Digital Commons Network^™

Physical Activity And Nutritional Behavior Of Overweight College Students Trying To Lose Weight 2014, Santino Vallejos M.S.

Master's Theses

Although there are numerous benefits to increased physical activity and proper dietary behaviors, the decreased participation in physical activity and poor dietary behaviors has emerged as a significant problem within the college student population. The focus of this research study was to identify the relationship between physical activity and dietary behavior to weight loss behaviors within an undergraduate student sample of a small, comprehensive northeastern university. College-aged students (age range: 17 to 27 years old) completed the American College Health Association’s (ACHA) National College Health Assessment II (NCHA) during the years 2009 and 2012. According to the results, there were …

"Can’T Touch This": Empowering Children With Severe Food Allergy In The Residential Camp Setting 2014, Alexsandra Dubin

Master's Theses

The purpose of this project was to create an empowerment program for children with severe food allergy (SFA) in a residential camp setting. Despite recent advancements in research, there is no cure for SFA, thus there is a need for programs to help children manage their allergies and cope with the ramifications of their condition. Quality of life is a major concern for children with SFA, as the constant fear of exposure to an allergen can lead to high levels of anxiety. This is particularly noteworthy because, barring exposure to an allergen, these children are otherwise healthy and symptom free. …

Gender And Self-Representation In Maya Angelou's Autobiography I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings 2014, Jay-Nel Steitz

Master's Theses

A voice that has been silenced for so long has much to say. Whether still confined or set free, the statement applies equally to both. The silenced voice wants not only to tell his or her story, but to share the life experiences which in turn reveal the identities of these individuals. These silenced voices then are not those of the oppressors, but the oppressed; and when an oppressor wants to share his or her story, the oppressed wants to tell their side of it as well. How can those labeled the marginalized outcasts of society express their feelings and …

Autonomous Close Formation Flight Of Small Uavs Using Vision-Based Localization, Michael B. Darling

Master's Theses

As Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are integrated into the national airspace to comply with the 2012 Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act, new civilian uses for robotic aircraft will come about in addition to the more obvious military applications. One particular area of interest for UAV development is the autonomous cooperative control of multiple UAVs. In this thesis, a decentralized leader-follower control strategy is designed, implemented, and tested from the follower’s perspective using vision-based localization.

The tasks of localization and control were carried out with separate processing hardware dedicated to each task. First, software was written to estimate the relative state …

All About Life: Analyzing The Most Effective Interventions In A Colorado Juvenile Diversion Program, Kamille Mckinney

Master's Theses

Far too often in our society offenders in the criminal justice system started their criminal careers as juveniles and never found a way to dig themselves out of the black hole that is delinquency. In recent years, across the nation, there has been great effort expended in finding early interventions for juveniles to deter them away from the criminal justice system before they delve into a negative life trajectory. In Colorado multiple jurisdictions utilize diversion programs as a way to keep juvenile offenders out of the formal court system. This research examines one such Juvenile Diversion Program in the Fifth …

Historical Channel Adjustments In The Pascagoula River Basin And Adjacent Systems, Southeast Mississippi, Michael Charles Ayers

Master's Theses

This project identifies historical cross-section adjustments in 13 rivers of the Pascagoula Basin and adjacent fluvial systems over the last 30-50 years, which could reveal hydrologic and sedimentary responses to natural causes such as flooding or various anthropogenic activities in the region, such as logging, urban development, and instream aggregate extraction. Historical depth and streamflow measurement notes, taken at established USGS gaging stations, were used to determine incremental width, depth, and discharge values. For each section and date, individual depth measurements were subtracted from the adjusted mean gage height, which represents the channel bed or submerged bank positions. Comparisons of …

Taxonomy, Diversity, And Distribution Patterns Of Portunid Crab Megalopae In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico During Fall Of 2003, Carley Rain Knight

Master's Theses

The field of zooplankton biology contributes to more accurate stock assessments as well as to a greater understanding of the marine food web. However, adequate information for the invertebrate component of zooplankton is lacking compared to the ichthyoplankton component. In this thesis, identification of Portunidae (Crustacea: Decapoda) megalopae collected during the fall of 2003 from a NOAA SEAMAP cruise revealed 7 species and 11 morphs with 90% of the total density comprised of Callinectes sapidus, Achelous gibbesii, Callinectes similis, Achelous spinicarpus, and Achelous sp.I. Keys and detailed descriptions are provided along with photographs and morphological drawings for each morph to …

