Digital Commons Network^™

Clarifying The Role Of Social Support In The Relationship Between Stressors And Strains At Work: The Effect Of Self-Construals, Maria Joao Subtil De Carvalho

Master's Theses

Practitioners and researchers often focus on social support to allay occupational stress, despite inconsistent results from empirical studies. This longitudinal study examined the impact of nurses’ self-construals on the effect of social support on the relationship between stressors and outcomes, based on research showing that people in individualistic and collectivistic cultures perceive supervisor and coworker support differently and research showing culture is internalized as self-construals. The aim of the study was to identify circumstances in which social support mitigates stress. Survey data were collected at two points in time (about four weeks apart), from 139 nurses in two northern California …

The Relationship Between Employee Engagement And Survey Response Rate With Union Membership As A Moderator, Alexandra Mariah De La Rocha

Master's Theses

Research has examined the benefits of having an engaged workforce. One way of measuring employee engagement is through organizational surveys. Survey response rate represents voluntary participation behavior and may be an outcome of employee engagement. However, research has not examined survey participation behavior as an outcome of employee engagement or factors that might influence this relationship. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between dimensions of employee engagement (vigor, dedication, and absorption) and survey response rate at the aggregate level and to examine how this relationship varied as a function of percentage of union membership. …

Commitment And Employee Development: Comparing Generations X And Y, Adam Mahoney

Master's Theses

This study compared the relationship between organizational commitment (OC) and employee development between Generation X and Generation Y employees. More specifically, this study addressed affective organizational commitment, continuance organizational commitment, and normative organizational commitment. Substantial research has indicated that Generation Y employees are generally less affectively committed to their employers than previous generations. Research has shown that employee professional development increases overall job satisfaction and reduces turnover. It was hypothesized that Generation Y employees would generally show lower levels of each OC component than more senior, Generation X, employees. It was also hypothesized that the difference in OC between Generation …

Frequency Of Counseling Sessions And Weight Loss Maintenance In A Commercial Lifestyle-Based Weight Management Program, Ashlee K. Jenson Gossard

Master's Theses

Widespread overweight and obesity persist in the United States, and while many effective methods of weight loss have been developed, long-term weight loss maintenance (WLM) remains a challenge. Evidence strongly indicates that ongoing personalized support can effectively promote sustained WLM; however, the optimal frequency of supportive contact has yet to be investigated. This study retrospectively analyzed clinical records from a commercial lifestyle-based weight management program offering personalized WLM counseling. The unique element of this program was participants’ ability to select how often to contact their WLM counselor. Following weight loss, participants enrolled in the program's 12-month weight maintenance phase. The …

Holy Warriors And Bellicose Bishops: The Church And Warfare In Early Medieval Germany, Nicholas Edward Friend

Master's Theses

The Frankish kingdoms of the early Middle Ages were the inheritors of both Germanic warrior culture and the Christian institutions of the late Roman Empire. Under Charlemagne, the Franks conquered most of Western Europe by the early ninth century and established a new empire of their own. To do so, they had to reconcile the Christian doctrine of peace with the necessity of killing the enemy during war. This was especially challenging for the highest ranks of the clergy. Though forbidden by canon law to commit violence, bishops and abbots were responsible for defending the property and people in their …

The Interactive Effects Of Accent, Attire, And Job Status On Employment-Related Decisions, Bonnie Nguyen

Master's Theses

Using data from 207 college students, the interactive effects of an applicant’s accent (standard American English vs. Arabic), attire (no hijab vs. hijab), and job status (low vs. high) on perceived applicant characteristics (i.e., competence and warmth) and employment-related decisions (i.e., job suitability and hiring recommendation) were examined. Inconsistent with the hypotheses, results showed that an Arabic-accented and an applicant wearing a hijab were not rated as less competent and warm compared to a standard American-accented applicant and an applicant not wearing a hijab, respectively. Additionally, an Arabic-accented applicant wearing a hijab was not perceived as less competent and warm. …

The Moderating Effect Of Supervisory Social Support On The Relationship Between Second Generation Latinos’ And Asians’ Assimilation Level And Work-Family Conflict, Yazmin Perez-Lopez

Master's Theses

The majority of the empirical work regarding work-family conflict (WFC) has been focused on the experiences of White, middle class, Anglo-Americans. The labor force, however, is experiencing major demographic changes as increasing numbers of U.S.-born Latinos and Asians become employees. Although second generation Latinos and Asians play a major role in the U.S. economy and workplace, their experiences as employees have seldom been examined. Because they are exposed to collectivistic and individualistic values simultaneously, their assimilation levels, or identification with the U.S. culture, could be a unique predictor of a type of WFC: work-interference with family (WIF) or family interference …

