Digital Commons Network^™

Opioid Misuse Detection In Hospitalized Patients Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Brihat Sharma

Master's Theses

Opioid misuse is a major public health problem in the world. In 2016, 11.3 million people were reported to misuse opioids in the US only. Opioid-related inpatient and emergency department visits have increased by 64 percent and the rate of opioid-related visits has nearly doubled between 2009 and 2014. It is thus critical for healthcare systems to detect opioid misuse cases. Patients hospitalized for consequences of their opioid misuse present an opportunity for intervention but better screening and surveillance methods are needed to guide providers. The current screening methods with self-report questionnaire data are time-consuming and difficult to perform in …

California Livestock Owners: An Assessment Of Familiarity With New Antimicrobial Rules And Access To Educational Outreach, Philip Theodor Paulson

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research is to support the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) with education and outreach about recent changes regarding antimicrobial use in livestock, and to enhance their emergency communications network. This was done by characterizing a population of small-scale livestock owners underserved with regards to educational outreach about animal health issues, such as antimicrobial use rules. The project also seeks to enhance public understanding of the importance of responsible antimicrobial use in animal and human health.

To accomplish this, the study used a survey administered in person at local farm supply stores and online to …

The Dogmatism Of Dissent: How Open-Minded Cognition Influences Protest Attitudes, Chad Osteen

Master's Theses

While protestors are often thought of and portrayed as dogmatic actors on the political stage, research has yet to empirically investigate the cognitive processes of protestors. While previous research has investigated how open-minded cognition relates to political party and ideology, its relationship to political activism has remained under studied. This study used a between subject's design to determine how priming system rejection may affect open-minded cognition and protest attitudes. The sample of 450 participants recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk is based off a power analysis with small to medium effect sizes (r2=0.25) and a power of .95. Using SurveyGizmo software, …

A Crt Analysis Of Teach Like A Champion 2.0, Kayla Stewart Valenti

Master's Theses

African American and Latinx students in the United States continue to academically perform at lower levels than their White peers as indicated by standardized testing results. While many educational efforts have attempted to close the achievement gap that exists between White students and students of Color, disparities in academic outcomes persist. The prominent discourse regarding the achievement gap emphasizes cultural deficiencies within the individual student rather than acknowledge structural and institutional factors that uphold systemic racism and White supremacy. As a result, many new instructional approaches and teaching techniques used in schools and teacher preparation programs focus on correcting the …

Zero Tolerance And Self Image: A Systematic Literature Review, Caitlyn Todd

Master's Theses

The use of zero tolerance disciplinary policies in schools have numerous, lasting impacts on children, particularly African American students. This study relies on the use of a systematic literature review to analyze prior data on what these effects are. The study found that the effects include, but are not limited to, destruction of self confidence, increased recidivism, and lastly further psychological issues, all of which contribute to the likelihood of having a poor self image. These findings play are role in the discussion of other, more equitable, styles of discipline, such as restorative justice, as a way to help remedy …

Do Enforcement Actions By Us Federal Banking Regulators Against Banks For Unsound And Unsafe Banking Practices Deter Further And Future Wrongdoing? A Way Forward., Ikem Onyiliogwu

Master's Theses

“Wells Fargo fined $1 billion for ‘reckless unsafe or unsound practices.”1 The story behind this headline in the Washington Post on April 20, 2018, set out the problem. Wells Fargo engaged in “unsafe or unsound practices”2 by charging customers for services that Wells Fargo should have absorbed and administering a compulsory insurance scheme that unnecessarily increased borrowers auto loans financial obligation without approval. 3 According to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), “Since at least 2011, the Bank4 (Wells Fargo) has failed to implement and maintain a compliance risk management program commensurate with the Bank’s size, complexity …

Seasonal Diet Variation In Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys Tridecemlineatus) In Southernwestern Michigan, Austin Menzmer

Master's Theses

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus) are omnivorous ground squirrels that range from Texas to Alberta and from Michigan to Utah. The amount and type of both animal and plant matter in their diet may vary both geographically and seasonally. The present study was motivated by prior work, based on δ13C analysis of incisor enamel of thirteen-lined ground squirrels from a colony in southwestern Michigan, suggesting that these animals underwent a pronounced, late-season shift in diet from predominantly C3 to C4 plants. However, this inferred dietary shift was not directly demonstrated. Here, I tracked diet of thirteen-lined ground squirrels in southwestern …

Towards A Biblical Spirituality: Dwelling With God Through The Exodus Sanctuary-Covenant Structure, Silvia Canale Bacchiocchi

