bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subsurface structure and morphology : Epitaxial metal film growth studied by in situ X-ray scattering
Authors:   , Hayden Shawn T.
Published: April 2021

The existence of missing material (vacancies) below the exposed surface was deduced from deposition-angle-dependent experimental evidence. Due to a lack of experimental evidence, theoretical film growth models have largely neglected the incorporation of vacancies. In fact, downward funneling is a key construct introduced to remove vacancies, therefore, the growth mechanisms for vacancies are not well understood. Vacancies can even explain the anomalous change in physical film properties, such as conductivity[1] and film strain[2]. There are two schools of thought concerning how film strain is incorporated during film growth: 1) structural surface morphology[3] and 2) vacancy clusters[4]. Left out of the discussion is the possible interpretation that there is an interplay between surface morphology and vacancies. In the case of islands growth, surface morphology dominates, and in the smooth film growth case, vacancies could dominate. Is it surface morphology or is it vacancies that are responsible for the measured film strain? This is a complicated question that does not have a direct answer. In order for this question to be addressed, the buried interface has to be characterized. It will be shown, through the deposition-angle-dependent characterization of the Ag/Si(111)7x7 system, using X-ray reflectivity, which is sensitive to the buried interface, that missing material at the interface exists. The characterization of the Ag/Ag(001) deposition-angle-dependent "Pearl Necklace" data, using X-ray reflectivity, shows a constant strain below the exposed surface irrespective of the growth conditions: the deposition angle, the coverage, or the surface roughness. This constant strain below the surface, in spite of the growth conditions, is attributed to the buried missing material trapped during film growth.
Fluorescent chemosensors for the detection of biological amines
Authors:   , Klockow Jessica L.
Published: April 2021

Chemical sensing has become an important field for the study of bioanalytes and provides key information pertaining to disease pathogenesis, and the physiological mechanisms underlying cellular processes. Discussed herein is a brief introduction to fluorescence methods for bioanalyte detection along with the design and synthesis of novel chemical sensors for important bioamines. First, we report a chemical sensor for kynurenine, a molecule known to contribute to tumor growth and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Several coumarin dimers were developed for the two-point binding of kynurenine, but showed poor solubility in aqueous media. Later, a coumarin monomer was developed that showed high selectivity for kynurenine and a pronounced fluorescence response at low pH. Next, we produced pH-sensitive chemical sensors for neurotransmitters. The sensors are designed to produce a turn-on fluorescence response upon exocytosis. Secretion from the acidic vesicle into the neutral synaptic cleft deprotonates the sensor and makes it highly fluorescent. The sensorâ€™s fluorescence response is easily tuned by altering the pKa of the pH-sensitive group through a single coupling reaction. By slightly altering the coumarin core, we then achieved a three-input sensor for pH, glutamate, and zinc as the latter two molecules are copackaged in high concentrations in glutamatergic boutons. An 11-fold fluorescence enhancement of the sensor-glutamate-zinc bound complex was observed at the pH values germane to exocytosis.
Identity and reputation in organizational collectives
Authors:   , Hofherr Peter William
Published: April 2021

This research explores the attributes of the identity-based mechanisms of group collective action. Recognizing that wine trails are organizational collectives that market themselves and the region in which they reside, the research tests for the presence of identity-based attributes that reflect the social, institutional, cultural and physical aspects of the region. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, this research finds that the content of both external and internal stakeholdersâ€™ expectations and perceptions used in the reputational comparative process includes attributes of institutional, place-based, cultural, and social norms. This confirms that the specific content of stakeholdersâ€™ expectations and perceptions are developed in part from institutional norms, social categories, and structural roles associated with the wine trail organization and the geographic region in which they reside.
Radiation conditions and integral representations for Clifford algebra-valued null solutions of the iterated perturbed Dirac operator
Authors:   , Okamoto Nicholas H.
Published: April 2021

