cometadata/datacite-titles-descriptions-related-identifiers huggingface dataset:
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c127-672735
title: Cutting the mustard: an experimental investigation of idiomatic expressions in the lexicon

description: Much of the work in theoretical and experimental linguistics has focused upon compositional language, viewing non-compositional expressions such as idioms (e.g. kick the bucket) as exceptional cases in the language system. Early research into these expressions treated them as unanalyzed words-with-spaces (Bobrow & Bell, 1973; Swinney & Cutler, 1979), while more recent work places more emphasis upon their structural properties (Cacciari & Tabossi, 1988; Cutting & Bock, 1997; Sprenger, Levelt & Kempen, 2006). However there is still disagreement regarding the representation of idiomatic expressions in the lexicon, and the role of literal processing in the processing of idioms. This dissertation examines three primary questions (i) how are idioms represented structurally, (ii) how are idioms stored in the lexicon, and related to other elements in lexical space, and (iii) how do individuals process expressions ambiguous between an idiomatic and literal sense. We report the results of three distinct experimental investigations designed to address these questions. The results of our experiments suggest that idiomatic expressions are represented as structural frames in the lexicon and are sensitive to syntactic context during on-line processing (Exp 3a, 3b) and that idiomatic expressions, such as kick the bucket, are lexically related to their literal components kick and bucket such that access to the idiomatic representation is mediated by activation of its literal pieces (Exp, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b). Additionally, we present evidence that some degree of literal processing of idiomatic expressions is obligatory (Exp 1, 2, 4a, 4b) even in semantic contexts that strongly disfavor the literal interpretation of these strings. We present our results as they apply to models of idiom representation and processing.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-122778
title: Self disclosure of clinical social workers
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-329334
title: Closing the achievement gap: an investigative study of factors leading to increased academic achievement for Latino English language learners in urban California high schools

description: The purpose of this study was to understand what specific urban high schools in southern California have done in order to close the achievement gap for Latino English Learners. This study explored the programs and practices employed by five urban high schools in Southern California that had demonstrated success by narrowing the achievement gap for Latino English Learners. This study also examined how these five schools accessed and used resources to help narrow the gap, and how they evaluated the effectiveness of their programs and practices. ❧ This study set out to determine: 1) what programs and practices were utilized by urban high schools in order to narrow the achievement gap for Latino English Learners, 2) what resources were needed by the respective schools in order to narrow the achievement gap for Latino English Learners, and 3) how the high schools evaluated the effectiveness of the programs and practices employed to close the achievement gap for Latino English Learners. The methodology for this study was a mixed-method design. There was quantitative and qualitative data collected and analyzed.  Quantitative data consisted of 49 surveys were sent to teachers of English Learners in California public school districts. Five principals from each respective high school were interviewed for the study for the qualitative data. ❧ The researcher found that these five high schools implemented school wide best practices, while also developing a caring culture and providing immense amounts of professional development to teachers of English Learners. In addition, the high schools developed systematic and collaborative practices to evaluate the effectiveness of their programs while also establish strong support systems from the district office. Overall, this study provides concrete examples for high schools that are committed to closing the achievement gap.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-341394
title: Identification of activity-dependent plasticity from spike timing

description: Characterization of activity-dependent plasticity from behaviorally driven spiking activity is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms of learning and memory. Throughout this dissertation, a computational framework and practical considerations are presented for identifying a functional plasticity rule solely from spiking activity with nonlinear dynamical modeling and a point-process spiking neuron model. Here, the identification procedure relies on the identification of a stationary neural system with a multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) model, as well as plasticity with spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) functions. The stationary identification of a MIMO nonlinear neural model is demonstrated on human hippocampal recordings with approximately 100 recorded units using  a generalized Volterra model with local coordinate descent group-lasso regularization. The characterization of STDP faces key challenges of dependence on several time scales and stability which are addressed using a generalized multi-linear model with limited unconstrained optimization. The ability of this STDP estimation approach is evaluated on simulated data and applied to experimental rodent recordings where Hebbian features are observed. Finally, a novel approach for the identification of Principal Volterra Kernels using regularized generalized multi-linear modeling is presented and demonstrated with rodent hippocampal recordings which addresses the ability to scale the computational methods presented here to larger data sets.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-367743
title: What's all this talk about fintech? An analysis of media conversations around fintech in 2016: research-based white paper

