Digital Commons Network^™

An Investigation Of Perceived Authenticity Of Diversity And Black Lives Matter Statements And Their Influence On Applicant Attractiveness, Shelby Nicole Davis

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (i.e., organizations’ diversity and social justice [Black Lives Matter] statements) influences applicant attractiveness to organizations. Using Fortune-500 companies’ diversity and Black Lives Matter statements as indicators of CSR activities, I examined the relationship between CSR activities, perceived authenticity, organizational attractiveness, and person-organization fit. It was hypothesized that diversity statements that specifically mention race and actions taken to promote diverse workplaces (i.e., strong) will be seen as authentic and those organizations will be the most attractive. Additionally, it was hypothesized that social Black Lives Matter (BLM) statements that specifically mention systemic racism/ racial inequality and/or actions to …

Do Changes In The Navy Physical Readiness Test Impact Performance?, Alison Colao

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The fitness level of our service members is of utmost importance due to the nature of their occupation. This study investigated whether changes to the Navy’s Physical Readiness Test (PRT) impact performance on the fitness test. Participants were college-aged males between the ages of 18 and 29 (n=20; 21.05±2.01 years; BMI 24.85± 2.74). Participants performed both the New PRT and Old PRT at two separate randomized visits. Protocols included push-ups, curl-ups (old version) or a forearm plank hold (new version), and a 1.5-mile run. At the end of each exercise, the participant’s heart rate and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) …

Caregiver Experiences Of Feeding Instruction For Infants Born With Cleft Lip And/Or Palate, Clare Huang

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to learn what feeding education was provided to caregivers of infants with cleft lip and/or palate and how they view the feeding experience. Method: Participants (n=5) were recruited from two Facebook support groups, Cleft Lip and Palate Support Group :*) and Cleft Mom Support. The data were collected using Qualtrics™ software. The questionnaire consisted of eight demographic questions and seven topic-specific questions. The demographic questions included the exclusion and inclusion criteria. The participants of this study were required to be an English-speaking parent or a caregiver of a child under one year of …

Valuating The Evidence Base Of Physician Reported Assessment Measures Used In Childhood Adhd Diagnosis, Sarah Ewen

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

An accurate Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis is essential as there are substantial social and functional costs associated with misdiagnosis. Data collected from a 2014 National Survey suggested that one-half of the children diagnosed with ADHD were diagnosed by a pediatrician or family health provider through unstructured behavioral observations or using a checklist that may not adhere to diagnostic guidelines. Additionally, clinicians providing ADHD diagnoses have admitted to possessing limited knowledge on the disorder itself and denied attending continuing education courses on ADHD. The current study sought to answer two research questions: 1) are measures reported for diagnosis by pediatricians evidence-based …

Investigating If Changes In Cannabis Expectancies Mediate Driving After Cannabis Use Intervention Outcomes, Sarah Nicole Elder

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Driving after cannabis use (DACU) has become an increasing public health concern specifically for the states that have legalized cannabis use. In a 2018 survey, 4.7% of U.S. residents reported driving while impaired by cannabis (Azofeifa et al., 2019). Previous research suggests that several skills are impaired following cannabis use, such as increased lane weaving, slowed reaction time, and distorted perceptions about external stimuli. This effect was seen to extend to frequent cannabis users who also demonstrated driving impairments despite heightened cannabis tolerance (Hartman & Huestis, 2013). With the increase in DACU it is crucial to understand the factors that …

The Validity & Reliability Of The Repetitions In Reserve Based Rating Of Perceived Exertion Scale In Single Joint Exercise, Grant Malone

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Introduction: Intentional regulation and individualization of resistance training schemes are imperative when structuring a resistance training program. Optimal adaptation cannot be expected without proper manipulation of training variables such as load and volume. Load is traditionally prescribed by testing a given exercise’s repetition maximum and basing intensity from that load. This method of intensity regulation may be limited, considering it fails to recognize the day-to-day undulation of individual performance which can be impacted by several variables. A flexible method of regulating load and volume would be of use for those undergoing a resistance training program. The repetitions in reserve-based rating …

Epistemic Beliefs: Relationship To Future Expectancies And Quality Of Life In Cancer Patients., Paul K J Han, Elizabeth Scharnetzki, Eric Anderson, John Dipalazzo, Tania D Strout, Caitlin Gutheil, F Lee Lucas, Emily A Edelman, Jens Rueter

Faculty Research 2022

CONTEXT: Expectations about the future (future expectancies) are important determinants of psychological well-being among cancer patients, but the strategies patients use to maintain positive and cope with negative expectancies are incompletely understood.

OBJECTIVES: To obtain preliminary evidence on the potential role of one strategy for managing future expectancies: the adoption of "epistemic beliefs" in fundamental limits to medical knowledge.

