ABSTRACT: Monitoring distribution systems via state estimation can be affected negatively if the measurements are modified by malicious attacks. Under the assumption that the measurements devices were successfully attacked is necessary to detect the presence of the bad data. After detecting bad data artificial measurements, called Pseudomeasurements, are used to replace the and then run again the state estimation algorithm for system monitoring. The procedure previously described is shown in this project.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Electrical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 12, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Charalambos Konstantinou, Professor Directing Thesis; Olugbenga Moses Anubi, Committee Member; Hui Li, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Electrical engineering
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Saylor_fsu_0071N_15316.pdf
TITLE: Using the Acute: Chronic Workload Ratio to Predict Peak Performance in Elite NCAA Track and Field Sprinters
AUTHOR: Saylor, Hannah Elizabeth
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Ormsbee, Michael J.
MEMBER (committee member): Chow, Graig Michael
MEMBER (committee member): Hickner, Robert C., 1962-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Human Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (90 pages)
ABSTRACT: Purpose: To establish the relationship between the acute:chronic workload ratio and peak performance in division 1 NCAA track and field sprinters over the course of the 2018 outdoor season. Methods: The acute:chronic workload ratio was determined by calculating the sum of the week before the competition’s session rating of perceived exertion of training load (acute load) and dividing it by the average weekly session rating of perceived exertion of training load over the previous four weeks (chronic workload). All ratings of perceived exertion were self-reported through an Athlete Management System (AMS) no later than one hour after the training session or competition. The sprinters’ race times were recorded through an online data base and, in the primary statistical analysis, were analyzed for confounding variables. Once the confound variables were established, Pearson correlations were used covarying for the confounding variables. Our hypothesis was that there would be a positive relationship between the acute:chronic workload ratio and the 100m and 200m race times. In a secondary analysis, violating the statistical assumption of independence, the acute:chronic workload ratio was correlated to the sum of all data points for male and female 100m and 200m race times and the male and female 100m and 200m Z-scores for each sprinter. Bins were created with the hypothesis that having an acute:chronic workload ratio between 0.8 and 1.3 would be correlated with lower race times in the 100m and 200m races and more negative Z-scores for the 100m and 200m races. Results: A lower acute:chronic workload ratio resulted in a moderate positive correlation with lower race times in the 100m (R= 0.542) and 200m (R= 0.711) races. Conclusions: Maintaining an acute:chronic workload ratio between 0.8 and 1.3 may be optimal for elite division 1 NCAA track and field sprinters to reach their peak performance in the 100m and 200m races. An individualized approach to training load using the acute:chronic workload ratio should help coaches and performance staff with individualized training-load planning and prescription for the sprinters to reach peak performance.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 12, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Michael J. Ormsbee, Professor Directing Thesis; Graig Chow, Committee Member; Robert Hickner, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Nutrition
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Sciuchetti_fsu_0071E_15250.pdf
TITLE: Sound and Place: An Affective Geography of the Hudson River, New York, USA
AUTHOR: Sciuchetti, Mark Joseph, Jr.
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Mesev, Victor
MEMBER (university representative): Von Glahn, Denise, 1950-
MEMBER (committee member): Doel, Ronald Edmund
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Geography
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (202 pages)
ABSTRACT: Sonic experiences of a place are both personal and collective. They are derived from affectual encounters in that place in the everyday. The sounds of a place provide detail on the culture, development, and environment. Geographers have often overlooked the role of individual experiences with sound in places for developing our perspective on natural spaces. The visual has offered geographers a great deal of material and meaning in terms of the study of the landscape and personal connections to place. This focus on the material, concrete, and visual aspects of society has often denied the sense of hearing. However, sound is part of embodied everyday experience of places and cannot be separated from affectual experiences or the spaces in which sound is heard. This contributes to shaping culture. Though research into the soundscape and sonic experiences has been the focus in various disciplines, research in geography is lacking an appreciation of the role of place in exploring sonic experiences. The role of sound and music in geography often takes the form of production and distribution of music and its economics and politics. But with little attention to the role of the sound or affect. Therefore, this dissertation sheds light on the role of the soundscape and the spatiality of sound in the construction of place. It also explores the role that affectual encounters in natural everyday spaces have on the individual and their place development. As a starting point, the dissertation seeks to develop a theoretical framework underpinned by geography, musicology, and sound studies to help describe the affective capacity of sound in place. Developing the concept of affect beyond the traditional realm of non-representational theory, the dissertation incorporates concepts of emotion and affect to explain the development of place through sound. Reaching into various theoretical frameworks, including behavioral geography, sonic geography, geography of music, representational theory, non-representational theory, participant observation, and reflexivity, it creates a more unified conceptualization of everyday sonic experiences of place by developing an approach which moves affective sonic encounters beyond the representational. These theoretical underpinnings are demonstrated by an empirical multi-modal approach to the study of sound in place. It uses a case study that provides a vehicle to explore how affect and emotion are experienced in nature through sound and place using sound journals, historical/archival data, sound recordings, and participatory observation. The fieldwork was conducted while sailing along the Hudson River in the US state of New York during the summer of 2017. The sites where data were collected complement those recorded by Annea Lockwood for her composition, A Sound Map of the Hudson River (1983). The archival material on texts written about the river was found from various historical sources, and interviews were provided by Lockwood. The locations chosen for recording sounds include various cultural, social, economic, industrial and environmental developments along the river. The recordings from Lockwood’s CD and the six interviews she conducted in 1982 offer a starting point to describe the construction of place through sound. The four journals collected with crewmembers of the Gail Frances on the river as well as my own observations from the Hudson River provide a better conceptualization of participants’ affective experiences through sound as they are immersed in the places they describe. The historical interviews and recordings from 1982 were paired with the journals and recordings from 2017 to emphasize how sound of the natural environment elicits powerful affective experiences that molds an individual’s sense of place. Through the participants’ interviews and journals, it is clear that there are some aspects of the soundscape that have become essential to the discussion of a place and often recreate a sense of nostalgia with almost a spiritual sensation. Other aspects of the sounds of the places along that Hudson River remind participants of the divisions between the human and the natural environments, and that there are different perspectives to the river depending on an individual’s approach. The participants’ encounters also carried a common theme of everyday experience and survival as these were individuals who depended upon the river. From these interviews, journals, and recordings, it is clear that one role of space and sound is in mediation of the affective encounters that individuals endure in place, which inspires emotional experiences. My study demonstrates that sound is an essential aspect of the experience of place and can be explored geographically, thus providing a framework for future research and an empirical, geographical examination of individual sonic experiences within a natural environment.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Geography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 3, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Cultural Geography, Environment, Hudson River, Identity, Place, Sound
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Victor Mesev, Professor Directing Dissertation; Denise Von Glahn, University Representative; Ronald Doel, Committee Member; Tyler McCreary, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Geography
SUBJECT: Music
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Seibert_fsu_0071E_15271.pdf
TITLE: Dyadic Levelcoping and the Effects on Diabetes Management and Control in Couples with One Partner Diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study
AUTHOR: Seibert, Gregory Scott
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Fincham, Frank D.
MEMBER (university representative): McNulty, James
MEMBER (committee member): McWey, Lenore M.
MEMBER (committee member): Cui, Ming, 1971-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Human Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Family and Child Sciences
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (106 pages)
ABSTRACT: In an attempt to improve treatment adherence in type 2 diabetes patients, researchers are turning to the couple system as one potential point of intervention. However, due to the lack of knowledge surrounding the role general relationship processes have in influencing diabetes management behaviors, very few couple-based interventions exist. Therefore, the current pilot study assesses the potential importance, and feasibility, of examining dyadic coping processes in the context of diabetes management and support among couples where one partner has type 2 diabetes. Preliminary findings suggest dyadic coping processes of both partners may be important in helping understand how general couple relationship processes can be used as a point of intervention for treating type 2 diabetes. However, a full-scale study is not feasible without adaptations to the current study protocol, measurements, recruitment procedures and funding.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 28, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): couples, diabetes, dyadic coping
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Frank D. Fincham, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jim McNulty, University Representative; Lenore M. McWey, Committee Member; MingCui, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Families--Study and teaching
SUBJECT: Animal behavior
SUBJECT: Health services administration
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Shanks_fsu_0071E_15381.pdf
TITLE: How Technology and Aesthetics Shape Consumer Decision Making
AUTHOR: Shanks, Ilana
MEMBER (professor co-directing dissertation): Mende, Martin
MEMBER (professor co-directing dissertation): Scott, Maura L.
MEMBER (university representative): Lamont, Bruce T.