Generational Differences In Perceived Supervisory Support, Ashraf Rayani

Master's Theses

As Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y interact with each other in the workplace, popular media and HR practitioners have suggested ideas on how to promote these groups to work cohesively under one organizational umbrella. Beyond encouraging the partnership of these three generations, it is also important for organizations to understand how these three generational cohorts differ in the level of support they receive from their supervisors. Therefore, the current study bridged that research gap by investigating differences in perceived supervisory support across the three generational cohorts. An online employee engagement survey was administered to 935 business professionals from …

Bridge Weigh-In-Motion Long-Term Traffic Monitoring In The State Of Connecticut, Valeri I. Kolev

Master's Theses

Proper management and maintenance of the highway transportation network is extremely important for the economy of the United States. A key to preservation of highways is gathering reliable truck traffic data which is currently being collected using weigh-stations and Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) technologies. One developing method of data collection is Bridge Weigh-in-Motion (BWIM), the process by which weight data can be calculated for trucks travelling over bridges whose components have been instrumented with sensors.

The research performed in this thesis involves post-processing and analysis of one year’s worth of strain measurements gathered from an existing BWIM system installed on a steel-girder …

Development Of Cpanel, An Unstructured Panel Code, Using A Modified Tls Velocity Formulation, Christopher R. Satterwhite

Master's Theses

The use of panel codes in the aerospace industry dates back many decades. Recent advances in computer capability have allowed them to evolve, both in speed and complexity, to provide very quick solutions to complex flow fields. By only requiring surface discretization, panel codes offer a faster alternative to volume based methods, delivering a solution in minutes, as opposed to hours or days. Despite their utility, the availability of these codes is very limited due to either cost, or rights restrictions.

This work incorporates modern software development practices, such as unit level testing and version control, into the development of …

The Effects Of Massage On Perceived Physical Soreness, Pain And Markers Of Inflammation Following High Intensity Unaccustomed Exercise, Courtney Lynn Crow

Master's Theses

Massage is often recommended to athletes to facilitate recovery and attenuate DOMS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of massage on perceived muscle soreness and pain, inflammatory and immune markers, ROM, and mood state. Fourteen, recreationally active, women participated in a randomized crossover design study, consisting of 1) 60 min. full body massage following unaccustomed exercise and 2) 60 min. of rest. following unaccustomed exercise. Perceived muscle soreness and pain, active range of motion (ROM), mood state, along with blood concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine kinase (CK), and neutrophil count (NC), was assessed …

A Hybrid Approach To General Information Extraction, Marie Belen Grap

Master's Theses

Information Extraction (IE) is the process of analyzing documents and identifying desired pieces of information within them. Many IE systems have been developed over the last couple of decades, but there is still room for improvement as IE remains an open problem for researchers. This work discusses the development of a hybrid IE system that attempts to combine the strengths of rule-based and statistical IE systems while avoiding their unique pitfalls in order to achieve high performance for any type of information on any type of document. Test results show that this system operates competitively in cases where target information …

The Ble Cloaker: Securing Implantable Medical Device Communication Over Bluetooth Low Energy Links, Taylor Anthony Nesheim

Master's Theses

Historically Implantable Medical Devices (IMDs) such as pacemakers have only been able to communicate to external devices through close proximity means of communication, primarily through inductive telemetry. Because of the unlikelihood of an adversary being able to gain access to an IMD through this type of communication, these devices were never designed with security in mind. However the recent advent of IMDs that are equipped with long-range wireless capabilities has made it necessary to consider how to secure these devices from malicious attacks.

This work presents an implementation of prior work that developed a theoretical security model whose specific intent …

An Investigation Into Partitioning Algorithms For Automatic Heterogeneous Compilers, Antonio M. Leija

Master's Theses

Automatic Heterogeneous Compilers allows blended hardware-software solutions to be explored without the cost of a full-fledged design team, but limited research exists on current partitioning algorithms responsible for separating hardware and software. The purpose of this thesis is to implement various partitioning algorithms onto the same automatic heterogeneous compiler platform to create an apples to apples comparison for AHC partitioning algorithms. Both estimated outcomes and actual outcomes for the solutions generated are studied and scored. The platform used to implement the algorithms is Cal Poly’s own Twill compiler, created by Doug Gallatin last year. Twill’s original partitioning algorithm is chosen …

