Digital Commons Network^™

Examining Experiences With English Language Studies In Taiwan And In The United States, Ying-Mei Chien

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The importance of learning English to find success in today’s global community has never been more vital. However, choosing the best method for teaching English language skills in the second language (L2) classroom is still open for debate. This paper examines L2 strategies for teaching English in Taiwan. More important, it examines the notion that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) training in Taiwan could be made more successful by incorporating more effective EFL teaching strategies, including a communicative, or creativity based methodology for second language learning. EFL teaching methodology in Taiwan has and continues to emphasize a teacher centered …

Age Of Drinking Initiation’S Association With Cognitive Functioning, Joshua Seth Goldberg

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Research has indicated that alcohol abuse is associated with deleterious effects on cognitive functioning later in life, specifically in the neuropsychological domains of immediate memory, delayed memory, and attention. However, research has been mixed regarding how age of initiation into problem drinking affects cognitive health after abstinence. This study aimed to identify if earlier age of alcohol abuse was associated with significant deficits in neuropsychological functioning in comparison to individuals who commenced alcohol abuse later in life. Participants were recruited from an alcohol rehabilitation program within Loma Linda University’s Behavioral Medicine Center and were administered the Repeatable Battery for the …

Behavioral Ecology And Associated Virology Of Mosquito-Host Interactions In Southern California, Oliver Eshun

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Elucidating characteristics of mosquito-host interactions are critical for understanding the ecology and epidemiology of mosquito-borne diseases. In this dissertation, I conducted three studies to explore potential mosquito-host interactions and associated virus infection rates. I first demonstrated that mosquito captures at CO2-baited traps decreased most markedly with height above ground, and also decreased with distance from water at a riparian area but not at an open water source lacking a vegetated border. Birds might therefore prefer elevated nests or roosts to avoid mosquitoes. The second study examined the anti-mosquito behaviors of budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) in a laboratory study. The birds defended …

Endothelin-1 And Hypoxic Vascular Remodeling In Ovine Fetal Cerebral Arteries, Jinjutha Silpanisong

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Intrauterine hypoxia resulting from decreased maternal oxygen uptake, insufficient oxygen carrying capacity, or compromised oxygen delivery to the fetus jeopardizes fetal oxygen delivery, detrimentally affecting growth and development of the immature vasculature. Hypoxia transiently increases Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α (HIF- 1α), which complexes with HIF-1β to form the active HIF-1 dimer that can affect transcription. This temporary rise in HIF-1 can promote gene transcription of ligands such as Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and Endothelin-1 (ET-1), which rises and falls with HIF levels. The absence of chronic elevation of these ligands prompted the question of how long-term effects of hypoxia is …

The Impact Of Integrative Programs And Services On International Students’ Transitions At Three Regional State Colleges, Patriece Campbell

All Theses And Dissertations

Over one million international students study at colleges and universities across the U.S. each year. Yet, some international students struggle academically, not because they do not have the cognitive intelligence to excel but they find it difficult to adapt into the American academic culture that is oftentimes significantly different from their own. The study sought to understand the use of integrative programs and services at three select Pennsylvania state institutions and their impact on international students’ successful transition as a part of their campus community. The intent of this study was to understand the complexities that international students face as …

Cartooning For Health, Katherine Gaudet

UNH Today Archive

No abstract provided.

Developing Oral Proficiency And Motivation Through Script-Based And Improvisational Drama, Muhammet Çağrı Güzel

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Utilizing drama has long been an innovative and dynamic concept as a part of a communicative approach in English classrooms around the world. Teaching languages through drama offers many beneficial opportunities for learners. Nevertheless, traditional methods are still the widely held teaching structures across the globe, which results in an increase in the number of demotivated learners who often hate and fear to practice one of the challenging skills when learning a foreign language- speaking- as it is a productive language skill. Not only do the traditional methods bring negative emotional and psychological outcomes, but it also causes a gradual …

"Something Must Be Done!": Edward Viii's Abdication And The Preservation Of The British Monarchy, Allyse C. Zajac

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

This paper discusses the 1936 abdication of King Edward VIII of England in the context of the religious, political, and social structure of the interwar period. After the fall of many European dynasties due to World War I, the British religious powers, government, and Royal Family sought to preserve their monarchy by removing Edward VIII, whose choice of spouse was seen as a threat to the royal line and political stability of Great Britain and its empire.

