Digital Commons Network^™

Scarico: It’S Only A Movie, Most Of The Time, Thomas Nelson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Exploitation cinema is a domain of motion picture content catering to a viewership interested in imagery that is more provocative than what mainstream audiences desire to see. These types of films are typically considered lowbrow entertainment and have been made in every era, albeit in a limited capacity proportional to the niche audience demand for them. Some time periods see a rise in exploitation film productions in response to a growing demand for such content from a larger share of the broader cinematic audience. This relationship indicates that period-specific cultural factors can cause mainstream audience members to seek out more …

Movie Reviews Sentiment Analysis Using Bert, Gibson Nkhata

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sentiment analysis (SA) or opinion mining is analysis of emotions and opinions from texts. It is one of the active research areas in Natural Language Processing (NLP). Various approaches have been deployed in the literature to address the problem. These techniques devise complex and sophisticated frameworks in order to attain optimal accuracy with their focus on polarity classification or binary classification. In this paper, we aim to fine-tune BERT in a simple but robust approach for movie reviews sentiment analysis to provide better accuracy than state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods. We start by conducting sentiment classification for every review, followed by computing …

The Central Valley Transportation Challenge, Christian Wandeler, Steve Hart

Mineta Transportation Institute

The Central Valley Transportation Challenge provides underserved minority students, who are primarily from rural areas, with high quality transportation-related educational experiences so that they learn about transportation-related topics and opportunities in transportation careers. The CVTC is a project-based learning program that brings university faculty and students to K–12 classrooms in rural areas. The project operated with three main objectives: (1) support K–12 teachers’ understanding and implementation of the CVTC programs; (2) connect K–12 students with university faculty and students, and transportation professionals through the CVTC program; and (3) develop an online hub with transportation-related lesson plans and sequences. The results …

A Framework For Assessing The 4th Rank Dispersivity Tensor Under Anisotropic Axial Symmetries, Xiang Fan

Dissertations

Multi-dimensional expansion of the advection-dispersion equation necessitated the representation of dispersivity as a 4th rank tensor. This tensorial form of dispersivity has 81 terms in three-dimensions with a maximum of 36 independent terms that may be used to describe Fickian spreading of a dissolved contaminant plume according to intrinsic properties of a porous medium. The complexity of the 4th rank tensor has led to the common practice of simplifying the tensor to only 2 or 3 independent terms by assuming isotropic conditions, although isotropic porous media are uncommon in nature as many natural geologic systems exhibit pronounced anisotropy. A broad …

Pharmacogenomics Translation In A Community Medical Context Using A Diffusion Of Innovations Framework: Provider Perspectives And Evaluation Implications, Sabrina Ewald Holley

Dissertations

Translation, in the context of medical research, is a process that describes how knowledge and innovation move and change into real world applications and outcomes. This study explores the translation of a medical innovation, pharmacogenomics (PGx), from research into clinical practice using the perspectives of medical providers in a community setting. PGx is the influence of a person’s genetics on drug response. Despite being available for over a decade, PGx testing is not widely adopted. Prior research primarily examined PGx translation in large academic medical centers, but not much is known about it in community practice settings. A better understanding …

Universal Pre-K In Comstock Public Schools, Meadow A. Nuyen

Dissertations

In 1971, President Nixon vetoed legislation that would have created federal funding for the education of kids under age five. With the veto, President Nixon reaffirmed that, except for poor children, the education and care of the children is the responsibility of the family, not the government. Yet over 31 years later, 41 states and the District of Columbia provide state-funded preschool (Waxman, 2021). Preschool in the state of Michigan is not automatically provided as K-12 education is. This study examined the beliefs of staff in Comstock Public Schools regarding Universal Pre-K, tuition-free preschool for all 4-year-olds. Participants included district …

Don’T Judge A Book By Its Covr: Learning And Training In Virtual Reality; The Effects Of Two Levels Of Immersion, Kendall Carmody, Meredith Carroll

