Digital Commons Network^™

Infiltrating The Boys’ Club: The Portrayal Of Women In Popular Crime Dramas, Emma Doreen Bergquist

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The present study examines whether there has been a change in the portrayal of female criminal investigators over the past two decades. Cultivation Theory suggests that media profoundly impacts the views of the larger society, thus indicating significant implications of this portrayal. Five popular shows (Chicago P.D., Criminal Minds, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Hawaii Five-O, and Law & Order: SVU) were explored with 200 episodes examined between the series using a mixed-methods approach. The main characters in each show’s first and most recent seasons were coded and analyzed. Characters were coded for depth, authority, helplessness, and sexualization, among other variables. …

Transnational, Queer Feminist: Remembering Harriet Noble, Indiana's Prominent Suffragette, 1851-1919, Emma Katherine Gifford

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Historians play a vital role in questioning mainstream narratives and understanding bias; there are seldom public conversations about the varying historical accounts of events or the power behind controlling the story. The common narrative of the woman’s suffrage movement begins with the 1848 Seneca Falls convention and centered around respectable women requesting the ballot, including familiar figures such as Susan B. Anthony. This excludes radical, transnational, queer, feminists; in Indiana, this woman is Harriet Noble. By framing Noble’s relation to the suffrage movement through the analysis of qualitative, narrative-based archival research at archives in Indiana, Washington D.C., and England a …

The African-American Experience In United States Emergency Departments, Grace Elizabeth Sloan

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The research presented addresses the following question: Are African American patients more likely to have a negative experience and outcome than White patients in United States emergency departments? This research was completed using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey dataset from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This collection of data, most recently gathered in 2019, contains over 900 variables documented about patient visits in 24-hour emergency departments around the United States. A select number of variables were isolated and analyzed within the context of race to identify if Black patients fared worse than White patients in terms …

Cannabis Consumption On A College Campus: Mental And Behavioral Health, Joseph Benjamin Gareis

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Background: Societal views and many state and federal laws regarding cannabis are evolving. Cannabis use is increasing, with the highest prevalence among young adults ages 18-25. Both the 2021 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and the 2022 National College Health Assessment survey found that ~35% of young adults used cannabis within the last year. Methods: Students, faculty, and staff at a small, private university in Indiana were surveyed regarding cannabis use and mental/behavioral health. Participants were recruited via university list serves and social media. The anonymous confidential survey was administered electronically via Qualtrics between December 9, 2022 …

Applying Various Industry Best Practices To Prevent Occupational Exposure To Hazardous Drugs In Healthcare, Joseph Darby Kirkpatrick

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Hazardous drugs (HDs) have many therapeutic applications in healthcare, but with their benefits come drawbacks. Much has been documented over the past several decades about the adverse effects of HDs, particularly for those with indirect, occupational exposure. This exposure comes primarily from inadvertent dermal contact with drug material and residue, and is observed in individuals who handle HDs directly, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who compound and prepare the drugs. However, individuals have the potential for exposure when interacting with HDs at all stages of the drug’s “life cycle,” including preparation, administration, transport, and waste management. Among various regulatory measures …

The Effect Of The Color Green On Environmentally Friendly Consumer Behavior, Katelyn Elizabeth Anderson

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study investigates the impact of green visual frames in advertisements of environmentally friendly products on consumer behavior. The study hypothesizes that environmental claims with green visual frames will lead to higher green purchasing intentions and lower perceptions of greenwashing. The paper also proposes a conceptual model that suggests green visual frames can have a positive impact on green purchasing intentions and reduce perceptions of greenwashing. The model was tested with an experimental design on a sample of undergraduate students at a midwestern university, and the results were analyzed with ANOVAs. The findings of this study can help marketers and …

Hermione, Karrington Tabor

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Euripides' infamous anti-Spartan play, "Andromache", is led by the ominous threat of the villainous Hermione of Sparta, daughter to Helen of Troy and King Menelaus. Withstanding the political climate, a fascination began with Hermione as the archetype of a princess, but, her character's ferocity led to further research into the psychological effects of long-term isolation, coupled with further insights into ancient Greek cultural phenomena, such as the Eleusinian Mysteries and the rituals of ancient wedding celebrations. This thesis seeks to not just provide further understanding of the complex world of ancient Greece, but also expand on the socio-cultural significance of …

Profiles In Volunteerism: A Study On Contributing Factors To Time Spent In Service, Leah M. Bechtold