Italy’S Jews From Emancipation To Fascism, Shira Klein

History Faculty Books and Book Chapters

How did Italy treat Jews during World War II? Historians have shown beyond doubt that many Italians were complicit in the Holocaust, yet Italy is still known as the Axis state that helped Jews. Shira Klein uncovers how Italian Jews, though victims of Italian persecution, promoted the view that Fascist Italy was categorically good to them. She shows how the Jews' experience in the decades before World War II - during which they became fervent Italian patriots while maintaining their distinctive Jewish culture - led them later to bolster the myth of Italy's wartime innocence in the Fascist racial campaign. …

Barriers To Higher Education: Underrepresented Minorities' Access To Uci, Kimberly Dennin

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Ever since the removal of Affirmative Action in California from Proposition 209, the UC system has struggled with increasing the enrollment numbers of underrepresented minorities on their campuses. In response to this, many of the UC schools are adopting different policies to help counteract the negative effects of Proposition 209. This paper examines the effects of Proposition 209 on the underrepresented minority population in the UC system, specifically focusing on the University of California, Irvine (UCI). The areas of focus for addressing the issues of Proposition 209 at UCI are outreach programs, admissions policies, and recruitment programs. This paper examines …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Benefits And Barriers About The Use Of Technology Within Individual Classrooms, Jodi Head

Theses and Dissertations

This study evaluated teachers’ perceptions of the use of technology within individual classrooms and how benefits and barriers in education affect their beliefs. The researcher conducted the study within a public, elementary school within the state of Georgia. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct the research, in order to collect the data. The quantitative method used was a Likert-type survey that was submitted to the researcher anonymously. The qualitative method used was a single, focus group with the participants that took part in the survey. They were asked a series of questions that pertained to the survey results. …

Roadblocks To The Implementation Of Problem-Oriented Policing In Montevideo, Federico Del Castillo

Student Theses

In the broad context of Uruguay’s police reform, the Ministry of Interior is implementing a pilot Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) program in Montevideo since late 2012. This research examined the obstacles confronted by the program throughout its implementation. Using a grounded theory approach, qualitative data was collected through 20 semi-structured interviews with members of the Uruguay National Police (UNP) of different ranks. Findings were analyzed based on the following categories: a) contextual factors; b) theoretical and practical inaccuracies; c) characteristics, skills and actions of project managers; d) resistance and motivational issues; e) resources; f) external support and cooperation. Consistent with research …

Examination Of The Dark Triad And Its Association With Antisocial Behavior And Cheating In Undergraduates, Rebecca Cheiffetz

Student Theses

The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of the distinct factors of psychopathy, domains of narcissism, and Machiavellianism to antisocial behaviors in undergraduates. The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised, Pathological Narcissism Inventory, and Mach-IV were administered to assess the dark triad traits. The Comprehensive Misconduct Inventory was administered to assess self-report scores of antisocial behavior, and an anagram-cheating task was administered as a behavioral measure of academic cheating. The results reflect data collected from an ethnically diverse sample of 100 participants aged 18-38 years old (M = 20.95, SD = 3.79). Significant correlations were observed between both factors …

Ethics And Bias In Machine Learning: A Technical Study Of What Makes Us “Good”, Ashley Nicole Shadowen

Student Theses

The topic of machine ethics is growing in recognition and energy, but bias in machine learning algorithms outpaces it to date. Bias is a complicated term with good and bad connotations in the field of algorithmic prediction making. Especially in circumstances with legal and ethical consequences, we must study the results of these machines to ensure fairness. This paper attempts to address ethics at the algorithmic level of autonomous machines. There is no one solution to solving machine bias, it depends on the context of the given system and the most reasonable way to avoid biased decisions while maintaining the …

911 Dispatchers: Their Role As Evidence Collectors, Brittany P. Kassis

Student Theses

911 dispatchers are often the first point of contact after an individual is in an accident, needs emergency assistance, or witnesses a crime. In an emergency involving a crime, a dispatcher can play an important role in assisting the investigative process and collecting evidence, such as an eyewitness’ description of the suspect. While trained in how to gather situational and locational information from a caller so that relevant first responders can be notified, dispatchers may not be trained on how the specific language they use with a caller can impact the caller’s memory for the event. Thus, if dispatchers are …

Study Of Self-Similarity In Brain Data, Jennifer Holst

Student Theses

In the area of computer science, past research has found that the concept of self-similarity is present in local and Internet-based network traffic. This study considers the possibility that data traveling through the neuronal network in the human brain is also self-similar. By analyzing publicly available raw EEG data and estimating its Hurst parameter, we find indications that brain data traffic may in fact be self-similar.

