Digital Commons Network^™

Lmu Cares: A Values-Based Approach To Sexual Assault Prevention, Briana T. Maturi

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

The issue of sexual assault on college campuses has emerged in the national spotlight in recent years. Advocacy groups, higher education officials, and the federal government are engaged in an ongoing conversation about best practices regarding prevention and response. Jesuit institutions have the unique challenge of engaging their students in conversations about consent and bystander intervention while also encouraging principles of good practice, particularly challenging students to high standards of personal behavior and responsibility through the formation of character and virtue. Through LMU CARES, Loyola Marymount University launched the “Live the Lion’s Code” campaign to engage the university community in …

Our Students’ Search For Meaning, Andrew Rohm

Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal

This article offers a reflection on the role of faith, reason, and meaning as part of students’ educational experience. By intermixing elements of his personal journey with the development of course projects designed to infuse meaning within the classroom, the author examines the challenges that teachers often face when reconciling the idea of faith- and purpose-based learning as compared with a purely skills-based, vocational approach. The three course projects discussed highlight ways in which students apply course content and skills to higher-level outcomes that lead them to better understand their sense of connectedness, sense of community, and service. By overcoming …

Genetic Optimisations For Satisfiability And Ramsey Theory, Andrew Barnes

The Plymouth Student Scientist

The art of using evolutionary mechanisms for identifying satisfiability has produced a range of efficient solutions to this otherwise computationally challenging problem. Since their first use these evolutionary methods have been changed and adapted to produce increasingly efficient solutions. This paper introduces two unique alternatives to the optimisation of these methods, the first through the introduction of alternative mutation operators and the second through utilizing a grammatical encoding which has been proven to improve neuroevolution. The goal of this paper is to identify whether these two alternatives are candidates for future investigation in improving evolutionary satisfiability solvers.

Effects Of Predation Risk And Temperature On Foraging Behaviour Of Littorina Littorea, Sarah Curtin

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Predator-prey interactions are a fundamental feature of ecological communities. The majority of studies have focussed on the consequences of predators reducing the abundance of their prey through direct consumption (density-mediated interaction, DMIs). However, predators can also interact with prey by inducing costly behavioural and/or physiological defence strategies such as reduced foraging, anti-predator behaviour and investment in defensive structures. Evidence suggests that the cost of these phenotypic responses, termed trait-mediated interactions (TMIs), may be greater than that of DMIs. The strength of TMIs may depend on the environmental context in which prey must decide between food and safety. Because temperature can …

A Machine Learning Approach To The Classification Of Phishing Bot Accounts Within Twitter, Christopher James Brake

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Social network bots are becoming an ever-greater threat to online users. Most studies carried out have looked at bots which generate a lot of tweets known as spam, as these are very common. In recent years research into the area of bots within Twitter has been carried out using machine learning to attempt to find patterns in these ac-counts to aide with detection. However, limited research has been carried out that focuses on a sub set of Twitter bots which are involved in phishing campaigns which tweet very little to avoid detection. In this project an application was developed that …

Flexural Behaviour Of Bfrp Rebar Reinforced Concrete Beams, Edgaras Rudžinskis

The Plymouth Student Scientist

However, the findings have been variable suggesting a more refined experimental model to produce more robust results is needed. Therefore, the overall aim of this study was to improve the current understanding of BFRP rebar reinforced concrete beams’ flexural behaviour. Four class C28/35 concrete beams, reinforced with 8 mm diameter reinforcement elements, made of BFRP and traditional steel, were tested under flexure. The main actions carried out in the experiment were firstly, the recording of failure load and mid-span vertical displacements of the beams. Secondly, observation and investigation of failure modes by removing the concrete from the reinforcement of the …

Undergraduate Research As A Form Of Learning, Amelia Welch

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Guest editorial: Amelia Welch, Final Year Student, Marine Biology, Plymouth University

Toll-Like Receptor 7: Expression Patterns Within Mammalian Trigeminal And Dorsal Root Ganglia And Its Selected Facial Innervation Target, The Tongue, Sara Kawamura

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are known to be expressed in the mammalian nervous system where they play an important role in the hosts’ immune defence against bacterial and viral pathogens. Recent studies have looked into the expression of a wide range of TLRs in various neuronal sub-populations of the central and peripheral nervous systems. However, the co-expression of TLRs within the sub-populations of neurons as well as the expression of TLRs in the terminals of various innervation targets are yet to be understood. In this study, Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify the expression of TLR7 with known neurochemical markers in two …

