Digital Commons Network^™

No Laughing Matter: Failures Of Satire During The 2016 Presidential Election, Jamie Noelle Smith

Honors Theses and Capstones

The 2016 presidential election was so full of unusual characters and unprecedented scandals, that media outlets, from the nightly news to late-night, had to adjust to this new normal in politics. Indeed, not even the jokesters on the handful of political satire shows on television were immune to the necessary changes that all the media had to take in covering Donald Trump. Given how many people tuned into to these shows each week, it is no surprise that the role that political satire television may have played in the election results was fodder for those giving post-election hot takes. Many …

Changing Attitudes: The Impact Of A Disability Awareness Class, Christine Ann Masci

Honors Theses and Capstones

Attitudes towards people with disabilities can be either positive or negative. A undergraduate college course about disability awareness followed a structure focusing on awareness, interaction with PWD, and education in order to make a positive impact on attitudes. The study compared the disability awareness class to a general education humanities class. While results indicated that there was not a significant change in pre and post scores when comparing the classes, there was a significant change in the disability awareness class upon further analysis of data. There are additional suggestions to further the impact of the class within the disability awareness …

Understanding Self-Reported Sexual Violence Perpetration: Correlates And Prevention Participation, Jacqueline F. Klatt

Honors Theses and Capstones

Bystander prevention programs seek to educate individuals on the nature of sexual violence and increase bystander efficacy. This study seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bringing in the Bystander (BITB) prevention program through self-reports of perpetration behaviors as well as risk factors associated with perpetration. The bystander prevention program was implemented on a rural mid-sized public university and first-year students were surveyed three times at separate time points (2 weeks, 5 months, and 12 months) after the program conclusion. Results from a correlational and logistic regression analysis show that endorsement of violent peer norms, rape myth acceptance, and rape …

Effect Of Word Choice On Comfort Level In Male Collegiate Hockey Players During Air Displacement Plethysmography Assessments, Elizabeth A. Suschana

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Data Breaches In Higher Education Institutions, Samantha Mello

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Tracing Writing Techniques From High School To College: Writing As Discussion For Students From Low-Income Backgrounds, Connor Mullins

Honors Theses and Capstones

Students from low-income backgrounds are finding themselves more disenfranchised with school as they progress through their high school careers. This thesis presents the notion that generating a positive form of extrinsic motivation within in the classroom can orient students to become intrinsically motivated towards schooling and writing. In interviewing six students within an Upward Bound program, I found that the approaches the program took during their summer session helped generate an interest for writing within students. By creating a community that cared for each other and brought writing instruction to focus on communication, students found themselves enjoying the process of …

Using Contingent Valuation To Measure The Economic Impact Of Climate Change On Hiker Recreation During New England Peak Foliage, Marina J. Bowie

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper seeks to define and develop an economic tool for measuring willingness to pay for hiking recreation in the face of climate change in New England during the peak foliage season. Potential climate change impacts to New England are defined, along with relevant economic tools for measuring the market value of non-marketed goods. Ultimately, contingent valuation is chosen as the most viable option, and a survey is developed, pretested, and ready for implementation at the trailhead of Mt. Major in New Hampshire.

Do Hotel Guests Act According To Their Intentions As It Relates To Sustainability In A Hotel Setting?, Heather A. Price

Honors Theses and Capstones

As humans continue to use our planet’s resources at a rapid pace, we must act quickly to implement solutions and strategies that will create a positive impact on our environment. The hotel industry represents a huge opportunity for increasing sustainability practices, as these establishments tend to consume tremendous amounts of natural resources through energy and water usage; thus creating quite a bit of waste. For this customer-centric industry, change starts with consumer expectations and intentions to act. The purpose of this study was to assess hotel guests’ values and intentions for sustainable hotels, and compare how this aligns with their …

The Importance Of Transparency And Willingness To Share Personal Information, Drew D. Sullivan

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study investigates the extent to which individuals are willing to share their sensitive personal information with companies. The study examines whether skepticism can influence willingness to share information. Additionally, it seeks to determine whether transparency can moderate the relationship between skepticism and willingness to share and whether 1) companies perceived motives, 2) individual’s prior privacy violations, 3) individuals’ propensity to take risks, and 4) individuals self-efficacy act as antecedents of skepticism. Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression is used to examine the relationships between all the factors. The findings indicate that skepticism does have a negative impact on willingness to …

