Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Exchange Rate And Cost Of Credit Fluctuations In Ghana Before And After Inflation Targeting Framework, Patrick Glavee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluctuations in exchange rate and cost of credit affect most economies in the world. The problem arises with the uncertainty it generates and the challenges it poses to the economy. The volatility of the exchange rate has been studied extensively in the extant literature, but the problem continues to persist. This paper therefore investigates whether inflation targeting framework influences the exchange rate and cost of credit in Ghana using data from February 2001 to March 2019. Using vector autoregressive model and vector error correction model, the study reveals that the exchange rate situation improves in both the short and long …

Biophysical And Socioeconomic Impacts Of Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration In Burkina Faso, Basnewende Brice Fulgence Zoungrana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human actions such as overgrazing, the development of cities at the expense of forests, high intensity and poor agricultural management, and so forth, reduce the resources available for future generations. Because Earth has limited resources, it is important to judiciously use and manage natural resources. Human actions towards nature are the focus of my research in Africa. Increased demands for grazing, agriculture, and ecosystem services led some farmers in developing countries to use unsustainable practices, which may lead to low incomes and poor food nutrition for households. Farmer managed natural regeneration (FMNR) may be a solution to these issues. FMNR …

What Epidemic? Rural, Suburban, And Urban Community Members' Perceptions Of Opioid Use In The Current Epidemic, Carly A. Besler

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The opioid epidemic in the United States does not discriminate. With previous research showing the rise of the opioid epidemic and how it is impacting all communities, there is a lack of research addressing perceptions towards the opioid epidemic on a national level and in local communities. Thus, my proposed thesis asks, what are the perceptions rural, suburban, and urban community members have towards opioid use within their community? More specifically, does institutional anomie on the national level, and social disorganization on the community level, influence perceptions of opioid use. Administered through a survey, via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, I will …

Hippocampal Cholinergic Function And Exploratory Behavior Throughout Development In A Genetic Mouse Model Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Ashley Andrea Blackwell

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions of people worldwide. Specific genetic mutations increase Alzheimer’s disease-related neuropathology and cognitive impairments. Deficits are observed in spatial orientation throughout the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, including wandering behavior or becoming lost in a familiar environment. Dementia of the Alzheimer’s type patients also exhibit disruptions in radial optic flow, which underlies self-movement cue processing. Currently, no treatments exist for Alzheimer’s disease. Genetic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease have been developed to investigate the disease onset and progression and, further, to evaluate potential therapies and behavioral assessments. As …

Thought-Action Fusion: Comparative Relationship With Symptoms Of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder And Eating Disorders, Samuel Cares

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

There are many similarities between the presentations of individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and individuals with eating pathology. These include similar obsessive thoughts, repetitive actions, and shared personality characteristics, such as perfectionism. However, similarities may extend beyond that of DSM-based symptomatology to include an important cognitive process called thought-action fusion (TAF). Thought-action fusion is a construct derived from the OCD literature wherein individuals feel that there may be a connection between their thoughts and real-world outcomes. There has been considerable research illustrating the impact TAF has on individuals with OCD, both in terms of development and maintenance of obsessions and …

Moving Quickly: One Student’S Reflections On The Value Of Secondary Accelerated Learning Programs, Rachel Marie West

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this interpretive biography was to understand how college graduates perceive their experiences in secondary (high school) accelerated learning programs and the impact of that participation on their continued education. This inquiry was guided by the overarching question: What are college graduates’ perceptions and understandings of their experiences in secondary accelerated programs? Using a postmodern philosophy to review the empirical materials, this interpretive biography focused on the lived experience of a college graduate who participated in an accelerated secondary program and focuses on her reflections after graduating from a four-year university. The study finds that generally, secondary accelerated …

Exercise Training As Adjunct Therapy For Substance Use Disorder, Emily Lynn Roessel

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Exercise training for clients at out-patient drug rehabilitation centers likely helps with coping skills. However, a better examination of the mechanisms producing changes may help identify effective interventions. PURPOSE: To test the effect of a vigorous exercise prescription on drug abstinence in voluntary rehabilitation patients. METHODS: 25 surveyed participants in a male drug treatment program underwent a 12-week minimum training program. The program included moderate-rigorous exercise and psychotherapy. Three days per week all subjects participated in EP for 90 minutes. Subjects also participated in ABIT 3 days per week where each session lasted 2 hours. Subjects also participated in ESM …

The Role Of Food And Culinary Customs In The Homing Process For Syrian Migrants In California, Sally Baho