A Glaciologic And Palaeoclimatic Reconstruction Of Younger Dryas Conditions Using Geomorphic Evidence From Selected Sites In The Fforest Fawr, Brecon Beacons National Park, Henry Irvine

The Plymouth Student Scientist

During the Younger Dryas the climate in southern Wales enabled topographically constrained glaciers to develop within high elevation areas of the Brecon Beacons. Previous studies in this area have attributed numerous basin-floor ridge systems to both glacial and non-glacial origins. An approach considering viability based upon reconstructed dynamics has been found to yield results comparable with contemporary analogues, reducing reliance upon subjective interpretation of field evidence. Due to the sensitivity of cirque glaciers to changes in climate, palaeoglacial modelling may provide insight into past environmental conditions. This study contributes to published literature by undertaking glaciologic and palaeoclimatic reconstructions at four …

Evaluation Of Floodwater Loading On Domestic Housing, Samuel Kail

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Floodwater pressure on domestic housing can cause damage or collapse. With the increased use of property level protection, more property owners are taking actions to limit water ingress at the cost of increased floodwater pressure differential on property walls. Currently CIRIA and the Environment Agency advise that properties should be protected up to a maximum of 0.6m (CIRIA, 2007). This protection height is currently used in industry as the standard protection height in property level protection schemes. The general consensus from sources referenced in a literature review was that most domestic properties are capable of supporting 0.6 meters of flood …

The Long Term Effects Of Social Deprivation On Black-Capped Capuchins (Sapajus Apella) Rescued From The Primate Pet Trade, Kate Bee

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Captivity is often physically and psychologically damaging to primates, who have complex ethological and social needs. It is widely agreed that primates do not make suitable domestic pets, however it is still legal to keep some species of primates as pets in the UK.The effects of the exotic pet trade on primate welfare are poorly documented. It is extremely likely that it will be detrimental towards their physical and mental health, especially when kept in isolation from other primates, but there is little evidence to show the long-term implications of social deprivation.This study observed the long term-effects of social isolation …

Understanding The Experiences Of People With Acquired Brain Injury And Their Interactions With Outside Services, Tolulope Odumuyiwa

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Previous research has focused on Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) regarding the cognitive, behavioural, psychological and social effects, and the outcomes and implications this has had in different areas of people’s lives. However, there has been limited research exploring the existing relationship between individuals with ABI and community service providers. Therefore, the current study’s objective was to understand the experiences that those with ABI have had of community services and to recognise the extent to which they believed that these services understand their difficulties and needs. An interpretative phenomenological approach was used to allow the participants to reflect on the areas …

The Effects Of Turbulence On Vertical Distributions And Concentrations Of Phytoplankton In (Case Ii) Coastal Waters, Daniel Ford

The Plymouth Student Scientist

Estuaries are extensive habitats that are vulnerable to rising sea levels; a detailed understanding of biological and physical interactions is required to predict future change. Surveys were conducted in an estuarine system across contrasting tidal states, of neap ebb and spring flood, to evaluate how changes in vertical turbulent mixing affect vertical phytoplankton distributions. Profiles of temperature, salinity, irradiance, shear microstructure and fluorescence were undertaken at multiple stations along the Tamar Estuary, UK. Results confirmed that turbulent mixing was predominately controlled by stratification, with lower mixing occurring on the neap ebb tide. At stations where the average water column mixing …

Chilled Chambers: Constitutional Implications Of Requiring Federal Judges To Disclose Their Papers Upon Retirement, Justin Walker, Caroline Phelps

University of Memphis Law Review

No abstract provided.