description: After gathering firsthand experience in the fintech (financial technology) ecosystem of Hong Kong during the summer of 2016, the author became interested in understanding the extent to which fintech is a trending topic and which implications its trending nature could entail. Observing the effervescence of abundant public relations efforts was certainly exciting for the author, but it also opened an opportunity for academic analysis: what is the current stage of the trending topic of fintech? ❧ The central argument of the present white paper is that fintech is a trending topic and it is no longer perceived as a threat to the established (or incumbent) financial industry. To support the argument, the author analyzed media discussions on fintech from The Wall Street Journal and American Banker, two well-established financial media outlets.
DOI: 10.25549/gar-c81-15698
title: John Hay, letter, 1903-04-02, to Hamlin Garland

description: John Hay (Department of State), Washington, District of Columbia, USA, letter, 1903 April 2, to Hamlin Garland (The Player's Club), 16 Gramercy Park, New York, New York, USA . "I have written to Gilder and to Stedman expressing my grief and mortification that I am unable to accept the high assignment that you have made for me." -- first line.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c127-626135
title: The implementation of online learning programs: a comparative analysis of public, nonprofit, and for-profit higher education institutions

description: The ability of a higher education institution to harness the World Wide Web and advanced technology to develop online learning programs could be an important avenue for thriving in the higher education environment of the future. Institutions of higher education typically reside in one of three sectors (e.g. for-profit, nonprofit, and public). Currently, there is a limited amount of field literature that analyzes whether sector location affects an institution’s ability to implement online learning programs. The goal of the following study was to collect qualitative data in the form of semi-structured interviews and documents to answer the overarching research question: How and in what ways does sector location impact a higher education institution’s ability to implement online learning programs? ❧ Through purposeful sampling the researcher selected senior level managers from three large, leading, four-year universities in the Southwestern United States. These participants provided the data needed to conduct a feasible comparison. A comparative analysis revealed that sector location did in fact have an effect on implementation of online learning programs. Institutions within each sector had similar and different motivations, governance systems, and financial structures, which impacted the amount of time it took to implement online learning programs. Overall online technology is changing the way education across all sectors is delivered, thereby making it necessary for institutions to learn to adapt, adjust, and evolve with technology.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c127-627731
title: On the move and in the moment: community formation, identity, and opportunity in South central Los Angeles, 1945-2008

description: On the Move and in the Moment examines the relational community formation of ethnic Mexicans and African American residents in South Central Los Angeles from the post World War II period to 2008. I historicize the complexity of South Central Los Angeles African American and ethnic Mexican residents' racial attitudes, activism, and cooperation, as their lives are constantly challenged by diminishing government services, economic disinvestment, and immigration reform. I argue that a binary understanding of tension and cooperation does not adequately define their interaction, but rather closer inspection of their nuanced and complex daily and neighborly acts best captures the generative power of their community formation. I investigate understudied community sectors like minority owned banking institutions and War on Poverty initiatives in the form of community and government operated health clinics and Head Start programs to demonstrate how a strong African American historical legacy of settlement intersects with a growing Mexican immigrant population. Using archival research, newspapers, and oral life histories, I reveal the fragile state of family health, business, and education among impoverished African Americans and ethnic Mexican South Central Los Angeles residents. My approach to the investigation of the lives of South Central Los Angeles residents does not underestimate how changes in this region's economy, local, national, and transnational interpretations of immigration policy, and disinvestment in the accessibility and quality of U.S. government services have transformed the social, cultural, institutional, and political climate and interactions shaping these residents' interconnected struggles for community and U.S. government services. Their actions serve to re-conceptualize South Central Los Angeles as a globalized city rife with generative race relations where working-class people's decisions are made on the move and in the moment.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c127-658135
title: Formative evaluation of a life skills program

