Digital Commons Network^™

Social Networks Influence Analysis, Doaa Gamal

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Pew Research Center estimates that as of 2014, 74% of the Internet Users used social media, i.e., more than 2.4 billion users. With the growing popularity of social media where Internet users exchange their opinions on many things including their daily life encounters, it is not surprising that many organizations are interested in learning what users say about their products and services. To be able to play a proactive role in steering what user’s say, many organizations have engaged in efforts aiming at identifying efficient ways of marketing certain products and services, and making sure user reviews are somewhat favorable. …

Security Analytics: Using Deep Learning To Detect Cyber Attacks, Glenn M. Lambert Ii

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Security attacks are becoming more prevalent as cyber attackers exploit system vulnerabilities for financial gain. The resulting loss of revenue and reputation can have deleterious effects on governments and businesses alike. Signature recognition and anomaly detection are the most common security detection techniques in use today. These techniques provide a strong defense. However, they fall short of detecting complicated or sophisticated attacks. Recent literature suggests using security analytics to differentiate between normal and malicious user activities.

The goal of this research is to develop a repeatable process to detect cyber attacks that is fast, accurate, comprehensive, and scalable. A model …

Survey Gear Comparisons And Shark Nursery Habitat Use In Southeast Georgia Estuaries, Jeffrey Cohen Carpenter

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gill nets and longlines were compared as shark nursery sampling methodologies in inshore waters of Georgia to (1) assess differences in gear selectivity, bias, and stress of capture and (2) determine potential relationships between habitat features and shark distribution and abundance. Gear selectivity varied between gears as a function of both species and life stage resulting in significantly different estimates of species and life stage compositions. Juvenile bonnetheads (Sphyrna tiburo) and young of the year blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) experienced significantly higher stress from gill net capture than longline. Major sources of bias are thought to …

Belizean Teachers’ Perceptions Of Intercultural Bilingual Education As A Language Preservation Tool: A Q Methodology Study, Enita E. Barrett

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study, the perceptions of 42 teachers—from the Stann Creek District, Belize—regarding the implementation and use of Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE) as a language preservation tool in their schools were examined. Intercultural Bilingual Education (IBE) is a teaching method that aims at promoting the preservation of indigenous languages by integrating an indigenous language and culture into the academic curriculum, such that students can develop a better appreciation of their history and traditional practices. To examine the perspectives of teachers regarding IBE, Q Methodology was used to examine the research question: What is the range of perspectives teachers hold regarding …

Secondary-School Principals' Perceptions Of Their Role In The Retention Of The Novice Teacher, Theresa J. Coker

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

SECONDARY-SCHOOL PRINCIPALS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR

ROLE IN THE RETENTION OF NOVICE TEACHERS

Theresa J. Coker

Secondary schools in the U.S. face instructional challenges due in part to novice teacher turnover. Research indicates that new teachers remain in the profession due to: supportive principal leadership, an orderly school environment, classroom autonomy, and significant professional development (Grissom, 2008). The purpose of this study was to understand how secondary-school principals perceived their role in novice teachers’ professional development and retention. Qualitative research using in-depth, semi-structured interviews included 15 secondary-school administrators from an urban district in the southeast United States. Data analysis used …

The Identification Of Demographic Profiles Of K-12 Public School Districts Employing Female Superintendents In California, Michigan, New York, And Texas, Brenda Joyce Skeete

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The job of the local school superintendent is one of the most difficult chief executive undertakings in America today. Of the nation’s roughly 14,000 traditional public school superintendents, a mere 1,984 are women, according to the U. S. Department of Education. Yet, nationally over 75% of all K-12 educators are women. The purpose of this explorative quantitative study is to analyze the demographic profiles of public school districts in four of the nation’s largest states – California, Michigan, New York, and Texas - to see if there is a pattern of district types and sizes that women lead. Then the …

Unheard Voices: Black Adolescents' Perceptions Of Mental Health In Urban Communities, Brian James Ludden

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mental health in the United States is a rising concern. More concerning still is the growing number of children and adolescents with serious depression and other mental health disorders (SAMHSA, 2009; Merikangas et al., 2010). Despite a growing list of proven and best-practice prevention and intervention initiatives that have been made available to children and adolescents, 80 percent of children and adolescents with a diagnosable mental health disorder will not receive services for their associated mental health concerns (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999; Cummings 2014). Children and adolescents with mental health disorders are faced with an ever-increasing …

Agricultural Adaptation To Climate Change: How Risk Influences Decision-Making, Brandon Araujo