In 1912 Arnold Sommerfeld introduced a special decay condition at infinity to address uniqueness issues for certain boundary value problems involving the Helmholtz operator in an exterior domain. Examples of such boundary value problems arise in optical diffraction theory and radio wave propagation. This decay condition, which has become known as Sommerfeld's radiation condition, has been subsequently adapted to various other operators of interest in mathematics, engineering, and physics. Examples include the Silver-Muller radiation condition for the Maxwell system, and radiation conditions for certain perturbed Dirac operators. In this dissertation, we continue this line of research by considering iterated perturbed Dirac operators. Among other things, suitable radiation conditions are identified which allow us to prove integral representation formulas for Clifford algebra-valued null-solutions of iterated perturbed Dirac operators.
First-year student's understanding of academic dishonesty : a case study
Authors:   , Douglas Carole K.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This case study examines first-year first-time college studentsâ€™ understanding of academic dishonesty. The study used data from interviews with twenty-seven first-year students at Lyon College, a small, private, liberal arts institution that utilizes a traditional honor code system. Data from direct observations, a physical artifact search, and a document search were also used. Four main themes emerged from the data: (Not) Learning about Academic Dishonesty, Stepping Stone, Degrees of Dishonesty, and Fear. First-year students had a narrow understanding of academic dishonesty and expressed a desire to know more. Students also indicated that fear of losing financial aid or disappointing parents were reasons to engage in academic dishonesty, while the fear of punishment was not a strong deterrent to engaging in academic dishonesty. Further, first-year students were fearful of engaging in collaborative study and asking peers for academic assistance. Specific recommendations for changes to institutional policies and procedures are discussed.
The costs and benefits of dampening of positive affect in youth
Authors:   , Hausman Estee M.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The main goals of the current study were to a) extend the literature on dampening, or positive emotion regulation strategies, affective, cognitive, and behavioral, used to decrease the frequency, intensity, or duration of PA, in youth by examining correlates of dampening and b) investigate the conditions under which youths' dampening may be adaptive and maladaptive personally and socially for youth. In order to accomplish this goal, it was first necessary to develop a measure of dampening situationally; thus, development and validation of a new self-report measure of dampening (i.e., the Children's Responses to Everyday Positive Events; CREPE) was a preliminary goal of this study as well. The CREPE was investigated in a sample of typically developing youth, ages 12-15 (N=137). Participants were recruited through paper flyers posted at public libraries, cafes, and mental health clinics in the Central Missouri community and electronic flyers posted on Craigslist and sent through school and university newsletters. Youth completed measures of positive emotion regulation strategies, affect, anxiety, depression, externalizing symptoms, social competence, and life satisfaction in an online survey. Results indicated that youth dampen both cognitively and behaviorally consistently across situations, both of which are maladaptive, not adaptive. However, cognitive, not behavioral, dampening added to the prediction of higher depression. Sex differences in dampening and in its relationships to depression were also explored. Implications for future research and for intervention targeting dampening are discussed.
Divorced fathers' perceptions of parental disclosures to children
Authors:   , Kang Young Jin
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Parental disclosures about divorce-related topics can help children understand changes and reduce uncertainty following divorce; however, such disclosures can be often hurtful and damaging if they contain harmful and inappropriate messages. Although divorced fathers are important in children's lives, little is known about these fathers' perceptions of parental disclosures. This study examines divorced fathers' perceptions of the inappropriateness of parental disclosures, drawing upon sensitizing concepts from family systems and communication privacy management theories. Using vignette techniques, I conducted a grounded theory study of 20 divorced fathers who had shared or legal custody of a child in adolescence. Fathers' judgments about the inappropriateness of disclosures were generally consistent when discussing disclosures made by other parents. However, I found fathers were less consistent when evaluating their own disclosures. Fathers' judgments were influenced by various factors (e.g., life experiences), and these factors functioned as guiding premises for their own behaviors and disclosing strategies regarding how much and when to share information with their children.
Sexual violence, coping, and empowerment among Latina sexual assault survivors
Authors:   , Orosco Danielle Quintero
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Rates of sexual violence are as high as approximately 1 in 3 (34.8%) for Latina women (Basile et al., 2015) and little information is known regarding coping strategies Latina survivors utilize post sexual assault. A qualitative case study approach was utilized to explore the relationships between sexual assault, coping, and resiliency and the impact these have on Latina survivors' sense of empowerment. The results of this study found that Latina women utilized adaptive coping skills that were significantly influenced by their culture as well as their ethnic and gender identity. Participants also developed a strong sense of empowerment by providing service to other survivors through multiple forms of advocacy and by finding meaning or a higher calling within their sexual assault experience. Participants also described empowerment as having emerged from identifying their recovery as a journey and through empathic views and feelings towards themselves and others. Overall, the results of this study showed that the intersection of culture, ethnicity, and gender permeated through all facets of their recovery and sense of empowerment. This study also provides implications for future research and practice in the psychological field with regard to working with and supporting Latina sexual assault survivors.
Does school-level use of exclusionary discipline mediate the relation between school segregation and academic achievement?
Authors:   , Cohen Daniel R.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This study evaluated the relation between ethnic/racial and economic school segregation and math achievement in public school students participating in the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Survey of 2009. Previous research has demonstrated that economically and racially/ethnically segregated schools are associated with lower academic performance on the student level, controlling for individual student characteristics. Existing empirical work has also demonstrated the school process variables explain some of the variation in achievement in segregated schools compared to schools with lower concentrations of racial ethnic/minority students and those living in poverty. The present study assessed both the direct impact of school segregation on math achievement as well as indirect effects mediated by exclusionary discipline practices including in-school suspension and out of school suspension. Study findings suggest that that racial/ethnic and economic segregation results in reductions in math achievement through indirect effects associated with the school-level proportion of students receiving out of school suspension.
What about the parents? : a focus on parent perceptions regarding parent involvement in the middle school setting
Authors:   , Jackson Marilyn K.
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The purpose of this phenomenological bounded case study was to understand parent perceptions regarding their involvement at the middle school level. This was significant to understanding why middle schools struggle with fostering parent involvement. Three focus groups comprised of sixteen parent participants from one middle school in Missouri were utilized. As parents discussed their views and experiences a deeper understanding of parent involvement emerged. The perceptions of parents were analyzed to understand how they perceive, define, and understand their role in terms of academic and social outcomes for their adolescent child's education. They considered parent participation as a partnership with the school requiring their involvement within three major constructs: learning in the home, parenting, and volunteering. However, the transition to middle school left them wondering how to support their child and knowing what role they should take in their education. This contributed to weakened parent self-efficacy and role construction. Difficulty navigating parent social networks emerged as a significant barrier to parent participation, suggesting it as another possible construct parents perceive as critical for parent participation. Findings suggest that parents have different perceptions about their role and efficacy for involvement. However, relationships with other parents may serve to lessen the disconnect between parents and middle schools, especially as students transition during the first year of middle school.
A study of the teacher perceptions of the boost program : a tier two academic intervention program at a middle school
Authors:   , Jennings Holly
Published: April 2021

