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Illuminating The Trauma Of The Closet Among Sexual Minorities: A Cinematic-Phenomenological Study Of Existential Rights, Nisha Gupta

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a phenomenological research study about the lived experience of being in the closet as a sexual minority. This study’s research findings are represented in two distinct but overlapping ways: a traditional written hermeneutic interpretation, and a short film called “Illuminate” which cinematically brings to life the closeted lifeworld. To produce this film, I developed an innovative research method called “cinematic-phenomenology.” As a researcher, I conducted phenomenological research interviews with five self-identified sexual minorities about their lived experiences of being in the closet. During interviews, I helped participants describe their felt sense of the closet through symbolic imagery, …

The Zombie Apocalypse Has Already Happened: Queering Subjectivity In Zombie Film, Jessica Dunn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation traces the encounter between psychology as a human science and the viral zombie film genre using the collaborative works of Deleuze and Guattari in conjunction with the queer anti-humanist theories of Colebrook and Halberstam. I interwove thematic (i.e. plot, dialogue, character development) and cinematographic (i.e. shot composition, editing, lighting, musical score) analyses of fourteen viral zombie films with theoretical arguments regarding the deterritorialization of the human subject and its relevance to psychology as a human science. The films were selected from the plethora of viral zombie films released after the turn of the 21st century. The selection was …

Back In The Closet: A Queer-Modified Interpretive-Phenomenological Analysis Of Gay Men Creating An Identity Through Clothing, Jose Arroyo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

How one dresses comprises their personal style, which subsequently informs one’s orientation to the world. Clothing is a global practice that demarcates our experience of self, others, and the world; and—as we are swathed in clothing since birth—those experiences are primarily split among gendered lines. Using Merleau-Ponty (2014/1945), I reconceptualize how clothing can be understood as inseparable from our body, and I use Deleuze and Guattari (1987/1980) to illustrate how clothing augments our embodied experience to produce a process of identification with our style. I also draw from queer theorists (Ahmed, 2006; Halberstam, 2011) to illustrate how we can disrupt …

End-Of-Life Care Practices In Two Cultures: A Comparative Ethical Analysis And Recommendations, Nora Alharbi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

This dissertation examined the similarities and differences between the end-of-life care strategies employed in the United States and Saudi Arabia. End-of-life care has emerged in recent decades as a medical practice specialty. It has taken on enhanced significance in the United States in tandem with the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, but it is also a significant focus of practice and research in other countries as well. In the context of Saudi Arabia, however, end-of-life care is still very much an emerging phenomenon that is being shaped and informed by Saudi culture, tradition and the Islamic faith.

This …

The Effectiveness Of Best Management Practices On Water Quality In The Attoyac Bayou Watershed Of East Texas, Cheryl Scott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the Attoyac Bayou Watershed Protection Plan, best management practices (BMPs) were developed for livestock, wildlife, and on-site sewage facilities (OSSFs), using bacteria source tracking (BST), spatially explicit load enrichment calculation tool (SELECT) model, as well as a cost benefit analysis. An evaluation of these BMPs was conducted on the Attoyac Bayou (AB), Big Iron Ore Creek (BIO), Naconiche Creek (NC), Terrapin Creek (TC), and Waffelow Creek (WC) to see if they were meeting their designated use criteria for elevated Escherichia coli (E. coli). Water quality parameters were monitored for five sample locations within the Attoyac Bayou Watershed during March …

The Effects Of Power And Religiously Motivated Ingroup Preference On Social Affiliation, Hernan Escobar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human beings are fundamentally social animals motivated by a need to establish and maintain close social relationships. The creation of these relationships inevitably leads to the creation of groups, along with a desire for power as a method of determining how resources are to be allocated within these groups. Most groups are characterized by individuals who belong to the ingroup and those who are relegated to an outgroup, and one powerful motivator of ingroup favoritism is religious affiliation. Although research has shown that feelings of low power increase the drive to socially affiliate, research has not yet explored how religious …

Characterization Of Sites For Native Herbaceous Understory Restoration In West Gulf Coast Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) Savannas, Brooke Mccalip

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savannas were once dominant in East Texas and parts of western and central Louisiana. Native understory species have since been removed or reduced by exotic plants that were introduced and from the reduction in the frequency of both wild and prescribed fires. A diverse layer of understory species can still be seen today, but not often in the historical savanna setting that is desirable in longleaf pine ecosystems. This project aimed to identify site characteristics associated with longleaf ecosystems that support a dense, herbaceous understory with little to no midstory cover.