Master's Theses

Problem

Biblical spirituality was challenged from the very start of the Christian church by competing spiritual ideologies of philosophical origins. Because the interpretation of spirituality has focused on exegetical and doctrinal approaches (micro and mesohermeneutical levels), the grounding biblical macro-hermeneutical level of its basic presuppositions has been ignored. Yet this is the level that gives ultimate meaning to the meso and micro levels. This oversight constitutes a giant roadblock to understanding and experiencing true biblical spirituality, the consequences of which are devastating both for the individual believer (Matt 7:23), as well as for the mission, unity, and growth of the …

God's Mercy And Justice In The Context Of The Cosmic Conflict, Romero Luiz Da Silva

Master's Theses

Problem

When it comes to the right balance concerning God’s character of mercy and justice in relation to His dealings with sin in its different manifestations, a number of theologians, as well as Christians in general, have struggled to harmonize the existence of these two attributes in all God’s actions toward sinners. This difficulty has led many to think of divine mercy and justice as attributes that cannot fit together in what is called the cosmic conflict between good and evil. This, therefore, demands a theological study based on Scripture as a whole to draw solid findings in response to …

Interpreting Philippians 2:12, 13 Using The Great Controversy Metanarrative, Sikhululekile Daco

Master's Theses

Problem

Philippians 2:12, 13 present two paradoxical statements in direct juxtaposition. Verse twelve is an appeal to work out one’s own salvation, whereas verse thirteen acknowledges that it is God who does the work. How could Paul comfortably hold both views and present them in such close juxtaposition? How can this apparent contradiction of concepts be reconciled?

Method

While specialization in any given discipline affords the opportunity for greater depth of understanding, each theological discipline may augment one’s interpretation of a text. Philippians 2:12, 13 poses some interpretive challenges that can be mitigated by broadening one’s exegetical methodology to incorporate …

A Narrative Analysis Of Genesis 3:1-7 And The Theological Significance Of The Serpent, Milton Gonzalez

Master's Theses

Problem

The Christian tradition of the Fall as it relates to Gen 3 is an interpretive construct that is foreign to the text and its immediate context. While scholars continue to view humanity and its fallen state as the central theme of the narrative, I suggest that such are but second to an even greater narrative—namely, a cosmic conflict between Elohim—the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and the serpent.

Method

The first chapter of this study considers the traditional view of the temptation narrative (i.e. Gen 3:1-7) as the Fall of Man and suggests that the story of …

Current Feedback-Based High Load Current Low Drop-Out Voltage Regulator In 65-Nm Cmos Technology, Melody Teoh

Master's Theses

The motivation for this paper was to design a current feedback-based high load current, low drop-out (LDO) voltage regulator. A bandgap voltage reference (BGR) was also designed in conjunction with the LDO to simulate realistic environments. The schematic was designed with Cadence Virtuoso Schematic XL, using the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) 65-nm CMOS library, used for Internet of Things (IoT) System on Chip (SoC) applications. The proposed capacitor-less LDO with BGR provided an average temperature coefficient (TC) of 13.34 ppm/℃ within the range of -40 to 125 ℃. This was in accordance with military standards to gain a higher …

Different Methods Of Embodied Cognition In Pedagogy And Its Effectiveness In Student Learning, Cassandra Durkee

Master's Theses

The Mathematical Ideas Analysis hypothesizes that abstract mathematical reasoning is unconsciously organized and integrated with sensory-motor experience. Basic research testing movement, language, and perception during math problem solving supports this hypothesis. Applied research primarily measures students’ performance on math tests after they engage in analogous sensory-motor tasks, but findings show mixed results. Sensory-motor tasks are dependent on several moderators (e.g., instructional guidance, developmental stage) known to help students learn, and studies vary in how each moderator is implemented. There is little research on the effectiveness of sensory-motor tasks without these moderators. This study compares different approaches to working with an …

Psychological Presence In Immersive Virtual Environments, Steven L. Wu

Master's Theses

Immersive virtual environments are simulated locations that attempt to create a sense of presence, or the psychological feeling that an individual is acting within the simulated environment rather than their physical one. When interfacing with an interactive virtual environment, evidence suggests that aspects of psychological presence are affected, such as time perception and situation awareness. As such, this study hypothesized presence as the construct by which immersive virtual environment usage influences time perception and situation awareness. Two levels of presence were manipulated using a monitor and Oculus Rift. Forty-one participants were tasked with a scavenger hunt in both monitor and …

What Does Walk Score® Really Measure?, Jorge Simbaqueba

Master's Theses

The Walk Score® (WS) algorithm works by identifying the closest amenities (grocery stores, banks, restaurants, and schools) and awarding points based on the distance to them from a given location. Scores have a range between 0 and 100. In 2011, the Walk Score® (WS) founders and advisory board modified the algorithm to better account for pedestrian friendliness by adding block length and intersection density data into the model to represent roadway characteristics and named it Street Smart Walk Score®.