MEMBER (committee member): Brady, Michael K.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Business
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Marketing
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (118 pages)
ABSTRACT: This dissertation examines how technology and aesthetics impact consumer decision making. The robotics literature has examined how features of robots such as the level of autonomy (Stein, Liebold, and Ohler 2019; Złotowski, Yogeeswaran, and Bartneck 2017) and humanoid design elements (Mende et al. forthcoming) impact consumer decision making and how consumers respond to robots. Moreover, Bagchi and Cheema (2013) examined how aesthetic features influence consumer decision making. I seek to add to this literature in two Essays in this dissertation. Essay 1 examines how technology in a service setting affects a consumer’s compliance and loyalty intentions. Essay 2 examines consumer decision making in a different context and outcome by studying how an aesthetic feature of a brand identifier, cuteness, influences consumer willingness to pay. Essay 1 introduces a new concept to the marketing literature, cobotic teams, in an examination of the effect of technology on consumer decision making. More specifically, Essay 1 examines if a robot-led, as compared to a human-led, cobotic team has implications for a consumer’s compliance and loyalty intentions. Essay 1 finds that consumers have lower compliance and loyalty intentions to a robot-led cobotic team as compared to a human-led cobotic team. Moreover, Essay 1 uncovers that a serial mediation of an increase in anxiety, leading to a decrease in warmth and competence mediates this relationship. In an examination of how to attenuate this effect, power distance belief, risk acceptance, and perceived control are demonstrated moderators. Essay 2 builds on the cuteness literature examining a potential downside to the use of cuteness; a decrease in willingness to pay. The results of Essay 2 demonstrate that consumers have a lower willingness to pay to a seller using a cute brand identifier, such as a logo or a mascot, as compared to a seller using a neutral brand identifier. Examining the process underlying this effect, Essay 2 uncovers that consumers experience an increase in intention to dominate the firm using a cute brand identifier, resulting in a decrease in willingness to pay. Essay 2 then offers conceptual extensions of the findings theorizing that the size of the seller, the strategic use of the brand identifier, and the agency of an accompanying message will moderate the basic effect. Thus, Essay 2 extends the understanding of consumer decision making as a result of a firm’s use of cuteness. While previous research has demonstrated that cuteness results in positive behaviors such as an increase in indulgent consumption (Nenkov and Scott 2014), heightened carefulness in behavior (Sherman, Haidt, and Coan 2009), and an increase in prosocial behavior (Wang, Mukhopadhyay, and Patrick 2017), Essay 2 suggests that the use of cuteness may have a backfiring effect that has financial implications for firms, a decrease in willingness to pay.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Marketing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 10, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Martin Mende, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Maura L. Scott, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Bruce T. Lamont, University Representative; Michael K. Brady, Committee Member; William C. Bolander, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Marketing
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Shen_fsu_0071E_15367.pdf
TITLE: Managing Inter-Governmental Relationships: Collaborative Governance, Service Delivery, and Fiscal Federalism
AUTHOR: Shen, Ruowen
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Feiock, Richard C.
MEMBER (university representative): Zhao, Tingting, (Geography Porfessor)
MEMBER (committee member): Brower, Ralph S.
MEMBER (committee member): Yang, Kaifeng
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME: Askew School of Public Administration and Policy
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (125 pages)
ABSTRACT: How do local governments manage inter-governmental relationships in the context of urban sustainability? In an age of emerging impacts from global climate change and over-exploitation of natural resource, it is important to understand the role of local government in managing sustainability. Yet, sustainability is a complex area characterized as authority fragmentation which creates negative externalities and opportunistic behaviors. To better manage it, local governments rely on integrative actions such as inter-local collaborations and interactive exchange with higher level authorities, thus, embedding local governments in a nexus of inter-governmental relationships. However, gaps remain in our understanding of urban sustainability contexts and how local governments manage inter-governmental relationships to lower collaboration risks, share power, and reduce compliance burdens. Additionally it is important to identify what difference these relationships make for implementing federal grants, delivering services, and collaborative actions under different levels authority. This dissertation fills these gaps by investigating the structure of relationships among local governments in collaborative urban sustainability networks in both China and US and the perceptions of local governments to federal imposed rules and compliance while implementing one-shot federal sustainability program. The research findings suggest that: (1) local governments select collaborative partners strategically, depending upon the nature of collaborative relations, collaboration risks, and multiplexity of collaborations, which make networks demonstrate different configurations; (2) certain actors in the network are more powerful to administer the collaborative relationship due to possessing accesses to valuable resources such as political information, administrative capacity, funding, and innovative information; (3) local governments as grantees perceive rule compliance burden differently based on their relationships with federal grantor including goal congruence, resource dependence, and previous interactive relationships. In a one-shot grant, goal congruence and previous interactive relationships have significant effects on perceived compliance burden. Together these three studies add important new insights to our understanding of intergovernmental relations.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 27, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Richard C. Feiock, Professor Directing Dissertation; Tingting Zhao, University Representative; Ralph S. Brower, Committee Member; Kaifeng Yang, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Public administration
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Shin_fsu_0071E_15392.pdf
TITLE: Structural and Dynamic Characterization of Crga; a Small Helical Membrane Protein in a Lipid Bilayer Using Solid-State NMR
AUTHOR: Shin, Yiseul
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Cross, Timothy A.
MEMBER (university representative): Alamo, Rufina G.
MEMBER (committee member): Hu, Yan-yan
MEMBER (committee member): Stagg, Scott
MEMBER (committee member): Fajer, Piotr G.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (122 pages)
ABSTRACT: CrgA is a small helical membrane protein from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and known to recruit other cell division proteins to the divisome, a substantial protein complex for Mtb cell division. There is a lack of information about the formation of the divisome, because most of the Mtb cell division proteins, including CrgA, do not have homologs in the traditional model bacteria, such as E. coli. Thus, structural information is needed to understand how these proteins interact and function in the divisome. However, small helical membrane proteins are such a challenging target for structural biology, because they are surrounded by the complex membrane environment, which has varying biophysical properties in terms of the dielectric constants, water concentration, fluidity, and a lateral pressure profile. The entire membrane protein does not experience the same environment, and therefore it is critical to understand the dynamics of each domain in order to characterize its structure. CrgA was characterized as having a cytoplasmic N-terminus (30 residues long) consisting of two dynamically different regions: an intrinsically disordered region (IDR) and a β-strand. Even though most Mtb divisome proteins were predicted to have at least one IDR, the roles of IDRs in membrane proteins has not been fully explored. In this dissertation, different solid-state NMR techniques were used to characterize the water soluble regions such as IDRs of membrane proteins. Identifying a small portion of the protein in the lipid interfacial region is not feasible without providing a native-like lipid bilayer environment. The observation of the β-strand addressed the importance of the appropriate membrane mimetic to characterize the interfacial region of CrgA. Also, unambiguous interhelical distance restraints are essential for determining the correct tertiary and quaternary structure of a helical membrane protein. However, high contents of hydrophobic residues in the transmembrane domain make sequence specific assignments a difficult task, so various methods, such as specific isotope labeling schemes and mutagenesis were implemented to obtain the distance restraints. The sequence specific assignment strategies presented here for CrgA can be applied to other membrane protein systems. Combining the structural restraints from both magic angle spinning and oriented sample NMR led to the dimeric structure of CrgA using molecular dynamics simulations. Additionally, the mutagenesis data helped to define the dimeric interface for CrgA. In the case of CrgA, it is necessary to sort out any residues at the helix-helix interfacial region in the same monomer versus those located in the monomer-monomer interface of the dimer. Excluding those residues involved in the dimer interface will facilitate defining the lipid-facing residues available for CrgA’s binding partners. Since CrgA is a pivotal component of the divisome, the structure of CrgA will provide great insight into the formation of the divisome to advance knowledge about Mtb cell division.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 26, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Timothy A. Cross, Professor Directing Dissertation; Rufina G. Alamo, University Representative; Yan-Yan Hu, Committee Member; Scott Stagg, Committee Member; Peter G. Fajer, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Biochemistry
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Short_fsu_0071E_14983.pdf
TITLE: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Brief Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia to Reduce Substance Use Disorder Risk
AUTHOR: Short, Nicole A. (Nicole Amai)
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Schmidt, Norman B.