Multiple Perpetrator Sexual Assault: The Relationship Between The Number Of Perpetrators, Blame Attribution, And Victim Resistance, Yi Jin Genevieve Lim

Student Theses

Sexual assault has been and continues to be a prevalent public health and social problem that can lead to severe ramifications for the victim. There has been growing research on multiple perpetrator sexual assault (MPSA) and how it qualitatively differs from single assailant offenses. However, there is a paucity of studies investigating the differences between sexual assault perpetrated by duos versus three or more individuals and how it affects victim behavioral responses and blame attribution. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the perceived level of victim blame and the number of perpetrators in MPSA cases contingent on the …

Impact Of Kras/Nras Mutational Heterogeneity On Clinical Outcomes In Colorectal Cancer, Jonathan M. Loree

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Introduction: Mutations in KRAS/NRAS (RAS) predict a lack of benefit from anti-EGFR agents in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). As next generation sequencing (NGS) has advanced, we are discovering atypical and low allele frequency mutations. We aimed to evaluate how NGS can optimally define RAS mutant CRC and the role of relative mutant allele frequency (rMAF) as a biomarker.

Methods: Using institutional and public cohorts of mCRC patients with NGS results, we described the prevalence and clinical impact of atypical (not in current guidelines) and low rMAF RAS mutations (RAS MAF by the MAF of the mutated gene with …

"To You I Give Myself, For I Am Yours": Editorial Giving And Taking In Shakespeare's As You Like It, Jennifer Jean Thorup

Theses and Dissertations

In As You Like It 5.4.107-08 we receive Rosalind returning as herself”a woman”no longer in the guise of Ganymede, the boy page. Her first lines upon returning are repetitive: To you I give myself, for I am yours [To Duke Senior] / To you I give myself, for I am yours [To Orlando]. However, comparing Folio versions of these lines produces a provocative variant. In the third and fourth folios, these lines are no longer a repetitious patriarchal pledging, but a tender dialogic exchange "much like vows" between Rosalind and Orlando. While none of our modern Shakespeare editions make a …

An Analysis Of The Size And Impact Of Digital Footprints, Whitney Nielsen Maxwell

Theses and Dissertations

Personal information available online is known as a digital footprint. While many have a digital footprint, few if any, know what it encapsulates or how to control it. Technology and personal information are becoming more intertwined as technology becomes more integrated with everyday activities. Personal information can be defined as details that apply to a person such as race or shopping habits. Shopping habits are considered personal information by many corporations who spend money to track, or even predict purchases of individuals, whereas more traditional forms of personal information are details like gender, birthdate, and home town. With a wide …

Project Management: Skills, Tools, And Knowledge Construction Professionals Consider Important For Keeping Projects On Schedule, Lyle Scott Davies

Theses and Dissertations

Project managers have a major role in the construction and completion of projects. Much of their work consists of reviewing, clarifying, and coordinating information required by the field management and subcontractors performing the work on the job site. The assistance they give with the transfer of information helps with successfully completing projects. For many people, the largest indicator that a project was successful is that construction activities were completed on schedule. While finishing on schedule may be the primary focus of those involved with construction activities, projects still struggle to finish on time. The purpose of this study is to …

Advancements In Radio Astronomical Array Processing: Digital Back End Development And Interferometric Array Interference Mitigation, Mitchell Costus Burnett

Theses and Dissertations

The Brigham Young University (BYU) Radio Astronomy Systems group, in collaboration with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), the Center for Astrophysics at West Virginia University (WVU), and the Green Bank Observatory (GBO) have developed, and commissioned, a broadband real-time digital back end processing system for a 38-element phased array feed (PAF) with 150 MHz of instantaneous bandwidth. This system is capable of producing coarse and fine channel correlations, and implements a real-time beamformer that forms 7 simultaneous dual-polarized beams. This thesis outlines the hardware and software development for the digital back end and presents on-telescope commissioning results. This system …

Longitudinal Relations Between Interparental Conflict And Adolescent Self-Regulation: The Moderating Role Of Attachment To Parents, Lisa Tensmeyer Hansen

Theses and Dissertations

This study used growth curve analysis to investigate associations between interparental conflict, attachment to parents, and adolescent self-regulation outcomes. Using data from 681 families in the Flourishing Families survey obtained in two western U.S. cities, associations between interparental conflict, mother and father attachment, and initial and growth levels of adolescent self-regulation were analyzed across five time points. Adolescent self-regulation showed steady growth across a five-year period during adolescence, suggesting that self-regulation may continue to develop generally throughout adolescence, a finding not revealed in prior research. Adolescent self-regulation increased significantly more in the first city over the five years of the …