Modelers attempting to quantify accessibility often focus on two components: a transportation element (or resistance factor) and an activity element (or …

Understanding Macro-Scale Patterns In Urban Tree Canopy And Inequity Across Socio-Cultural And Biophysical Regions, Elliott Volin

Master's Theses

Urban forests provide a variety of ecosystem services that influence environmental and social welfare within developed areas. Prior studies have evaluated the effects of inequitable distribution of urban tree canopy (UTC) on ecological and social benefits, leading to inequalities within individual cities. However, it is not well established how such relationships vary among urban areas in different biophysical and socio-cultural regions. The objective of our study was to identify regional and continental trends in the relationships of UTC with socioeconomic/ demographic factors and characteristics of urban regions (e.g., development patterns, timing). To address our objective, we utilized iTree Landscape and …

Triple Bottom Line As A Method To Increase Business Value And Foster Positive Social And Environmental Change, Jayleene West

Master's Theses

The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) business model has transformed the business world by changing the way businesses operate. By focusing on the people and the environment, businesses have grown to see substantial profit and avoid risks along the way. Companies are using the TBL to build their brand and customer loyalty by enhancing the environment and society. This paper analyzes four companies that are leaders in their industry and are founded on the TBL; Seventh Generation, New Belgium Brewing, Patagonia, and Ben & Jerry’s. Recommendations have been made by performing a literature review on the advantages and disadvantages of the …

Impacts Of Globalization: Educational Reforms Shifts The Public Into A Recurrent Devalued Socioeconomic Era For Minorities, Jacqulyn Washington

Master's Theses

This article delves into the breakdown of the impact globalization have on the success of minorities in urban centers. While expanding on the many factors that contribute to the success of minorities, it informs the reader how education, being a huge indicator of success, has been underserved to the poor and minorities. Lacking many resources, this blockage has been further strained through the local government, multinational corporations, educational reforms, and Translocal politics.

Medication Error Prevention: Improving Patient Health Outcome, Brigitta Van Ewijk

Master's Theses

Medication administration errors were reported to have an error rate of 60% in early research mainly in the form of the wrong dose, time, or rate. Working conditions were found to be one of the main contributors to these errors. Recognizing and reporting medication errors are key to the implementation of the reduction of this critical health problem (Hughes & Blegen, 2008). DataRay Inc. (n.d.), states that almost one in five medication doses administered in hospitals is given in error. The two most common errors were (1) dispensing medicine at the wrong time (43% of incidents) and (2) omitting a …

Inside The Virtual Ambazonia: Separatism, Hate Speech , Disinformation And Diaspora In The Cameroonian Anglophone Crisis, Sombaye Eyango Jules Roger

Master's Theses

This study examines the dynamics of the anglophone separatist claims in Cameroon, the so-called “Anglophone Crisis”. I focus on explaining why the separatist claims reemerged in 2016 after being shut down for about 20 years. It explains how the Anglophone separatist revendications have sustained over time despite the extremely centralized power of the Paul Biya government.This paper first argues that the Anglophone Crisis is more than an identity struggle between Anglophone/Francophone Cameroonians, but rather a conflict about historical and institutional grievances, political competition, and regional politics involving the neighboring state of Nigeria.

Second, it verifies the hypothesis that the sustainability …

The Investigation Of The Chlorine Initiated Oxidation Of 2-Phenylethanol And Stability Of Superalkali Lithium Substituted Silyls., Adam Otten

Master's Theses

This thesis investigates the combustion potential of 2-phenylethanol and the superalkali properties of small lithium substituted silicon compounds. All combustion experiments were performed at the Advanced Light Source of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the Chemical Dynamics Beamline 9.0.2. The chlorine initiated oxidation of 2PE was investigated at 298 and 550 K using a multiplex photoionization mass spectrometer, coupled with the tunable vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Reaction products were identified using kinetic time traces and photoionization spectra.

Additionally, the stability of small superalkali silicon-lithium compounds has also been investigated. All structures and energetics were calculated using the CBS-QB3 composite method.

The …

The Best Interests Of The Child Or The State? The Rights Of The Child In Non-Lpr Cancellation Of Removal, Lizzie Bird

Master's Theses

This thesis argues that the United States is failing to fulfill its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in its adjudication of the hardship standard in non-LPR cancellation of removal. It is well-documented that the current interpretation of the “exceptional and extremely unusual hardship” standard results in the separation of families and de facto deportation of children, many of whom are U.S. citizens. This thesis contends that this practice is not only unjust, but also unlawful.

