Digital Commons Network^™

Machine Learning Using Instruments For Text Selection: Predicting Innovation Performance, Kian Guan Lim, Michelle S. J. Lim

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In machine learning we utilize the idea of employing instrumental variable such as patent records to train the texts. Patent records are highly correlated with R&D expenditures, but are not necessarily correlated with performance residuals not linked to R&D. Thus, using instrumental patent records to train word counts of selected texts to serve as a proxy for firm R&D expenditure, we show that the texts and associated word counts provide effective prediction of firm innovation performances such as firm market value and total sales growth.

Improving Healthcare Readiness To Respond To Human Trafficking: A Case Study, Traci A. Hefner

All Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to assess the readiness of a Department of Emergency Medicine (ED) to respond to human trafficking (HT), using an adapted Transtheoretical Model’s Stage of Change Model as a guide. Content analysis allowed for an assessment of 13 system-wide policies and procedures and 25 hours of on-site observations of patient data collection processes and clinical practices during intake, triage, and the medical screening evaluation at three ED sites. Thematic analysis identified five readiness themes based on semi-structured interviews with 22 healthcare personnel from four ED sties. Results indicated that system-wide policies and procedures …

Systems Engineering Approaches To Minimize The Viral Spread Of Social Media Challenges, Amro Khasawneh

All Dissertations

Recently, adolescents’ and young adults’ use of social media has significantly increased. While this new landscape of cyberspace offers young internet users many benefits, it also exposes them to numerous risks. One such phenomenon receiving limited research attention is the advent and propagation of viral social media challenges. Several of these challenges entail self-harming behavior, which combined with their viral nature, poses physical and psychological risks for the participants and the viewers. One example of these viral social media challenges that could potentially be propagated through social media is the Blue Whale Challenge (BWC). In the initial study we investigate …

Worship-Worthiness And Absolute Perfection: Towards An Account Of Supreme Worship-Worthiness, Austin Mccoy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Theists and non-theists alike have generally taken absolute perfection to be a necessary condition for worship-worthiness. Unless the object is absolutely perfect, it is often put, the kinds of attitudes or actions constitutive of worship are unwarranted. In this thesis, I offer an account of worship-worthiness that does not take for granted that to be worship-worthy is to be absolutely perfect. More specifically, I advance the claim that to be absolutely perfect is to be supremely worship-worthy and that supreme worship-worthiness holds a unique position in this respect. For instance, I argue that to be absolutely perfect and thus supremely …

Conspiracy Theories And The Quest For Truth, Rachel Runnels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conspiracy theories are deeply embedded in American culture, especially in current American society. The popularity of conspiracy theories in general reveals that society is becoming increasingly skeptical of authoritative organizations. Because of “fake news” and the availability of information and connection on the internet, people feel as though they must question everything, even sources they previously viewed as unquestionable authorities.

My analysis looks at how online conspiracy organizations create and defend their arguments in an attempt to understand why conspiracy theories are so persuasive. I analyze the rhetoric of three online conspiracy theory organizations: the Flat Earth Society, the Mutual …

I Pity The Fool: Ori Herstein's Defense Of The Klutz, Anthony J. Sebok

Articles

No abstract provided.

Te Perdono: Constructs That Influence Forgiveness Of Infidelity In Latinx Romantic Relationships, Luis San Roman

Interdisciplinary Leadership Dissertations

The aim of the present study was to investigate the link between attachment style and acculturation on forgiveness after a sexual and/or emotional infidelity in Latinx Romantic Relationship using measures of attachment (attachment style (i.e. secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing)), acculturation (level of acculturation (i.e. machismo and familism)), and depositional forgiveness (i.e. revenge, avoidant, and benevolence). One hundred and thirteen Latinx participated in this study and completed an internet-based questionnaire. This study found that secure attachment and familism was a positive predictor of forgiveness. The study also found that fearful attachment and sexual infidelity was a positive predictor of revenge …

Simulation And Optimization Of A Multi-Agent System On Physical Internet Enabled Interconnected Urban Logistics., Long Zheng