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This interdisciplinary thesis explores the foodways of six Syrian migrant families, both immigrants and refugees, in California and the role that culinary customs play in their homing process. The homing process is the dynamic way in which people create home according to their life circumstances: food, eating, and culinary customs after migration in this case. Home is not only the place where people live, but also, where they come from and how they feel comfortable; home is both a physical space and an abstract concept. Home, and the various definitions of home, are mapped out in this project because understanding …

Insurance Status And Obesity As Predictors Of Cost In Trauma Care, Emily Homer

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Insurance is a vital factor in the billed cost to the patient, but to what degree does insurance explain the amount a patient is left to pay? Also, does obesity further influence patient’s billed cost? This thesis assesses the type of thoracic trauma patient, insurance status, and their billed cost. Database variables were analyzed in IBM SPSS 25. Table 1 characteristics were evaluated based on demographics and systematic hospital factors. Linear regressions used Private0_Government1 and BMI Obese n_y_ as independent variables while Total Patient Cost was the dependent variable. Private0_Government1 insurance explained .03% of Total Patient Charges. Private0_Government1 and BMI …

Listener Responses Can Influence The Presentation Of Restricted Interest Topics To Individuals With Asd, Sadaf Fakharzadeh

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The behavior of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can influence caregiver responses that lead to countertherapeutic outcomes. However, there are few experimental evaluations of variables that can cause potentially undesirable interactions between those with ASD and their caregivers. Specifically, little is known about the effects of listener interest on the restricted topics presented by caregivers. We evaluated the influence of listener responses exhibited by a confederate acting as a person with ASD on the topics presented by three undergraduate students who were interested in working with individuals diagnosed with ASD. Each session consisted of a 5-min conversation, during …

Innovation Within Regulations: Gaining Insight On Cultivating Employee-Led Innovation In California Public-Sector Organizations, Rebecca N. Franklin

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The inquiry concerned gaining insights into environmental elements needed within California public-sector organizations to increase employees’ willingness to share innovative ideas. Although research exists regarding the need for service innovation and employees as fruitful sources of innovative ideas, there have been limited studies concerning public-sector organizations and the best method to solicit employee ideas. The data collection for this qualitative research study consisted of a series of interviews with front-line, non-supervisory civil servants. The results provide insights and information on how public-sector organizations may foster a culture that promotes and encourages employee-led innovation. The themes that emerged were (a) transparency …

Using Community Cultural Wealth Narratives Of Low-Income High School Students In A Rural Northern California Community, Rene Rodriguez Malamed

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the experiences of white, low-income high school students completing their senior year in a rural community and earning their diplomas. The purpose of the study was to examine participants’ stories during high school using a community cultural wealth framework and narrative methodological approach. Results showed that students utilized capitals such as social, moral, familial and resistant in their small communities. Multiple capitals interacted and influenced each other as rural youth draw on these for support.

How Much Do You Care About Education? Exploring Fluctuations Of Public Interest In Education Issues Among Top National Priorities In The U.S., Dana Nehoran

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

It is well known that a strong education system produces citizens who are more engaged in civil and social duties, with obvious benefits to society and the individuals. Policymakers who have the power to help improve the education system frequently rely on the news or the polls to better understand the issues involved, but these tools are often unable to answer customized questions on the public view with a large enough coverage.

Monitoring the American public interest in education over the years is not new. In fact, a number of national polling agencies have tracked education as part of their …

Microfinance In Latin America: Poverty Alleviation And The Impact Of Institutional Mimicry, Lindsay Jouben

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Microfinance has become a program of choice in the international development community. The World Bank has promoted microfinance programs under the idea that poverty alleviation can be accomplished by mainly providing credit. [1] As such, these policies are often replicated throughout the developing world. This replication is done through international organizations adopting a standard of best practices for the microfinance field. Best practices consist of a complex set of standard by which all banks must adhere if they receive funding from the World Bank or International Monetary Fund. These best practices, following neoliberal economics, lay out how microfinance should operate …

Three Essays In Law And Economics, Daniel Bonneau

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigates three relevant topics in law and economics literature. The first chapter explores the effectiveness of a crime prevention policy in Detroit, Project Green Light. This initiative began in 2016 and was aimed at reducing crime around high-risk businesses. Reductions in crime can be found in the business block that housed the green light, with a potential diffusion of benefits to their immediate neighbors. Using calls for service produces mixed results and suggest that there may be an increase in proactive policing within these areas. Lastly, response times do appear to decrease significantly. The second chapter empirically evaluates …

The Role Of High-Fat Diets In Exacerbating Cognitive Deficits After Traumatic Brain Injury, Michelle A. Frankot