Higher achievement scores, skill building, and closing the achievement gap are all anticipated results when providing academic interventions to students. When using Response to Intervention (RtI), a three tiered model where academic interventions are provided systematically to improve student outcomes, teachers would expect academic success from students. However, one middle school is experiencing positive unintended consequences that are lifelong skills students need to succeed. Accountability, self-advocacy and relationship building are all components that have been reported by teachers who are using BOOST, a RtI model created uniquely to fit the needs of a middle school in the Midwest. BOOST stands for Broadening Opportunities to Obtain Superior Thinking; it is a tier two academic intervention program. This qualitative study used focus groups and interviews to gain perceptual data regarding the use of a tier-two academic intervention model.
The battle within : a mixed methods exploration into political journalism and role strain
Authors:   , Kelling Kimberly
Published: April 2021

Research into journalistic roles has received world-wide attention. What tends to be underrepresented in these studies are the challenges that journalists must overcome in fulfilling their idealized roles. Therefore, this study uses a theoretical framework that accounts for influences to news production, sensemaking, and emotionality to explore how U.S. political journalists make sense of role strain. By employing a mixed methods design, this study is able to provide both generalizable findings and rich description that supports and expands on quantitative findings. Findings from the survey reveal that political journalists view an informational role as most important to their work, followed by a monitorial role. They also perceive time and money restriction as the biggest limitation to their job. Follow-up interviews with survey participants illustrate that as journalists make sense of challenges to their ideal roles, they interpret each situation by foregrounding their identity as a journalist. Based on their intepretations, they assimilate, reaffirm their ideal roles, or alter their role through a role negotiation process. Additionally, journalists try to proactively and reactively manage affiliated emotions. Findings contribute to understandings of the discursive construction of roles by examining the journalists' sensemaking process surrounding role strain. This study begins to bridge the gap between ideal roles and practice by providing an exploratory examination into the role enactment process.
Predictors of postsecondary success for students with autism spectrum disorder
Authors:   , Kimmel Sarah E.
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the impact of three predicting factors, low socioeconomic status (SES), participation in community based work experience (CBWE) programs, and the presence of multiple disability diagnoses, on postsecondary outcomes of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The case study specifically analyzed postsecondary outcomes of 70 high school students with an educational diagnosis of ASD, who graduated from public, self-contained special education secondary schools during the 2014-2017 academic years. Postsecondary outcomes were measured through data gathered by the school district's Graduate Six Month Follow Up questionnaire. Study results found no statistically significant impact of any predictor variables on postsecondary outcomes. Results also indicated no significant relationship between the three predictor variables. Limitations of the study include sample size, qualification for free and reduced lunch, data collection tools, and time frames. Implications for practice and future research opportunities are discussed.
A qualitative study of male students' experiences in counseling programs and male professional counselors' experiences post graduation
Authors:   , Lancaster Amber F.
Published: April 2021