Aeronautics Faculty Publications

Immersive devices, such as virtual reality (VR) devices are swiftly being integrated into military and civil operations as advanced tools for training, with studies observing the beneficial aspects of employing these devices for training cognitive skills (Xie et al., 2021). However, further research is needed to understand specific characteristics of the learning effectiveness of the technology and identify which levels of immersion benefit specific learning constructs in training. This study examined the effect of immersion on four constructs related to learning, including memory retention, learner engagement, learning performance in the form of knowledge acquisition, and perceived learning in a virtual …

Role Of Macrophages In Ocular Surface Fibrosis, Alyanna Corpuz

Pharmaceutical Sciences (MS) Theses

The present study is designed to investigate whether irradiation as used for conditioning regimen to ablate recipient’s diseased bone marrow prior to transplantation could trigger macrophage activation and polarization and whether macrophages could cause the transdifferentiation of ocular surface fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, thus contributing to oGVHD-associated fibrosis.

Bone marrow cells were cultured in M-CSF to obtain M0 macrophages, which were subsequently polarized into M1 and M2 phenotypes using IFN-g + LPS and IL-4, respectively.

The macrophages were exposed to 7 Gy radiation. The effect of irradiation on macrophage activation markers, phagocytosis, and apoptosis was assessed using real-time PCR, confocal microscopy, …

Framing Contexts And Immersion: The Functionality Of Trpg Frames In Dimension 20’S Fantasy High Series, Lyndsey Clark

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

This paper uses a form of rhetorical criticism known as frame analysis to analyze the perspective frames within the context of tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs). The three frames of interest in this study include the person frame, the player frame, and the character frame. These frames are used to contextualize certain person, player, and character interactions and immersion contexts within the first season of Dimension 20’s actual play podcast, Fantasy High. Through these three frames, we can see the breakdown of the person, player, and character mindset, as well as the overlap of thought, emotions, and ideas between …

Student And Teacher Perspectives On Asynchronous Learning During The Covid Pandemic, Michele Ehrhart

Education Doctorate Dissertations

The COVID Pandemic shut down schools across the country, leaving K-12 schools unprepared for virtual learning. In this mixed methods study, I examined data gathered from my 8th-grade science classes to assess the effectiveness of asynchronous instruction. My original research question was: How much if at all, did learning outcomes differ as a function of how the lessons were taught (uninterrupted instructional video versus interrupted/interactive Edpuzzle video)? Based on a preliminary examination of data, my study expanded into how self-regulated learning affected students’ comprehension, interest, and motivation. Study results showed no statistical differences in students’ comprehension based on how lessons …

Bridgewater Review, Vol. 40, No. 2, December 2022

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

Uis Bulletin, Volume 64, No. 2, December 2022, Nivaldo Colzato

UIS Bulletin

This edition from December 2022 includes information from the UN-Water Summit on Groundwater 2022 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Contents: Editorial: The motto that builds the UIS -- President’s Column: “History, Present and Vision” -- UIS President’s Report to the General Secretary -- The Report of the UIS General Secretary -- UIS Treasurer’s Report to the General Assembly -- The closing of the International Year of Caves and Karst 2021/22 -- The first years of the UIS -- The new UIS Bureau 2022-2025 -- The UIS Archive in Postojna, Slovenia -- Report of Commission on Artificial Cavities -- Report …

Philosophers Of Catastrophe: Early 20th Century Jewish Proponents And Opponents Of Objectivity In Science, Steven Gimbel, Stephen J. Stern

Philosophy Faculty Publications

The Second World War ended with the exposure of the Nazi death camps and the threat of global nuclear annihilation. The former disclosed the depths of human depravity and the latter warned us about the severity of the consequences that could await us as a result. The grimness of each, much less both, had the effect of shielding from our collective consciousness the equally dire warnings from the First World War that had occurred only a couple of decades earlier. [excerpt]

Nursing News & Views - December 2022, Joanne Miller Rn

Nursing Newsletters

No abstract provided.