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is currently threatening the livelihoods of farmers in developing countries. Psychological models have been developed to identify factors associated with adapting to climate change; however, little work has investigated the role of farmers’ risk attitudes in these models. We assessed perceptions of adaptation cost and adaptation intentions for five drought- specific adaptive behaviors among 550 farmers from 12 villages in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, as well as their attitudes toward risk. Results suggest that perceived adaptation cost and risk attitude are negatively associated with adaptation intentions. The conditional effect of adaptation cost on adaptation intention as …

Physical Activity, Body Mass Index, And Clustered Metabolic Risk In U.S. Adolescents: 2007-2012 Nhanes., Bethany Dawn Williams

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: To examine variation in clustered metabolic risk (cMetS) in adolescents classified as not overweight/active (NOA), not overweight/not active (NONA), overweight/active (OA), and overweight/not active (ONA).

Background: While studies to date have shown that children and adolescents who meet the current physical activity (PA) recommendations and maintain a healthy body weight demonstrate significantly lower cardiometabolic risk, there are some studies that suggest the relationship between PA and metabolic risk may be mediated by adiposity.

Methods: The sample included adolescent participants (n=875; 12-17 years) of the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The cMetS score included triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein …

Mercury Accumulation And Effects In The Brain Of Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhiszoprionodon Terranovae), Samantha L. Ehnert

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sharks often bioaccumulate mercury (Hg) concentrations in their muscle to levels that threaten the health of human consumers. However, few published studies have examined if the high Hg levels seen in shark muscle also occur in the shark brain, or if Hg accumulation affects shark neurophysiology. Therefore, this study examined if shark brains accumulate significant levels of Hg, if Hg accumulation occurs in certain subcomponents of the brain, and if Hg accumulation is associated with oxidative stress effects on the shark central nervous system, with special focus on the Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae). Sharks were collected along …

Finite Element Modeling Of The Plantar Fascia: A Viscohyperelastic Approach, Alexander Knapp

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present work details the creation and analysis of a finite element model of the foot, wherein the plantar fascia was modeled as a viscohyperelastic solid. The objective of this work was to develop a fully functional CAD and Finite Element Model of the foot and plantar fascia for analysis by examining the transient stresses on the plantar fascia through the use of a viscohyperelastic material model. The model’s geometry was developed through the use of image processing techniques with anatomical images provided by the National Institutes of Health. The finite element method was used to analyze the transient response …

Can Coloring Reduce Stress And Increase Working Memory In The Elderly?, Alexus Lepere

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores whether the observed effects of coloring on anxiety and stress apply to the elderly. Two coloring activities were administered to elderly participants to evaluate the effects on stress, anxiety, and working memory. The Mini Mental State Examination was used to establish cognitive level. The Perceived Stress Scale and Brief State Trait Anxiety Inventory were administered to obtain pretest and posttest scores on stress and anxiety levels. Working memory was measured using the Backward Digit Recall to test if the potential calming effects improve working memory. A near significant increase in stress scores was demonstrated in the mandala …

A Case Study: The Executive Leadership Response At A Community Hospital To The Value-Based Purchasing Requirements Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Lawrence Russell Smith

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study examined the perceived effectiveness of executive leadership team processes at a community hospital in the southeastern U.S. in relation to the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) through an analysis of documents and a repository database (http:www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov) relating to service quality, patient satisfaction, and governmental reimbursements; and, structured interviews. Today, the PPACA or “Obamacare” continues to challenge the executive leadership teams at U.S. hospitals to effectively navigate the intricacies of the legislation in order to remain solvent in a volatile healthcare arena. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model was …

Britain's Green Fascists: Understanding The Relationship Between Fascism, Farming, And Ecological Concerns In Britain, 1919-1951, Alec J. Warren

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explores the relationship between fascism, fascist ideas, and environmental consciousness in Britain during the pre- and post-World War II decades. In examining this topic, two main questions arise. First, why did fascist intellectuals support environmentally conscious ideas, and how did they relate these positions to their political ideologies? Second, why were many environmentally conscious thinkers during this period attracted to fascism? This thesis will also address several related issues regarding fascism and environmental consciousness. These issues include what role environmental concerns played in the British Union of Fascist’s platforms and in fascism’s public appeal, and how that role …

Mother-Child Planning: Microgenetic Changes In Maternal Instruction Behaviors As A Function Of Task Goals, Candance Wise Gilberstadt

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This study examined microgenetic changes in mother-child behaviors while they collaborated on a cognitive task that involved planning shopping routes around a table model of a grocery store across 4 trials. Sixty- eight mother-child dyads were randomly assigned to two conditions in which the goals of the task differed. In the experimental condition (n = 32) mothers were encouraged to help their child prepare for a solitary posttest and the dyad was informed they would be timed. In the control condition (n = 36), dyads were simply asked to work together. Research suggests that maternal instruction is most effective …