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The objective of this thesis is to identify a profile of volunteerism in the United States. Time spent in service of others serves as the dependent variable while explanatory variables include years of education, annual family income, sex, age, household size, racial identity, marital status, region, disability, veteran status, location in a metropolitan area, day of the week, employment status, and if the household has children present. By modeling volunteerism through an econometric lens, this thesis will analyze the concept of time spent in service and how it relates to the Midwestern identity among other attributes. Using data from the …

Reshoring The Semiconductor Industry Supply Chain: Analysis Of Risks And Capabilities, Makayla Ann Masse

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The importance of supply chain resilience and semiconductor manufacturing has been discussed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and its later disruptions to multiple industries (The White House, 2021). This paper uses frameworks developed by Pettit, Fiksel, and Croxton (2010), Ponomarov and Holcomb (2009), and Rao and Goldsby (2009) to identify the semiconductor industry’s risks, capabilities, and interdependencies through an analysis of 45 prominent semiconductor companies. The analysis was done on multiple levels. On the industry level, risks, and capabilities as well as their co-occurrences were analyzed. On the supply chain level, relationships were mapped using Boston Consulting Group …

Feminism's Forgotten Frontier: Why Menstrual Liberation Is Necessary For Addressing Western Society’S Somatophobia, Madeline Eileen Eary

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This honors thesis proposes a solution to the shame and stigmatization of menstruation in Western Society. I begin this conversation by describing the social position of the menstruating body in society, through the lens of somatophobia, described by Elizabeth Spelman’s article “Woman as Body: Ancient and Contemporary Views”. In response to the article, I propose two theoretical frameworks to address somoatophobic discourse. The first framework, embodied subjectivity, proposes a new way of viewing the body in society based on Hortense Spillers’ “Mama’s Baby, Papa’s Maybe: An American Grammar Book” definitions of subjecthood. My second framework, menstrual liberation, rests upon the …

Utilizing Edtpa As A Student Teaching Tool To Ensure Future Teaching Success, Matthew Aspinwall

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) is an educator preparatory program that students complete at the end of their pre-professional experience. This assessment is often met with fear and apprehension for pre-service teachers leading up to its completion. With edTPA being completed during the student teaching experience, it can become a large burden on the student. This thesis will outline how changing your perspective of the edTPA process from an extensive assessment into using edTPA to make student teaching a more meaningful experience that expands your impact on your school and community. With that, the research question asks: How can student …

Being Mindfully Pluralistic: The Effects Of Mindfulness Meditation On Student Perceptions Of Religious Pluralism, Meet A. Patel

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

This study explored the relationship between mindfulness meditation practice and student perceptions of religious pluralism. One hundred and eleven Butler University students were recruited using SONA, an online psychology research participation management system, and in-person presentation/professor encouragement in the PWB Mindfulness in Everyday Life course. The study was conducted via a survey shared with the PWB class and SONA participants. I predicted that participants who consistently practice mindfulness meditation would have stronger perceptions that promote the values of respect, relationships, and common action that are associated with religious pluralism. Specifically, I predicted that participants who have consistently (at least 7 …

Seasonal Plasticity And Correlations Among Butterfly Wing Color Patterns: Insights Into Modularity, Rachel Lynn Urban

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Dealing with the wide ranges of temperatures throughout the year can be a challenge for ectothermic animals like insects. Phenotypic plasticity, the development of different phenotypes depending on the environment, is one way that animals can combat this problem. However, traits are often integrated and share developmental or genetic mechanisms which can limit the adaptive response of an individual trait. Modules, groups of traits that vary together but are independent of other traits, often share developmental mechanisms and therefore can facilitate the evolution of these adaptive traits. The seasonally variable melanistic wing patterns elements of the Colias butterfly are an …

The Influence Of Specific Diagnosis And Trait Self-Relevance On Positive And Negative Perceptions Of Individuals With A Mental Illness, Sabrina Lauren Stock

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

I investigated how participants perceived an individual with either depression, schizophrenia, or no disorder on negative and positive traits and then examined how these perceptions linked to desire for social distance (DSD), trait self-relevance, positive former contact with a person with mental health problems, and continuum beliefs. One-hundred-and-fifty undergraduates completed an online survey that described a vignette character with depression (VCWD), vignette character with schizophrenia (VCWS), or control character with no mental disorder (CC) and assessed participants’ perceptions of the character’s traits, DSD from the vignette character, perceptions of one’s own traits, and demographic characteristics. In general, the VCWD was …