MEMBER (university representative): Winegardner, Mark, 1961-
MEMBER (committee member): Cougle, Jesse R. (Jesse Ray), 1975-
MEMBER (committee member): Hart, Sara, (Professor of Psychology)
MEMBER (committee member): Joiner, Thomas, Jr.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Psychology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (73 pages)
ABSTRACT: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a prevalent and impairing condition, particularly among trauma exposed individuals. The current proposal aimed to address the critical need for targeted direct SUD prevention in this population by intervening on a novel, malleable risk factor for SUD common among trauma-exposed individuals: sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbance prospectively predicts the development of SUD and may confer risk for SUD by increasing stress reactivity, decreasing decision-making abilities, and ultimately promoting substance use to relieve negative affect, a core etiological factor in SUD. However, to our knowledge, no experimental studies have determined whether improving sleep leads to reductions in SUD risk. As such, the current study used a randomized controlled trial design to test the effects of brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI) against a waitlist control among a sample of trauma-exposed young adults with poor sleep and risk for SUD (N = 68). Results indicated that BBTI was more effective than the waitlist control in reducing self-reported insomnia symptoms and sleep efficiency at Post-intervention, with medium to large effect sizes. Furthermore, reductions in insomnia symptoms mediated treatment effects on reducing coping-oriented cannabis use, PTSD symptoms, and cannabis-related problems. Future research should replicate these results in a larger sample, with longer-term follow-ups and improved retention rates. Overall, BBTI is a promising intervention for reducing insomnia symptoms, and, in turn, coping-oriented cannabis use, cannabis problems, and PTSD symptoms in at-risk cannabis users.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Spring Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): February 25, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): cannabis, insomnia, posttraumatic stress, sleep
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Norman B. Schmidt, Professor Directing Dissertation; Mark Winegardner, University Representative; Jesse R. Cougle, Committee Member; Sara Hart, Committee Member; Thomas Joiner, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Clinical psychology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Singer_fsu_0071E_15358.pdf
TITLE: Adding Community to Care, Custody, and Control: Organizational, Staff, and Inmate Perceptions of Jail-Based Reentry Programming
AUTHOR: Singer, Alexa J.
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Gertz, Marc G.
MEMBER (university representative): Gussak, David
MEMBER (committee member): Hay, Carter H.
MEMBER (committee member): Blomberg, Thomas G.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Criminology and Criminal Justice
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (154 pages)
ABSTRACT: There is a great deal of research about prisons, but there is a gap in research about jails in the correctional literature. This is particularly true for research about jail inmate reentry. Much of what is known is descriptive in nature, and there is a lack of focus on jail inmate reentry both in research and in practice, likely due to the many barriers associated with implementing jail-based reentry programming. Jails are organizations and as such can be studied using organizational theories, specifically functional systems analysis. This dissertation takes a functional systems analysis approach to provide an in-depth look at a large Central Florida Jail to understand its formally stated goals, how these goals work in practice, how they have changed over time, and whether this jail is achieving organizational efficiency and accomplishing its goals. This study examines three parts of this organization: (1) the organization as a whole, (2) the staff, and (3) the inmates. To do so, it makes use of three data sources and methods: (1) a content analysis of annual reports and strategic plans, (2) coding of in-depth qualitative interviews with jail staff, and (3) and quantitative analyses (OLS) of surveys of jail inmates. The annual reports and interviews of jail staff determine how the focus on reentry has changed over time at the organizational level and the inmate surveys examine the influence of reentry programming participation on inmate perceptions of post-release success, perceived importance of various reentry-related issues for staying out of jail, and inmate self-perceptions. The findings suggest that there has been an increased focus on reentry over the last two decades in this jail, as the jail has shifted its focus from being primarily interested in safety-related goals to being interested in rehabilitating inmates and helping them to successfully return to society. Despite this shift, results also show that the programs offered to inmates do not increase inmates’ perceived preparedness, perceived importance of reentry, or self-perceptions.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 2, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Marc Gertz, Professor Directing Dissertation; David Gussak, University Representative; Carter Hay, Committee Member; Thomas Blomberg, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Criminology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Smalley_fsu_0071N_15430.pdf
TITLE: Comparing Mindfulness-Based Art Therapy and General Therapeutic Clay Use for Stress and Anxiety
AUTHOR: Smalley, Quinn
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Van Lith, Theresa
MEMBER (committee member): Gussak, David
MEMBER (committee member): Parker-Bell, Barbara Faye
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Fine Arts
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Art Education
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (108 pages)
ABSTRACT: The present qualitative study explored college student responses to personal clay use or mindfulness-based art therapy (MBAT) twice a week for stress reduction. Participants were recruited from a larger art therapy study, in which the biological stress marker, cortisol, was tested following time spent playing with clay. This study was divided into two groups, a neutral clay group (NCT group) who solely played with clay for stress reduction, and an MBAT group, also given clay, but mindfulness exercises as well. Participants from both groups were chosen to be interviewed about their experience to compare perceptions. Interviews took place once at the start of the study, and a second time after the study was complete. The semi-structured interviews explored 1) the nature of college student stress and stress management, 2) responses to MBAT on stress, anxiety, and general student functioning in the college setting, and 3) responses to personal clay use on stress, anxiety, and general student functioning in the college setting. Following thematic analysis of all interview transcriptions, differences were noted between those who engaged in personal clay use, combined with supplemental mindfulness exercises (MBAT group), and those who were provided solely with personal clay without prompts or guidance (Neutral Clay Task group; NCT). The results showed that MBAT participants learned new, specific ways of managing stress proactively, while experiencing mind and body connection, and gaining a sense of mastery and accomplishment. Participants in the NCT group also expressed that they were able to relax, work through their stressors, and create new self-care habits, but the effects of their clay use were described as more short-term, and they desired more guidance managing stressors. These results possibly indicate that MBAT could be effective for college students wanting techniques for lasting stress reduction and anxiety relief. Keywords: self-care, college students, stress, anxiety, mindfulness-based art therapy, clay
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Art Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 2, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): anxiety, art therapy, clay, college students, mindfulness, stress reduction
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Theresa Van Lith, Professor Directing Thesis; Dave Gussak, Committee Member; Barbara Parker-Bell, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Mental health
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Sockwell_fsu_0071E_15277.pdf
TITLE: Mass Conserving Hamiltonian-Structure-Preserving Reduced Order Modeling for the Rotating Shallow Water Equations Discretized by a Mimetic Spatial Scheme
AUTHOR: Sockwell, K. Chad (Kenneth Chad)
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Gunzburger, Max D.
MEMBER (university representative): Wahl, Horst
MEMBER (committee member): Peterson, Janet S.
MEMBER (committee member): Quaife, Bryan
MEMBER (committee member): Huang, Chen, (Professor of Scientific Computing)
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Scientific Computing
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (134 pages)
ABSTRACT: Ocean modeling, in a climate-modeling context, requires long time-horizons over global scales, which when combined with accurate resolution in time and space makes simulations very time-consuming. While high-resolution ocean-modeling simulations are still feasible on large HPC machines, performing uncertainty quantification or other many query applications at these resolutions is no longer feasible. Developing a more efficient model would allow for efficient uncertainty quantification, data assimilation, and spinup initializations. For these techniques to be feasible in practice, a faster model must be designed which can still attain sufficient accuracy. Techniques such as reduced order modeling produce an efficient reduced model based on existing high-resolution simulation data. Models produced by these techniques provide a tremendous speedup at the cost of reduced accuracy. To offset this trade-off, novel strategies are developed to retain as much accuracy as possible while still achieving tremendous speedups. Some of these methods improve accuracy by incorporating physical properties into the reduced model, leading to better solution quality. In this dissertation, a novel reduced order modeling method, the Hamiltonian-structure-preserving reduced order modeling method, will be derived and analyzed. The Hamiltonian structure is possessed by many physical systems and is directly related to energy conservation. This method produces a reduced model which retains the Hamiltonian structure of non-canonical Hamiltonian systems, which are the category of systems that many ocean models fall into. Error estimates are proven for the new method. The model is also be made to preserve linear invariants in the reduced model which are Casimirs. Casimirs are a class of special conserved quantities in the Hamiltonian Framework. For ocean-modeling, the Casimirs we consider are mass and potential vorticity. The new reduced model is proven to conserve both of these quantities. The model is also implemented in a special inner product derived from the Hamiltonian Framework, the approximate energy inner product. This special inner product not only improves the accuracy of the new method but also improves the accuracy of the traditional reduced order modeling method and leads to favorable analytical properties for problems with quadratic Hamiltonian functionals. The new method will be applied to the rotating shallow water equations, which act as a proxy to real ocean models, and compared to the traditional reduced order modeling method. Both energy conserving and forced test-cases are considered where energy conservation, accuracy, and stability are investigated. Special techniques are also implemented to ensure that the new method is as efficient as possible.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Scientific Computing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degreee of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 16, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Casimirs, Hamiltonian structure preserving, Linear invariants, Ocean Modeling, Reduced order modeling, Rotating Shallow Water Equations
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Max Gunzburger, Professor Directing Dissertation; Horst Wahl, University Representative; Janet Peterson, Committee Member; Bryan Quaife, Committee Member; Chen Huang, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Applied mathematics
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Sorenson_fsu_0071N_15447.pdf
TITLE: To Recognize or Not to Recognize: What Is the Effect on Relearning?