The Adoption Of The Hpv Vaccine School-Entry Requirement In Puerto Rico: How Practical Lessons Can Inform Future Vaccine Policies, C. Vázquez-Otero, Elizabeth Lockhart

Center for Health Policy and Health Services Research Articles

Vaccine requirements are policy-level strategies used to improve population health outcomes; however, discourse politicization of vaccines may hinder adoption and implementation. An example of the complexities related to adoption of vaccine policies in the United States (US) is the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine school-entry requirement. In 2018, Puerto Rico's (PR) Department of Health adopted this policy. This study assessed stakeholders' recommendations for adoption of the HPV vaccine school-entry requirement that could inform future vaccine policies. Stakeholders (e.g., researchers, members of medical and non-profit organizations) were interviewed from May to August 2018. Participants (n = 20) discussed recommendations for public health …

Eportfolio Using Google Sites, Cct College Dublin

Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Demographics And Early And Later Motor Problems In Children With Motor Difficulties, Promise Robinson

2022 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

A child’s achievement of motor milestones could result in later motor problems in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). This study aimed to explore potential associations between early and later motor problems and demographic characteristics (such as race/ethnicity) in children with DCD. One hundred and thirteen parents/caregivers of children aged between 5 to 18 years with motor difficulties were asked to answer an online survey about early motor milestones, demographics, and current motor problems of children. The proper distribution for minority groups could not be found due to the sample being self-selected, however the focus was shifted to the achievement …

Life Within The Red River Gorge, An Artistic Exploration Of Anthropogenetic Change In Caves, Marcy Davis

2022 Fall Honors Capstone Projects - Archive

At the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, fauna and flora above ground are abundant due to it being a National Natural Landmark; however, this is not the same for underground. Caves play a vital role in understanding and predicting climate change, yet they are becoming detrimentally altered. Currently, cave features are being destroyed, which results in a loss of geological history. An art exhibition called, Anthropocene, at the UTA Gallery West was created to enlighten viewers on the significance of caves. Cave art installations of glass blown stalactites, expanding foam flowstone, and textile metal cave coral were installed to visually …

A Shot In The Dark, Douglas Breault

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

The Struggle Is Real: Reflections On How To Engage Students In The New Normal Of Higher Education, Lara Watkins

Bridgewater Review

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Female Offenders In Sex Trafficking Rings, Caroline Johnson

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines the role of female offenders in sex trafficking rings. Using the Human Trafficking Study database, I found 502 cases that had clear information coded about convictions, sentences, and genders. It was hypothesized that women typically receive a lower sentence than men do. Bivariate analysis revealed that to be true. In addition, I compared conviction rates between the two genders, finding that women are more likely to plead guilty in comparison to men.

Using a smaller sample with additional information, I also isolated the roles that women play in a sex trafficking ring. I found that 48% were …

Human Trafficking: Physical And Non-Physical Force Factors And Their Links To Victim Industry, Mary Caroline Kerr

Sociology and Criminology Undergraduate Honors Theses

This paper examines the occurrence of different types of physical and non-physical force factors with two distinct human trafficking industries: sex trafficking and labor trafficking. This research’s main goal is to identify if there are specific uses of force that are more likely to be used in either sex or labor trafficking. The Human Trafficking Study, a database housed at the University of Arkansas, is used as a sample for this study. Two-sided, two sample proportion tests were conducted to establish if there is a statistical significance between the amount of physical force used in sex trafficking and the amount …

Algebraic Reasoning And Conceptual Understanding: A Mixed Methods Comparison Of In-Person And Virtual Classroom Strategies, Erneice J. Jackson

Dissertations

Algebraic reasoning is the beginning school of thought to critical thinking. Employers are looking for this 21st century skill. The purpose of this research was to investigate equity in mathematics education using the NCTM Teaching and Learnings Beliefs Survey. Four area were studied: the number of years in education, the degree earned, the grade level taught in education, and the number of years in an educator’s teaching position. A mixed methods inventory was used. Most results were not rejected in this study. Two statements in the survey warranted a discussion. Recommendations were made for further research.

