, Depression, And Sleep Disturbances In Primary Care: Does Gratitude Help You Sleep?, Heather R. Altier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Sleep disturbances are prevalent in primary care patients and can be exacerbated by interpersonal dysfunction and depression. As well, thwarted interpersonal needs (TIN), including thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness, contribute to depression. However, the presence of gratitude, a cognitive-emotional protective factor, may improve symptoms. We longitudinally examined the mediating role of depressive symptoms on the relation between TIN and sleep disturbances, and the moderating role of gratitude on the TIN-sleep disturbances and depression-sleep disturbances linkages. Our primary care patient sample (N = 223) completed self-report surveys at baseline (T1) and at a one-year follow-up (T2; n = 97). Patients …


Serious Mental Illness And Rural Primary Care: Provider Training, Attitudes, And Opinions, Lydia Eisenbrandt Aug 2020

Serious Mental Illness And Rural Primary Care: Provider Training, Attitudes, And Opinions, Lydia Eisenbrandt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Healthcare resources are especially limited in rural regions of the US. The lack of Primary Care Providers (PCPs) and mental/behavioral health services is problematic, as there are high rates of behavioral and medical concerns within rural populations. Special populations, such as rural persons with Serious Mental Illness (SMI), are medically complex and represent a vulnerable and underserved population. Healthcare outcomes for persons with SMI are poor compared to the general population and commonly lead to premature death. Various barriers prevent this population from accessing optimal healthcare, especially in rural areas, due to negative perceptions/stigma, a lack of understanding from PCPs, …


Utilizing The Public On Public Lands: The Application Of Community Science To Monitor And Model Erosion In National Forests, Jacob L. Hansen Aug 2020

Utilizing The Public On Public Lands: The Application Of Community Science To Monitor And Model Erosion In National Forests, Jacob L. Hansen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Unpaved forest roads are adversely affecting coldwater streams through excessive erosion and the subsequent sedimentation of adjacent waterways. To help identify areas of concern, Trout Unlimited (TU) in the Southern Appalachian region developed a Community Science initiative to gather data on sediment sources and stream-road crossings. Volunteers were recruited and trained to monitor road and trail conditions and collect and submit data using a Survey123 application on their cell phones. Analysis of the contributed data reveals statistical connections between drainage type and both erosion level and stream sedimentation. The contributed data were also included as a calibration for the lite …


Talk This Way: A Look At The Historical Conversation Between Hip-Hop And Christianity, Joshua Swanson Aug 2020

Talk This Way: A Look At The Historical Conversation Between Hip-Hop And Christianity, Joshua Swanson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Christianity and Hip-Hop culture are often said to be at odds with one another. One is said to promote a lifestyle of righteousness and love, while the other is said to promote drugs, violence, and pride. As a result, the public has portrayed these two institutions as conflicting with no willingness to resolve their perceived differences. This paper will argue that there has always been a healthy conversation between Hip-Hop and Christianity since Hip-Hop’s inception. Using sources like Hip-Hop lyrics, theologians, historians, autobiographies, sermons, and articles that range from Ma$e to Tipper Gore, this paper will look at the conversation …


Surface Levels, Keisha Brathwaite Aug 2020

Surface Levels, Keisha Brathwaite

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Surface Levels are depictions of unobserved and imperceptible realities of many phytoplankton exteriors. The exhibition explores various structures, textures, and repetitious forms from microscopic surfaces of objects that cannot be seen with unaided eyes. Electron microscopy is used to perceive and analyze these otherwise unseeable surfaces in depth. Magnifications provide a reference in creating three- and two-dimensional works that are minimalistic and abstract at a visible level. This abstract 3D/2D image collection is translated into material expressions using acrylic sheets, acrylic ink, and wood as the main media for construction of individual works. Collectively, they serve to make the invisible …


Maya Bone Tool Technologies At Ucanal, Guatemala, Jacob Harris Aug 2020

Maya Bone Tool Technologies At Ucanal, Guatemala, Jacob Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A key part of understanding Maya bone tool production is studying the rare assemblages containing bone tools and bone tool debitage. The Late Classic J-2 assemblage is a distinct composition of lithic, charcoal, human and animal bone at the site of Ucanal, Guatemala. The number of sites with high concentrations of fauna remains are well, and sites with high concentrations of worked bone is even rarer. This thesis is an analysis of the worked and unworked faunal elements excavated in 2019 from Operation 1B of the J-2 assemblage. The primary purpose of this thesis is to further understand Maya bone …


Connecting Right-Wing Authoritarianism To Environmental Beliefs And Behaviors: A Pilot Study., Rebecca Halpryn Aug 2020