AUTHOR: Sorenson, Parker Andrew
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Kelley, Colleen M.
MEMBER (committee member): Boot, Walter Richard
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Psychology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (62 pages)
ABSTRACT: Repeated experiences are a cornerstone of learning and memory, but to what extent does the benefit of repetition depend upon noticing it? A rich literature exists examining the impact that an original learning experience has on a current experience when recognition of repeated material occurs while a surprisingly limited amount of research has examined the impact on relearning when recognition of repetition fails. Asch (1969) reported that recognition of repetition was necessary to experience a benefit of repeated experiences while the formal memory model Retrieving Effectively from Memory (REM; Shiffrin & Steyvers, 1997), incorporating elements of Asch, assumes that an initial experience establishes a memory trace which is added to during a repetition, but only if the repetition accesses the original trace. If the repetition is not noticed, a second memory trace is created. I discuss research exploring the impact of recognition during a subsequent learning experience when the lists are separated by extreme context changes. In two experiments I attempted a conceptual replication of Asch and show that while recognition may not be necessary to receive a benefit of repeated information, there is a greater benefit during relearning when recognition of repetition occurs.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 12, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Associative learning, Context, Memory, Relearning
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Colleen M. Kelley, Professor Directing Thesis; Walter Boot, Committee Member; David W. Braithwaite, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Cognitive psychology
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: SorribesRodriguez_fsu_0071E_15274.pdf
TITLE: Gliomas Diagnosis, Progress, and Treatment: A Mathematical Approach
AUTHOR: Sorribes Rodriguez, Inmaculada Concepcion
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Jain, Harsh Vardhan
MEMBER (university representative): Sang, Qing-Xiang
MEMBER (committee member): Cogan, Nicholas G.
MEMBER (committee member): Moore, Matthew Nicholas J.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Mathematics
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (160 pages)
ABSTRACT: The diagnosis and treatment of gliomas continues to pose a significant challenge for oncologists who not only have to contend with managing acute neurological symptoms, but also the almost inevitable development of resistance to treatment. Indeed, the last 25 years have produced minimal advancements in treatment efficacy, even though significant efforts and resources have been invested in the quest for breakthroughs. This effort has not been restricted only to clinicians or oncologists, with mathematical modeling also playing an increasingly important role. A variety of models aimed at providing new insights into glioma growth and response to treatment have been proposed. Initially designed to capture fundamental behavior of tumor cells, such as growth and motility, these models quickly became well-established and multiple extensions have since been introduced. However, as increasing biological details of how tumor cells respond to treatment at cellular and subcellular levels are revealed, mathematical models need to include this state of the art knowledge. The work presented in this thesis seeks to do this by refocusing our attention back to the most fundamental question: why are gliomas fatal? Biologically, it is known that glioma lethality is driven by a fast growth that increases intracranial pressure resulting in lethal neurological damage, which current treatments fail to prevent due to tumor cell resistance to treatments such as chemotherapy. By creating mathematical models inspired by these key elements of glioma malignancy, the work presented here seeks to elucidate what drives resistance to chemotherapy and how to overcome or mitigate it, as well as how malignancy correlated with intracranial pressure dynamics. Thus, the work comprises two main parts: (1) in silico optimization of treatment strategies using chemotherapy coupled with novel cell-repair inhibitors currently in various stages of the clinical trial; and (2) a study of tumor-induced intracranial pressure and edema in gliomas of grade I-IV. A wide variety of mathematical modeling techniques are used, that incorporate biomechanical, biochemical, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics aspects, and include a level of detail hitherto unconsidered. The proposed models are validated and analyzed by employing a diverse set of mathematical tools that range from structural identifiability, parameter estimation, to global and local sensitivity analysis. As a result of this work, we propose a treatment strategy that showed a 30% improvement in patient survival time over conventional treatment when treating heterogeneous brain tumors in silico. Moreover, the second part of this work demonstrates how the spatio-temporal dynamics of tumor-induced intracranial pressure correlate with cancer grade, providing a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie increased intracranial pressure onset. Both projects come together as a first step towards a better understanding of the poor survival rates of patients afflicted with gliomas. They raise new questions about what characterizes the malignancy of primary brain tumors and how clinicians can fight it. Continued modeling effort in these directions has the potential to make an impact in the field of brain cancer diagnostics and treatment.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Mathematics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 30, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Age-structure, Biomechanical, Chemotherapy Resistance, Gliomas, Intracranial pressure, Mathematical Modeling
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Harsh V. Jain, Professor Directing Dissertation; Qing-Xiang Amy Sang, University Representative; Nicholas G. Cogan, Committee Member; M. Nicholas J. Moore, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Applied mathematics
SUBJECT: Mathematics
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: SpencerJr_fsu_0071E_15259.pdf
TITLE: Like a Unicorn: A Narrative Inquiry Exploring the Leadership Experiences of Undergraduate Black Men
AUTHOR: Spencer, Dorsey, Jr.
MEMBER (professor co-directing dissertation): Guthrie, Kathy L.
MEMBER (university representative): Roberts, Winston
MEMBER (committee member): Jones, Tamara Bertrand
MEMBER (committee member): Schwartz, Robert A.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (184 pages)
ABSTRACT: There is an emerging body of research on the leadership learning of college students, but studies that examine the influence of racial or ethnic identity are minimal. Studies on the leadership learning of Black students and, more specifically, Black men is even scarcer. This dissertation study used a narrative inquiry methodology to explore how the experiences of undergraduate Black men influenced their leader identity. The study was grounded in a conceptual framework called experiential culturally relevant leadership learning that incorporates aspects of the culturally relevant leadership learning model (Bertrand Jones, Guthrie, & Osteen, 2016) and the experiential learning model (D. A. Kolb, 1984). An anti-deficit approach (Harper, 2012) was used to challenge the dominate narrative about Black men in college. The sample contained 15 undergraduate Black men from a predominantly White institution in the Southeastern United States. The findings suggest there are various formal and informal experiences that reinforce undergraduate Black men’s leader identity as well as experiences that enhance it. The study also brings to light numerous challenges to the experiences of Black men who are student leaders.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 1, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Black Males, Black Men, Leader Identity Development, Leadership, Leadership Development, Leadership Leadership
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Kathy Guthrie, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Cameron Beatty, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Winston Roberts, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Robert Schwartz, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Education, Higher
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Steiner_fsu_0071E_15342.pdf
TITLE: The Effects of a Single Music-Assisted Mindfulness Relaxation (Mamr) and Psychoeducation Session with Electronic Resource on Wellbeing of Informal Caregivers
AUTHOR: Steiner, Adrienne Claire
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Gooding, Lori F. (Lori Fogus)
MEMBER (university representative): Holzman, Bruce
MEMBER (committee member): Standley, Jayne M.
MEMBER (committee member): VanWeelden, Kimberly D.