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause chronic psychiatric-like impairments that may be driven by inflammation in the brain. In the current study, inflammation was upregulated using a high-fat diet (HFD) to assess the role of inflammation in TBI-induced deficits. Rats were randomly assigned to receive an HFD or calorie-matched low-fat diet (LFD) for the duration of the experiment. After two weeks of free access to their respective diets, rats began behavioral training on the Rodent Gambling Task (RGT), during which they were allowed to freely choose to nosepoke in one of four holes in a standard operant chamber. Responses in …

Prosocial Behaviors: The Influence Of Authoritarian Parenting Style On Adolescents’ Prosocial Behaviors Towards Friends And Strangers, Krista-Gay Shaniece Chantal Taylor

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Adolescence is the period of development of many negative and positive behaviors. On the positive side, prosocial behaviors are positive behaviors that become more prominent in adolescents. Many of the studies that explore prosocial behaviors have explored it during childhood rather than in adolescence. Additionally, few have assessed specific parenting styles, like authoritarian parenting and its influence on adolescents’ prosocial behaviors within distinct relationships. Therefore, the aims of this study were to assess how the maternal authoritarian parenting style is associated with adolescents’ prosocial behaviors. I also explored how the association between these two variables differ for friends and strangers …

Chlordiazepoxide Increases Risky Choice, Devin Andrew Galdieri

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Probability discounting is a measure of risky choice that is correlated with maladaptive behavior and psychological disorders. Benzodiazepines are a class of drug on which relatively little risky-choice research has been conducted, particularly under conditions of chronic drug exposure. Chlordiazepoxide, a standard benzodiazepine, was administered to rats that had been trained to respond on a risky-choice task in which a choice was available between a single food pellet with 100% certainty or three food pellets with probabilities of delivery that decreased across each experimental session. During baseline, responding was sensitive to the programmed contingencies and larger-reinforcer choice decreased as the …

A Phenomenological Photovoice Exploration Of Female Exercisers’ Experiences Of Their Body In Fitness Center Environments, Katherine E. Fairhurst

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

For many women, the relationship with their body and exercise is complex. Exercise can have positive effects on body image, however, not all women appear to benefit positively from all types of exercise. To date, body image research has focused on exercise as an activity and less so on the context in which exercise is performed. Women frequently exercise in fitness centers as young adults which, unfortunately, is associated with body dissatisfaction. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach with Photovoice methodology, we explored young adult women’s lived body experiences while exercising in fitness centers. A purposive sample of 11 …

Validation Of Fast Spectrochemical Screening Methods For The Identification Of Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Packaging, Emily Ann Haase

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Counterfeit pharmaceuticals are an actively developing health and economic threat worldwide. Particularly prevalent are counterfeit pharmaceuticals distributed in emerging nations and through internet pharmacies or e-pharmacies. Although technology has been developed that discourages anti-counterfeiting practices (such as optically variable devices, invisible ink, and track-and-trace technology), it remains somewhat novel and expensive to implement on a widespread scale.

In this study, Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) were proposed as fast and non-invasive tools for the identification of counterfeit pharmaceutical packages. The main objective of this research was to develop and evaluate the capabilities …

Examining The Use Of Mhealth Technology For Weight Management: A Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trial In Family Medicine, Laurel A. Brabson M.S.

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Overweight and obesity are prevalent and problematic conditions in the United States and worldwide, and effective weight management interventions are underutilized. Efforts to improve weight management practices have focused almost exclusively on changing physician behavior, without considering the larger healthcare context or the reciprocal patient-physician relationship. The current study explored the possibility of leveraging technology to improve the implementation of weight management clinical practice guidelines and increase patient-physician weight management discussions. 100 patients of five family medicine physicians were randomly assigned to either complete a weight management mobile application (app) prior to their primary care visit (app condition), or to …

Three Essays On Energy Economics, Alexandre Ribeiro Scarcioffolo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation consists of three essays that explore empirical issues concerning energy prices in the United States. In particular, it analyzes the price transmission within and across different energy markets and their interactions with the overall economy. The first essay evaluates the dynamic spatial integration in the U.S. natural gas market and the relative importance of each location in the overall price discovery process. I show that the regional natural gas market is on average well-integrated in both the short- and long-runs, although market integration has declined over the past few years due to pipeline capacity constraints in an increasingly …

Evaluating Use And Preference For Performance Feedback To Teach Instructional Strategies, Natalie Jones Shuler

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Written and graphical feedback may be useful tools for supporting instructors because they require fewer scheduled meetings and provide instructors with permanent performance records. Although written and graphical feedback have been effective at improving some skills (e.g., use of praise), little is known about efficacy across a wider array of skills or about teacher preferences for these feedback types. Study 1 evaluated use of written and graphical feedback to increase opportunities to respond (OTRs) provided by three instructors of equine-assisted activities and therapies. Feedback increased OTRs for all three instructors. Additionally, all instructors showed untaught increases in praise when receiving …