METHODS: A sample of 1307 primarily advanced-stage cancer patients participating in a genomic tumor testing study in community oncology practices completed measures of epistemic beliefs, positive future expectancies, and mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Descriptive and linear regression …

Extracellular Matrix In Cancer Progression And Therapy, Xiuxiu He, Byoungkoo Lee, Yi Jiang

Faculty Research 2022

The tumor ecosystem with heterogeneous cellular compositions and the tumor microenvironment has increasingly become the focus of cancer research in recent years. The extracellular matrix (ECM), the major component of the tumor microenvironment, and its interactions with the tumor cells and stromal cells have also enjoyed tremendously increased attention. Like the other components of the tumor microenvironment, the ECM in solid tumors differs significantly from that in normal organs and tissues. We review recent studies of the complex roles the tumor ECM plays in cancer progression, from tumor initiation, growth to angiogenesis and invasion. We highlight that the biomolecular, biophysical, …

Auriculocondylar Syndrome 2 Results From The Dominant-Negative Action Of Plcb4 Variants., Stanley M Kanai, Caleb Heffner, Timothy C Cox, Michael L Cunningham, Francisco A Perez, Aaron M Bauer, Philip Reigan, Cristan Carter, Stephen A Murray, David E Clouthier

Faculty Research 2022

Auriculocondylar syndrome 2 (ARCND2) is a rare autosomal dominant craniofacial malformation syndrome linked to multiple genetic variants in the coding sequence of phospholipase C β4 (PLCB4). PLCB4 is a direct signaling effector of the endothelin receptor type A (EDNRA)-Gq/11 pathway, which establishes the identity of neural crest cells (NCCs) that form lower jaw and middle ear structures. However, the functional consequences of PLCB4 variants on EDNRA signaling is not known. Here, we show, using multiple signaling reporter assays, that known PLCB4 variants resulting from missense mutations exert a dominant-negative interference over EDNRA signaling. In addition, using CRISPR/Cas9, we find that …

Personality & Covid Attitudes, Riley Herman, Camille Witt, Devanee Pappas, Talaia Goodman, Adriana Calzavara, Kaylee Franzen

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

No abstract provided.

Examining The Molecular Mechanisms Of Obesity Induced By High-Fat Diets As A Risk Factor For Colon Cancer, Hallie Braeuner

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Cancer is both an increasingly prevalent and multifaceted group of diseases that has persisted in society for centuries. Obesity is also an incredibly complex disease that persists as a top cause of mortality and health complications, especially in the United States. Obesity is strongly associated with the regular consumption of high-fat diets. Aside from its own health complications, obesity also acts as a risk factor for several cancers including colon cancer, the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths. This is largely thought to be due to the continuous, low-grade inflammation that often accompanies obesity which can change a body’s microenvironment and …

Butoh: From Wwii To The West, Caroline Conner

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Butoh is an underground dance movement in Japan that explores the human psyche in unconventional and sometimes grotesque ways. It originated out of the devastation of WWII Japan and rails against the rigidity of society as well as traditional theatre and dance forms. It has ties to Buddhism, in that both view suffering as a natural state of the world, and both may lead to depersonalisation (intentionally or otherwise), which is described as a loss of identity or sense of self. Gone unchecked, this detached exploration of the psyche can lead to personality dissolution, which can be especially problematic to …

Social Physique Anxiety And Exercise Motivation, Elise Crause, Sade Alalade, Maeve Carei, Audrey Lyle, Beth Virostek, Patrick Morse Phd

[Archive] Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

The benefits of exercise are clear; they include better overall health, better mood, and less stress (Schultchen et. al., 2019). However, exercise motivations vary (Pate, 1995). Some of these motivations include: health and fitness benefits, social/emotional benefits, weight management, stress management, enjoyment, and appearance (Dacey, 2008). When exercising, many are exposed to an environment of comparison, which has been shown to foster social physique anxiety (Chen, Ku, & Wang, 2012), defined as the “feeling of distress associated with the perceived evaluation of one's physical self” (Frederick & Morrison, 1996). Exercise behavior has been found to change in people with higher …

Preventing And Responding To Juvenile Crime: Importance Of Intervention And Rehabilitation, Michaela Noviello

Criminology Student Work

With about 2.1 million juveniles arrested per year, it is important for researchers and juvenile justice employees to consider, protect and maximize the full potential of juveniles from their early adolescence up until release from detention centers or foster care. This paper highlights early traits and behaviors consistent in juveniles who commit crime as well as factors that may contribute to crime. While focusing on early indicators that may lead to juvenile crime, the paper also discusses rehabilitation and intervention after juvenile crime has been committed. After discussing the research on preventing and responding to juvenile crime, the paper outlines …