First, it argues that the CRC in general and Article 3 (the “best interests” principle) in particular have risen …

The Media Representation And Misrepresentation Of Refugees: A Comparison Between Us And French Media, Ali Al-Thani

Master's Theses

This project is the study of the differences and similarities between news reporting, using specific media frames, in the US and France in regard to the representation of refugees in newspapers. I gathered a total of 213 articles written during the period of January 1, 2017 until September 30, 2018. Those articles were taken from two major newspapers in the US, The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal and two major newspapers in France, Le Monde and Le Figaro. For this research, I used content analysis in order to analyze the news articles reporting on the subject of …

Social Capital And Resilience In Times Of Disaster: A Case Of Leyte Province In The Philippines, Karmela Beatriz Galura

Master's Theses

Social capital and its elements such as trust, reciprocity, and collective action have always been linked to a community’s resilience during and after natural disasters. Using a qualitative approach, I explore the role social capital played in the recovery of communities in the province of Leyte in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. I also examine whether trust was a key element in the role social capital played. Through surveys and interviews, I explore the ways in which trust and perceptions of it could be the materialization of certain values and practices in local Filipino culture which contributed to …

Finding And Making Home: Poems And Reflections Of Undergraduate Children Of Immigrants, Gladys Perez

Master's Theses

The number of children of immigrants within the United States has grown over the past few decades and more so we are seeing a greater number of these children pursuing a higher education. With a growing number of undergraduate children of immigrants growing, there is a need to understand how they see themselves as a part of the United States. Previous studies take into consideration how these students navigate higher education, however, there is a lack of research on these students’ larger understanding of belonging within the overall nation. Poetry as data and a process was the grounding methodology that …

Non State Sovereignty: A Case Of The European Union, Natalie Murphy

Master's Theses

This paper uses the European Union as a case study to look at sovereignty and the formation of a new type of sovereignty which both diverges and interacts with existing state sovereignty. The European Union is developing a new form of non-state sovereignty which diverges from traditional conceptions in three ways: The EU is a non-state actor; unlike in the past, a body is operating with and exercising sovereign rights outside of the nation-state formation. Secondly, the sovereignty of both the European Union and its member states overlaps. Both maintain exclusive responsibilities often tied to the state, but with the …

The Avenues Of Social And Economic Empowerment For Women In Ghana's Poor Urban Settlements, Comfort Amoah

Master's Theses

Poor urban settlements have over the years and in the present been described as places of despair and destitution with its inhabitants especially women referred to as the most poor and vulnerable of the society. This research however attempts to provide a complete elevation of the Avenues of Social and Economic Empowerment for Women in Ghana’s Poor Urban Settlements by using three contextual framework such as the social networks available to women and the political opportunities available to them in their communities and the role of men and women in achieving this agenda and how it has reshaped the status …

Progressing Flight: A Transformative And Somatically-Informed Performance Practice For The Aerial Dance Student Practitioner, Rosalinda Rojas

Master's Theses

Somatic based methods is an emerging area of interest within the subject area of dance study and more recent in aerial movement practice. Somatic movement experiences have inherent, distinctive and transformative characteristics to deepen understanding and knowledge of the concept of soma. This thesis investigates how somatic based exercises might influence physical strength, endurance, body awareness and sensitivity in an original research design. The study incorporates Progressing Ballet Technique or traditional based aerial circus methods with an aim to answer three essential questions. How might the use of somatic based or traditional aerial movement methods improve students’ muscular strength and …

Improving Student Skills Through Video-Guided Assessments In The Dance Classroom, Kate Elizabeth Secor

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to improve novice dance students’ technique and skill level through the use of video-guided summative assessments in the public high school classroom. The assessments and associated classroom activities examine how the use of video cameras can enhance movement instruction and promote the advancement of student skills if implemented in a meaningful way. The research was conducted in one semester with an introductory level dance class where nineteen student participants filmed themselves performing ballet exercises at the beginning and end of the semester. Participants and researcher assessed these videos using specific movement-based rubrics that measured …

Cultivating And Fostering Creativity, Communication, Collaboration And Critical Thinking Through The Choreographic Dance Making Process: A Dance Curriculum For Urban Elementary Students, Kristen Sylvia Mercer

Master's Theses

The purpose of this research was to determine how the four skills of creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration are defined and how dance making and choreography might be taught to urban elementary students in a way that also teaches each of these four skills. The thesis attempted to answer the four research questions by reviewing existing literature and qualitatively mining and analyzing the data in order to discover techniques and ideas that could be used to design the desired curriculum. The researcher used a similar process to understand how dance making might best be taught to elementary school children, …