Full Issue, Palara Guest Editors

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

No abstract provided.

Being La Dominicana: Race And Identity In The Visual Culture Of Santo Domingo, Lydia Platón Lázaro

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

Rachel Afi Quinn Review by Lydia Platón Lázaro

A Snapshot Of Statelessness In The Western Hemisphere: Denationalization In Modern Day Dominican Republic, Javiela Evangelista

PALARA: Publication of the Afro-Latin/American Research Association

In 2013, the Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Tribunal ruling 168/13 retroactively revoked the citizenship of over 200,000 Dominican nationals of Haitian descent, thus creating the fifth largest stateless population in the world and the largest in the Western Hemisphere today (IACHR 2015). The ruling simply made legal the longstanding, racialized and clandestine practice of converting Haitian descendant Dominican citizens into foreigners. The ruling, as well as the laws that precede it, demonstrate how anti-blackness and racialization are processes through which citizenship is measured and mobilized to reorder society and formalize hierarchies. Dominicans of Haitian descent who are stateless are habitually denied …

Senstive Enantiomeric Analysis Of N-Acyl Homoserine Lactones In Bacterial Matrices, Abiud E. Portillo

Chemistry & Biochemistry Dissertations - Archive

Communication between unicellular organism has long been studied with many facets yet to be discovered. A specific type of communication in gram-negative bacteria is quorum sensing (QS). N-acyl homoserine lactones (N-HLs) are the molecular signals in this process. At a critical concentration of N-HLs, all bacteria of the same population stop behaving like individuals and in a concerted manner induce a specific gene expression which ultimately benefits the entire population in major. This phenomenon has been coined with the term quorum sensing with the main signaling molecules dubbed L-N-acyl homoserine lactones (L-N-HL). Quorum sensing signaling pathways have their influence in …

Investigating The Frictional Properties Of Organic Matter And Pore Structure Of Organic-Rich Shales With Atomic Force Microscopy And Scanning Electron Microscopy, Farnood Sobhbidari

Earth & Environmental Sciences Dissertations - Archive

Understanding geomechanical properties of shales, such as stiffness properties and fracture toughness, is important in different areas of petroleum industry-related activities including fracturing efficiency, petroleum flow to the wellbores, and induced seismicity. Nanoscale to microscale experiments on shale samples require a much smaller sample compared to macroscale experiments. This is a major advantage because irregularly-shaped drill cuttings from shales can be used for experimental analyses, such as nanoindentation or atomic force microscopy (AFM). However, a characterization of mechanical properties at the nano- to micro-scale is a relatively new addition to classical geomechanical experiments on shales, and there is still lack …

What’S Mentoring Got To Do With It: Examining The Role Of Mentoring In The Success Of Historically Black College And Unviersity (Hbcu) Presidents, Jacolahn Deshawn Dudley

Educational Leadership & Policy Studies Dissertations - Archive

Over the years there has been an increase in the turnover of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) presidents. As the turnover rates at HBCUs continues to increase, many higher education researchers have noted that HBCUs are currently being plagued by a leadership crisis (Evans et al., 2002; Freeman & Palmer, 2020; Kimbrough, 2017). Despite heavy criticism by media and academic researchers, very few recommendations have been made in regard to combating the “leadership crisis” at HBCUs. Of the studies conducted, researchers have recommended that one way to counter the rapid turnover of HBCU presidents is by engaging in some …

Exploring The Scp Wiki: Community, Digital Horror, And Apocalyptic Fiction, Justin M. Jones

English Theses - Archive

The SCP is a body of user-submitted fiction broadly classified as horror and often compared to other user-submitted horror such as Creepypasta. While these comparisons have been made in research and among the SCP community, the SCP seems to function differently than other such sites. Very little research has been done on the SCP and what exists examines it as a work of horror and as an example of emerging online folklore. This thesis further expands upon this research by examining how the unique community participating on the SCP Wiki shapes the text, how the SCP is not just a …