Cognitive Video Streaming, Devaki Rani Pasupuleti

Master's Theses

Video-on-demand (VoD) streaming services are becoming increasingly popular due to their flexibility to allow users to access their favorite video contents anytime, anywhere from a wide range of access devices such as smart phones, computers and TV. The content providers rely on highly satisfied subscribers for revenue generation and there has been significant efforts in developing approaches to “estimate” the quality of experience (QoE) of VoD subscribers. But a key issue is that QoE is not defined, appropriate proxies needs to be found for QoE, via the streaming metrics (the quality of service (QoS) metrics) that are largely based on …

Nutrient Dynamics Of Floating Seagrass Wracks In Greater Florida Bay, Rachel A. Perry

Master's Theses

Floating aggregations of seagrass wrack (i.e., leaves shed from seagrass beds) can serve as an ecological “hot spot” contributing to the survival of many species in the form of habitat and food source. Considerable research has been done on assessing trophic transfer of nutrients from seagrass wrack that is washed ashore, but little is known about nutrient dynamics in floating seagrass wrack. Here, drifters were deployed to track the location of floating wracks created in Greater Florida Bay and mesocosm experiments were conducted on two different of floating macrophytes (Syringodium filiforme, Thalassia testudinum, and Sargassum sp.) to estimate …

Client Perceptions Of Engagement In Child Welfare And Housing Services, Katherine Bryce

Master's Theses

For families to benefit from services, they must be engaged. A number of factors in child welfare contribute to client engagement, among them individual, parent and family characteristics, contextual influences, and worker variables. The existing literature offers little insight into families who are experiencing problems in both child welfare and housing needs and how this affects engagement in services. This pilot study examined 10 families and compared client engagement across three conditions: (1) Intensive Supportive Housing for Families (ISHF), (2) Supportive Housing for Families (SHF), and (3) child welfare (DCF) business as (BAU), which differ systematically on elements including case …

Enzyme Level N And O Isotope Effects Of Assimilatory And Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction, Lija Treibergs

Master's Theses

Nitrate N and O isotope distributions in the environment can be used to elucidate salient biogeochemical N transformations. In order to do so, it is necessary to know the isotopic imprints characteristic of respective N transformations, and to understand the underlying mechanisms that determine these patterns. In order to provide mechanistic constraints on the isotopic imprints associated with nitrate consuming processes, we measured the enzymatic N and O isotope effects (¹⁵ε and ¹⁸ε) imparted on nitrate by three types of nitrate reductase enzymes, including (a) a prokaryotic respiratory nitrate reductase, Nar, from the heterotrophic denitrifier Paracoccus …

C'Est La Tour De Babel - Le Film Multilingue: Un Défi De La Traduction Audiovisuelle Du 21e Siècle, Alexander S. Croxton Mr.

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Biodegradability And Cell Functionality Of Injectable Glycol Chitosan Hydrogel, Aiswaria Padmanabhan

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Crowdsourcing Real-Time Traveler Information Systems, Asif Rehan

Master's Theses

In the last decade, the concept of collecting traffic data using location aware and data enabled smartphones in place of traditional sensor networks has received much attention. With a steady market growth for smartphones enabled with GPS chipsets, the potential of this technology is enormous. This combined with the pervasion of participatory paradigms such as crowdsourcing wherein individuals with portable sensors instead of physical networks serve as sensors providing information. Crowd sensed data overcome a number of issues with traditional physical sensor networks by providing wider coverage, real-time data, data redundancy and cost effectiveness to name a few. While there …

The Integration Of Kinesthetic Learning Through The Math & Movement Program: Pilot Study 2015, Benjamin Ferder

Master's Theses

Purpose: The primary purpose of this pilot study was to verify that the use of kinesthetic learning (Math & Movement Program) in the classroom increases retention of multiplication facts at a greater rate than traditional drill and practice. The Math & Movement Program uses a kinesthetic learning-based approach for practicing, learning, and memorizing mathematics through the incorporation of bodily movement(s). Participants: The directors of the research project for the participating school district selected the sample of convenience. The population size of this study included 213 third and fourth grade students during the second half of the 2011-2012 school years. Data …

Pursuit Of Prosperity Below The Ocate Mesa, Derek Joseph Lefebre

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Child Health Professionals And Their Role In Detecting Speech And Language Impairments: Perceptions And Current Practices, Carissa A H Johnson

