Digital Commons Network^™

A Theoretical Approach To Understanding Alcohol Misuse In Military Personnel Returning Home From Operation Iraqii (Oif) And Operation Enduring Freedom (Oef), Patrice K. Boyce

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This theoretical thesis explores the misuse of alcohol in military personnel who are returning home from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The study focuses on what occurs to these soldiers upon their return home, as they try to manage their experiences of combat while continuing to fulfill their duties as soldiers, sailors, Marines, airman, and guardians. The comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which sometimes result from traumatic memories and experiences of the Middle East, and the misuse of alcohol which some returning soldiers use as an acceptable tool for numbing symptoms of PTSD are explored in this …

The Essence Of Beauty : Examining The Impact Of Idealized Beauty Standards On College-Age African America Women, Tiffany M. Paschal

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study examined the psychological and emotional effects of contemporary western society's standards of beauty on college-age African American women. Various studies on perception of beauty have explored body image perception from a middle class Caucasian perspective; and as a result, body image conceptualization from the perspective of African American women has gone unnoticed (Spurgas, 2005, Hatcher, 2007, Hall 1995). Previous literature suggests that African American women define self-perception and beauty differently from mainstream definitions. This study involved conducting a focus group with eighteen students between the ages of 18 and 25 who were enrolled at a Historically Black …

Resiliency In Survivors Of Human Trafficking : An Exploratory Study Of Clinicians' Perspectives Of Protective Factors, Theresa A. Carter

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explores the salutogenic question as it relates to female survivors of human trafficking, "Why, when women are exposed to the same trauma which causes some to become ill, do some remain healthy?" Using a standardized open-ended interview format, this author gathered the perspectives of twelve health and social services providers, including executive directors, case management workers, mental health counselors, and advocates. This data was compiled and analyzed, alongside the existing literature on resiliency and within the framework of Salutogenic Theory. All participants identified protective factors that contribute to resiliency based on their professional work with female survivors …

The Double Bind Of Triple Jeopardy : Exploring The Impact Of Multiple Minority Stress On Lgbtq-Identified Asian Women In America, Anastasia Y. Taketomo

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This study was undertaken to determine the impact of multiple minority stress on LGBTQ-identified Asian women living in America. The research explored how the values of families of origin, communities, and chosen families impact identity negotiations, as well as overall quality of life. The findings of this study were utilized to conceptualize best practices for mental health practitioners around better meeting the needs of individuals experiencing multiple minority stress. One hundred and fifty-two women living in the United States responded to a series of multiple choice and narrative response questions via Internet survey. They were asked questions focusing on demographics, …

The Role Of Dairy Products And Milk In Adolescent Obesity: Evidence From Hong Kong’S ‘‘Children Of 1997’’ Birth Cohort, Shi Lin Lin, Marie Tarrant, Lai Ling Hui, Man Ki Kwok, Tai Hing Lam, Gabriel M. Leung, Mary Schooling

Publications and Research

Background
Observational studies, mainly from Western populations, suggest dairy consumption is inversely associated with adiposity. However, in these populations the intake range is limited and both diet and obesity may share social patterning. Evidence from non-Western developed settings with different social patterning, is valuable in distinguishing whether observed associations are biologically mediated or socially confounded.

Objective
To examine the associations of milk or other dairy product consumption with adolescent obesity.

Methods
We used multivariable linear regression models to examine the associations of milk or other dairy product consumption, obtained from a food frequency questionnaire, at 11 years with body mass …

The Potential Regulatory Challenges Of Increasingly Autonomous Motor Vehicles, Stephen P. Wood, Jesse Chang, Thomas Healy, John Wood

Santa Clara Law Review

No abstract provided.

A Queer-Positive Institution And Its Creation Of Gender-Competency In Social Workers : A Project Based On The Exploration Of Smith College School For Social Work Alumni, Haley M. Burton

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This quantitative study explored the inclusion of transgender specific curriculum provided at the Masters level at Smith College School for Social Work and the degree of competency and level of preparedness it provided graduates of the program. The chosen alumni population was reached through the alumni email network. This study utilized a curriculum survey created by previous researchers, as well as a transphobia scale to perform an attitudinal assessment. It was hypothesized that those who indicated receiving more education on issues specific to the transgender population would feel more competent and more prepared. An additional hypothesis was that those who …