Modeling Momentum-Diffusion In The Solar Wind, Evin C. O'Shea

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Sun is both a resource and a danger. We must be able to predict or have forewarning of large solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and their potential threats to astronauts, GPS, radio communications, and power grids. I have used the Energetic Particle Radiation Environment Module (EPREM) code, which is used by PREDICCS, UNH's radiation dosage predictions website, to model interstellar-pickup ions (PUIs). I add to the model by including a momentum-diffusion term which contributes to the change in the distribution as it evolves in time. Here, I investigate how the given model of momentum-diffusion affects the energetic …

Friend From France: The Popular Image Of The Marquis De Lafayette In Early America, Elisabeth Iacono

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper addresses the impressions the Marquis de Lafayette made upon the American people during the American Revolution and his return tour in 1824. As someone who has admired Lafayette since I was young, I was aware of the fact that many locations are named after the general and that he plays a prominent role in shows such as the Broadway musical Hamilton. I wanted to study why Lafayette had such an impact on the American people, and why he has been memorialized in a positive manner. As a promoter of liberty, Lafayette was embraced by the colonists for his …

Why Do Makers Make? Examining Designer Motivations On Thingiverse.Com, Courtney H. Shaw

Honors Theses and Capstones

Technological advancements have made a once fictitious dream into a reality. 3D printing has become a popular manufacturing and design technique used all over the world. As this industry becomes more popular, users of these 3D printers are reaching out across the web to share designs, seek help, and build communities of users with similar interests. This study is meant to look at what motivates 3D printing users to participate in online user innovation communities such as Thingiverse.com. This study will explore motivations such as personal needs, financial gains, approval of peers, skill development, and enjoyment. Moreover, it will assess …

Modeling Momentum-Diffusion In The Solar Wind, Evin C. O'Shea

Honors Theses and Capstones

Energetic particles accelerated by large solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are a threat to astronauts, global positioning systems (GPS), radio communications, and power grids. It is therefore vital that scientists be able to predict how such particles move and gain energy within the interplanetary medium in order to forewarn society impending hazards so that mitigating actions can be taken. In this work, I take a step towards this goal, using the Energetic Particle Radiation Environment Module (EPREM) code, which is used by UNH's radiation-dosage predictions website, I model interstellar-pickup ions (PUIs). I add to the model by including …

On Numerical Stochastic Optimal Control Via Bellman's Dynamic Programming Principle, Prince Osei Aboagye

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In this work, we present an application of Stochastic Control Theory to the Merton's portfolio optimization problem. Then, the dynamic programming methodology is applied to reduce the whole problem to solving the well-known HJB (Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman) equation that arises from the Merton's portfolio optimization problem subject to the power utility function. Finally, a numerical method is proposed to solve the HJB equation and the optimal strategy. The numerical solutions are compared with the explicit solutions for optimal consumption and investment control policies.

Impact Of Patient Demographics And Health Insurance On Hospital Discharge, Ana Acosta

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Based on discharge data collected with 241 patients who received medical care from a fall injury between 2014 and 2015 at the emergency room in a general hospital in El Paso, Texas, I will examine whether individuals over age 55 have health insurance and the type of care that is recommended to patients after being discharged. In particular, I will examine demographics, including ethnicity, age, and language on whether the patient paid with insurance and the disposition of discharge from the emergency department after a fall. Additionally, I will examine which demographic factors are associated with disposition of discharge- facility, …

An Examination Of Student Self-Regulation Learning Strategies In Online Courses At A Hispanic Serving Institution, Ricardo Acevedo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The study examined student utilization and application of learning strategies in college level online courses and the context was a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in the Southwest. Even though online courses continue to grow at a steady pace, few research studies have taken the task to analyze the utilization of learning strategies and their utility in online learning programs and under the fold of student success. The overarching purpose of the present study was to delve into important student factors across learning strategies under this instructional format. For the present study a multivariate analysis of covariance with five outcome variables …

Association Of Opioid Metabolism With Aberrant Drug-Related Behaviors Among Non-Malignant Chronic Pain Patients, Eduardo Aguila

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

An estimated 100 million Americans suffer from some form of chronic pain. Chronic opioid therapy (COT) use in non-malignant chronic pain patients (NMCPP) has markedly increased over the past two decades due to growing consensus that COT is suitable for the treatment of moderate-to-severe non-malignant chronic pain. Yet, COT for NMCPP has been widely associated with multiple aberrant drug-related behaviors (ADRB) such as misuse, abuse, diversion, addiction, and pseudoaddiction. One reason for the relative high incidence of ADRB among NMCPP on COT may be genetics-induced medication response variability, which, can result in pharmacotherapy failure and/or toxicity