Master's Theses

Speech-language impairments are one of the most common conditions of childhood and affect roughly 5-8% of preschoolers and 11-20% of kindergarteners. If left untreated, speech-language impairments persist in 40-60% of children under five years of age and are strong predictors of school failure. Despite strong evidence that supports early intervention, as many as 90% of eligible children are not receiving appropriate services. This qualitative research study investigated child health professionals’ current knowledge, perceptions, and practices for screening and referring children with possible speech and language impairments. Data were gathered primarily through participant interviews and scenario questions. The data were then …

A Qualitative Analysis Of The Therapeutic Alliance From The Perspective Of Adolescents Who Stutter, Kelli D. Riggenbach

Master's Theses

There has been research outlining the importance of the client-clinician relationship in therapeutic outcomes; however, there is a relative lack of research as to the development of the therapeutic alliance in the area of fluency therapy, particularly with adolescents. The purpose of this investigation was to learn about the perceptions of adolescents who stutter regarding characteristics of effective and ineffective speech-language pathologists as well as how these adolescents perceive their own and their speech-language pathologist’s role in the therapeutic alliance. This study addressed the following questions: Q1 How do adolescents with fluency disorders describe their role within the therapeutic alliance? …

The Masculine Mystique, Michael W. Chancellor Jr.

Master's Theses

This textual analysis explores the rhetoric of exclusion among homosexual men by analyzing DouchebagsofGrindr.com. The rhetoric of exclusion is used by some homosexual men in order to achieve hegemonic masculinity based on performance of gender, age, race, and physical characteristics to conquer stereotypes of femininity. The gay community utilizes civil rights rhetoric in order to create a dialogue about equality; unfortunately a disturbing number of gay community members frequently discount homosexual male minorities, perpetuating the notion that homosexual minorities are unattractive because they violate heteronormative gender performances. Analyzing the artifact DouchebagsofGrindr.com allows for a glimpse into the self-deprecating online behavior …

The Nature Of Social Relationships In Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops Truncatus): Associations And The Role Of Affiliative, Agonistic, And Socio-Sexual Behaviors, Briana Nicole Harvey

Master's Theses

Little is known about the specific behavioral exchanges that occur on a day-to-day basis between dyads of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). This thesis assesses proximity between dyads (~ 2 meters) and the proportion of time that is spent in either an affiliative, agonistic, or socio-sexual context within age/sex pairings of dolphins in order to better understand the nature of social relationships in this species. Observations of bottlenose dolphins housed at the Roatan Institute of Marine Sciences, collected in 2010, provided 10.5 hours of underwater footage for assessment of association coefficients and proportions of interactions. These data suggested similar …

Lack Of Forgiveness Of Parents And Intimate Partner Violence, Hannah Doucette

Master's Theses

This study examined whether there was an association between lack of forgiveness for adverse events/circumstances perpetrated by parents and intimate partner violence (IPV) in emerging adulthood. Participants were 208 (85.6% female) 18- and 19-year-old undergraduate students. Participants were asked to describe events/circumstances in which they felt hurt by their parents when they were growing up. They then answered questions related to the most hurtful event including items pertaining to forgiveness. Participants also answered questions about the perpetration and victimization of IPV in the past year. The forgiveness-IPV relation was observed primarily for physical injury. Findings indicated that revenge seeking and …

Habitat Selection Of Gulf-Strain Striped Bass, Morone Saxatilis: Relationships To Dynamic Abiotic Environmental Characteristics Within The Biloxi River, Mississippi, Jennifer Lynne Green

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to provide insights about the short- and long-term patterns of habitat selection of Gulf-strain Striped Bass, Morone saxatilis, based on spatially and seasonally variable abiotic environmental characteristics (water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), salinity, specific conductivity, and pH) in the Biloxi River, MS system. Juvenile hatchery-reared and feral adult Gulf-strain Striped Bass were acoustically-tagged and continuously monitored via active and passive telemetry from November 2012 – June 2014. Each month the available abiotic environmental characteristics of 40 random locations within the Biloxi River, along with sub-habitat conditions occupied by acoustically-tagged Gulf-strain Striped Bass, were …

An Ethnography Of Taste: Craft Beer Culture In Hattiesburg, Yingkun Hou

Master's Theses

This thesis studies the craft beer culture in Hattiesburg in order to answer the research question: Is taste what draws people to this culture? Beyond conducting classic participant-observation, I deployed the method of sensory activated participant-observation in my fieldwork. In so doing, this research centers the perspective and the data collected on the senses, especially the taste of craft beer. The purpose of this research is to add to our knowledge of the anthropology of the senses and contribute to the literature on the anthropology of taste.