A total of …

Characterization Of Sites For Native Herbaceous Understory Restoration In West Gulf Coast Longleaf Pine (Pinus Palustris) Savannas, Brooke Mccalip

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savannas were once dominant in East Texas and parts of western and central Louisiana. Native understory species have since been removed or reduced by exotic plants that were introduced and from the reduction in the frequency of both wild and prescribed fires. A diverse layer of understory species can still be seen today, but not often in the historical savanna setting that is desirable in longleaf pine ecosystems. This project aimed to identify site characteristics associated with longleaf ecosystems that support a dense, herbaceous understory with little to no midstory cover.

A total of …

Analysis Of Sampling Techniques By J Dilla In Donuts, Zachary Diaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The late James Yancey, known by his producer name of Jay Dee or J Dilla, is considered by many hip-hop scholars and musicians to be one of the most influential producers of the genre. His techniques of sampling are some of the most creative and intricate in the world of hip-hop beat making and are viewed as virtuosic in their own right. By analyzing his compositional process through selected tracks on his seminal (and final) album Donuts, I will be exploring how Dilla used over seventy-five samples from a variety of music genres and artists to create a sonic collage …

Economics Of Managing Loblolly Pine Plantations For Increased Wildlife Biodiversity, Melissa Griffith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this thesis was to identify the differences between the costs incurred and revenues gained from managing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations in East Texas for strictly timber production or a combination of timber production and wildlife biodiversity. Management regimes evaluated had varying planting densities, thinning frequency and intensities, prescribed burn intervals, and site indices. Economic analyses used to evaluate management regimes over a range of nonindustrial private landowner (NIPF) alternative rates of return (ARRs) and site indexes were net present worth, land expectation value, and equal annual annuity. These economic analyses demonstrated that altering management …

Breeding Bird Response To Post Oak Savanna Restoration Seven Years Post Management In Eastern Texas, Courtney Mcinnerney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Oak savannas were once an abundant vegetation type in the Midwestern United States that have now declined to <1% of their original distribution. Historically, natural disturbances such as periodic fire and grazing maintained oak savannas, but these have been reduced or eliminated, resulting in woody encroachment and subsequent habitat loss and degradation. In 2009-10, a baseline, pre-restoration study was completed to determine vegetation characteristics, breeding bird abundances, nest success, and nest site selection at the Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area (GEWMA) in eastern Texas. The results showed a lack of savanna vegetation structure on degraded sites and few savanna or grassland obligate bird species. The goal of this study was to determine how breeding birds of oak savanna vegetation types in eastern Texas respond to restoration effects 7 years after initial management. Post-restoration surveys completed in 2016-17 showed a change in avian assemblages from a more woodland dominated community to grassland/savanna community. The presence and breeding of savanna obligate species dickcissel (Spiza americana) and lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) indicates that the restoration was successful. The presence of savanna species can be linked to the herbaceous vegetation that was restored to more closely resemble historic oak savanna structure and can quantify the success of restoration efforts.

The Effects Of Christianity On Adult Resiliency When Overcoming Grief, Mia-Tiara S. Hall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grief seems to affect everyone in some way over the course of life. This research conducted a thematic analysis using grounded theory methods to understand the process in which Christians overcome grief when losing a loved one. A total of six participants volunteered to be able to share their stories. The questions to be answered included: “What is the process of growing resilience among Christians who experience grief due to losing a loved one?” and “How does one’s faith impact this process of overcoming grief?” Utilizing Strauss and Corbin (1990), the data collected in this study was analyzed by open, …

Adventure-Based Therapy: Couple Intimacy With Christian Spirituality, Edward Boyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adventure-Based Therapy (ABT) models have been used for many years in the United States and beyond, primarily in adolescent and young adult populations. This project seeks to explore the experiences of couples on an ABT trip. Couples were asked to share their lived experiences as it pertains to marital intimacy, nature, and Christian spirituality. Seven themes emerged as the interviews were transcribed and confirmed by the couples: appreciation for nature, building community, care shown by partner, connecting with God outdoors, leaving technology, preparation together, and shared activity. These themes form the backbone of potential new outcomes as couples’ work is …

The Buffering Effect Of Mindfulness Between The Stressors And Perceived Stress In Faith-Based University Students, Amber Glantz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of study was to research the buffering effect of mindfulness between the stressors and perceived stress in faith-based university students. Literature suggests that as mindfulness increases, stress decreases. This study attempts to provide information on college students’ perceived stress levels, stressors they face, and mindfulness awareness. A multiple linear regression was conducted to examine the association between perceived stress, stressors, and mindfulness levels. A sample of 91 students in the Spring of 2018 at a faith-based university in Texas were asked to participate in an online survey. Some findings were not congruent with the literature. The results of …

Development Of A School-Based Restorative Practices Training For Parents: Impacts On Parent And Child Outcomes, Christopher R. Hughes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Restorative Practices (RP), a science of proactively building trusting and mutual relationships, is an effective framework focused on three key features of positive student discipline: building behavioral competence, addressing negative behavior, and fostering school climate. While educators are trained to use RP preventatively and reactively, parents are often only given information to use RP reactively. Strategies for proactively inviting parents to learn about and utilize RP at home are necessary to foster homeschool consistency regarding preventative discipline strategies. For the present study, 11 parents volunteered to participate in a preliminary school-based parent training designed to elicit critical parent outcomes: knowledge …