description: The purpose of this study was to examine the way in which a life skills program is delivered to 600 student-athletes by the Student-Athlete Services (SAS) department within the larger Athletic Department at a major Division I university.  By utilizing an evaluation template previously used as an assessment tool by the NCAA for the purpose of recognizing CHAMPS/Life Skills Programs of Excellence, information was collected for the purpose of evaluating the current program offerings and identifying potential areas for improvement.  Answers to the following questions were sought as a part of this study.  Question #1.  What are the internal strengths and weaknesses of the Life Skills Program?  Question #2. How can the Life Skills Program be improved?  The results of this study provide useful information to athletic department administrators as they seek to continually assess and improve the way in which athletic departments and the individual student-athletes interact with each other, thereby improving the overall student athletic experience and equipping these students with the skills and tools necessary for success in life beyond the college years.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c127-668337
title: Multicomponent reactions for the synthesis of fluorinated organic compounds and related chemistry

description: Development of eco- and aqueous friendly, stable and recyclable catalysts for organic synthesis is one of the major steps in safe, environmentally benign and sustainable practice of chemistry. This dissertation is devoted to the preparation of novel solid Lewis acid catalysts and their application in the synthesis of both fluorinated and non-fluorinated biologically important molecules. It focuses on the development of sustainable methodology for the synthesis of α-amino nitriles and variety of heterocyles such as 3,4- dihydropyrimidininones, benzimidazolines, dihydrobenzoxazinones, which serve as important building blocks for drug discovery. It also describes the new methodology for the synthesis of α-alkyl-α-fluoromethylenebisphosphonates. ❧ Chapter 1 gives a general review of solid acid catalysts and discusses their need in the development of ""green"" catalysis. ❧ Chapter 2 describes the synthesis of various α-amino nitriles, precursors of vital α-amino acids via Strecker reaction employing ""green"" catalysts such as Nafion-H and its silica nanocomposite Nafion SAC-13. Preparation of Nafion-Fe, a Lewis acid version of Nafion-H and its application in ketonic Strecker reaction are also described. ❧ In Chapter 3, an efficient one-pot synthesis of biologically important 3,4- dihydro-pyrimidininones by three-component Biginelli reaction employing Ga(OTf)₃ as catalyst is disclosed. The preparation of novel thiazine-type products and mechanism of their formation is discussed. ❧ In Chapter 4, the preparation and application of novel Lewis acid catalyst Nafion-Ga, gallium salt of Nafion-H in synthesis of 3,4- dihydropyrimidininones by Biginelli reaction and benzimidazolines, dihydrobenzoxazinones by condensation-cyclization reactions is expounded. ❧ Chapter 5 deals with the development of a new method for the synthesis of α-alkyl-α-fluoromethylenebisphosphonates, potential antiresorptive drugs.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c127-671069
title: Multiple pedestrians tracking by discriminative models

description: We present our work on multiple pedestrians tracking in a single camera and across multiple non-overlapping cameras. We propose an approach for online learning of discriminative appearance models for robust multi-target tracking in a crowded scene. Although much progress has been made in developing methods for optimal data association, there has been comparatively less work on the appearance model, which is the key element for good performance. Many previous methods either use simple features such as color histograms, or focus on the discriminability between a target and the background which do not resolve ambiguities between the different targets. We propose an algorithm for learning discriminative appearance models for different targets. Training samples are collected online from tracklets within a time sliding window based on some spatial-temporal constraints; this allows the models to adapt to target instances. Learning uses an AdaBoost algorithm that combines effective image descriptors and their corresponding similarity measurements. We term the learned models as OLDAMs. Our evaluations indicate that OLDAMs have significantly higher discrimination between different targets than conventional holistic color histograms, and when integrated into a hierarchical association framework, they help improve the tracking accuracy, particularly reducing the false alarms and identity switches. ❧ Furthermore, we extend our approach to multiple non-overlapping cameras. Given the multi-target tracking results in each camera, we propose a framework to associate those tracks. Collecting reliable training samples is a major challenge in on-line learning since supervised correspondence is not available at runtime. To alleviate the inevitable ambiguities in these samples, Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) is applied to learn an appearance affinity model which effectively combines three complementary image descriptors and their corresponding similarity measurements. Based on the spatial-temporal information and the proposed appearance affinity model, we present an improved inter-camera track association framework to solve the ""target handover"" problem across cameras. Our evaluations indicate that our method has higher discrimination between different targets than previous methods.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-122476
title: Attitudes of managers of small businesses toward employing parolees
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-133926
title: An exploratory descriptive study of a premarital counseling program in a county public health department
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-308947
title: Inferring the effective number of stem cells and somatic mutation rate from multi-generational genomic data in asexual Planaria