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An urban logistics system is composed of multiple agents, e.g., shippers, carriers, and distribution centers, etc., and multi-modal networks. The structure of Physical Internet (PI) transportation network is different from current logistics practices, and simulation can effectively model a series of PI-approach scenarios. In addition to the baseline model, three more scenarios are enacted based on different characteristics: shared trucks, shared hubs, and shared flows with other less-than-truckload shipments passing through the urban area. Five performance measures, i.e., truck distance per container, mean truck time per container, lead time, CO₂ emissions, and transport mean fill rate, are included in …

Meta-Engagement: An Examination Of Employee Engagement Antecedant Variable Interactions And The Impact On Engagement Outcomes., Joshua Branden Jordan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is a meta-analysis of employee engagement, employee engagement antecedent variable relationships, and the impact on engagement outcomes. Specifically, this analysis excluded the use of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) as a measure for employee engagement. Using the model proposed by Shuck and Wollard (2011) to understand relationship magnitude, this study examined the relationship of employee engagement antecedents (work-family conflict and supportive organizational culture), antecedents in relation to employee engagement and intent to turnover, and the relationship between employee engagement and intent to turnover. The results suggest a significant effect size for the pairing work family conflict/intent to …

The Tournament And Chivalry As Represented By Chrétien De Troyes, Marie De France, And Geoffrey Chaucer., Hailey Michelle Brangers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is a common belief among historians that the tournament was the ultimate expression of chivalry, as a place where knights could openly display their prowess, courtoisie, and largesse. A knight’s relationship with ladies was also crucial to measuring his chivalrousness. Despite the importance of both within chivalric knighthood, little has been done to explore their interrelation. With romance literature being the most tangible source for understanding both the tournament and a lady’s role in it, this thesis explores the relationship between the two. I begin with a brief introductory history of the tournament, establishing its war-centric foundations and touching …

Hiring Algorithms In The Canadian Private Sector: Examining The Promise Of Greater Workplace Equality, Connor Bildfell

Canadian Journal of Law and Technology

Private-sector employers are increasingly using hiring algorithms as a tool for screening job applicants, comparing qualifications, and ultimately determining which candidates should be selected. Within this context, hiring algorithms make no small promise: a hiring process that is not only more efficient and effective, but also more supportive of workplace equality. This promise rests largely on the notion that traditional human-driven models of hiring are beset by subjective biases and prejudices, whereas hiring algorithms, which are driven by hard data and objective evidence, can eliminate certain human biases and prejudices, thereby promoting workplace equality. But can hiring algorithms deliver on …

University Of California 4-H Latino Initiative: Experiences Of Bicultural And Bilingual Staff, Steven Worker, María Fábregas Janeiro, Claudia Diaz Carrasco, Katherine Soule

Journal of Youth Development

We report data from the first year of an initiative to engage Latino youth and families in the 4-H Youth Development Program, managed by the University of California. Through qualitative questionnaires and focus group interviews, we analyzed experiences of 6 new bilingual and bicultural program staff, hired specifically to implement youth development programming to reach Latino youth. Staff reported a steep learning curve, with competing demands to build relationships, engage youth, and show results. Lessons learned may help shape activities that other youth development programs may consider in similar efforts.

Teens In The Somali Diaspora: An Evaluative Program Study, Jennifer Skuza

Journal of Youth Development

Program evaluation is a critical part of program sustainability because evaluation can inform improvements and document impact. Here, 2 Minnesota organizations came together in partnership with the Somali American community to work toward a shared vision, which was to develop a new sustainable program that prepared refugee and immigrant youth for their educational and workforce futures while supporting their cultural way of being. This article shares the evaluative study of this program, which reached teens in the Somali diaspora living in Minnesota. The program team had a long-term interest in developing an evidence-based model to suit this special population; this …

Guiding Principles For Reaching And Engaging Latinx Youth In Youth Development Programs, Fe Moncloa, Nancy Erbstein, Aarti Subramaniam, Claudia Diaz Carrasco

Journal of Youth Development

This qualitative study presents practices associated with sustained youth engagement at 13 Latinx-serving youth development programs located in 3 California counties: 1 rural, 1 suburban, and 1 urban. Empirical findings reflect 5 key dimensions of practice: (a) integrate extended understandings of positive youth development, (b) support positive ethnic identity development, (c) contend with physiological and social effects of discrimination, (d) respond to the ramifications of economic poverty, and (e) act upon the diversity of local and regional Latinx experience. Study findings translate into guiding principles that youth development programs are encouraged to operationalize based on local interests, needs, and resources.