Building Community Resiliency Against Disasters, Zachary L. Doering

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Disasters impact people in many different places around the world. The impact to communities by disasters is shaped by their constructed vulnerability. The goal of this research project was to better understand how the vulnerability and resiliency of different communities was shaped at six different sites across the U.S. and to construct a collection of best practices to raise the resiliency of populations and locations in the face of many different forms of possible disasters in the future. These concepts and conclusions were drawn from internet research of the chosen sites. Phase 1 of the research determined noteworthy sites and …

The G Protein-Coupled Receptor (Gpcr) Fshr-1 And The Sphk-1 Lipid Kinase Regulate C. Elegans Life- And Healthspans Via A Common Pathway, Ryan Dennis Adkins

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Later years of life are often characterized by reduced cognitive function and mobility. One contributor is the cellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), but our understanding of how cells respond to ROS to promote health and survival is incomplete. Follicle stimulating hormone receptor-1 (FSHR-1) and sphingosine kinase-1 (SPHK-1) mediate responses to oxidative stress and regulate life history traits in the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans. The genes encoding both proteins are conserved in humans where they are implicated in stress responses, cell survival and neuronal function. fshr-1 and sphk-1 work together to mediate responses to intestinal oxidative stress in C. elegans. …

Check It Out: Analyzing The Checkout Experience Of Small Business E-Commerce Websites, Janet Lovera

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

There is limited research available aimed at identifying specifically how a small business shopper may experience different pain points during checkout in comparison to well-known retail websites and the layout of their e-commerce websites. Enlightened by the Technology Adoption Model and the concept of consumer trust, the purpose of this research is to determine similar characteristics across small business e-commerce websites to identify common pain points for users, or simply what small businesses lack regarding common elements that ease the checkout experience for consumers. From these insights, elements within the checkout experience can be compared to the pain points of …

Redeeming Theodicy In Job: Moving From A Classical To A Christological Framework, Jaime L. Riddle

College of Theology and Ministry Dissertations, Projects, & Theses

This thesis analyzes existing interpretations of theodicy in the book of Job, in order to suggest an alternative approach informed by the nature and mission of Christ. Much of biblical scholarship in Job has focused on a classical approach to theodicy or, in recent years, deconstructed anti-theodicy. This thesis offers an alternative approach that focuses on the Christological overtones in Job and a modern synthesis of Old and New Testament theodicy.

Chapter 1 introduces the problem of theodicy in Job, and a taxonomy of lenses traditionally used to examine Old Testament theodicy. Chapter 2 analyzes classical perspectives of Job derived …

Exploring Theological Themes Of Bridehood In Revelation 19:6-9: An Analysis Of The Marriage Supper Of The Lamb, Riley F. Kempker

College of Theology and Ministry Dissertations, Projects, & Theses

Most people see Revelation as a book shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. As well, the various interpretations offered only add to the confusion of the book. Yet, John uses clear images and themes in his Apocalypse, on which most people can agree. The account of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Revelation 19:6-9 offers an open window into John’s theology of the Bride of Christ. This thesis seeks to understand John’s theological implications that arise from the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

This thesis began in chapter 1 with a statement of the problem in understanding John’s theological implications …

Naloxone Education To Improve Distribution In Primary Care: A Quality Improvement Project, Joanna Boback

DNP Projects

Significance and Background: Opioid overdose is a major public health problem in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed guidelines for prescribing opioids which have not been widely integrated into practice. These guidelines specify co-prescribing naloxone with opioids as a form of harm reduction. A policy to reflect these recommendations was needed to guide prescribing at a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Connecticut to increase low naloxone prescribing rates. Evidence supported the use of provider education to increase prescribing rates.