description: Background: Planarian flatworms have recently regained much attention due to their extraordinary regeneration capacity. In addition, their clonal mode of reproduction, along with high genetic heterogeneity among the cells within an individual worm’s body, make these organisms very appealing models with which to study parameters such as somatic mutation rate and intraorganismal cell-lineage selection. Due to lack of transgenes, heterogeneity of stem cell populations with respect to molecular markers and the inability to distinguish stem cells from their early committed progeny by molecular markers or dying experiments, several important aspects of body regeneration in these model systems remain unclear. ❧ Research question: What is the number of stem cells actively contributing to regeneration at each reproductive cycle? What is the somatic mutation rate? Is there one generalist stem cell type, or are there several specialist types programmed to regenerate particular tissues and organs? ❧ Methods: We sampled a pedigree of planarian worms of the species Dugesia gonocephala for 16 generations; and generated genomic sequences from every other generation (a total of 8 samples). After each fission, the tail piece was used for sequencing and the head piece was allowed to grow and further the line. In the analysis, we modeled each cell as an individual and the body of a worm as a population that goes into cycles of splitting into two nearly equal subpopulations, each of which would grow to restore the original size. We estimated effective number of stem cells from temporal (trans-generational) variance in allele frequencies. We then divided the observed nucleotide diversity by two times this estimate to calculate the somatic mutation rate. ❧ Results: From temporal variance in allele frequencies (magnitude of genetic drift), we observed that the effective number of stem cells can vary substantially across reproductive cycles, ranging from 10 to 900 with the harmonic mean around 20. Average genomic nucleotide diversity was π=1.75×10⁻⁴. Assuming neutral evolution, the somatic mutation rate was estimated as μ=π/2Nₑ=4.55×10⁻⁶. Treating the whole genome as a single locus (it is an asexual species, so there is no recombination), Tajima’s D was estimated to be D=2.39. This is consistent with strong balancing selection, structured inheritance of divergent cell lineages, or two genetically diverged sets of homologous chromosomes.
DOI: 10.25549/usctheses-c40-355458
title: The determinants and measurement of human capital

description: This thesis explores questions related to the early-life determinants of human capital and the measurement of one crucial component of human capital—health. ❧ The long-term effects of early-life health shocks on later-life human capital are well-documented, but the reasons why men and women often respond differently to these shocks are less well-studied. In Chapter 2, using data from Mexico, I show that exposure to pollution in the second trimester of gestation leads to significantly lower cognitive ability in adulthood for both men and women. For women only, however, this shock to cognitive ability also leads to lower high school completion and income. I identify two labor market features that explain why women adjust their schooling decisions more than men: (1) women sort into the white-collar sector at higher rates, and (2) schooling and ability are more complementary in the white-collar sector than in the blue-collar sector. I verify the higher degree of complementarity in white-collar jobs by structurally estimating the wage parameters for each sector, using a dynamic discrete choice model of education and occupational choice. ❧ Can investing in children who faced adverse events in early childhood help them catch up? In Chapter 3, Achyuta Adhvaryu, Anant Nyshadham, Jorge Tamayo, and I answer this question using two orthogonal sources of variation—resource availability at birth (local rainfall) and cash incentives for school enrollment—to identify the interaction between early endowments and investments in children. We find that adverse rainfall in the year of birth decreases grade attainment, post-secondary enrollment, and employment outcomes. But children whose families were randomized to receive conditional cash transfers experienced a much smaller decline: each additional year of program exposure during childhood mitigated more than 20 percent of early disadvantage. ❧ Self-reported measures of health are becoming more widely used to study health inequalities both across and within countries, but comparisons of these subjective measures can be distorted by the use of different response thresholds across individuals. In Chapter 4, I use anchoring vignettes from Indonesia, the U.S., England, and China to study the extent to which differences in self-reported health across genders and education levels can be explained by the use of different response thresholds. To determine whether statistically significant differences between groups remain after adjusting thresholds, I calculate standard errors for the simulated probabilities, largely ignored in previous literature. Accounting for reporting heterogeneity reduces the gender gap in many health domains across the four countries, but to varying degrees. Health disparities across education levels persist and even widen after equalizing thresholds across the two groups.