Innovative Approaches To 3d Gis Modeling For Volumetric And Geoprocessing Applications In Subsurface Infrastructures In A Virtual Immersive Environment, Pragya Srivastava

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

As subsurface features remain largely ‘out of sight, out of mind’, this has led to challenges when dealing with underground space and infrastructures and especially so for those working in GIS. Since subsurface infrastructure plays a major role in supporting the needs of modern society, groups such as city planners and utility companies and decision makers are looking for an ‘holistic’ approach where the sustainable use of underground space is as important as above ground space. For such planning and management, it is crucial to examine subsurface data in a form that is amenable to 3D mapping and that can …

Three Essays In Public Economics, Perry Ferrell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation investigates policy-relevant topics in public economics and law and economics. The first chapter applies the transitional gains trap to legal land title enfranchisement in developing countries. The second chapter examines the role of US Forest Service avalanche forecasting operations in preventing human-involved backcountry avalanche accidents. The final chapter explores what extent local newspaper coverage has on traffic stop behavior by local law enforcement. In the first chapter “Titles For Me But Not For Thee: Transitional Gains Trap of Property Rights Extension in Colombia” I apply Tullock’s “transitional gains trap” to the formalization of property titles in Latin America …

Understanding The Relationship Between Dental Fear, Behavior Management Problems, And Caregiver-Child Interactions During Young Child Dental Appointments, Christopher Kyle Owen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Positive oral health practices should begin early in life (AAPD; 2013; 2014; 2015); however, dental care-related fear and anxiety and behavior management problems are prevalent among young children in oral health (Klingberg & Broberg, 2007). The study explored caregiver and child dental care-related fear and anxiety, child behavior, and caregiver-child interactions during early childhood dental appointments. Caregiver-child dyad participants (N = 140) were collected from dental practices in West Virginia, Ohio, and Tennessee. Children (n = 139) in the sample were largely White (69.8%) and male (54.0%), with an average age of 3.05 years. Video-taped dental appointments for children under …

A Comparative Analysis Of Homicide Rates Utilizing The University Of Tennessee Forensic Data Bank, Anna F. Hampton

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Homicide has piqued the interest of society through media not only in the 21^st century, but also dating back to the 1800s with crime fiction novels. Homicide holds the attention of our society with crime drama television series and has become part of American culture. With the attention that homicide receives, studies focusing on homicide are therefore important. This research utilizes the University of Tennessee Forensic Data Bank (FDB) to examine and compare homicide rates to the Global Study on Homicide conducted by the United Nation Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Variables examined include sex, ancestry, cause of …

Diet-Breadth Analysis In The American Southwest: Metabarcoding Method With Coprolites, Paige Nicole Plattner

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Molecular analysis of coprolites is proposed as new means of studying bio-archaeological remains that aids in the ability to capture diet breadth from past populations. This research utilizes the targeted PCR method, known as metabarcoding, to study dietary elements preserved in the coprolites from three greater Southwest sites. The Illumina MiSeq technology was used to sequence the samples after multiple rounds of targeted PCR using two primers (16s and 12s) proven successful for taxonomic identification with animal DNA and one primer specific to plant DNA (Rias et al 2011).

The sequencing data was then run through two different bioinformatics pipelines …

Drug Policy: The Effect Of Medical Marijuana On Opioid Consumption During The Us Opioid Epidemic, Jonathon David Knudson

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The introduction and subsequent over-prescribing of extended-release opioids in the United States resulted in a large rise in both addiction and overdose. Recognition and regulation of these new drugs as addictive did little to control the supply of opioids to Americans while Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs and Abuse Deterrent reformulations had limited effect to control the problem. Simultaneously, states like Michigan and Rhode Island legalized medical marijuana through voter referenda opening the door for a new approach to pain management. Recent research has found medical marijuana has proven an effective treatment for conditions such as chronic pain and PTSD and …

Comparing Fence Modeling And Mapping Approaches To Support Wildlife Management And Research In Southwest Montana, Simon Albert Buzzard

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Fences pose significant challenges to wildlife movement, but their effects are difficult to quantify because fence location and fence type data are lacking on a global scale. We developed a fence location and density model in southwest Montana, USA to provide data to researchers and managers, and test whether previous models could be applied to a new region and retain suitable levels of statistical accuracy. Our model used local expert opinion to inform how road, land cover, and ownership spatial layers interacted to predict fence locations. We validated the model against fence data collected on random 3.2 km road transects …