Understanding Youths’ Educational Aspirations In The Somali Diaspora, Joanna Tzenis

Journal of Youth Development

This article shares findings from a 10-month qualitative longitudinal study that offer insight into the educational aspirations of American youth (grades 6-9) who belong to the Minnesota Somali diaspora and highlight the social and cultural influences that shape these aspirations. The findings show that while the majority of youth participants (at one point in the study) expressed that they wanted to become doctors in the future, these aspirations were informed by family values around helping others in Somalia—not an interest in medicine or science. The findings also demonstrate that through time, as the high school youth began to engage more …

Brownsville—On The Border By The Sea, Andres Guerra

Journal of Youth Development

The opportunity to learn about and experience diverse cultures, languages and foods is a benefit of living in a border community, such as Brownsville, Texas, which borders Mexico. The youth author highlights his Brownsville experiences and shares how they enrich his personal growth and appreciation for diversity.

Pray-Er: Scholarly Program Notes On The Graduate Conducting Recital Of Nyghél J. Byrd, Nyghel Byrd

Research Papers

This document presents extended program notes on the graduate choral conducting recital of Nyghel J. Byrd entitled Prayer. This document consists of six chapters, which discuss historical and programmatic details of the pieces presented. This document includes the rehearsal process, programming difficulties as well as possible solutions. The selections include the following choral works and pieces: Baba Yetu by Christopher Tin, Abide with Me arranged by Moses Hogan, “Amen Chorus” from Messiah by George Fredrick Handel, Myél’s Mass by Myél Byrd, “Prayer Fixes Things” and “Campfire Prayer” from A Choral Triptych: Three Prayer Responses by Jason Max …

Identifying Exosomes In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Efirm, Bram Holladay

Student Scholarship

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) affects 53,000 Americans each year making it the sixth most common cancer in the United States. The incidence rate may be even higher since current screening methods are underutilized and physical examinations can misdiagnose malignant oral tumors as benign inflammatory lesions. Recent advances in genetic, protein, and extracellular vesicle biomarker detection techniques can monitor the transformation of healthy cells into tumors before terminal stages arise. Biomarkers can be easily extracted from biofluids such as saliva making them less invasive than traditional tissue biopsies. One biomarker prevalent in OSCC is exosomes, which are extracellular vesicles that …

Contrasting And Synthesizing Perspectives On Late Stage Capitalism And The French Revolution, Alyssa Allen

Jessie O'Kelly Freshman Essay Award

The modern-day American wealth inequality epidemic coupled with the effective silencing of the masses through superdelegates and the Electoral College fosters conditions akin to Pre-Revolutionary France with the bourgeoisie being oppressed through wealth inequality and the Estate System.

Variability In Pcb Exposure Of Adolescent Sexual Maturation In Published Articles, Harshal Shet

Anthropology

One of the most important aspects of science is replication of research studies between different labs. This capability for scientists to check their work, and that of other scientists, leads to research results of interest being well-accepted and qualified. When research studies cannot be replicated under ideal experimental conditions, people can believe results that are not consistent, and the data is not real. The main objective of this study was to examine the variability on the levels of different PCB congeners from various studies and their effects on sexual maturation in adolescent population. The detectable levels of different PCB congeners …

A Soft-Error Reliability Testing Platform For Fpga-Based Network Systems, Hayden Cole Rowberry

Theses and Dissertations

FPGAs are frequently used in network systems to provide the performance and flexibility that is required of modern computer networks while allowing network vendors to bring products to market quickly. Like all electronic devices, FPGAs are vulnerable to ionizing radiation which can cause applications operating on an FPGA to fail. These low-level failures can have a wide range of negative effects on the performance of a network system. As computer networks play a larger role in modern society, it becomes increasingly important that these soft errors are addressed in the design of network systems.This work presents a framework for testing …

Maverick: A Stand-Alone Cad Flow For Partially Reconfigurable Fpga Modules, Dallon Godfrey Glick