Little is known about what attracts men to the counseling profession and what their experiences are in counseling programs and the profession post-graduation. This qualitative case study examines what attracts men to the counseling profession, recruitment strategies, and proposed recruitment strategies that could affect prospective male students. It also reveals the experiences of males in counseling programs and the counseling profession, after graduation. Findings indicated men are attracted to the field for various reasons. Most participants did not notice any specific recruitment strategies directed toward males. The participants shared ideas for future male recruitment. Findings also indicated there are benefits and challenges associated with being a gender minority in counseling programs and the profession. Implications for counselor preparation programs are presented.
Taphonomic characteristics of fossils on the burgessshale-type spectrum
Authors:   , Broce Jesse S.
Published: April 2021

"Study of exceptional fossil preservation tends to yield exciting results. Since soft-bodied organisms and the soft tissues of biomineralizing organisms are usually not preserved in the fossil record, instances of soft-tissue preservation are of immense value to paleontology and biology. Anatomical details of soft tissues are invaluable for understanding the phylogenetic relationships between organisms, as well as interpreting their life modes. Soft-bodied organisms are not only valuable phylogenetically, but they also are important members of ecological community structure. Without soft-tissue preservation, the interpretation of past environments, ecologies, and evolutionary lineages becomes extremely limited. That soft-tissue preservation is relatively rare is an unfortunate phenomenon that not only decreases the amount of available information, but also imposes biases on our understanding of the past. Soft-bodied organisms represent the vast majority of diversity, but are the minority of diversity in the fossil record. In fact, only about 30% of modern marine benthic macroorganisms contain hard parts suitable for easy preservation (Johnson, 1964) and in the Phyllopod Bed of the Cambrian Burgess Shale, only about 14% of species or 2% of individuals have hard parts (Morris, 1986), and consequently would not be preserved in most fossiliferous deposits." -- Introduction
Social and cognitive influences on a teacher candidate's choice to pursue math education
Authors:   , Callaway Rebecca
Published: April 2021

There is a crisis across the United States as schools are seeing a shortage of mathematics teachers. While school districts are working on new ways to recruit teacher candidates, the heart of the problem lies in the decline in students entering secondary mathematics teacher preparation programs. This study evaluates the social and cognitive influences on a student's choice to pursue a degree in secondary mathematics education. An electronic survey was given to 63 students across the state of Missouri in the first three years of a math teacher preparation program. In the survey, students ranked the level of social influences (teacher encouragement, family support, and peer influences) and the level of cognitive influences (self-efficacy, growth mindset, and outcome expectations). Self-efficacy was the largest influence by a statistically significant difference. Teacher encouragement was significantly found to be the largest social influence. This is important because it implies that schools have the largest opportunity to increase the number of secondary math teachers.
Synthesis and reactivity of actinide phosphorano-stabilized carbene and phosphido complexes
Authors:   , Rungthanaphatsophon Pokpong
Published: April 2021