MEMBER (committee member): Carr, Dawn C.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Music
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (97 pages)
ABSTRACT: Various health conditions, and/or aging can result in the need for care assistance. The number of Americans who need care assistance has grown over the past several decades, with the amount expected to increase as the number of individuals entering older adulthood rises. Informal caregivers are those who assist others with medical or other personal tasks without pay. Due to the complex demands of caregiving, informal caregivers often report high levels of stress and decreases in psychosocial wellbeing, especially when compared to those who are not caregivers. Research has indicated the need for support interventions to address informal caregivers’ needs, yet the unique needs of this population have posed challenges in developing appropriate and accessible resources. The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the effects of a single music therapy session utilizing a music-assisted mindfulness relaxation intervention with psychoeducation session and electronic resource on psychosocial wellbeing of informal caregivers of adults with chronic health needs. Intervention data collection sessions were conducted at an adult day facility, community wellness clinic, and community church sites, and were led by a board-certified music therapist. The intervention facilitated was a music-assisted relaxation exercise utilizing research-supported live guitar accompaniment, guided breathing prompts, imagery, and a spoken mindfulness loving-kindness meditation. Following the music-assisted mindfulness relaxation (MAMR), a psychoeducation discussion was facilitated to educate participants about the techniques experienced and provide strategies for incorporating into daily life practices. Participants were given an electronic recording of the same MAMR done in the intervention session and prompted to use the resource in their preferred manner over a two-week time period. Participants, who were adults aged 62-89 and provided assistance to an individual over the age of 50 for at least five hours per week, for at least the past three months. Perceived stress and wellbeing were measured along with participants’ perception of the MAMR intervention and MAMR electronic resource. Perceived stress was measured using a researcher created tool (Likert-type scale) and wellbeing was measured using the WHO (Five) Wellbeing Index (1998 version). Subjects completed the perceived stress score before and following the intervention. The WHO wellbeing index was completed by participants prior to the intervention and two-weeks post session. Results indicated there was a significant difference between perceived stress scores prior to and following the MAMR intervention. Further analysis of perceived stress difference score indicated no difference between those who lived with the care receiver and those who did not. However, results did indicate a significant difference between those who engaged a minimum to moderate level and those who engaged at a maximum level in caregiving duties. Results of WHO wellbeing analysis also indicated a significant difference between scores from pre intervention to two-weeks post intervention. Further analysis indicated there was not a significant difference in WHO wellbeing difference scores between those who used the intervention one time or not at all, and those who used the intervention two times or more. No significant difference was found between those who lived with care receiver and those who did not, and those with minimum to moderate caregiving levels and those with maximum caregiving levels and WHO wellbeing difference scores. Participants’ perception of the intervention indicated the use of several techniques when facilitating a similar music-assisted relaxation with informal caregivers in clinical music therapy practice. The outcomes of this study warrant the need for future research to determine effective ways to use this intervention with the informal caregiving population.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 13, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): electronic resource, informal caregivers, mindfulness, music-assisted relaxation, music therapy, wellbeing
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Lori Gooding, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bruce Holzman, University Representative; Jayne Standley, Committee Member; Kimberley VanWeelden, Committee Member; Dawn Carr, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Music--Instruction and study
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Sternisha_fsu_0071E_15294.pdf
TITLE: Mechanistic Enzymological Studies of Human Glucokinase and the Development of a Biocatalyst for Chemical Synthesis
AUTHOR: Sternisha, Shawn M.
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Miller, Brian G.
MEMBER (university representative): Zhu, Fanxiu
MEMBER (committee member): Hoekman, Timothy
MEMBER (committee member): Yang, Wei
MEMBER (committee member): Frederich, James H.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (173 pages)
ABSTRACT: The hexokinase (HK) family of enzymes catalyze the conversion of glucose to glucose 6-phosphate in a process that is utilized for energy production in most organisms. Hexokinase IV, commonly known as glucokinase (GCK), is functionally distinct from the rest of the HK isozymes. It is characterized by a high substrate concentration at half-maximal velocity and is not inhibited by an abundance of its product. GCK also displays positive kinetic cooperativity, despite functioning as a monomer and containing only one glucose binding site. This responsiveness is such that the inflection point occurs in the range of physiological blood glucose levels, providing the enzyme with exceptional sensitivity in this region. GCK’s unique functional properties allow it to control the rates of insulin release and glycogen synthesis. The significance of proper GCK function is emphasized by various pathological conditions that arise from mutations in the gck gene. These discoveries are expanded upon in Chapter 1 and have led to GCK being considered the glucose sensor of the body. Millisecond timescale fluctuations of the small domain have been shown to be essential for cooperativity in GCK. However, a detailed picture of GCK’s dynamic conformational landscape, including the number of accessible states, their relative populations, and the timescales on which they interconvert is absent in the literature. In Chapter 2, we map the intrinsic dynamics and structural heterogeneity of GCK on the nanosecond timescale using a combination of unnatural amino acid incorporation, time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Based on these results, we propose a catalytic model in which cooperativity originates from correlation between nanosecond and millisecond timescale motions. Activating GCK mutations abolish cooperativity and manifest themselves in the clinic as congenital hyperinsulinism. In Chapter 3, we use steady- and transient-state kinetics, and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, to demonstrate that mutational activation of GCK occurs via two distinct mechanisms: α and β. Our data reveal that α-activation results from a shift in the conformational ensemble of unliganded GCK toward a state resembling the glucose-bound, closed conformation. β-type activation is instead caused by increased mobile loop dynamics, which accelerate the product release rate. This work elucidates the molecular basis of naturally occurring, activated GCK disease variants. Due to its essential role in maintaining whole-body glucose homeostasis, GCK activity is extensively regulated at virtually every level in the cell. The hormonal, metabolic, and transcriptional regulation of GCK have been described in great detail by other laboratories.1,2 Protein-protein interactions and post-translational modifications involving GCK elicit an array of physiological consequences and intrinsic conformational dynamics provide GCK with an additional layer of functional control. In Chapter 4, we offer insights into how these regulatory strategies are integrated and coordinated within the broader context of the cell. Of these regulatory mechanisms, the post-translational conjugation of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO1) protein to GCK remains one of the most poorly understood. Recently, it was reported that SUMOylation increases GCK’s activity and stability, and mediates nuclear translocation of the enzyme.3,4 However, the inability to isolate homogenous, SUMOylated proteins often inhibits full characterization of the modification. In Chapter 5 we describe our efforts to generate SUMOylated GCK using semi-synthetic and coexpression approaches. We conclude with a look to the future, emphasizing the need for continued investigation and describing future experiments. In Chapter 6, we deviate from investigations of GCK and describe our efforts to characterize CyrI, a unique iron-dependent, nonheme oxygenase. This enzyme is expressed in cyanobacteria, where it catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of the toxic drinking water contaminant cylindrospermopsin. CyrI catalyzes a challenging C-H oxidation step with exquisite selectivity and appears to be depend on a sulfate group as a substrate recognition motif. CyrI is intriguing to develop from a chemical synthesis perspective as the selective functionalization of C-H bonds among numerous similarly reactive C-H bonds is a considerable challenge in organic synthesis. We detail our analysis of CyrI stability and crystallization and provide insights into future experimentation.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 11, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Brian Miller, Professor Directing Dissertation; Fanxiu Zhu, University Representative; Timothy Cross, Committee Member; Wei Yang, Committee Member; James Frederich, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Biochemistry
SUBJECT: Molecular biology
SUBJECT: Biophysics
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Strickland_fsu_0071E_15424.pdf
TITLE: DSM-5 Section III Personality Traits and Clinical Outcomes
AUTHOR: Strickland, Casey M.
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Patrick, Christopher J.
MEMBER (university representative): Osborn, Debra S., 1968-
MEMBER (committee member): Hull, Elaine M.
MEMBER (committee member): Joiner, Thomas, Jr.
MEMBER (committee member): Sachs-Ericsson, Natalie J.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Psychology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (87 pages)
ABSTRACT: The official nosology of psychiatric disorders (DSM-5) includes a primarily dimensional operationalization of personality pathology, the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD), in its latest edition. The present study examines the impact of DSM-5 AMPD Criterion B personality traits on clinical outcomes in a sample of 185 outpatients seeking treatment at a University-based community psychology clinic. AMPD personality traits Disinhibition and Antagonism predicted an increase in missed sessions over the course of therapy, as did dimensionally-assessed borderline PD, antisocial PD, and narcissistic PD. Trait Detachment had a quadratic relationship with premature termination, where individuals in the high and low range of the Detachment distribution had increased risk of premature termination compared with individuals with moderate levels of Detachment. As in previous research, AMPD personality traits successfully predicted which individuals were diagnosed with borderline personality disorder via standard diagnostic criteria. The current study’s findings demonstrate that DSM-5 personality traits can be used to identify individuals at increased risk for missed sessions and premature termination and provide a way forward for clinicians to begin incorporating dimensional personality assessment in clinical practice.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 10, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Assessment, Personality, Treatment
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Christopher J. Patrick, Professor Directing Dissertation; Debra Osborn, University Representative; Elaine Hull, Committee Member; Thomas Joiner, Committee Member; Natalie Sachs-Ericsson, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Clinical psychology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Su_fsu_0071E_15401.pdf
TITLE: The Synthesis and Characterization of High Refractive Index Lens Material
AUTHOR: Su, Yue
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Stiegman, Albert E., 1953-
MEMBER (university representative): Van Winkle, David H.