Pore Formation In Aluminum Castings: Theoretical Calculations And The Extrinsic Effect Of Entrained Surface Oxide Films, Pedram Yousefian

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Aluminum alloy castings are being integrated increasingly into automotive and aerospace assemblies due to their extraordinary properties, especially high strength-to-density ratio. To produce high quality castings, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms of the formation of defects, specifically pores and inclusion, in aluminum. There have been numerous studies on pore formation during solidification which lead to hot tearing and/or reduction in mechanical properties. However, a comprehensive study that correlates pore formation theory with in situ observations and modeling assumptions from the literature as well as experimental observations in not available. The present study is motivated to fill this gap. …

Prosociality And Risk: How Risky Decision-Making In Young Adults Relates To Altruistic Tendencies, Empathic Concern, And Prosocial Peer Affiliation, Sarah J. Beard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence involves an increase in risky decisions, such as reckless driving and illicit substance use, but prosocial characteristics and peer affiliation have yet to be investigated as protective factors. The present study assessed altruistic tendencies, prosocial peer affiliation (PPA), and empathic concern as predictors and moderators of risk-taking, including both self-reported health risks and riskiness in a behavioral task. Young adults from ages 20 to 25 (M = 22.55, SD = 1.38) completed a battery of behavioral tasks (including the Balloon Analogue Risk Task and the Dictator Game) and questionnaires on Amazon MTurk, measuring risk-taking (drunk driving, texting while …

The Soundscape Of The St. Johns River And Its Potential Impacts On The Habitat Use Patterns Of Bottlenose Dolphins, Carissa Deeann King

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The development of effective management plans for animal populations relies on an understanding of how the population is utilizing the habitat as well as the identification of any critical habitat areas. The St. Johns River (SJR), an urban estuary with a high level of anthropogenic disturbance, is home to a resident population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). In chapter one, SJR dolphin habitat use patterns, the factors that influenced these patterns, and the critical habitat areas were identified. Significant associations were found in most pair-wise comparisons between season, behavioral state, group size, water depth, and location, indicating that …

Rhapsode Metaphor: Understanding The Student-Teacher Relationship In Philosophy For Children, Ryan Dougherty

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines some of the different kinds of metaphors employed in our pedagogical practices. By using the Four Pillars of Philosophy for Children, an alternative metaphor for teaching philosophy is put forth as a viable alternative to the traditional options. This is what we can reasonably call the Rhapsode Metaphor.

Designing 2d Interfaces For 3d Gesture Retrieval Utilizing Deep Learning, Spencer Southard

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Gesture retrieval can be defined as the process of retrieving the correct meaning of the hand movement from a pre-assembled gesture dataset. The purpose of the research discussed here is to design and implement a gesture interface system that facilitates retrieval for an American Sign Language gesture set using a mobile device. The principal challenge discussed here will be the normalization of 2D gestures generated from the mobile device interface and the 3D gestures captured from video samples into a common data structure that can be utilized by deep learning networks. This thesis covers convolutional neural networks and auto encoders …

The Perceived Roles Of Student Affairs Administrators In Public Higher Education, Luisa C. Martinez

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The field of student affairs administration could benefit from research on how student affairs administrators perceive their duties, responsibilities, and obligations, as well as how such an understanding could contribute to organizational theory, practice, and policy. The purpose of this study was to examine how administrators in student affairs perceive their role in public higher education institutions in the United States. This study examined SAAs’ duties, obligations, and responsibilities (role) using Q methodology. Although there are perception studies using Q methodology in higher education, there are fewer empirical studies on how SAAs’ perceive their roles. Consequently, this study recruited forty …

Examining Leadership Approaches Of Community College Administrators: Understanding Leadership And Change Processes, Jametoria Lynette Houston Burton

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This purpose of the study was to explore the personal perspectives of three select state college administrators regarding their purpose, values, and beliefs they inherently espouse about leadership, developmental education and academic success. The researcher examined the ways in which community college administrators used communication strategies to lead change processes within their organizations. The researcher identified the administrators’ leadership approaches in leading a major redesign of a developmental education program at a large community college in Florida. The following primary research question was explored: What are the strategies adopted by the select state college administrators leading a major developmental education …

The Impact Of Social Presence And User Experience On Gender Sensitive E-Tail Websites, Dishi Shrivastava