What Makes My Client Guilty? Discussing The Processes, Effects, And Costs Of Wrongful Convictions, Shawn Page

Criminology Student Work

The basis of this paper will be to discuss my chosen career path following graduation. The career path that I will be exploring is that of an attorney. After I finish my athletic career, my next goal will be to enroll in law school and graduate in three years with my Juris Doctorate. My father is a partner at a law firm that handles many different cases, from malpractice allegations to criminal charges. My sister is also a public defender in Pittsburgh and represents individuals who can not afford to hire a private attorney. As a public defender you may …

Community Policing: The Foundation Of Trust Between Police And Society, Thomas Crowley

Criminology Student Work

Police officers wear many hats such as protecting people, preventing crimes, and responding to other calls for help. Policing is under a microscope in the current climate of the country with debates about police brutality, body-worn cameras, and the overall trust between police and the public. The most universally accepted way to improve trust between the police and public is through community policing. Studies show the community policing policies have improved community-police relations in the United States. I plan to use this knowledge in my career as a police officer by making sure that every interaction I have with the …

Ua3/10 President's Messages - Spring Semester, Wku President's Office - Caboni

WKU Administration Documents

President's Message emails sent by Timothy Caboni to faculty & staff during spring semester, 2022.

• Budget
• Commencement
• Commons at Helm Library
• Compensation Analysis
• COVID-19
• COVID-19 – Masks
• End of Semester
• Enrollment / Recruitment
• Scholarship Celebration
• Semester Kickoff
• Student Retention

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children (Mis-C): Emergency Department, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways (Formally Known As Care Process Models)

No abstract provided.

Determining The Function And Atpase/Rna Remodeling Cycle Of Dbp5, Shawn Dean Gray

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Dbp5 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an essential DEAD-box protein required for many aspects of mRNA metabolism including nuclear mRNA export. The ATPase cycle of Dbp5 is required for its in vivo function in mRNA export. The Dbp5 ATPase cycling kinetics dictate how the energy from ATP binding and hydrolysis is coupled to RNA remodeling. Several factors are known to regulate Dbp5 ATPase and mRNA export activity including the small molecule inositol hexaphosphate (InsP6), RNA, and the nucleoporins Gle1 and Nup159. In order to quantify how these regulatory factors, influence the ATPase activity and functionality of Dbp5, we measured the rate …

Studies Towards The Synthesis Of Diaporthein B And Studies Towards The Synthesis Of Darobactin A, Ian Tingyung Hsu

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

In the first chapter of this thesis, I describe the development of two convergent, fragment-based strategies to prepare the oxidized carbon scaffold of diaporthein B (1). Diaporthein B (1), initially isolated from the fungal genus Diaporthe, is an antimycobacterial pimarane diterpene that exhibited a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.1 µg⋅mL–1 against M. tuberculosis, as well as half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of 1.5–3 µM against HCT and LoVo colon cancer cell lines. The first synthetic approach towards diaporthein B (1) furnished the tricyclic carbon skeleton 154 in 9 steps from (R)-carvone through a diastereoselective 1,2-addition between two elaborated cycloalkenones, a novel …

Three Essays On Political Institutions & Foreign Policy Crisis Behaviour, Fahd Humayun

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

When and how do domestic political institutions shape the behaviour of foreign policy crisis actors? Existing research on interstate crisis behaviour in democracies has largely been agnostic about the extent to which intermediate levels of democratic institutionalisation can impact the expectations and behaviour of electorally competitive foreign policy crisis actors. The three empirical papers in this doctoral dissertation explore and shed light on the complex relationship between democracy, political institutions and political actors in Pakistan, a weakly-institutionalised democratic polity with a legacy of frequent foreign policy crises. Paper I, titled "The Punisher's Dilemma: Domestic Opposition and Foreign Policy Crises", advances …

Synthesizing Epidemiological Evidence Of Respiratory Syncytial Virus To Predict The Potential Effectiveness Of Three Rsv Prevention Strategies, Zhe Zheng

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of respiratory infection and hospitalization for infants, children, and the elderly [1]. In this dissertation, I present five quantitative studies aimed at improving our understanding of the disease burden, epidemic timing, geographic spread, and prevention of RSV. Specifically, I applied statistical and mathematical models to (1) estimate respiratory hospitalizations attributable to RSV across age and socioeconomic groups; (2) identify drivers that impact RSV epidemic spatiotemporal patterns in a typical winter season; (3) estimate the timing and intensity of RSV reemergence following the COVID-19 pandemic; (4) compare the geographic spread of RSV epidemics …