My Brother’S Keeper How American Lutherans Fought To Preserve The Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Russia In The Ussr, 1921–1939, Matthew Heise

Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation

The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail

The years between 1939 and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991 were bleak for Christians. Surrounded by the daily drumbeat of atheist propaganda, many kept their faith underground, not just figuratively but literally by hiding Bibles under the floorboards. World War II enacted a severe toll upon the nation as well as Christians, whether underground or open about their faith. Friedrich Wacker had survived the Great Terror and the closing of the churches, but when Nazi Germany invaded the USSR on June 22, 1941, he knew his family would suffer as …

Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program: Fiscal Year 2017 Report & Evaluation, Massachusetts Office Of Public Collaboration, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

The state’s policy to promote broad access to community mediation throughout the Commonwealth was effectuated by the establishment of the Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program to provide operating grants to eligible community mediation centers. The Massachusetts Legislature appropriated $750,000 to fund Program operations during FY 2017 (the Program’s sixth year). The Legislature’s FY 2017 investment in the Grant Program proved to be money well spent. Not only was state-wide community mediation infrastructure strengthened, the quality of community mediation services was upheld. Accordingly, twelve funded centers delivered services throughout the state and affected thousands of people.

A Clinical Nurse Leader Initiative: Promoting Mobility Among Long-Term Care Facility Residents, Ulyses Reamico

Master's Projects and Capstones

Maintenance of mobility during hospitalization or stay in long-term care facility result in improved patient outcomes including but not limited to decreased incidence of falls, non-pharmacological pain intervention, and prevention of further functional decline. In a 45-bed rehabilitation unit of a Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facility, a clinical nurse leader (CNL) initiative was done to promote mobility among the patients to mitigate functional decline. The patients, also referred to as clients or residents in long-term care facilities, were aged between 20s and 90s. The resident population consisted of patients admitted for physical rehabilitation after a stroke or surgical procedure, …

Symbiotic Relationships Among Innovations And Sustainable Practices: A Supply Chain Management Perspective, Muratcan Erkul

Theses and Dissertations

Sustainability as a business phenomenon has occupied the attention of academicians, practitioners, and consumers for more than three decades. While some firms emphasize on their own internal sustainability initiatives, there is a growing trend to implement sustainability across the supply chain. This increasing interest makes implementation of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices very important for focal firm's sustainability; however, the ability to create innovative products, processes, and ways of operating is crucial if an organization is to be sustainable. Although there have been studies that investigate innovation in the context of sustainability, their scopes are limited to a single …

Building A History: A Case Study Of Manufactured History In Texas, Gregg L. Carter

Theses and Dissertations

Building a History is a case study that seeks to examine Texas mytho-history, and the subsequent historical memory it engenders, from the perspective of Nationalism. Specifically, this paper addresses two periods in Texas’ historical past—beginning with the period of Anglo colonialization of Texas and the subsequent rebellion against Mexican authority, (1820–1836), and transitioning to the progressive era, (1890–1936).

This thesis demonstrates that during progressive era, Anglo-Texans began manufacturing an alternative historical narrative that blended Judeo-Christian and Puritan mytho-symbolism with Euro-centric notions of socio-political and ethnic superiority. This process of manufacturing and legitimizing historical myth in Texas reveals a characteristic similarity …

Ojos Vendados: An Ethnographic Approach To Understanding How Immigration Status And Language Influence The Identity Of High School Students In The Rio Grande Valley, Ariana Garza

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined oppressive factors Mexican immigrant students, or children of Mexican immigrants, face throughout their lives in RGV. These factors, which are termed “blindfolds” throughout this paper, can have a great impact on these students’ identity. The purpose of this study was to expose students to the blindfolds give them an opportunity to remove them and move past the oppressive measures that may have shaped how they are.

Knowing the implications of these stereotypes can explain why students may choose to be certain ways or do certain things. We can use this information to our advantage as educators of …

Security Evaluation Of Virtualized Computing Platforms, Ganesh Reddy Gunnam

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, security experiments were conducted to evaluate embedded security protocol performance of two leading server operating systems, Apple’s MAC OS server LION Vs. Microsoft’s Windows server 2012 R2 OS under different types of security attack. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to understand and evaluate the effect of virtualization using Hyper-V with Windows 2012 R2 OS on MAC hardware platform. For these experiments, connection rate, connection latency, non-paged pool allocations and processor core utilization for different OS, virtual machines, and under different traffic types were measured.