Cooperative Regulation Of Translational Repression By Fmrp And The Mirna Pathway, Navneeta Kaul

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited monogenic cause of intellectual disability. FXS patients exhibit social and language deficits, hyperactivity, seizures, growth abnormalities, macroorchidism, anxiety, and epilepsy. FXS is caused by the transcriptional silencing of the fragile X mental retardation gene 1 (Fmr1), resulting in the loss of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). FMRP is a selective mRNA binding protein that plays a role in translation repression. Studies suggest that FMRP utilizes the miRNA pathway to repress translation of its target mRNAs through an unknown mechanism. The aim of my thesis is to investigate …

Role Of Executive Function And Alcohol-Sex Schema In The Relationship Between Alcohol Use And Sexual Assault, Michelle Seulki Lee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Heavy alcohol use and sexual assault are significant problems among women attending college. The current study examined the relationship between sexual assault and alcohol use across a four-month period and the role of executive function (EF) and alcohol-sex schema in this relationship. Participants were 176 women undergraduate students with a mean age of 19.50 years (SD = 1.30), with 85 participating in a second survey four months later. Participants completed self-report questionnaires regarding alcohol use and sexual assault, a battery of EF tasks, and a lexical decision task assessing alcohol-sex schema. Sexual assault significantly predicted alcohol use four months …

T-De Vries Algebra, Nawal Alznad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The main point of this dissertation is to introduce the action on de Vries algebra by a topological monoid and we denoted the resulting category by dVT. In order to reach our goal, we started with introducing new proofs for some well known results in the category of flows. Then, we studied the Generalized Smirnov's Theorem for flows. After we studied the new category (dVT), we were able to provide a new way to construct the Čech-stone flow compactification of a given flow. Finally, we developed the co-free T-de Vries algebra for a special case.

Spg Directs Arp2/3 Mediated F-Actin Networks To Support Syncytial Furrow Ingression In Drosophila, Shannon M. Henry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the Drosophila embryo, nuclear divisions 10-13 occur in a syncytium with transient membrane furrows separating neighboring nuclei before the occurrence of cellularization. This process is driven by cytoskeletal and membrane trafficking networks, and while RalA and Rab8 have been identified to drive membrane addition to furrows, less is known about the control of dynamic F-actin networks needed for furrow formation. Here, the role of the DOCK protein Sponge (Spg) in furrow formation is explored through shRNA knockdown and live-imaging of syncytial Drosophila embryos. I have found that Spg is required for furrow ingression and that without Spg, furrows can …

Performance Evaluation Of Logistic Regression, Linear Discriminant Analysis, And Classification And Regression Trees Under Controlled Conditions, Cahit Polat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Logistic Regression (LR), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), and Classification and Regression Trees (CART) are common classification techniques for prediction of group membership. Since these methods are applied for similar purposes with different procedures, it is important to evaluate the performance of these methods under different controlled conditions. With this information in hand, researchers can apply the optimal method for certain conditions. Following previous research which reported the effects of conditions such as sample size, homogeneity of variancecovariance matrices, effect size, and predictor distributions, this research focused on effects of correlation between predictor variables, number of the predictor variables, number of …

Improving The Accuracy Of Mobile Touchscreen Qwerty Keyboards, Amanda Kirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we explore alternative keyboard layouts in hopes of finding one that increases the accuracy of text input on mobile touchscreen devices. In particular, we investigate if a single swap of 2 keys can significantly improve accuracy on mobile touchscreen QWERTY keyboards. We do so by carefully considering the placement of keys, exploiting a specific vulnerability that occurs within a keyboard layout, namely, that the placement of particular keys next to others may be increasing errors when typing. We simulate the act of typing on a mobile touchscreen QWERTY keyboard, beginning with modeling the typographical errors that can …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Racial Ideology And Conversations About Race On Relationship Processes Among African American Couples, Aleja M. Parsons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study aimed to explore how considering unique cultural factors and experiences may advance the fields knowledge on relationship dynamics among African American couples. In a sample of 172 self-identified African American adults who were in opposite sex relationships, the current study explored how individual’s own and perception of partner’s racial ideology are associated with romantic processes, if, when, and how African American couples talk about race within their relationship, and the association between “dyadic racial ideology” and relationship processes. Results indicated one’s own racial ideology, conceptualized by individual subscales and cluster profiles, and discrepancy between one’s own and …