The Role Of Blogging Across Stages Of Change In Recovery From Anorexia Nervosa, Sarah A. Kupper

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This exploratory, mixed-methods study sought to understand how individuals at various stages of change in the recovery process from Anorexia Nervosa (AN) use blogging. The study also aimed to discover why these individuals begin blogging and the impact of this activity on the recovery process. A total of 13 participants were included in the sample for this study. An internet survey measured bloggers' stage of change using the Anorexia Nervosa Stage of Change Questionnaire (ANSOCQ). Additionally, the survey contained open-ended, qualitative questions eliciting bloggers' reasons for beginning to blog, as well as how they perceived the influence of blogging on …

Dwell In Possibility : An Exploration Of The Use Of Metaphor In Psychotherapy : A Project Based On Interviews With Fourteen Psychotherapists, Heather B. Clarke

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored the use of metaphor in psychotherapy. Fourteen interviews were conducted with psychotherapists with a variety of training and expertise. Each clinician was asked the same six interview questions which attempted to shed light on which metaphors in particular emerged during treatment with patients, whether or not these metaphors reflected the patient's history or diagnosis, the metaphor's relationship to patient affect, the metaphor's influence on the therapeutic alliance, as well as other topics. Primary themes that emerged in multiple interviews included the fact that metaphor may arise from various sources, including dreams as well as spontaneous cocreations …

Developing A Generalized Combined Model For Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow Pressure Drop In Elbow Bends, Aung N.Z, Yuwono T

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

In this work, a generalized combined model was proposed for prediction of two-phase flow pressure drop in elbow bends. In this proposed model, restriction, frictional and elevational losses were considered separately. The frictional and static losses were approached by using Lockhart_Martinelli correlation. This model was tested to predict the pressure drop across the elbows with inside diameter of 0.036 m and R/D = 0.6, 2.5. The superficial liquid velocity was varied in the range of0.3~1.1 m/s and volumetric gas quality was varied from 0.02~0.3. The results from this model had good predictions with a maximum error of ±13% for long …

Chemical Composition Of Leaf And Seed Oils Of Dryobalanops Aromatica Gaertn. (Dipterocarpaceae), Kamariyah A.S, Ozek T, Demirci B, Baser K.H.C.

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

The essential oils of the leaves and seed of Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertn. obtained by hydrodistillation resulted in 0.07% and 1.89% yield, respectively. These oils were then examined by GC-MS. Eighty-three components (plus an unknown) were identified from the leaf oil, representing 92% of the oil. Oxygenated monocyclic monoterpenes (terpinen-4-ol 15%, α-terpineol 16%), bicyclic monoterpene (α-pinene 7%) and oxygenated bicyclic sesquiterpene (globulol 8%) were the major constituents. In the case of the seed oil, 31 components were identified, representing 100% of the oil, while acyclic monoterpene (myrcene 5%), monocyclic monoterpene (limonene 6%), bicyclic monoterpenes (α-pinene 41%, α-thujene and b-pinene 13% each, …

Evaluation Of Mixture Viscosity Models In The Prediction Of Two-Phase Flow Pressure Drops, Aung N.Z, Yuwono T

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Nine existing mixture viscosity models were tested for predicting a two-phase pressure drop for oil-water flow and refrigerant (R.134a) flow. The predicted data calculated by using these mixture viscosity models were compared with experimental data. Predicted data from using one group of mixture viscosity models had a good agreement with the experimental data for oil-water two-phase flow. Another group of viscosity models was preferable for gas-liquid flow, but these models gave underestimated values with an error of about 50%. A new and more reliable mixture viscosity model was proposed for use in the prediction of pressure drop in gas-liquid two-phase …

Utilization Of Agricultural Wastes In The Manufacture Of Composite Boards, Macatangay P.M, Mangundayao E.C, Rosales C.A.M

ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development

Development of useful composite materials out of agricultural waste has become a desirable option in recycling. This led to the production of composite boards being used in the construction industry. In this paper, three types of available agricultural wastes in the province of Batangas — peanut shells, corn husks and banana sheath — were independently utilized in the production of composite boards. The raw materials were either air or sun dried, then crushed (for peanut shells) and extracted (for banana sheath and corn husks) before mixing with the binder. Urea formaldehyde (UF) was used as binder for peanut shells and …