MEMBER (committee member): Kennemur, Justin Glenn
MEMBER (committee member): Latturner, Susan
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (116 pages)
ABSTRACT: High refractive index polymer has always been one of the great interests for their potential in industrial applications. One of the important methods in achieving this goal is to create high cross-linking density network. Though thiol-ene reaction, multi-vinyl monomer and multi-ene monomer joint covalently to form a dense network structure. This dissertation discusses a fundamental way to develop high refractive index polymer through thiol-ebe polymerization. In the first part of this dissertation, multi-vinyl monomers and multi-thiol monomers were synthesized and mixed to make polymers using thermal initiation. Structural characterizations were performed using infrared and NMR. Thermal characterizations were performed using DSC, TGA and DMA. Optical properties like refractive indices and transmission were also measured. The results indicate that among all the phosphine polymers, PVSe-BDTH has the highest refractive index and it is among the highest refractive index organic polymer could achieve. It also has high storage modulus of several GPa. In addition to PVSe-BDTH, PVSe-EDTH is another good candidate though the introduction of EDTH made the material slightly softer. The second part of this dissertation discusses the effects of the introduction of several synthesized additives. An increasing weight percent of additives were added to the in the formation of PMMA polymer and their effects on refractive indices were examined. The third part of this dissertation discusses the positive influence of the introduction of computational method upon guiding the development of our materials. The refractive indices and densities of the previously synthesized monomers and polymers were calculated and compared with the experimental values and proved to be effective. Then the method was applied to several of our potential monomer and polymer targets, by comparing their relative refractive indices the compounds with better anticipated properties were synthesized. The experimental measurements indicate that our combination of method and basis set provide rather accurate prediction on both frequency-dependent polarizabilities and molecular volumes, therefore providing refractive indices and densities that fit our expectations. In addition to these, the calculation method can also predict IR and NMR peaks and provide possible explanation to unknown peaks. Overall, it is a useful tool in our studies in the early stages of product design and property predictions.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 8, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Albert E. Stiegman, Professor Directing Dissertation; David Van Winkle, University Representative; Justin G. Kennemur, Committee Member; Susan Latturner, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Chemistry
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Sun_fsu_0071E_15253.pdf
TITLE: Online Feature Selection with Annealing and Its Applications
AUTHOR: Sun, Lizhe
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Barbu, Adrian G., 1971-
MEMBER (university representative): Kumar, Piyush, (Computer Science Professor)
MEMBER (committee member): She, Yiyuan
MEMBER (committee member): Linero, Antonio Ricardo
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Statistics
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (71 pages)
ABSTRACT: Feature selection is an important technique for high dimensional statistics and machine learning. It has many applications in computer vision, natural language processing, bioinformatics, etc. However, most of the feature selection methods in the literature are proposed for offline learning while the existing online feature selection methods have limitations in true feature recovery. In this dissertation, we propose some novel online feature selection methods and a framework. One is called Stochastic Feature Selection with Annealing, and the other one is the framework of running averages. Based on the methods and the framework we developed, we can recover the support of the true features with higher accuracy. We provide a theoretical analysis, and through simulations and experiments on real sparse datasets, we show that our proposed methods compare favorably with some state-of-the-art online methods in the literature.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Statistics in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 29, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Data Streaming, Feature Selection, Online Learning
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Adrian Barbu, Professor Directing Dissertation; Piyush Kumar, University Representative; Yiyuan She, Committee Member; Antonio Linero, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Statistics
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Surmaitis_fsu_0071E_15315.pdf
TITLE: Cell Adhesion Behavior and Protein-Surface Interactions on Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Thin Films
AUTHOR: Surmaitis, Richard L.
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Schlenoff, Joseph B.
MEMBER (university representative): Locke, Bruce R.
MEMBER (committee member): Kennemur, Justin Glenn
MEMBER (committee member): Zhu, Lei, 1978-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (137 pages)
ABSTRACT: Polyelectrolyte multilayer thin films have been used as coatings due to their biocompatibility for cell culture experiments. During layer-by-layer assembly of these multilayer thin films, the film is altered by adjusting the salt concentration, the rinsing time, and the temperature which changes the morphology of the film. Certain factors such as surface charge and the polymer effect the biocompatibility of the film and its ability to adsorb serum proteins. If cells adhere and proliferate on a film it is called ‘cytophilic’. Conversely, if cells do not adhere to a film or undergo apoptosis on the film, the surface is called ‘cytophobic’. Cell behavior was discussed in this dissertation for polyelectrolyte multilayers composed of the polycations; poly(diallyldimethylammonium), PDADMAC, and poly(allylammonium chloride), PAH, and polyanions; poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid), PSS, and poly(acrylic acid), PAA. The adhesion and proliferation of cells are dependent on the surface to which they attach. Aside from cell counting, cell “health” on surfaces is typically established by measuring the metabolic rate with dyes that participate in the metabolic pathway or using “live/dead” assays with combinations of membrane permeable/impermeable dyes. Whether cells are attached or not, and whether they are living or dead, provides an incomplete picture of cell health. In this dissertation, proliferation rates and net metabolism of 3T3 fibroblasts seeded on “biocompatible” ultrathin polyelectrolyte multilayer films and on control tissue culture plastic were compared. Cells adhered to, and proliferated on, both surfaces, which were shown to be nontoxic according to live/dead assays. However, adhesion was poorer on the multilayer surface, illustrated by diffuse organization of the actin cytoskeleton and less-developed focal adhesions. Proliferation was also slower on the multilayer. When normalized for the total number of cells, it was shown that cells on multilayers experienced a five-day burst of metabolic stress, after which the metabolic rate approached that of the control surface. This initial state of high stress had not been reported previously in studies of cell growth on multilayers, although the observation period for this system was usually a few days. The interaction of nanoparticles and surfaces with the complex array of proteins in physiological media is largely responsible for maintaining circulation in the bloodstream and biocompatibility in general. It is known that composition of the initial “soft” corona of exchangeable adsorbed proteins evolves to comprise a more tenaciously held “hard” corona. In this dissertation, the dependence of cell adhesion on a thin film of polyelectrolyte complex is connected to the “hardness” of the initial corona using albumin, the most prevalent protein in serum. The ease with which albumin can be displaced depended on the surface functional group - carboxylate or sulfonate, in particular aromatic sulfonate. Carboxylate permitted easier exchange of albumin, which presumably allowed the adsorption of proteins such as fibronectin, required for cell adhesion. Sulfonate held on to albumin more strongly, producing a persistent hard corona likely to remain biocompatible. The mechanism is thought to be related to the higher energy of interaction between sulfonate and amine than between carboxylate and amine.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 3, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Joseph B. Schlenoff, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bruce R. Locke, University Representative; Justin G. Kennemur, Committee Member; Lei Zhu, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Chemistry
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Swanson_fsu_0071E_15281.pdf
TITLE: Is State Safety Net Capacity Adequate to Meet Basic Needs?
AUTHOR: Swanson, Jeffrey V.
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Barrilleaux, Charles
MEMBER (committee member): Coleman, Eric A., (Professor of Political Science)
MEMBER (committee member): Weissert, Carol S.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Political Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (103 pages)
ABSTRACT: This dissertation consists of three individual studies on the role of state governments in social welfare. The first paper discusses the relationship between gubernatorial administrative capacity and the ability for Democrats to increase social welfare spending after the state has experienced an economic downturn. Using panel data for 49 US states from 1987 to 2014, I examine whether budgetary authority allows governors to respond to an economic contraction in the expected partisan matter. I find evidence to support the view that governors shape budget policy in a manner that is consistent with their preferences. The second paper is on the decentralization of Medicaid and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) by the national government to the state governments to see if the programs were made worse off in performing their goal of poverty alleviation. Decentralization is measured using expenditure ratios of state general fund spending to federal government spending. I find that more state involvement in Medicaid reduces expected poverty growth even after controlling for state economic, political, and demographic factors. Although no effect was found from AFDC/TANF decentralization, the results do demonstrate a positive impact from more state involvement in Medicaid. The final study is on the impact of social assistance programs on infant health. Infant mortality rates are an important indicator of population health. The primary goal of this chapter is to serve as an evaluation of government redistributive programs and population health. Do the outputs of social assistance programs reach their intended beneficiaries? I find that increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and TANF benefit generosity within states has a negative association with overall infant mortality after controlling for economic development and additional factors related to infant health.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Political Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 1, 2019.
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Charles Barrilleaux, Professor Directing Dissertation; Katrinell Davis, University Representative; Eric Coleman, Committee Member; Carol Weissert, Committee Member; William G. Weissert, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Public policy
SUBJECT: United States--Study and teaching
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Tabbaa_fsu_0071E_15376.pdf
TITLE: Mechanisms of Oxytocin Regulation of Sensory Processing and Sociality in Mice and Humans
AUTHOR: Tabbaa, Manal
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Hammock, Elizabeth Anne Dunn
MEMBER (university representative): Gunjan, Akash
MEMBER (committee member): Patrick, Christopher J.