Theses and Dissertations

Circuit designs for field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are typically compiled by FPGA vendor tools, such as Xilinx's Vivado Design Suite. In recent years, partial reconfiguration (PR) has emerged as a popular technique that allows portions of an FPGA to be dynamically reconfigured after the complete device has been configured with an initial bitstream. However, the nature of current FPGA vendor tools limits further innovation and possible usage models of PR.This thesis presents Maverick, an open-source proof-of-concept computer-aided design (CAD) flow for generating reconfigurable modules (RMs) which target PR regions in FPGA designs. Maverick builds upon existing open source tools (Yosys, …

Reverse Mentoring In The Classroom: A Qualitative Study, Shandon Miles Gubler

Theses and Dissertations

The intent of this paper is to understand the lived experiences of higher education students engaging in reverse mentoring. A literature review aims to discover how reverse mentoring is being implemented. Reverse mentoring, framed by social exchange theory and leader-member exchange theory, is a method focused on younger generations teaching technology to older generations, such as current-day Millennials with Baby Boomers. This review examines reverse mentoring practices, analyzes what has worked, and seeks to determine if this learning method has a place in the classroom. Due to the segmented, yet evolving application of reverse mentoring, there is a lack of …

Cuinse₂ Nanotube Arrays For Efficient Solar Energy Conversion, Wipula Priya Liyanage, Manashi Nath

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Highly uniform and vertically aligned p-type CuInSe₂ (CISe) nanotube arrays were fabricated through a unique protocol, incorporating confined electrodeposition on lithographically patterned nanoelectrodes. This protocol can be readily adapted to fabricate nanotube arrays of other photoabsorber and functional materials with precisely controllable design parameters. Ternary CISe nanotube arrays were electrodeposited congruently from a single electrolytic bath and the resulting nanotube arrays were studied through powder X-ray diffraction as well as elemental analysis which revealed compositional purity. Detailed photoelectrochemical (PEC) characterizations in a liquid junction cell were also carried out to investigate the photoconversion efficiency. It was observed that the …

Making Discrimination Legal: A Comparison Of The Penal Laws In Ireland And The Nuremberg Laws And Other Laws In Nazi Germany, Gage Overton

Honors College Theses

The Penal Laws and the Nuremberg Laws were sets of legal codes which stripped away basic rights and civil liberties from Irish Catholics in the seventeenth and eighteenth century and German Jews in the 1930s and 1940s respectively. My research into these laws has allowed me to discover that the methods used by the English Crown and the Nazi German state to separate the groups targeted by their laws, as well as the circumstances which led to their implementation, were eerily similar, nearly identical. Besides this, they ultimately used this strategy as a way to justify the elimination of the …

Securitisation Special Purpose Vehicles In Ireland: Regulatory Nature And Central Bank Of Ireland Supervision, Matteo Zambelli

Journal of International Business and Law

No abstract provided.

Financial And Industrial Investors: It Is Time For An Informal Voice, Monica Cossu

Journal of International Business and Law

This article begins by distinguishing between financial intermediaries and institutional investors, and providing a taxonomy of the different types of active behaviours starting with the formal, more traditional and widely-known typologies of activism, then redirecting focus to other informal forms of activism, disentangling the "collective" from the "individual" ones. References will be made to American, British, French, German, Italian and Spanish contexts. Some limited remarks will be devoted to identifying the specifics aims and similarities of other international jurisdictions (for example to Icelandic one for its slate voting system for the appointment of directors, which is very similar to the …

Supporting Parents In Title I Schools: A Qualitative Study Of Parent Engagement, Vanessa Sanchez

Master's Theses

This qualitative study focuses on how to improve parent engagement in Title I schools from parents’ point of view. The purpose of this project is to understand parent involvement in a Northern California school and how to improve it. This paper offers insights from parents’ perspectives how parents view the education process. The focus is on their experiences and how to support all parents. The lenses of the study is viewed through a critical pedagogy and social cognitive theory. All five of the parents being interviewed had suggestions on how to improve parent engagement in Title I Schools. The three …

2019 December, Morehead State University. Office Of Communications And Marketing.

Morehead State Press Release Archive, 1961 to the Present

Press releases for December of 2019.

Another Day, Mary Dengler

Pro Rege

No abstract provided.