Nuclear power plants have been operated in the United States for over 60 years, generating over 800 terawatt-hours of energy per year. However, there is still no reliable process to recycle the spent nuclear fuel. This dissertation looks at the formation of actinide-ligand multiple bonds, which may give us insights into how to improve the process of separation of actinides from the spent nuclear fuels contaminated with lanthanides. This is because lanthanides cannot participate in multiple bonding and a difference in coordination chemistry between actinides and lanthanides is important in separation methods. This dissertation contains two parts, both of which involve using phosphorus to create new actinide complexes. Chapters 1 and 2 outline the use of phosphorano-stabilized carbene complexes to make short actinide-carbon bonds. In fact, these complexes exhibit the shortest uranium and thorium-carbon bonds reported in the literature. Chapter 3 revolves around investigating the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of actinide phosphido (monoanionic phosphine) complexes. In this regard, I have synthesized the first trivalent uranium phosphido complex, (C5Me5)2U[P(SiMe3)(2,4,6- Me3C6H2)](THF). The investigation of its reactivity revealed that the complex is capable of 4-electron reduction chemistry. For example, the reaction of (C5Me5)2U[P(SiMe3)(2,4,6-Me3C6H2)](THF) with azidotrimethylsilane, N3SiMe3, produces a U(VI) complex. Three electrons are from the metal center, U(III) to U(VI), and one electron is from reductive coupling of the phosphido ligand. The phosphido chemistry can also be extended to tetravalent uranium and thorium. Chapter 4 outlines the synthesis of thorium phosphido complexes which exhibit an unusual absorption in the visible region which we contributed to a ligand to metal charge transfer. Just by varying the ligand design, we were able to manipulate the HOMO/LUMO gap, which results in an absorption in a different part of the visible region. Appendix A summaries the synthesis of copper(I) complexes with bulky terphenyl ligands. The steric properties of the complex center can be tuned by changing the substituent on the terphenyl. By carefully controlling the steric properties, different coordinating environments around the metal center can be achieved. Finally, Appendix B describes the reactivity of U(IV) phosphido complexes with organic azide and tert-butyl isocyanide.
Wild leaves and narrow stems : case study of a school garden in transition
Authors:   , Cramer Sarah Elizabeth
Published: April 2021

Elementary school gardens have grown popular and abundant in recent years, and are established with goals ranging from addressing childhood obesity to improving test scores. With this garden-based learning movement come questions of school garden efficacy in achieving stated goals, as well as school garden sustainability and longevity in an ever more standardized public education environment. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how the transition of control of a garden-based educational program from independent non-profit to school district affects various elements of the school garden, including participant perceptions and motivations, organizational mission, and teaching methods and philosophies. Through extensive observational data collection, participant interviews, focus groups, and artifact analysis, themes emerged and descriptions of the case before, during, and after the transition of control were developed. The story of the school garden transition was one of negotiations and trade offs. Garden educators perceived a legitimation of their place in the school as a result of the transition, but also perceived constraints placed upon their curricular and pedagogical freedom by the school district. While before the transition the garden program was seen as a challenger of restrictive school policies and educational paradigms, after the transition it adopted more of the qualities and procedures of the school district. Garden-based learning researchers and practitioners are challenged to consider the nuance and implications of these trade offs in program development and strategic planning.
Internationalization initiatives in U.S. institutions of higher education : the impact observed by a school of music
Authors:   , DeArman Brooke A.
Published: April 2021

This qualitative study was designed to evaluate the impact internationalization initiatives in U.S. institutions of higher education have had on a school of music. The critical approach of intercultural communication served as the conceptual framework to guide understanding of internationalization initiatives or efforts within higher education institutions toward preparing students, in particular music graduates, for the global society (Issa, 2015). Data collected from questionnaires and interviews with various stakeholders, organizational documents and the institution's website provided a more thorough understanding of the approach to, and challenges and benefits of internationalization initiatives in a school of music. This data was coded for consistencies and emerging themes in terms of approaches to, challenges, and benefits. The results of this study could create social change for society and communities in better understanding the impact of internationalization initiatives implemented within higher education music departments toward enhancing the artistic and intellectual abilities and contributions of individuals, institutions, and the field of music as a whole. Findings from this study will also inform practices of administrators of music departments within higher education toward attracting and preparing international students as well as preparing current domestic students for a globalized society.
Are dividends and share repurchases substitutes? : evidence from the reaction of financial analysts
Authors:   , Dickson Anamaria C.
Published: April 2021

In this study, I propose a novel test that can contribute towards resolving whether repurchases do in fact substitute for dividends. I contend that using the reactions of financial analysts to announcements of dividends initiations / increases and share repurchases can effectively test whether repurchases do substitute for dividends. If the substitution hypothesis holds, then the analysts' changes in recommendations following the announcement of a dividend initiation or increase and a repurchase announcement should be the same, ceteris paribus. My findings show that when analysts' reactions include no changes, positive and negative changes in recommendation, dividends and repurchases are viewed as substitutes. However, when there is an actual change in the analysts' recommendation following a distribution announcement, the analysts downgrade more and upgrade less the firms that announce share repurchases programs as opposed to dividend initiations / increases. They are also more likely to make a recommendation change when there is a share repurchases announcement. Further, I explore whether the analysts' preference might be justified. Specifically, I investigate how the signal quality of the payout method, the potential for earnings management of the payout method, or behavioral biases might play a role in the analysts' decision making process. I find that, given an actual change in recommendation, financial analysts upgrade less and downgrade more firms with share repurchases announcements when the firms are associated with higher earnings management, during period of higher demand for dividends, and when the firms have been downgraded in the month preceding the announcement. Financial analysts view dividends and repurchases as substitutes post 2004 and when repurchases are classified as serial repurchases.
Enacted identities : a narrative inquiry into teacher writerly becoming
Authors:   , Goldsmith Christy
Published: April 2021