MEMBER (committee member): Wang, Zuoxin
MEMBER (committee member): Stanwood, Gregg
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Psychology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (167 pages)
ABSTRACT: Social behaviors are foundational to our society and quality of life while social behavioral deficits are core symptoms in a variety of psychopathologies. Yet, despite the significance for human health, the neural mechanisms that regulate social behavior are incompletely characterized. Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuro-active hormone that has been well-studied over the last several decades and shown to regulate social behaviors. The OXT system interacts with early life environment and an individual’s genotype to regulate social behaviors in a sexually dimorphic manner. Chapter 1 describes background information on the role of OXT in social behaviors. Thereafter, research on the developmental role of OXT is discussed. Chapter 1 ends with the proposal of a novel mechanism by which socially acquired OXT may regulate social behaviors. In chapters 2-5, experiments are described which aim to empirically test this central hypothesis. In chapter 2, a functional role for oxytocin receptors (OXTR) in the oronasal cavity were investigated in developing mice as a potential mechanism by which OXT can interact with early life sensory experience to regulate brain activity and behavior. OXTRs have recently been characterized in the periphery of developing mice that appear to be located on sensory apparatuses. We tested the effects of orally applied OXT, compared to saline, on a marker of neural activation, c-Fos, in sensory processing brain regions and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). To test the effects of orally applied OXT on sensory-dependent brain activity, we also brushed the whiskers of mice after OXT or saline treatment in a separate experiment. Orally administered OXT, compared to saline, increased c-Fos in the PVN, and decreased c-Fos activity in sensory processing brain regions after whisker brushing. Additionally, orally applied OXT, compared to saline, with whisker brushing decreased Fos in the trigeminal motor nucleus as well as oral-motor behavior of females. Compared to saline, oral OXT with whisker brushing also increased males long distance locomotor behavior. These data support the possibility of a functional role for OXT acting on oronasal OXTR to modulate the brain and behavior in developing mice. In chapter 3, the idea of OXT exchange between conspecifics as a potential driver of social behaviors was tested by examining the preference of male and female mice towards OXT containing social stimuli. Male and female mice showed a preference to investigate same-sex mice that contained OXT versus OXT knock-out (KO) mice. Next, we tested if mice prefer OXT KO bedding containing OXT versus saline and found that males prefer female OXT KO bedding with OXT compared to saline. Finally, we tested the role of OXTR in sensory ganglia in the social preference of live mice by using transgenic mice breeding strategies to selectively knock out OXTR in sensory ganglia. We found that female mice lacking sensory OXTR (OXTRsensory KO) had reduced social investigation levels compared to their wild-type (OXTRsensory WT) litter mates. The role of OXTR in sensory ganglia in social behaviors was further tested in chapter 4 by examining sociability, preference for social novelty, and aggression in OXTRsensory WT and KO mice. OXTRsensory KO females had reduced approach behaviors during the sociability test, compared to OXTRsensory WT females. Altogether, data from chapters 2-4 indicate that environmentally acquired OXT can regulate brain activity and influence behaviors. In addition, mice preferred other mice that contain OXT over OXT KO mice, but not same-sex OXT KO bedding with OXT over saline. These data suggest that preference for an OXT containing live same-sex conspecific may be due to an interaction between OXT and social sensory signals rather than OXT alone. Lastly, these data indicate that OXTRs in sensory ganglia are an important regulator of social behaviors, particularly for females. Finally, in chapter 5, we aimed to explore the translational significance of these findings by examining if variation in the OXTR gene is associated with variation in social sensory processing in humans, with significance for trait meanness. We genotyped the common OXTR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1042778 and rs53576 in male and female participants that had brain event related potentials (ERP) recorded in response to viewing affective faces. We found that females homozygous for the OXTR SNP rs1042778 G allele had enhanced fear-specific brain responses compared to T allele carriers. Additionally, the rs53576 A allele was associated with higher ERP amplitudes to face stimuli, but not scrambled faces, compared to GG allele carriers. Further, OXTR SNPs rs1042778 and rs53576 interacted to predict trait meanness in females. These data implicate OXTR gene variability in the etiology of sensory processing variation in the brain as well as trait meanness. A summary of results as well as implications and suggestions for future research are discussed in chapter 6.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 10, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Development, Oxytocin, oxytocin receptor single nucleotide polymorphism, Psychopathy, Sensory, Social beahvior
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Elizabeth A. D. Hammock, Professor Directing Dissertation; Akash Gunjan, University Representative; Christopher J. Patrick, Committee Member; Zuoxin Wang, Committee Member; Gregg Stanwood, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Neurosciences
SUBJECT: Neurosciences
SUBJECT: Biology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Terry_fsu_0071N_15355.pdf
TITLE: An Examination of Faunal Resource Use and Feasting Activity at Shields Mound (8Du12), Jackonsville, Florida
AUTHOR: Terry, Samantha
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Marrinan, Rochelle A.
MEMBER (committee member): Halligan, Jessi J.
MEMBER (committee member): Peres, Tanya M.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Anthropology
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (105 pages)
ABSTRACT: This study will examine St. John’s II period subsistence practices along the St. John’s River through faunal analysis of archaeological material from the Shields Mound site (8DU12). Shields Mound, and the nearby Grant Mound, were originally excavated by C.B. Moore in 1893. His excavations focused on describing the appearance and features of the mounds, as well as, providing a detailed description of the stratigraphic changes encountered during excavation of the main mound and the artifacts that were discovered. Between 1999 and 2002, Keith Ashley, revisited the site to gain a better understanding of the village area associated with the mounds, as this was not a focus of Moore’s excavation. Ashley (2005) determined the mounds were representative of the St. John’s II period (A.D. 900-1250). His research focused on introducing the Mill Cove Complex within which Shields Mound is located and developing an understanding of the site in general. A 2005 issue of The Florida Anthropologist was dedicated to findings from the Mill Cove Complex. Marrinan (2005) completed faunal analysis from three distinct shell midden locations of the site: Kinsey’s Knoll, Bluff Midden, and Reeve’s Rise. Rolland (2005) additionally analyzed the ceramics that were discovered during excavations to determine what types were most prominent in the assemblages. Penders (2005) contributed to the understanding of the site through an analysis of bone, antler, tooth, and shell artifacts from the features that were excavated. Since 2005, Ashley and students have returned to the Shields Mound area and excavated additional samples. A primary goal of this study, therefore, is to utilize the information from these studies, as well as additional research, to determine if ritual activity, specifically feasting activity, was occurring at Shields Mound. I will utilize data from additional locations in the vicinity of Shields Mound and compare these data with criteria proposed by Jackson and Scott (1995) on feasting at an inland site. I will also consider any additional evidence, such as quantity and size of ceramic vessels, quantity of artifacts discovered, and the role of prestige or high-status species diversification, in my analysis to determine if ritual activity was occurring at Shields.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 18, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Faunal Analysis, Feasting, Mill Cove Complex, Shield's Mound, Zooarchaeology
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Rochelle A. Marrinan, Professor Directing Thesis; Jessi L. Halligan, Committee Member; Tanya M. Peres, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Archaeology
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Tevlin_fsu_0071E_15323.pdf
TITLE: Are Individuals with Head Injury More Likely to Offend? : the Integration of Head Injury with Popular Criminological Constructs
AUTHOR: Tevlin, Cassidy A.
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Gertz, Marc G.
MEMBER (university representative): Jones, Maxine Deloris
MEMBER (committee member): Bales, William D.
MEMBER (committee member): Stewart, Eric Allen
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Criminology and Criminal Justice
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (235 pages)
ABSTRACT: Traumatic head injury is associated with an array of antisocial behavior. Furthermore, head injury is associated with many of the antisocial risk factors identified in the criminological literature. To date, no research has attempted to incorporate measures of head injury into existing criminological theories. The aim of this study is to investigate the connection between head injury and antisocial behavior by attempting to incorporate head injury into four of the most popular criminological theories. This is done by examining the interaction effects between head injury and the various constructs that make up social learning theory, general strain theory, social bond theory, and the general theory of crime. Several of key findings are discussed, and suggestions for future research and theoretical development are considered.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 7, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): general strain theory, general theory of crime, head injury, self-control, social bond theory, social learning theory
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Marc G. Gertz, Professor Directing Dissertation; Maxine D. Jones, University Representative; William D. Bales, Committee Member; Eric A. Stewart, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Criminology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Thorne_fsu_0071E_15082.pdf
TITLE: Predictors of Willingness to Seek Psychological Help and Perceived Stigma among Rural People
AUTHOR: Thorne, Kendra L. (Kendra Lee)
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Ebener, Deborah J.