Connecting Right-Wing Authoritarianism To Environmental Beliefs And Behaviors: A Pilot Study., Rebecca Halpryn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is an urgent situation that may be alleviated by a dramatic transformation in individual’s lifestyles. Right-wing authoritarianism relates to a wide variety of beliefs and behaviors, yet little is known about its relationship with environmental beliefs and behaviors. An online survey utilizing the 18-item ACT scale, the revised NEP scale, the PEB scale, and background questions as conducted; 60 college students enrolled in introductory sociology courses responded. Multiple regression and backwards stepwise statistical methods were employed on the survey data to investigate the relationship between right-wing authoritarianism and pro-environmental beliefs and the relationship between right-wing authoritarianism and pro-environmental …


Comparative Secretomics And Functional Analysis Of Effectors Utilized By The Microbotryum Genus Of Anther-Smut Fungal Pathogens, And Their Role In Host-Specificity., William Christopher Beckerson Aug 2020

Comparative Secretomics And Functional Analysis Of Effectors Utilized By The Microbotryum Genus Of Anther-Smut Fungal Pathogens, And Their Role In Host-Specificity., William Christopher Beckerson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding how pathogens evolve in response to changes in their host is paramount to combating the spread of emergent strains of disease. This is particularly true for plant pathogens that cause billions of dollars of damages to crops globally, every year. Understanding the molecular interactions between pathogens and their hosts therefore sheds light on the coevolutionary arms race that can result in host-specificity and host-shifts in plant pathogens. This research approaches the question of how fungal pathogens interact with their plant hosts utilizing both unique and shared arsenals of secreted proteins (SPs) during infection, and addresses the question of whether …


Exploring Black "Saviors": A Content Analysis Of Black Characters And Racial Discourses In Obama-Era Films., Eric A. Jordan Aug 2020

Exploring Black "Saviors": A Content Analysis Of Black Characters And Racial Discourses In Obama-Era Films., Eric A. Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation analyzes how black characters across twenty movies released in the years 2006-2018 inspire, coach, “save,” or “rescue” other characters. Studies on “savior” characters in film tend to focus on white savior characters who seek to “save” people of color from harm. When comparing black characters and white saviors, I find that black characters use three specific strategies—revolution, vigilantism, and altruism —to help other characters. The characters who use the revolution and vigilantism strategies seem to be what I call “black saviors” who work to fight against institutional and systemic racism to save the black diaspora. Altruistic characters seem …


Tissue-Resident Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Modulate Immune Homeostasis In Healthy Adipose., Katlin Brooke Stivers Aug 2020

Tissue-Resident Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Modulate Immune Homeostasis In Healthy Adipose., Katlin Brooke Stivers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Our goal with this study was to gain insight into the homeostatic immune cell network in healthy adipose tissue. Specifically, we sought to determine if the immature myeloid cells found in healthy and inflamed adipose were, in fact, tissue-resident myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Using various in vitro and in vivo methods, we have uncovered a population of CD11bHi Ly6CHi Ly6G- MDSCs resident in healthy adipose tissue. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that these cells have been investigated and described in healthy adipose tissue. Systemic MDSC depletion lead to the accumulation of …


A Novel Role For Rassf1a In The Regulation Of Ras Activation., Desmond Ramón Harrell Stewart Aug 2020

A Novel Role For Rassf1a In The Regulation Of Ras Activation., Desmond Ramón Harrell Stewart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ras is the most frequently activated oncogene in human cancer. It is not only the most frequently mutated oncogene, but is also rendered hyperactive in the wild-type form by aberrant regulation. Ras drives transformation and contributes to tumor aggressiveness by activating multiple downstream mitogenic effectors. Ras also possesses the paradoxical ability to induce apoptosis and senescence. Ras-induced apoptosis is not well understood, but has been largely attributed to the RASSF tumor suppressors, particularly RASSF1A. RASSF1A mediates Ras-induced apoptosis by activating pro-apoptotic proteins such as the MST kinases and BAX. RASSF1A is among the most frequently inactivated tumor suppressors in human …


Linear Methods For Regression With Small Sample Sizes Relative To The Number Of Variables., Rajesh Sikder Aug 2020

Linear Methods For Regression With Small Sample Sizes Relative To The Number Of Variables., Rajesh Sikder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In data sets where there are a small number of observations but a large number of variables observed for each observation, ordinary least squares estimation cannot be used for regression models. There are many alternative including stepwise regression, penalized methods such as ridge regression and the LASSO, and methods based on derived inputs such as principal components regression and partial least squares regression. In this thesis, these five methods are described. K-fold cross validation is also discussed as a way for determining regularization parameters for each method. The performance of these methods in estimation and prediction is also examined through …


Getting Up: An Ethnography Of Hip Hop Graffiti Writers, Their Art, And Perceptions Of Society's Reactions., Theodore Malone Aug 2020