The present study evaluated …

Computational Modeling Of Ring Dna-Carbon Nanotube Sensors, Aliasghar Alizadehmojarad

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Non-covalent interactions between single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotides and carbon nanotubes have provided a unique class of tunable chemistries for applications in nanotube chirality purification, gene delivery, electrochemistry, and nanosensor development. However, mechanistic insight into both the photophysical and intermolecular phenomena underlying their utility in such applications is lacking, resulting in non-systematic approaches to producing DNAnanotube based technologies. In this work, we explore the molecular interactions between ssDNA polymers, in particular (GT)6, and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in an ultrasensitive nanosensor for a modulatory neurotransmitters dopamine. Classical molecular dynamics simulations show that (GT)6 oligonucleotides adopt ordered, ring-like conformations around SWNT in …

Superpixel-Based Hyperspectral Unmixing With Regional Segmentation, Mohammed Qassim Alkhatib

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Unsupervised unmixing analysis aims to extract the basic materials, also known as, endmembers, and their fractions (or abundances) from a hyperspectral image. In this work, a new unsupervised unmixing approach based on Low Dimensional representation with regional analysis is developed. A low dimensional image representation is obtained using superpixel segmentation where each superpixel is represented by its mean spectra. Regional analysis is then performed using the quadtree segmentation based on the Shannon entropy. Endmembers are extracted from each region and combined using clustering into endmember classes. The proposed approach is tested and validated using the HyDICE Urban, ROSIS Pavia, and …

The Process Of Adoption Of Disruptive Innovations In Local Health Care Agencies Delivering Primary Care, Aurora Aguirre Polanco

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The current state of the U.S. health care system is complex and limit access to care to many consumers, thus compromising their health outcomes. The problems of limited access and questionable quality can be addressed by focusing on enhancing the primary health care field. Improvements in both the access and performance of primary health care agencies, derive in better health outcomes and cost savings to the system in the long-term. Disruptive innovations, that make products and services simpler and more affordable, are adopted in agencies and potentially improve access and performance measures. However, the adoption of disruptive innovations in local …

Effects Of Gradation And Moisture Content On Resistivity Of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall Backfill Materials, Jose Luis Arciniega

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The service life of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls depends on the corrosion rate of the metallic reinforcement used in their construction. The resistivity of the backfill aggregates needs to be measured accurately in order to estimate realistically the corrosion rate of the reinforcement. Resistivity testing is usually performed using the traditional soil box on the portion of the aggregates that passes a No. 10 or No. 8 sieve to either select or reject the backfill. For a more reasonable characterization of the corrosivity of coarse backfills, it is desirable to use their actual gradations. To that end, several resistivity …

Differentiating Darkness: Decision-Making Differences Between Psychopathy And Machiavellianism, Jessica R. Carre

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Machiavellianism and psychopathy are correlated but distinct personality traits that are associated with interpersonal manipulation and selfish behaviors (Paulhus & Williams, 2002). Based on a recent meta-analytic review, researchers have questioned whether these traits are distinct (Miller, Hyatt, Maples-Keller, Carter & Lynam, 2016). These meta-analytic reviews, however, have largely been based on atheoretical studies examining the relationship of these traits with self-reported outcomes. The purpose of the present research was to directly test the differences between Machiavellianism and psychopathy with respect to fundamental decision-making processes. In study one, the difference between psychopathy and Machiavellianism was assessed in terms of passive …

High Recovery Inland Desalination: A Technical And Economic Performance Evaluation Of Zero Discharge Desalination And Other Technologies, Malynda Aragon Cappelle

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Increasing population and diminishing freshwater resources are leading to increased competition between users of freshwater, both in terms of surface water and groundwater. Desalination can augment the water supply, but conventional approaches like reverse osmosis are usually limited to 70-80% recovery. Inland brine disposal options are often limited, presenting significant technical and economic obstacles to implementing desalination technology. In comparison to conventional desalination technologies, high recovery desalination methods such as Zero Discharge Desalination (ZDD) offer substantially higher potable water yield (i.e., 95-98%) from brackish water. ZDD is a hybrid process that combines reverse osmosis (RO) or nanofiltration (NF) with electrodialysis …