Virtue Conquered By Fortune: Cato In Lucan's Pharsalia, Nathaniel Brent Pribil

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis looks at how the Roman poet Lucan uses the character of Cato to elucidate his beliefs about Fortune and Stoicism. The traditional Stoic view of Fortune views it as a force for good that allows people to improve through hardship. Lucan portrays Fortune as a purely antagonistic force that actively seeks to harm the Roman people and corrupt even good individuals like Cato. Lucan's Fortune arranges events to place Cato in a situation where it is impossible to maintain his virtue. Rather than providing him an opportunity to improve in the civil war, Fortune makes it so that …

Investigating If Multidisciplinary Or Homogenous Teams Are More Innovative In A Higher Education Setting, Blake Howard Hoover

Theses and Dissertations

This study is derived from the claim that multidisciplinary groups are more innovative than homogeneous groups; a claim that has flooded the business industry and has become criteria for accreditation in higher education. However, the impact of disciplinary diversity in work groups is a growing area of research; therefore, it is yet to be thoroughly understood. The purpose of this study is to answer the question: are multidisciplinary teams more innovative than homogenous teams. To accomplish this university students from differing majors were sorted into multidisciplinary and homogeneous groups while participating in a two-day innovation course. The course taught the …

Analysis Of Safety Impacts Of Access Management Alternatives Using The Surrogate Safety Assessment Model, Kyung Min Kim

Theses and Dissertations

In a traditional safety impact analysis, it is necessary to have crash data on existing roadway conditions in the field and a few years must pass before accumulating reliable crash data. This is a time-consuming approach and there remains uncertainty in the crash data due to the random nature of crash occurrences. The Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) was developed for resolving these issues. With SSAM, a conflict analysis is performed in a simulated environment. A planned improvement alternative under study is modeled and no physical installation of the alternative is needed. Hence, the method using a simulation software along …

Emotional And Cognitive Engagement In Higher Education Classrooms, Kristine C. Manwaring

Theses and Dissertations

This is a multi-article format dissertation that explores emotional and cognitive engagement in higher education classrooms. Student engagement in higher education classrooms has been associated with desired outcomes such as academic achievement, retention, and graduation. Student engagement is a multi-faceted concept, consisting of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive components. A deeper understanding of how these components interact would allow instructors and course designers to facilitate more engaging learning experiences for students. The first article is an extended literature review that investigates the extant empirical research on the relationship between emotional and cognitive engagement, and between emotional engagement and academic outcomes in …

Association Between Latent Toxoplasma Gondii Infection And Alzheimer's Disease, Cynthia Elizabeth Wyman

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Many studies have found an association between Toxoplasma gondii seropositivity and behavioral and cognitive changes in animal models and in humans. In addition, early findings have suggested an association between T. gondii seropositivity and Alzheimer's disease (AD). We sought to determine whether there is an association between T. gondii seropositivity and AD as well as cognitive functioning (including memory, working memory, processing speed, language functioning, executive functioning) in a large, well-characterized sample of subjects with AD and matched controls without dementia. Method: Using ELISA assays, we determined anti-T. gondii IgG antibody titers in 114 control subjects and in …

"To You I Give Myself, For I Am Yours": Editorial Giving And Taking In Shakespeare's As You Like It, Jennifer Jean Thorup

Theses and Dissertations

In As You Like It 5.4.107-08 we receive Rosalind returning as herself—a woman—no longer in the guise of Ganymede, the "boy" page. Her first lines upon returning are repetitive: "To you I give myself, for I am yours [To Duke Senior] / To you I give myself, for I am yours [To Orlando]." However, comparing Folio versions of these lines produces a provocative variant. In the third and fourth folios, these lines are no longer a repetitious patriarchal pledging, but a tender dialogic exchange—much like vows—between Rosalind and Orlando. While none of our modern Shakespeare editions make a note of …

Tribopairs In Wellbore Drilling: A Study Of Pcd Tilting Pad Bearings In An Electric Submersible Pump, Cameron B. Ellis

Theses and Dissertations

A polycrystalline diamond was tested as a bearing material for a tilting pad thrust bearing to be used in an electric submersible pump, which elevates process fluids from the bottom of well bores. The goal of this study was to compare the PCD to a current best of technology, which is stainless steel with an engineering polymer.This study found that PCD can handle larger loads than current technology but is limited in size due to diamond sintering and manufacturing constraints. The maximum size is Ø75mm.