Site- And Stereochemical Considerations In Copper-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions Utilizing Guanidinylated Ligands, Jaeyeon Hwang

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Herein we report the 1) chirality-matched catalyst-enabled macrocyclization reactions and 2) site-selective arylation of tyrosine residues in short peptides, both via copper-catalyzed Ullmann coupling. Through the works presented herein, this dissertation explores key considerations in achieving site- and stereo-selective transformations by levereging non-covalent interactions. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to peptide-based catalysis and their utility in various desymmetrization reactions reported by the Miller group. We focus on desymmetrization of symmetrical diarylmethanes, and make a case that these rather simple scaffolds provide a powerful platform to interrogate distal, non-covalent interactions in asymmetric transformations. Examples employing transition-metal catalysis are surveyed in detail. …

Recruiting In Law Enforcement, Kyle R. Scott

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

Recruiting in 2022 is difficult to say the least, for many professions. I have worked or volunteered in public service for almost two decades. The last five years I have worked for my two of the largest law enforcement agencies in the state of Oregon and have personally seen the struggles to hire and retain employees. There are variety of reasons law enforcement is struggling to recruit, finances, politics, liability and wages are just a few things that hinder recruiting efforts for many law enforcement organizations. My goal is to shed light on what my organization offer and how we …

Encouraging Healthier Habits In Children, Krysta Hughes

IPS/BAS 495 Undergraduate Capstone Projects

Childhood obesity rates in America are the highest they've ever been. In this research we are focused on encouraging healthier habits in children. The method used was an observational, cross-sectional online survey of 5 children and 4 parents. All of the children and parents wanted to pick healthier behaviors after reading my book. A Qualtrics survey was used to record each surveyor's response. Further research on this topic should include researching how many children have began to implement healthier habits and measure if the rate of obesity in children has been affected through yearly health visits.

From Reality To Fiction: How Women’S Mental Health Was Portrayed In 19th Century Literature, Sara Mason

Honors Theses

This thesis is an examination of the history of mental health treatment for women in the 19^th century. Fictional literature written during this time by American and English female authors is used to explore the underlying attitudes towards women who were perceived to have a mental illness. This thesis explores the three works Jane Eyre, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and The Awakening, as well as the biography of the female authors. This information is used to explore the patriarchal society represented in these works and how that is shown through the authors’ writing. The medical profession is also …

Essays On The Effects Of Labor Market Policies, Julian Aramburu

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

In this dissertation, I study the effects of two types of policies that aim to improve the labor market outcomes of workers from underrepresented groups. “Coding Bootcamps for Female Digital Employment: Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Argentina and Colombia” Women are underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) sector, at both the educational and occupational level. In particular, the gender gap in computer science careers is the most salient of all STEM fields. In the first chapter of this dissertation, my coauthors and I design a high-quality computer coding training — a bootcamp — that aims …

Multidisciplinary Studies On The Social And Health Implications Of Stormwater Management And Flash Flooding, Alisha Yee Chan

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Research on stormwater management and flash flooding is of the upmost importance given the increase in severity of storm events from climate change and the rising installation of impervious surfaces from urbanization. This dissertation presents three studies that reveal social and health implications of stormwater management and flash flooding. Stormwater control measures (SCMs) (i.e., green infrastructure) are advantageous methods of stormwater management. However, studies suggest that urban greening may be associated with gentrification, displacing racially/ethnically minoritized groups due to increased housing costs and loss of feelings of belonging. For the first study presented in this dissertation, I analyzed whether there …

Facets Of Vulnerability And Risk At The Nexus Of Groundwater And Unconventional Energy Resources, Mario Soriano

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

Unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development is the extraction of fossil fuels from shale and other low permeability formations, made possible by technological advances in horizontal drilling and high volume hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) refers to the stage in UOG development where millions of gallons of water mixed with sand and chemicals are injected at high pressures to create openings in the target formation, enabling the flow of trapped hydrocarbons. UOG development has been hailed for its socioeconomic benefits, allowing the United States to become a net energy exporter in recent years and facilitating the transition away from coal …

Visual Modernity And The Industrial Subterranean, 1826 - 1941, Shirlynn Sham

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dissertations

AbstractVisual Modernity and the Industrial Subterranean, 1826 – 1941 Shirlynn Sham 2022 This dissertation argues that the technological mastery of the subterranean realm in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is crucial to the evolution of visual modernity. Throughout this period of rapid infrastructural modernization, major underground public works projects radically transformed the urban fabric of cities in the trans-Atlantic world, initially through widespread excavations that visibly tore up the metropolitan landscape, and later through the sleek new velocities of the railway era. A dominant issue that attended this period of urban renovation was visual legibility: how did engineers, inventors and …