Purpose: Deliver education to providers across the health system on best practices related to …

Implementation Of The Stop-Bang Screening Tool In The Primary Care Setting: A Quality Improvement Project, Thriciana Powell

DNP Projects

Significance and Background. There are approximately 25 million adults in the United States with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA is a sleeping disorder that is caused by periodic airflow blockage during sleep. It has been linked to numerous health problems and within the primary care setting OSA is not routinely screened for at visits. This leads to delayed diagnosis of a serious health issue and the potential for poor health outcomes. The STOP-BANG questionnaire (SBQ) is a simple eight-question tool that is used to screen patients for OSA. The STOP section focuses on snoring, tiredness, observed apnea, and high blood …

Reducing Urinary Catheter Usage In The Intensive Care Unit Setting And Education Related To Preventing Cautis: A Qi Project, Kristina Diurno

DNP Projects

Significance and Background: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are common but preventable hospital-associated infections. The inappropriate and prolonged use of indwelling urinary catheters can pose a significant risk for patients and healthcare organizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified that the most important factor related to an increased risk of CAUTI is the length of time an indwelling catheter remains in place. This DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) project assessed the barriers to removing indwelling catheters in the intensive care unit (ICU) while providing encouragement of prompt removal.

Purpose: Three aims were developed for this quality improvement project: …

Use Of An Alarm Bundle To Reduce Alarm Fatigue In The Icu: A Quality Improvement Project, Blerina Petitti

DNP Projects

Significance and Background: In the critical care setting, frequent false alarms can lead to sensory overload and delayed reactions to alarms (aka, alarm fatigue). Patients are at risk because overtime staff may ignore or become desensitized to all alarm sounds, even true ones.

Purpose: The purpose of this QI project is to establish alarm management protocol in a 14-bed ICU. The goals were to reduce alarm fatigue and create a safe environment for patients and clinical staff.

Methods: The Model of Improvement (IHI, 2023) with cycles of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) was used to implement an alarm bundle checklist that …

How To Solve The Initial Appearance Crisis, Malia N. Brink, Pamela R. Metzger, Jiacheng Yu

Deason Center Reports

Across the United States, people are arrested and held behind bars for days, weeks, and sometimes even months, without ever seeing a judge or attorney. These delays violate the United States Constitution’s promise that an arrested person—who is innocent unless proven guilty—will have prompt access to the courts, the assistance of counsel, and a fair and speedy trial.

These due process milestones begin at initial appearance: the first time an arrested person sees a judge about their case. At an initial appearance, the judge should inform an arrested person of the charges against them. The judge should also make an …

Mental Health And Psychological Well-Being Of Kenyan Adolescents From Nairobi And The Coast Regions In The Context Of Covid-19, Gideon Mbithi, Adam Mabrouk, Ahmed Sarki, Rachel Odhiambo, Mary Namuguzi, Judith Dzombo, Joseph Atukwatse, Margaret Kabue, Paul Mwangi, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background Despite the high burden of mental health problems during adolescence and its associated nega- tive consequences, it has remained neglected especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The 2019 novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has placed additional stress on adolescent mental health. However, there are few studies docu- menting the burden of mental health problems and even fewer mental health services in the region. In relation to the limited body of knowledge, the present study aims to determine the psychological well-being of adolescents and to assess the risks and associated factors of mental health problems among adolescents in the context of COVID-19 …

Brif: A Novel And Efficient Implementation Of Random Forests Based On Bit Packing And Parallel Computing, Yanchao Liu

Industrial and Systems Engineering Faculty Research Publications

Random forests are powerful and popular machine learning methods. While general principles of tree induction are straightforward and well-understood, the numerous algorithmic treatments implemented in software tools, as well as their impacts on performance, are less familiar to most users. This paper introduces a new random forest toolkit (the ‘brif’ package in R and Python) along with its key algorithmic design features, and demonstrates the effects of the forest’s hyper-parameters such as the split search method, tree depth and the voting mechanism, on the classification performance. Summaries of benchmarking experiments are also presented. Results show that ‘brif’ stands out among …

May 2023 Newsletter

Ergo

No abstract provided.

Sand Escarpments As A Potential Barrier To The Nesting Distribution Of Sea Turtles, Dakota Ronco

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Sea turtles are a part of both the marine and terrestrial ecosystems as primary and secondary consumers. By laying nests on the beaches and migrating across the ocean, sea turtles are significant in maintaining the nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) flux between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Nests bring nutrients into the sand by decomposing unhatched eggs and egg remains. The distribution of their nests is significant in getting insights into the population density of sea turtles and what drives the nesting location, which ultimately regulates nutrient flux. The location of their nests is driven by sandy beach ecosystem structures, especially active …

Masthead, University Of The Pacific, Mcgeorge School Of Law

University of the Pacific Law Review

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents, University Of The Pacific, Mcgeorge School Of Law

University of the Pacific Law Review

No abstract provided.