This narrative inquiry explored the ways in which four mid-career English teachers construct themselves as W/writers and how those writerly identities are performed in their pedagogy. I curated data collected from extended interviews, journals, personal and professional writings to build narratives of these teachers-aswriters. Through these narratives and metaphorical thinking (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980), I analyzed the wholeness of each participant's experience with writing. Then, in stage two of the study, I used data collected from teaching observations to build a continuum of process --> product, employing Goffman's (1974) frame analysis to place the teachers within that continuum. This continuum represented the stable thread that continued through the teachers' personal and professional identities and led to three insights: (1) Those teachers who identified as Writers were more comfortable teaching writing processes (2) The desire to be seen as a "kind of W/writer or teacher" brings risk writing instruction and (3) Agency provides Writers a way to mitigate the risk of teaching writing.
In self defense : black female journalists' advocacy in the Cold War
Authors:   , Grant Rachel (Rachel Lindsey)
Published: April 2021

"Mary Church Terrell, Black female journalist and civil rights activist, stood in front of the United Nations board in Lake Success, New York, on Sept. 21, 1949, to present a brief on Rosa Lee Ingram. Ingram and her two sons had been sentenced in 1948 to life in prison after they were accused of murdering John Stratford, their white neighbor who attacked Ingram after her livestock ventured onto his Georgia property. As a mother of 14 children, Ingram believed she acted in self-defense, but the Southern justice of an all-white jury convicted her. In front of an audience of 75 people, Terrell stated: "Under similar circumstances it is inconceivable that such an unjust sentence would have been imposed upon a white woman and her sons." She went further in noting the role that both race and gender played in the Ingram case." -- Introduction
Resisting the nudge
Authors:   , Hamilton Paul (Paul Robert)
Published: April 2021

"Behavioral scientists have discovered that people predictably behave in ways unlike perfectly rational agents or utility maximizers. For example, it has been found that when people make choices, the degree to which they best pursue their own welfare or conception of the good is often influenced by the circumstances surrounding that choice. Cass Sunstein, Richard Thaler, and many others have proposed that these circumstances be consciously shaped to take advantage of these predictable patterns of behavior to get people to make choices that are best for the chooser. Put otherwise, many have suggested that choosers be "nudged" into making better choices. Perhaps more importantly, governments have made policy in line with these proposals. Most notably the US and the UK have attempted to incorporate these findings of behavioral economics by creating what are popularly known as "Nudge Units".(1) The UK's unit (the Behavioral Insights Team) has been credited with "getting the unemployed back into work faster, helping smokers give up tobacco, and motivating procrastinators to be more punctual in paying their taxes".(2) Many are uncomfortable with the use of nudges. Detractors describe their use as manipulative, paternalistic, or violations of autonomy or self-authorship. I share many of these concerns. In this dissertation, I look to raise two new ways of objecting to the use of nudges. The chapters will proceed as follows. In this chapter, I clarify what counts as a nudge and respond to the objection that nudging is inevitable. In the next chapter, I argue on republican grounds that the use of nudges places choice architects in a position of domination over choosers. In case some degree of domination is permissible, I will also explore what elements would distinguish permissible from impermissible nudges on republican grounds. In chapter 3, I argue that nudges can threaten the status of our actions from qualifying as achievements; and for those that still qualify, the use of nudges can make them less valuable as achievements. In the penultimate chapter, I respond to a particular defense of the use of nudges: nudges are permissible because they help one to appreciate the reasons that one has. To respond to this defense, I adopt a contemporary account of reasons to show that one either does not have reason to do what one is nudged into doing or the nudge is causally redundant in helping one to appreciate reasons. I conclude by considering how the insights that motivate the nudge project can be permissibly used."--Chapter 1.
Childhood epidemics and the demographic landscape of the Aland Archipelago
Authors:   , Miller Erin Lee
Published: April 2021