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Internet has come afar, from connecting computers to connecting people. Since its early days, the use of Internet has evolved tremendously. People use the Internet today in a variety of different ways, including communicating with friends, family, co-workers and performing activities like paying bills and shopping. With the increase in electronic retailing (e-Tailing), attracting and retaining customers has become the most important part of running a successful business. However, the online shopping experience may be viewed as lacking human warmth and sociability as it is more impersonal, anonymous, automated and generally devoid of face-to face interactions. Thus, understanding how to …

Performance Analysis On Free-Piston Linear Expander, Furkan Kodakoglu

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The growing global demand for energy and environmental implications have created a need to further develop the current energy generation technologies (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.). Recovering energy from low grade energy sources such as waste heat is one of the methods for improving the performance of thermodynamic cycles. The objective of this work was to achieve long-term steady state operation of a Free-Piston Linear Expander (FPLE) and to compare the FPLE with the currently existing expander types for use in low temperature energy recovery systems. A previously designed FPLE with a single piston, two chambers, and linear alternator was studied …

Performance Evaluation Of Hadoop Based Big Data Applications With Hibench Benchmarking Tool On Iaas Cloud Platforms, Karthika Muthiah Ms.

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Cloud computing is a computing paradigm where large numbers of devices are connected through networks that provide a dynamically scalable infrastructure for applications, data and storage. Currently, many businesses, from small scale to big companies and industries, are changing their operations to utilize cloud services because cloud platforms could increase company’s growth through process efficiency and reduction in information technology spending [Coles16]. Companies are relying on cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services, Google Compute Engine, and Microsoft Azure, etc., for their business development.

Due to the emergence of new technologies, devices, and communications, the amount of data produced is growing …

Jailhouse Informants In Canadian Criminal Courts, Olena Beshley

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Criminal justice systems in Canada and around the world have been established to deal with matters that require attention, punishment, and justice. An important function of criminal justice systems is the evaluation of evidence presented in the court of law. Evidence from jailhouse informants who testify that they have been privy to confessions of crimes is a contentious issue. Much of the scholarly literature available to date on wrongful conviction cases focuses on causes of insufficient and unreliable evidence obtained through different techniques and from different sources. Despite the high number of investigations into wrongful conviction cases, the subject of …

Accountability, Conservation And Community: Measuring The Local Economic Impacts Of Protected Areas, Catharine A.M. Brazeau

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Canada has committed to help protect biodiversity through an increase in effectively and equitably managed systems of protected areas (PAs) by 2020. If Canada fulfills this commitment, the country will see the largest expansion of PA networks in its history. Although employing ‘equitable and effective management’ suggests PAs have a responsibility to consider their effects on local stakeholders, on the whole, Canada’s PA agencies do not publicly and systematically report on their jurisdictions’ local economic impacts. To address this gap, this thesis aims investigate mechanisms for PA agencies to identify and …

Health-Related Quality Of Life And Physical Activity In University Employees, Meghan Hoefs

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) reflects an individual’s subjective perception. The relationship between health-related quality of life and physical activity has been investigated in various populations, but is not well-documented in University employees. Additionally, variables such as an individual’s beliefs about physical activity and their satisfaction with functioning at work have yet to be investigated in this population. Little is known about the relationship between HRQL and these variables. Purpose: Evaluate the relationships among multiple measures of HRQL and physical activity in University employees and provide a descriptive picture of the University population. Methods: Participants (N …

Auditory Erp Differences Across A Continuum Of Psychotic Symptoms In Non-Clinical Population, Anaya Rehman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Psychosis is a term given to a mental state described as a loss of contact with the real world. The aim of this thesis was to examine early non-specific psychotic experiences in a healthy population by means of two self-report screening tools: Prime Screen and Youth Psychosis At-Risk Questionnaire-Brief, and place individuals on a psychosis continuum. Across this psychosis continuum, three event related potential (ERP) components were assessed: P300, Mismatch Negativity and N100. There is evidence that P300 and mismatch negativity amplitudes diminish in individuals with psychosis. Similarly, impaired N100 amplitude suppression (increased N100 amplitudes) during vocalization has been observed …

Desiring To Appear Moral Versus Being Moral: Development Of Moral Hypocrisy And Moral Integrity, Kathleen Tamming

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Moral hypocrisy has been defined as “the motivation to appear moral while acting in one’s self interest, and therefore avoiding the cost of actually being moral” (Batson, Kobrynowicz, Dinnerstein, Kampf, & Wilson, 1997). This is in contrast with moral integrity, or the motivation to actually be moral. Experimental research with adults has indicated that people are more highly motivated by moral hypocrisy than by moral integrity (Batson, Thompson, & Chen, 2002). However, this research has yet to be conducted with a variety of age groups. The present study investigated whether there are age differences in individuals’ tendency to engage in …