Sigma Terms And Strangeness Content Of The Nucleon With Nf=2+1+1 Twisted Mass Fermions, V Drach, C Alexandrou, M Constantinou, S Dinter, K Hadjiyiannakou, K Jansen, G Koutsou, A Vaquero, A Strelchenko

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Properties Of Pseudoscalar Flavor- Singlet Mesons From 2+1+1 Twisted Mass Lattice Qcd, K Ottnad, C Michael, C Urbach, F Zimmermann, K Cichy, V Drach, E Garcia-Ramos, K Jansen

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

The Convergence Of Two Algorithms For Compressed Sensing Based Tomography, Xiezhang Li, Jiehua Zhu

Mathematical Sciences: Faculty Publications

The constrained total variation minimization has been developed successfully for image reconstruction in computed tomography. In this paper, the block component averaging and diagonally-relaxed orthogonal projection methods are proposed to incorporate with the total variation minimization in the compressed sensing framework. The convergence of the algorithms under a certain condition is derived. Examples are given to illustrate their convergence behavior and noise performance.

Measures Of Centrality Based On The Spectrum Of The Laplacian, Scott D. Pauls, Daniel Remondini

Dartmouth Scholarship

We introduce a family of new centralities, the k-spectral centralities. k-Spectral centrality is a measurement of importance with respect to the deformation of the graph Laplacian associated with the graph. Due to this connection, k-spectral centralities have various interpretations in terms of spectrally determined information.

We explore this centrality in the context of several examples. While for sparse unweighted net- works 1-spectral centrality behaves similarly to other standard centralities, for dense weighted net- works they show different properties. In summary, the k-spectral centralities provide a novel and useful measurement of relevance (for single network elements as well as whole subnetworks) …

An Untapped Body Of Knowledge : The Use Of Body Language In Clinical Social Work, Alexandria D. Wright

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This mixed-method study explores the role and relevance of nonverbal communication in the clinical encounter as perceived by clinical social workers. A survey of 54 clinical social workers currently practicing with an MSW was used to assess the perceived value, frequency, and presumed usefulness of attending to nonverbal communication between oneself and one's client. The survey also inquired into the depth and breadth of training participants had received in incorporating nonverbal communication into a therapeutic practice. Participants evaluated the quantity and quality of training they received in both MSW and other professional programs, and reflected upon the impact extracurricular, personal …

Center For Applied Research In The Apostolate 2012 Annual Survey Of Allegations And Costs, Catholic Church. Archdiocese Of Santa Fe (N.M.)

Annual Survey of Allegations and Costs

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Boltzmann And Gibbs Definitions Of Microcanonical Entropy For Small Systems, Randall B. Shirts

Faculty Publications

Two different definitions of entropy, S= klnW, in the microcanonical ensemble have been competing for over 100 years. The Boltzmann/Planck definition is that W is the number of states accessible to the system at its energy E (also called the surface entropy). The Gibbs/Hertz definition is that W is the number of states of the system up to the energy E (also called the volume entropy). These two definitions agree for large systems but differ by terms of order N^-1 for small systems, where N is the number of particles in the system. For three analytical …

Condition-Dependent Risk Assessment Of Large-Scale Grid-Tied Photovoltaic Power Systems, Sherwin Li

Master's Theses

This thesis reviews the methods for evaluating the reliability of large PV systems and techniques for quantifying the impacts of PV interconnection on distribution system reliability. In addition, a comparative study is performed to evaluate the seasonal condition-dependent risk performance of central-inverter and string-inverter grid-tied PV power systems. Major contributions include: 1) risk analysis of seasonal impacts for string and centralized PV systems. Seasonal sensitivities of PV system risks to system structures, temperature variation, solar insolation, and capacitor equivalent series resistance are analyzed; and 2) the incorporation of the effect of operational conditions and the aging failure model into the …

Use Of The County Health Rankings By Local Health Departments In Florida, 2010 - 2011, Nancy L. Winterbauer, Bonita Sorensen, James B. Tidwell

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

This paper describes how local health departments (LHDs) in Florida used the County Health Rankings over the first two years of their release (2010 – 2011). We surveyed LHD leadership to describe if, how and to what extent the Rankings were used by Florida’s 67 LHDs to improve the health of their communities and describe changes in use from the 2010 to the 2011 release. Our results indicate substantial use of the Rankings by Florida’s LHDs, particularly as applied to community health assessments, staff education, as a starting point for examining other indicators and databases, and in grant applications. From …