Does A Criminal Justice Degree Produce Law Enforcement Officers?, Bryan Keith Murray

Theses and Dissertations

Police departments are being asked to diversify their ranks in a job field dominated by White males. Hispanics are predicted to be the majority-minority by 2043, few studies were conducted to explore whether Hispanic students majoring in criminal justice will pursue a career in law enforcement agencies upon graduation. Therefore, it is necessary and important to investigate the willingness of Hispanic students perusing a career in law enforcement agencies and what kind of factors behind this pursuit. This research anonymously surveyed 203 students currently enrolled in a four-year Hispanic university. Gender and the liberalizing effect served as the independent variables. …

Faculty Perceptions Of Effectiveness And Impact Of Professional Development For Teaching, Research, And Service, Claudia Vela

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to examine faculty perceptions of effectiveness and impact of professional development for teaching, research, and service in a higher education institution in South Texas. This study provided quantitative and qualitative data from 165 faculty members from a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas. Participants in this research consisted of tenured 56.9% (n = 95) and tenure-track 41.1% (n = 69) faculty members who taught in different departments in the colleges of Health Affairs, Sciences, Liberal Arts, Engineering and Computer Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Education and P-16 Integration. The …

Synthesis Of Tetraethyl ((2-Amino-1,4-Phenylene)Bis(Methylene)) Bis(Phosphonate): An Intermediate In The Synthesis Of Amino-Substituted Conjugated Materials, Ariel Ivan Torres Burgueno

Theses and Dissertations

Discussed here are the syntheses of the phosphonate precursors for the Wittig-Horner synthesis of poly-phenylene vinylene (PPV) and distyrylbenzene (DSB) derivatives and their respective distyrylbenzene analogs containing amino moieties. The synthesis of the different compounds was achieved through bromination, Michaelis-Arbuzov reaction, reduction of the nitro group with a commercial cobalt sulfide catalyst and sodium borohydride. Preliminary evidence for the synthesis of amino substituted distyrylbenzene and of nitro/alkoxy substituted poly(p-phenylene vinylene) was obtained. Characterization of the products was performed by 1H-NMR. Preliminary results of the synthesis of a novel amino-substituted distyrylbenzene (DSB) are presented. The luminescence of the new DSB was …

Essays On Financial Decision Making, Corey A. Shank

Theses and Dissertations

Individuals make financial decisions daily, yet the literature on the mechanisms that drive financial decisions is limited. This dissertation looks to examine how physical characteristics, and personality subconsciously influence financial decision making by conducting an experiment. Furthermore, this dissertation examines biased decision making in the betting market by using data from covers.com. First, this dissertation finds that the cognitive impairments associated with having a higher body mass index is positively related to poor financial decision making and being more likely to commit the present bias, and distorting probabilities. Second, this dissertation finds that business students are more apt to fit …

Job Embeddedess Of Nurses Working In South Central Appalachia’S North Carolina Counties, Susan L. Adams Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nurses working in the North Carolina counties of South Central Appalachia (NC-SCA) are a unique subset of nursing professionals. A continued nursing shortage is projected in this area while staffing has improved in other areas of SCA. The purpose of this research was to ascertain the level of job embeddedness of nurses working in NC-SCA in order to offer guidance regarding retention of nurses working in this area. Actively working licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced practice nurses (nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and certified registered nurse anesthetists) from 29 North Carolina counties included in South …

Pcaob Standards And Related Rules As Of December 2017, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, American Institute Of Certified Public Accountants (Aicpa)

AICPA Professional Standards

No abstract provided.

Eu Sep Communication Summary And Commentary - Tilec 2nd Conference On Competition, Standardization And Innovation, Jorge L. Contreras

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

These slides briefly summarize the main points of the European Commission's Nov. 29, 2017 Communication on Standards Essential Patents (SEPs)

Policy Paper: The Need To Enhance Victims’ Rights In The Florida Constitution To Fully Protect Crime Victims’ Rights, Paul Cassell, Margaret Garvin

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

Given the emerging consensus concerning victims' rights as reflected in many state constitutions as well as in federal law, Florida should not simply rest on the nearly thirty-year-old provison currently in its constitution. Instead, Florida should, through its established and recognized procedures, expand the protections contained in its provision to cover the rights reflected in provisions enacted across the country and reflected in Marsy's Law.

Development Of The Personal Genomics Industry, Jorge L. Contreras, Vikrant Deshmukh

Utah Law Faculty Scholarship

Today, numerous commercial services offer genetic testing, genotyping and genome sequencing services both to medical providers and directly to the public. Twenty-five years ago, such offerings would have been unthinkable, both in terms of cost and medical practice. This chapter describes the development of the personal genomics industry and its evolving business models and goals.