Historically, the introduction of childhood diseases such as measles or smallpox resulted in the infection of nearly every susceptible individual in a community. While smallpox has long been considered the deadlier of the two childhood diseases, research has shown that the immune response to measles infection results in immune suppression that can last for weeks or even months. Higher mortality during measles epidemics has typically been associated with completely susceptible populations; however, in Aland, Finland--a population that experienced regular epidemics of both childhood diseases--mortality from all causes during the 1820-21 measles epidemic was 25% higher than that experienced during the 1823-24 smallpox epidemic. Excess mortality surrounding measles epidemics suggests that this disease may have larger impacts on the demographic history of populations than previously thought. This study uses archival records to investigate syndemic interactions between measles and other diseases during a 19th century measles epidemic in the Aland Islands, Finland. Comparisons to smallpox and a non-epidemic period indicated greater than expected mortality for individuals aged 5 to 9 years and over 50 years; though neither epidemic had long-term demographic consequences. These results are consistent with deaths from secondary infections due to measles-induced immune suppression, but not conclusive. The unknown impact of measles exposure on adults with antibodies, and the variety of other diseases and symptom descriptions, indicates that the possibility of co-occurring epidemics cannot be ruled out.
Synergy of wide-field infrared survey explorer (WISE) and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in Stripe 82
Authors:   , Musin Marat
Published: April 2021

In this dissertation, I aim to study the evolution of galaxies over the last 6 Gyr by measuring the growth of the global stellar mass density (GSMD) since z = 0.8. My work combines the datasets from two very large surveys, namely, the optical data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 and the infrared data from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), and constructs a unique catalog of galaxies that have their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) measured consistently from 0.3 to 5 [mu]m in seven bands. This catalog, the largest of its kind, contains 9 million galaxies in [about] 300 deg[2] , will have a wide range of applications beyond the scope of this thesis. Extending galaxy SED measurements to restframe near-IR has two significant advantages: (1) dust extinction can be better handled, and (2) emissions from low-mass stars, which are the major contributors to a galaxy's stellar mass, can be better measured. WISE was the only mission to date that provided all-sky IR data that are deep enough for galaxy evolution studies out to z [approximately] 1 (sampling restframe K-band). The only wide-field optical survey data that could match WISE depths are those from the SDSS Stripe 82 over [about] 300 deg2 . The synergy of the two is therefore natural. The implementation, however, is of tremendous difficulty. This is mainly because of the vastly different spatial resolutions between SDSS and WISE. To overcome this problem, we take an approach that is often referred to as "morphological template fitting", i.e., using the high-resolution image to define the morphological template of the galaxy in question, and de-convolving its light profile in the low-resolution image accordingly. In this way, we obtain the SED measurements over the entire 0.3-5[mu]m range in the most self-consistent manner. Using this SED catalog as the basis, we derive photometric redshifts and stellar masses for all the 9 million galaxies that span z = 0-0.8. This provides us an unprecedented statistics when deriving galaxy stellar mass functions (MFs) and GSMD over multiple redshift bins. Some preliminary results are discussed. As a by-product of our morphological template fitting process, an interesting population of objects called "WISE Optical Dropouts" ("WoDrops" for short) are discovered. These objects are significant detections in WISE data but are invisible in all the SDSS Stripe 82 data. Their nature remains a mystery up to this point. Among all possibilities, the only viable interpretation is that they are very high-mass galaxies with very high dust extinctions. To reveal their nature, future observations at larger facilities will be necessary.
Harnessing policy windows : using lessons from the post 9 11 GI Bill passage to garner congressional support for US military requirements
Authors:   , Obradovich Katherine
Published: April 2021

The goal of this dissertation is to examine how stakeholders adjusted their narrative strategies to develop support for transferability of veterans' educational benefits to their spouses and dependent children, which was eventually established in the Post9/11 GI Bill. Prior studies have not examined this particular topic, and this dissertation presents an exploratory study that contributes to various hypotheses present in the Narrative Policy Framework. This dissertation demonstrates that stakeholder groups use narrative strategies to expand or constrain the policy issue to support their desired end states and that changes in policy discussion help explain policy changes and revised outcomes.
The recovery project : three dramatic works concerning alcoholism and recovery
Authors:   , Scully Aaron Michael
Published: April 2021