A Multi-Site Process Evaluation Of Three Federal Reentry Courts In A Southern District Of Federal Probation, Patricia Ann Southerland

Master's Theses

Over the years, prison populations have varied extensively. For the first time in over 30 years, national prison populations began to decrease in 2010. While there are a number of factors influencing this trend, part of such decrease has been the result of changing parole practices. In attempts to respond to the growing parole population and reduce recidivism among parolees, the U.S. court system has begun implementing reentry courts. The current study sought to evaluate the implementation well as pro-active application of evidence-based practices among three reentry court program sites. Three federal reentry courts in a southern district of federal …

Race, Gender, And Deliberative Democracy: Overcoming Oppression Through The Theatre Of The Oppressed, Jacob Edward Rothschild

Master's Theses

A great deal of recent democratic political theory has revolved around the concept of democratic deliberation. However, this brand of theory has neither fully addressed the need for empathy between social groups in the deliberative process nor sufficiently examined the consequences of its absence. Such intergroup empathy is a necessary component of political communication that seeks to root out oppression in a liberal democracy. This project begins with a review of the basic tenets of deliberative democracy, as well as its most common challenges. Habermas' theory of systematically distorted communication is then explored, with intergroup empathy as a suggested remedy. …

Investigating Present And Future Interactions Between Radio Frequency Identification, Additive Manufacturing And Supply Chain Management, Michael Nobuhiro Ochi

Master's Theses

A screening experiment was paired with research observing the past, present and futures of additive manufacturing (a.k.a. rapid prototyping, 3D printing), radio frequency identification, and supply chain management. The experiment tested different properties of objects created with a desktop fused deposition modelling printer to observe if any single factors or interactions affected the read range of embedded passive UHF RFID inlay. The combination of material and infill percentage had a statistically significant effect on read range, however the analysis is weak since the data could not justify the normality assumption of ANOVA. Furthermore, the size of the effect was small …

Nine Exits: A Collection Of Short Stories, Tracie Renée Dawson

Master's Theses

Nine Exits is a collection of fiction and nonfiction written over the span of two years in workshops provided by the Center for Writers.

U.S. Relationships With Iran, Israel, And Pakistan: A Realist Explanation, Aaron Daniel Coates

Master's Theses

The purpose of this work is to assess U.S. relations with Iran, Israel, and Pakistan throughout the Cold War into the contemporary age of Islamic extremism. It demonstrates how the international relations theory of realism is most applicable to these relations when compared to the four competing theories of neorealism, liberalism, neoliberal institutionalism, and constructivism. Each case study is examined and evaluated in full detail. Particular emphasis is allotted to variables such as foreign aid, interventionism, sanctions, geography, and political and cultural similarities. The thesis concludes by offering a brief explanation as to the lessons that should be learned from …

Stories, Garrett Alden Ashley

Master's Theses

These short stories represent different genres, forms, ideals, and times. This collection contains the weird, the scientific, the fantastical, and settings that are real. The problems faced by the characters are a product of each story's genre, but the willingness of its characters to overcome change remains the same. In one story, a man wants to get rid of his mechanical daughter because she reminds him of his wife. In another, a man takes care of his brother who has returned from the dead as a pig. In others, a man believes his wife is trying to kill him, a …

Evaluation Of A Theory-Based Farm To School Program, Rebecca Kent Bishop

Master's Theses

Fruit and vegetable (FV) intakes in MS children remain lower than recommended. Theory-based, multi-component nutrition education interventions like Farm to School (F2S) target FV consumption and utilize such interventions to improve children’s dietary behaviors by incorporating nutrition and agriculture education. The current study was designed with Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as its framework. An intervention was implemented to enhance beliefs, norms, and self-efficacy regarding FV, thus potentially increasing the intention to consume more FV. The research objectives of this study are to describe changes over the course of the intervention in (1) nutrition knowledge; (2) norms, beliefs, and self-efficacy …

Determinants Of Family Planning Service Uptake And Use Of Contraceptives Among Postpartum Women In Rural Uganda, Katelyn M. Sileo

Master's Theses

Uganda is among the countries with the highest unmet needs for family planning, which is associated with both negative health outcomes for women. The present study was a cross-sectional secondary data analysis using Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Service Use (ABM) as a theoretical framework to identifying factors influencing family planning service uptake and contraceptive use among postpartum women in rural Uganda. Participants were 258 women who attended antenatal care at a rural Ugandan hospital and completed an interview approximately 13 weeks postpartum. Bivariate logistic regression models in SPSS were used to test hypothesized ABM factors as determinants of family …