Getting Up: An Ethnography Of Hip Hop Graffiti Writers, Their Art, And Perceptions Of Society's Reactions., Theodore Malone

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This ethnographic analysis of the modern hip hop graffiti writing subculture connects the separate but complementary theoretical constructs of serious leisure (Stebbins 1982), dark leisure (Smith and Raymen 2016), recreational specialization theory (Bryan 1977), and edgework (Lyng 1990) and situates the writer “standpoint” (Smith 1987) in terms of interrelations of policy and written discourse. Past research found that writers were motivated by fame and status, to express artistic skills, and to control and destroy space (Brewer and Miller 1990). Others found that writers sought to express contestant notions of style and resist economic and political authority (Ferrell 1996; 2006), and …


Analysis Of Twenty-First Century Zines., Anna Blake Aug 2020

Analysis Of Twenty-First Century Zines., Anna Blake

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an analysis of twenty-first century zines as markedly different from their predecessors. The twenty-first century zine is often framed as a continuation of the punk zines from the late twentieth century, this thesis disagrees and argues for the classification of the twenty-first century zine as a unique form of culture that has evolved from the punk zines of the 1980s and 90s. The thesis is divided into five chapters in which the twenty-first century zine is analyzed using specific examples. Chapter one begins with an introduction of the zine, defining the object based on its social consequences …


Compassion Or Neoliberal Governance: Critiquing The Discourse Of Compassionate Louisville., Ekramul Islam Aug 2020

Compassion Or Neoliberal Governance: Critiquing The Discourse Of Compassionate Louisville., Ekramul Islam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since 2011, the city of Louisville, the site of this research, has been calling itself “Compassionate City.” The dissertation takes Compassionate Louisville as a city brand and seeks to investigate the effect of the image construction on the local politics. It aims to investigate the latent discourses produced by Compassionate Louisville in relation to the neoliberal political economy of the city. This dissertation employs the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) methodology. Compassionate Louisville, being a brand, produces a discourse of compassion. The CDA methodological approach helps to investigate this manufactured discourse in relation to the neoliberal socio-political context of the city. …


Electrochemically-Modulated Surface Plasmon Waves At A Nano-Scale For Investigations And Applications Of Redox Assemblies., Aymen Hasan Qatamin Aug 2020

Electrochemically-Modulated Surface Plasmon Waves At A Nano-Scale For Investigations And Applications Of Redox Assemblies., Aymen Hasan Qatamin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, an electrochemically-modulated surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR) technique was developed for challenging investigations and applications in different redox assemblies. The principle of the technique is based on the nano-scale confined and sensitive interplay between a surface plasmon wave and a redox-active probe featuring an optical transition when undergoing a faradaic redox process. Such faradaic process is electrochemically controlled by modulating the surface electric potential of the SPR platform to create an optical output signal that is substantially immune to the negative impacts of background environment and enabling the identification and quantification minute properties linked to a molecular event …


Healthy Identity Development Among Black Same-Gender Loving Men: A Mixed Methods Approach, Byron D. Brooks Aug 2020

Healthy Identity Development Among Black Same-Gender Loving Men: A Mixed Methods Approach, Byron D. Brooks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Black Same-Gender Loving Men (BSGLM) are a population at the juncture of multiple marginalized identities, which may make it difficult to successfully form their identity due to experienced racism and heterosexism from communities to which they belong. Current paradigms of racial/ethnic and sexual identity do not fully capture the complexities of identity development among BSGLM. Moreover, there is scant literature available detailing what the process of identity development looks like among this population and which factors influence identity development among BSGLM. As such, the current study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to first discover what healthy identity looks …


N-Acetyltranserase 2 (Nat2) Genotype Polymorphism In Cryopreserved Human Hepatocytes And Chinese Hamster Ovary (Cho) Cells., Mariam Refaat Zaky Habil Aug 2020

N-Acetyltranserase 2 (Nat2) Genotype Polymorphism In Cryopreserved Human Hepatocytes And Chinese Hamster Ovary (Cho) Cells., Mariam Refaat Zaky Habil

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arylamine N-acetyltransferases, NAT1 and NAT2, catalyze the detoxification and/or activation of drugs and aromatic amine carcinogens. Single nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs result in different human NAT2 genotypes thus dividing the population into rapid, intermediate, and slow acetylators. We hypothesize allelic variants of NAT2 genotype will decrease levels of N-acetylation, cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, DNA adduct formation, and mutagenesis compared to the reference allele NAT2*4. Cryopreserved human hepatocytes expressing different NAT2 genotypes and NER-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with human CYP1A2 and human NAT2*4, NAT2*5B or NAT2*7B have been used to investigate N-acetylation of different xenobiotics. In …