This dissertation explores the transformative nature of storytelling in alcoholism recovery. I created a trilogy of dramatic works titled The Recovery Project, which address the underrepresented narrative of recovery through my personal experience with alcoholism recovery, and the experiences of others. The three plays, Sliding into Home, The Disappointments, and The Recovery Project are not a trilogy in the traditional sense; rather they represent the three stages in the life of a recovering alcoholic: active alcoholism, acceptance of a problem, and recovery. Sliding into Home is a family tragedy told with a non-linear structure. The Disappointments is a semi-autobiographical inspired work about my journey through treatment. The final play, The Recovery Project is an ethnographic performance text. I conducted interviews with several people who have differing lengths of sobriety. Based on these interviews, I wrote a non-fiction narrative about finding recovery. Each dramatic work is prefaced with an introduction that describes the inspiration for each play, my personal connection to each work, their specific purpose, dramatic techniques utilized, their evolution, their development and possibilities for the future of each play. A variety of dramatic techniques including magical realism, stage realism, and performance ethnography informs the narrative structure of each play. The purpose of these plays is to aid in the understanding of alcoholism and recovery.
Change champions for student recruitment : leader experiences in managing change for new technology adoption
Authors:   , Sharp P. Suzanne
Published: April 2021

Small, private, primarily undergraduate colleges and universities have been facing challenges in enrollment as number of traditional-aged college students declines and options for obtaining a degree expand. In response, schools often seek out and adopt new technology to improve their student recruitment functions. Existing research largely focuses on the technical aspects of adoption but does not provide much insight into the process of leading change itself. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of higher education leaders in championing change through adoption of new technology for student recruitment. I interviewed 12 enrollment management leaders in higher education about their experiences guiding the technology adoption process on their campus. All participants were at small, private, primarily undergraduate institutions. This qualitative case study focused on the common phenomenon experienced by the participants -- being the champion for selecting and purchasing new technology. Early stages of change management (Kotter, 2012) served as the framework for my research. In addition, I relied on a secondary framework, Bolman and Deal's (2008) political frame, to provide further insight about the participants' experiences. Four themes emerged from the findings: identifying problems, impetus for change, involving others, and influence. This study concludes that managing change itself is a significant aspect of the process. Based on the findings I offer recommendations for practice and identify opportunities for further research.
Condition monitoring of an axial piston pump utilizing the Kalman filter
Authors:   , Shinn Tyler Andrew
Published: April 2021

Condition monitoring of a hydraulic pump is an essential process for maximum operational time and pump life longevity. One method of condition monitoring is to estimate parameters characterized by flow losses. Even in a lab environment, direct flow loss measurement may be impractical. Therefore, a method of estimation must be utilized. Filters, such as the Kalman Filter have been implemented in numerous engineering applications to estimate states and parameters. A first order, nonlinear model of the pump discharge pressure, along with several measurements from experimental tests, have been utilized to implement and compare five filters: a pole placement filter (PPF), Kalman Filter (KF), Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), particle filter (PF), and Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF). The discharge pressure, swash plate angle, and a flow loss parameter within the model are estimated using these filters. An eighth order model has also been utilized to test estimation of multiple flow loss parameters (low and high Reynolds number flow losses) simultaneously. The KF, EKF, and PF is utilized for this model, using simulation data. A least squares fit, utilizing the volumetric efficiency of the pump and considering low and high Reynolds number flow losses, has also been calculated and compared to the filter results for the experimental data. Results show that flow losses can be tracked utilizing a simple first or second order model utilizing standard filtering techniques such as the EKF.
Rivalry, revelry, and retention : an exploration into the relationship between the academic progress rate and institution, athletic department, and team characteristics
Authors:   , Frey Charles (Charles Hollis)
Published: April 2021

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Academic Progress Rate and team, athletic department, and institutional characteristics. The conceptual foundation for this study was the Model for Team Academic Progress Rate, which was adapted from the Comeaux and Harrison (2011) Model for College Student Athlete Academic Success. Multiple data sources were compiled to create the athletic team data set. The dependent variables of Academic Progress Rate, team eligibility rate, and team retention rate were correlated against a set of 20 independent variables at the athletic team, athletic department, and institutional levels. The analytic sample consisted of 12,616 NCAA Division I, Football Bowl Subdivision athletic teams participating in 121 public institutions between the academic years of 2005-2006 and 2011-2012. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted at each level of inquiry and for each dependent variable. The results of the regressions revealed that gender, sport profile, and athletic aid spending, per student-athlete, had relatively weak relationships with APR and the fully specified model accounted for 14.3% of the variance observed in APR scores. The results of the study could inform future research about the importance of team level characteristics in predicting APR and the variations between the eligibility and retention aspects of APR. This study could also inform academic support programming and policy making for student-athletes and aid in understanding the conditions that lead to greater academic success.