Improving Time-Of-Flight And Other Depth Images: Super-Resolution And Denoising Using Variational Methods, Salvador Canales Andrade

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Depth information is a new important source of perception for machines, which allow them to have a better representation of the surroundings. The depth information provides a more precise map of the location of every object and surfaces in a space of interest in comparison with conventional cameras. Time of flight (ToF) cameras provide one of the techniques to acquire depth maps, however they produce low spatial resolution and noisy maps. This research proposes a framework to enhance and up-scale depth maps by using two different regularization terms: Total Generalized Variation (TGV) and Total Generalized Variation with a Structure Tensor …

Photo-Induced Charge Transport In Graphene And Semiconducting Wse2 Integrated With Zero-Dimensional Materials For Enhancing Optoelectronic Device Characteristics, Srishti Chugh

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Two-dimensional (2D) materials encompass a diverse array of properties from the metallic-like character of graphene to the semiconducting nature of many of the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) such as tungsten diselenide (WSe2). These materials exhibit intriguing interactions with incoming radiation which makes them interesting for electronics and optoelectronics, especially given the high electron mobility and the ballistic nature of the electronic transport under certain conditions. In particular, the semiconducting TMDCs, such as WSe2, express an indirect-to-direct optical transition with scaling from the bulk to monolayers. Despite the enhanced optical absorption characteristics of monolayer WSe2 stemming from its direct band gap, …

Biologically Available Phosphorus In Biocrust-Dominated Soils Of The Chihuahuan Desert, Grace Margaret Crain

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In desert soils, phosphorus (P) is an important limiting nutrient and its cycling characteristics are less understood compared to nitrogen and carbon. Phosphorus cycling is controlled by both geochemical and biological factors. Traditionally, P availability has been characterized via sequential extraction analyses such as Hedley fractionation, but newly developed extraction methods allow for the examination of more biologically relevant P fractions, providing insight on mechanisms of P acquisition by plants and microbes. We examined these P cycling features in the context of biological soil crusts (biocrusts), which have been found to be important drivers of nutrient cycling and have the …

Design And Experimental Study Of A High Pressure And Supercritical Methane-Oxygen Burner, A S M Arifur Rahim Chowdhury

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Directly heated supercritical oxy-fuel power cycles have potential to offer a higher thermal efficiency and lower pollutant emissions compared to existing power cycles. Recent thermodynamic analysis of the cycle performed by several groups including the UTEP-Air Liquide research team show that combustion in the vicinity of 300 bar pressure and 1000-1400 K temperature allows for relatively high system efficiencies while operating within the limit of practical combustor materials. However, the realization of directly heated supercritical power cycle requires combustion systems be designed to operate in supercritical conditions and at temperature far below the blowout limit of conventional flames (above 1500 …

Trace Metal And Metalloid Behavior In The Submicron Scale Components Of Coal Fly Ashes: Insights From Combined Microscopic And Microbiological Studies, Matthew Costa

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

For over a century, coal has been used worldwide to meet ever-growing energy demands. Coal combustion accounts for over 30% of electricity generation in the United States. In the U.S., coal combustion produces annually over 100 million tons of coal combustion products (CCPs) of which only 30% are used in beneficial and economic ways. One of the primary CCPs from coal-burning power plants is fly ash, typically fine-sized and enriched in many trace elements (e.g., arsenic, chromium, lead, and vanadium). When disposed in the environment, fly ash may release significant concentrations of trace elements into surrounding ecosystems and induce toxicity …

Nutrition Label Accuracy And The Theory Of Triadic Influence: The Impact Of Knowledge On Healthy Food Choices In A Predominantly Hispanic Sample, Mosi Staudt Dane'el

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Unhealthy food choices and the outcomes of those choices are a significant concern in the United States. Multiple governmental agencies recommend using nutrition labels to promote healthier food choices. This study investigated this claim using the theory of triadic influence to examine the efficacious use of nutrition labels on food choices. The theory of triadic influence presents a model of variables that affect food choice, including knowledge pathways on which this study focuses. Within the model, we expected increased scores on two measures of health knowledge to predict nutrition label understanding, which predict healthy food attitudes. Next, we expected that …

Twenty-Sixth Report Of The Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee: 2016, Andrew Kratter

Florida Field Naturalist

No abstract provided.