Benzathine Penicillin G For The Prevention Of Rheumatic Fever And Rheumatic Heart Disease In The Developing World: A Global Survey Of The Quality And Quantity Of Supply, Stephen B. Marko

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

De Gustibus Non Est Disputadem: The Culinary Arts, Ferran Adrià, And Documenta 12, Jean A. Nihoul

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Support Networks During The Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer Experience, Stephanie Clines

Master's Theses

Context: The Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer (GAAT) position often serves as the first experience independently working as an AT, and the next stage in the professional socialization process. GAATs have three academic program tracks to choose from when selecting their assistantship: 1) Accredited postprofessional athletic training (APPAT), 2) Postprofessional athletic training (PPAT), and 3) Nonathletic training (NAT). The graduate assistantship experience can highly influence professional commitment and retention within the field due to the perception of being a rite of passage. Objective: To gain an understanding of how GAATs perceive professional socialization and mentorship during their graduate experiences. Design: Semi-structured …

Work Life Balance Perspectives Of Ncaa Division I Male Athletic Trainers: Positive And Negative Influences, Walter A. Trisdale

Master's Theses

Work-Life Balance Perspectives of NCAA Division I Male Athletic Trainers: Positive and Negative Influences

Trisdale W*, Mazerolle SM*, Goodman A†, Eason CM*: *University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT; †Appalachian State University, Boone, NC

Context: Athletic Trainers (ATs) not only have to manage their responsibilities in the workplace, but also those associated with their personal and family lives. This is referred to as work-life balance (WLB). Long work hours, inflexible work schedules, travel, and coaches’ expectations have all been found to be major contributors of work-life imbalance especially at the NCAA Division I clinical setting where performance expectations are high. Organizational factors …

Uh, Um, And Autism: Filler Disfluencies In Children With Optimal Outcomes From Autism Spectrum Disorder, Christina Anne Irvine

Master's Theses

Spontaneous speech is marked by the presence of frequent disfluencies, including fillers like um and uh, which are thought to serve distinct social-communicative functions (Clark & Fox Tree, 2002). People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) struggle with social communication. The current study examines a) the production of fillers in spontaneous speech among children and adolescents with ASD as well as individuals who have achieved “optimal outcomes” (OO) from ASD, and b) the association between filler rate and autism symptom severity versus general cognitive factors, in order to illuminate the processes implicated in filler production. Speech samples from 64 individuals …

Risk And Protective Factors That Affect Married Women’S Reproductive Health In A Low-Income Community In Mumbai, India, Benjamin D. Hallowell

Master's Theses

In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), symptoms of reproductive morbidities are the most common health problem reported by women. Women in developing countries are often at higher risk for these problems due to the social, behavioral, cultural, infrastructural, and demographic barriers they face in daily life and in receiving medical treatment. Previous studies conducted in LMICs have found an association between women’s self-reported symptoms of reproductive morbidity and negative life situations and have suggested, that rather than a biomedical issue, women in LMICs may express these symptoms to reflect other problems in their lives. Currently, however, women who self-report symptoms …

The Art Of Commerce: Self-Stratification On Etsy, Natalie K. Umsted

Master's Theses

Scholars have long shown that there are gendered hierarchies within art worlds. This research examines how those hierarchies are forming on the online marketplace Etsy. Using qualitative methodology I examine 10 in-depth interviews with artists actively selling their artwork on Etsy. Additionally, I perform a qualitative content analysis of 50 artist profiles on Etsy. I find that offline cultural frameworks affect the ways these online artists project the value of themselves, their ability, and their art pieces. Offline practices, procedures, and attitudes influence the way we value our self, and thus affect the way we present our self online.

Continuous Polynomial Adaptive Estimator For Nonlinearly Parameterized Systems, Haitham B. Felemban

Master's Theses

This the sis present the continuous polynomial adaptive estimator CPAE which estimates a nonlinear parameter in nonlinearly parametrized NLP system. It combines the multiple region law with the companion adaptive system presented in [1] to come up with the CPAE. Stability is discussed and general definition of persistence of excitation PE condition is proposed for parameter convergence using the CPAE. As an application, the CPAE was successfully used to estimate the airspeed in presence of airspeed sensor failure on a developed academic aircraft model. As part of Loss of Control Prevention through adaptive reconfiguration project supported by NASA, the IMU …