A Mathematical Approach For Optimizing The Casino Slot Floor: A Linear Programming Application, Kasra C. Ghaharian, Ashok K. Singh

UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal

The gaming literature has identified a number of factors that have driven the growth of Macau's casino industry. At the same time, however, questions remain as to future prospects for the growth of the enclave's gaming revenue- and specifically, whether this type of growth can be sustained. A forecast of Macau gaming revenue and an examination of its seasonality can assist scholars and practitioners alike in developing a better understanding of seasonal variation (a significant consideration in the volatile world of gaming) and the future outlook of the world gambling capital. The objective of this article is to investigate these …

Financial Services Innovation: Local Strategy, Management, And Change – A Field Investigation, Ann-Catherine Nave

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This study examines the innovation sources and processes of regional financial services firms through inductive field research. Innovation in these firms, and presumably other financial services firms and other smaller organizations, originate primarily out of three sources, the drive for efficiency, the external environment, and strategic, ambidextrous management. Successfully innovative firms balance the short-term need for efficiency improvements with the long-term desire to grow primarily through visionary, yet adaptive, leadership.

Working From Within: Observations Of Non-Governmental Efforts To Decrease Social Marginalization In Buenos Aires, Elisabeth Tilstra

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This essay is a modification of an excerpt from the senior thesis written for the Chancellor’s Honors Program at The University of Tennessee. The complete project—titled “Bringing the Outside In: An Examination of Non-Governmental Aid Organizations in Buenos Aires”—first examines the political and economic history of Argentina as a context from which to understand the current stage of actors in the social sector. Then, drawing from my fieldwork in the slums surrounding urban Buenos Aires, it introduces the twelve organizations I studied that work with issues of poverty and development, exploring organizational elements that aid or limit a nonprofit’s efficacy. …

Key Factors And Trends In Transportation Mode And Carrier Selection, Keith Roberts

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Companies across the country must deal with the daily question of determining the best way to get their product in the hands of their customers. Weighing all of the various factors that play into this decision can prove to be very difficult at times, and these factors are ever changing as the market fluctuates with varying consumer demand which, in turn, affects the demand for transportation. This paper will look into these factors and relevant market trends to determine what factors play the largest role in a company’s decision of how to deliver its products, focusing specifically on the modal …

African Irregular Migrants In Malta: Exploring Perceptions And Renegotiating The Socio-Cultural Siege Of Malta, Hannah E. Durick

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This paper discusses the influx of African irregular migrants seeking asylum in Malta and how their arrival and growing presence in Malta is perceived by the Maltese. Since becoming an EU Member State in 2004 Malta has been overwhelmed by the number of irregular migrants arriving on its shores while en route to continental Europe. Due to its proximity to the North African coastline Malta becomes a frequent, albeit unintentional, destination for African migrants who are rescued in Maltese waters and subsequently placed in a closed detention facility until their legal status is determined in a court of law. Although …

Beat Consumption: The Challenge To Consumerism In Beat Literature, Amien Essif

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Critics of the Beat generation, from their contemporaries to the present day, often contend that the Beats’ opposition to consumer culture was superficial. Writers like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burroughs failed, according to these critics, to present a coherent and principled response to consumerism. This paper, however, argues that while in many ways the Beats continued to participate in consumer culture, they developed a distinct form of consumption—Beat consumption—which attempted to regain sovereignty for the Beat consumer. Through an analysis of Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums and On the Road as well as several of Ginsberg’s seminal works, …

Acknowledgements, Sarah Russell

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

No abstract provided.

A Modular Mind? A Test Using Individual Data From Seven Primate Species, Federica Amici, Bradley Barney, Valen E. Johnson, Josep Call, Filippo Aureli

Faculty Articles

It has long been debated whether the mind consists of specialized and independently evolving modules, or whether and to what extent a general factor accounts for the variance in performance across different cognitive domains. In this study, we used a hierarchical Bayesian model to re-analyse individual level data collected on seven primate species (chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, gorillas, spider monkeys, brown capuchin monkeys and long-tailed macaques) across 17 tasks within four domains (inhibition, memory, transposition and support). Our modelling approach evidenced the existence of both a domain-specific factor and a species factor, each accounting for the same amount (17%) of the …