Play And Exhibitions: Expanding Definitions Within Museums, Helena Sizemore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is an exploration of the utilization of play, as a method for visitor engagement, within the context of the museum. Play, as a method for learning and engagement, is often a contested topic between scholars and practitioners within the museum field. This is in part due to the ambiguous nature of defining play, the ever-present dichotomy between work and play, and the struggles museums find in balancing education and entertainment. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Denver, Colorado names play as part of one of its core values. Using anthropological theoretical and methodological approaches, I examine …

Ice Adhesion Analysis Of Severely Aged Pdms Rubbers, Theodore R. Woll

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study was to evaluate and optimize the ice adhesion test initially developed by the University of Denver and to examine Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based silicone rubbers for their ice-phobicity as a function of their physical and chemistry properties, and under severe oxidative aging. The test is based on an ice block bonded to a silicone rubber substrate and subjected to shear. In its original state, the test had severe limitations that caused the ice to be dislodged through a mixture of shear and peeling. Several steps were taken in this research to improve the test, and the …

Fuel Specific Emissions Trends For In-Use Medium And Heavy-Duty Vehicle Fleets In California, Molly J. Haugen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

New heavy-duty vehicle regulations have caused significant reductions in hazardous air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x), due to better engine management and utilization of advanced after-treatment systems. The University of Denver has collected data for gaseous and PM emission measurements from on-road heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). The On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicle Emissions Measurement System (OHMS) collected fuel specific emission information on individual HDVs of in-use fleets at two California locations in the spring of 2013, 2015 and 2017. These complimentary fleets, studied over multiple years, produced 7,075 measurements of gaseous and particle emission data providing …

How Colonization Impacts Identity Through The Generations: A Closer Look At Historical Trauma And Education, Michelle Garcia-Olp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Through the lived experiences of 26 New Mexicans, this inquiry investigates how colonization impacts identity through the generations, particularly looking at historical trauma and education. The findings demonstrate the importance of decolonizing spaces within educational settings. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate the need for viewing educational systems and spaces through a Tribal Critical Race Theory (TribalCrit) and Indigenous Storywork lens that lead Indigenous students in finding face (one’s identity), finding foundation (one’s greatest potential/full expression) and finding heart (one’s flow with the creator). The lens of TribalCrit enables the creation of a space where Indigenous students are empowered by their educational …

Surface Entropy Of Shifts Of Finite Type, Dennis Pace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Let χ be the class of 1-D and 2-D subshifts. This thesis defines a new function, H_S : χ x R → [0,∞] which we call the surface entropy of a shift. This definition is inspired by the topological entropy of a subshift and we compare and contrast several structural properties of surface entropy to entropy. We demonstrate that much like entropy, the finiteness of surface entropy is a conjugacy invariant and is a tool in the classification of subshifts. We develop a tiling algorithm related to continued fractions which allows us to prove a continuity result about surface …

Sexual Assault And Health: Understanding The Interplay Of Trauma-Related Appraisals And Physical Health Outcomes, Kerry Lyn Gagnon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women who have been sexually assaulted are at risk for negative mental and physical health outcomes; however, limited research has tested how psychological responses to sexual assault may influence physical health. The present study tested a longitudinal model examining the association between posttrauma appraisals and physical health problems. Drawn from a larger study, the sample included 156 ethnically diverse women who had been sexually assaulted within the last year. The study used cross-lagged panel models to test for reciprocal relationships between posttrauma appraisals and physical health problems over time. A secondary aim of the study was to test whether other …

Assessment Of Multiple-Form Structure Designs Of Multistage Testing Using Irt, Hanan M. Alghamdi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current study investigated multistage testing (MST) as an alternative to classical linear testing (CLT) for the General Aptitude Test (GAT). The aim was to assess the effects of two assembly methods (narrow vs. wide range—NR vs. WR), two routing methods (Defined Population Intervals—DPI— and the Approximate Maximum Information method—AMI), and two panel structures (two-stage and three-stage) on precision of ability estimates and accuracy of classification for both sections of the GAT (Verbal and Mathematics). Thus, eight conditions were examined and compared: 2 (assembly conditions) * 2 (panel structures) * 2 (routing methods).

The dataset that included a sample of …

Developing A Femtosecond Stimulated Raman Spectroscopy Experiment For Solid State Materials, Daniel Hammerland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Femtosecond Stimulated Raman Spectroscopy (FSRS) is a ultrafast spectroscopy technique first implemented by chemists to understand isomerization and other ultrafast molecular morphology changes by resolving vibrational dynamics[1, 2, 3]. FSRS has an unparalleled temporal and spectral resolution [4, 1, 5, 6] that arises as a result of a clever combination of picosecond and femtosecond pulses. However, despite this capability, FSRS has yet to be applied to modern materials in condensed matter physics. This thesis explores the design and implementation of FSRS to study two-dimensional materials in order to measure their quantum confined vibrational dynamics on utlrafast time scales.