Gender Differences In Co-Rumination, Co-Worry, And Internalizing Symptoms In Late Adolescence, Caitlin Virginia Dombrowski

Master's Theses

Beginning in adolescence and continuing into adulthood, internalizing disorders have higher rates of prevalence in females. Cognitive and interpersonal theorists have described etiological factors in the development these symptoms, which may contribute to the symptom disparity across gender. Drawing on aspects of both models, repetitive conversations found in close female friendships have been proposed as a potential contributing factor to this gender disparity in internalizing arising in adolescence. Co-rumination, although associated with both depression and anxiety, does not fully consider anxiety-specific aspects of dyadic conversations, which may be important to understanding the differential developmental trajectory of the disorder. Co-worry, defined …

Applied Mass Properties Identification Method To The Cal Poly's Spacecraft Simulator, Long H. Dam

Master's Theses

The Cal Poly Spacecraft Simulator is currently being developed for future testing and verifying theoretical control applications. This paper details the effort to balance the platform and remove undesired external torque from the system using System Identification technique developed by Patrick Healy. Since the relationship between the input and output of the system is linear, the least square method is proposed to identify the mass properties and location of center of mass of the system. The tests use four sine wave generators that are out of phase with different amplitudes as the inputs to excite various structural modes of the …

Material Differences In Equine Cortical And Trabecular Bone, Ryan B. Allen

Master's Theses

A greater understanding of bone materials would be beneficial in creating more accurate computer models and in the making of biomedical products involving bone. This study set out to determine whether cortical and trabecular bone are two separate materials, or whether they are the same material with a variance in porosity. To answer this question, samples were taken from different sections of the equine metacarpus, underwent densitometry analysis and were statistically analyzed. The majority of results suggest that the material is the same between varying densities of bone and thus the same between cortical and trabecular bone. These particular results …

The Diagnostic Stability Of Developmental Delay And Developmental Language Disorder In Infants And Toddlers, Alexander J. Hinnebusch

Master's Theses

Numerous children are diagnosed with Developmental Delay (DD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) each year in the US. There are inconsistent diagnostic definitions for these disorders because individual states determine diagnostic criteria, complicating prevalence and diagnostic stability estimation. In the current study, 37 children received a diagnosis of DD and 21 received a diagnosis of DLD at an initial evaluation as part of participation in a study investigating the early detection of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), and were seen for a follow-up evaluation. The DD group was significantly more likely to retain this diagnosis at follow-up than the DLD group. …

Dna-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles For Chemiresistive Vapor Sensing, Kan Fu

Master's Theses

Chemiresistive sensing with functionalized gold nanoparticles is a powerful new technology for vapor sensing. Utilizing changes in behavior of electron tunneling through conductive gold nanoparticles and insulating organic capping layers upon analyte adsorption, this system can achieve intrinsically high sensitivity and rapid response time. A number of thiol-based small-molecule organic ligands have already been successfully used to functionalize gold nanoparticles, yielding an array of organic sensors having various sensitivities towards different organic vapors. With the aid of chemometric analysis tools, gold nanoparticle-based chemiresistive sensors have been rapidly maturing into a vapor quantification and identification technology.

A limiting factor for its …

Development Of A Bicycle Level Of Service Methodology For Two-Way Stop-Controlled (Twsc) Intersections, Nathan R. Johnston

Master's Theses

This thesis fills a missing piece in research on multimodal performance measures for traffic on streets and highways. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) published by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) provides Level of Service (LOS) methodologies which enable engineers and planners to evaluate the overall performance of roadways and highways based on the physical characteristics of facilities. This allows for the evaluation of those facilities and offers a means for recognizing issues and planning, designing, implementing, and ultimately assessing improvements. Originally, level of service was developed for automotive traffic only, but with recent developments as part of the complete streets …

Twill: A Hybrid Microcontroller-Fpga Framework For Parallelizing Single- Threaded C Programs, Douglas S. Gallatin

Master's Theses

Increasingly System-On-A-Chip platforms which incorporate both micropro- cessors and re-programmable logic are being utilized across several fields ranging from the automotive industry to network infrastructure. Unfortunately, the de- velopment tools accompanying these products leave much to be desired, requiring knowledge of both traditional embedded systems languages like C and hardware description languages like Verilog. We propose to bridge this gap with Twill, a truly automatic hybrid compiler that can take advantage of the parallelism inherent in these platforms. Twill can extract long-running threads from single threaded C code and distribute these threads across the hardware and software domains to more …