MEMBER (committee member): Jenkins, Lyndsay Nicole
MEMBER (committee member): Becker, Martin Swanbrow
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (164 pages)
ABSTRACT: Up to 37% of United States adults experience psychological distress at clinically high levels; however, the majority of them do not seek psychological help. Reluctance to seek help is exacerbated in rural culture, as rural people are less likely to seek psychological help than urban people. A review of the literature revealed that one highly prevalent rural factor that may affect help-seeking is perceived stigma. Rural emphasis on self-reliance and religiosity, limited knowledge of mental illness, and confidentiality concerns are all stigma-related variables that have been shown to influence rural people’s decision to seek help. Prior to the current study, the influence of perceived stigma in the link between psychological distress and willingness to seek psychological help had not been examined specifically among rural people. Further, many of the existing studies on stigma-related factors examined one factor at a time and are of qualitative nature. Within a rural-only sample, the current study examined the moderating effect of perceived stigma between psychological distress and willingness to seek psychological help. Also, this study examined the predictive abilities of self-reliance, religiosity, confidentiality concerns, and knowledge of mental illness when predicting perceived stigma and willingness to seek psychological help. Findings of this study suggest that knowledge of mental disorders is most influential on rural willingness to seek psychological help – more so than self-reliance, confidentiality concerns, and religiosity. Further, confidentiality concerns emerged as most impactful on perceived stigma among rural adults – more so than knowledge of mental disorders, self-reliance, and religiosity. Greater knowledge was associated with more help-seeking willingness, and greater confidentiality concerns were associated with more perceived stigma. However, perceived stigma was not significantly related to willingness to seek psychological help, nor did it moderate the relation between psychological distress and willingness to seek psychological help. Interestingly, greater psychological distress experienced by rural people was associated with less willingness to seek psychological help, suggesting a reverse relation between distress and help-seeking than that found in the general population. Clinical consideration of study findings may help combat the unique challenges associated with help-seeking in rural communities – challenges viewed by some mental health professionals as unsolvable or hopeless. As knowledge of mental disorders and confidentiality concerns emerged as the most important factors in willingness to seek psychological help and perceived stigma, respectively, interventions aimed to target these two factors may improve acceptability and utilization of rural mental healthcare. Integration of mental health education into primary care and community outreach partnerships (with churches, organizations, etc.) may positively influence rural adults’ willingness to seek psychological help. Further, discussing manners of maintaining confidentiality during the aforementioned educational interventions may help ease perceived stigma toward mental illness among rural residents. As mental health providers can work to improve mental health literacy and confidentiality concerns, findings of this study suggest that rural mental health challenges may not be as “unsolvable” as previously believed.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Spring Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 3, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): help-seeking, mental healthcare, rural, stigma
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Deborah Ebener, Professor Directing Dissertation; Anne Barrett, University Representative; Lyndsay Jenkins, Committee Member; Martin Swanbrow Becker, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Counseling psychology
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Timm_fsu_0071N_15215.pdf
TITLE: Language Input Intervention: Quantity and Quality of Caregiver Language Interactions with Young Spanish-English Speaking Children
AUTHOR: Timm, Catherine Christine
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Wood, Carla, (Speech-Language Pathology Professor)
MEMBER (committee member): Hall-Mills, Shannon S.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Communication and Information
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Communication Science Disorders
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (49 pages)
ABSTRACT: This study examined the quantity and quality of language interactions between young Spanish-English speaking children and their caregivers during book sharing in two conditions: with and without feedback on quantity of adult language input. The intervention used a wearable word-counter that provided synchronous visual displays on a smartphone application. Interactions were identified and transcribed from day-long LENA recordings. Descriptive analysis compared caregiver language in book sharing, before and during a language intervention intended to increase caregivers’ awareness of the quantity of language delivered to their children. An increase in quantity and quality of language was anticipated due to the addition of feedback on adult language interactions, however results indicated inconsistency in the increase of quantity and quality of language. From this study clinicians, teachers, and families can observe how a self-monitored quantitative language intervention does not independently impact quantity and quality of caregiver’s language during book sharing.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication Science Disorders in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Spring Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): April 17, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): bilingual children, Caregiver language, dual language learner, Input intervention, quantitative intervention, quantity and quality
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Carla Wood, Professor Directing Thesis; Shannon Hall-Mills, Committee Member; Andrea Barton-Hulsey, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Speech therapy
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: Tingir_fsu_0071E_15106.pdf
TITLE: Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Expectation-Maximization (EM) Algorithm for Bayesian Network Calibration
AUTHOR: Tingir, Seyfullah
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Almond, Russell G.
MEMBER (university representative): Sinha, Debajyoti
MEMBER (committee member): Becker, Betsy Jane, 1956-
MEMBER (committee member): Yang, Yanyun
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (84 pages)
ABSTRACT: Educators use various statistical techniques to explain relationships between latent and observable variables. One way to model these relationships is to use Bayesian networks as a scoring model. However, adjusting the conditional probability tables (CPT-parameters) to fit a set of observations is still a challenge when using Bayesian networks. A CPT provides the conditional probabilities of a single discrete variable with respect to other discrete variables. In general Bayesian networks, the CPTs that link the proficiency variable and observable outcomes are not necessarily monotonic, but they are often constrained to be monotonic in educational applications. The monotonicity constraint states that if an examinee shows an improvement on a proficiency variable (parent variable), the individual performance on an observable (child variable) should improve. For example, if a student has a higher writing skill, then this student is likely to score better on an essay task. For educational research, building parametric models (i.e., DiBello models) with the Expectation-Maximization algorithm provides monotonic conditional probability tables (CPT). This dissertation explored the effectiveness of the EM algorithm within the DiBello parameterization under different sample sizes, test forms, and item structures. The data generation model specifies two skill variables with a different number of items depending on the test forms. The outcome measures were the relative bias of the parameters to assess parameter recovery, Kullback-Leibler distance to evaluate the distance between CPTs, and Cohen’s κ to assess classification agreement between data generation and estimation models. The simulation study results showed that a minimum sample size of 400 was sufficient to produce acceptable parameter bias and KL distance. A balanced distribution of simple and integrated type items produced less bias compared to an unbalanced item distribution. The parameterized EM algorithm stabilized the estimates for cells small sizes in CPTs, providing minimal KL distance values. However, the classification agreement between generated and estimated models was low.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 1, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Bayesian networks, educational assessment, monotonicity, parameterized networks
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Russell G. Almond, Professor Directing Dissertation; Debajyoti Sinha, University Representative; Betsy J. Becker, Committee Member; Yanyun Yang, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Educational tests and measurements
SUBJECT: Educational psychology
SUBJECT: Education
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Tooley_fsu_0071E_15403.pdf
TITLE: Images of Uncertainty: The Hallucinatory Simulacra in Post-1960s Fiction and Film
AUTHOR: Tooley, Thomas Charles, III
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Epstein, Andrew, 1969-
MEMBER (university representative): Wakamiya, Lisa Ryoko, 1969-
MEMBER (committee member): Gontarski, S. E.
MEMBER (committee member): Faulk, Barry J.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of English
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (240 pages)
ABSTRACT: Critical examinations of the simulacrum have frozen, due in part to the overabundance and simplified applications of Jean Baudrillard’s canonical theories. In a 2003 book review, David Banash voices this frustration, identifying “surprisingly little nuance” in the handling of “Baudrillard’s theory of simulation.” He faults critics and scholars who generally “treat [Baudrillard’s] work as if it were an objective description of the world,” as if “somehow DeLillo offers a kind of proof for Baudrillard.” We can note a similar dynamic at play in criticisms that evaluate postmodern literature according to Fredric Jameson’s definition of the postmodern condition, or the “cultural logic of late capitalism.” He too distinguishes postmodern aesthetics as reducing historical, critical, ethical work into “pseudo-events.” Though aligned with two different theoretical “schools,” both Baudrillard and Jameson offer a “nihilistic” account of postmodernism. In “apocalyptic” gestures, they situate the opportunity for genuine subversive art in the past, marking postmodern aesthetics as the end of all critical productivity. In this dissertation, however, I argue that postmodern authors and filmmakers employ the simulacrum for a purpose that till now has gone overlooked by the critical trend that prioritizes these theories and approaches. Through close readings and historical accounts of key texts from Thomas Pynchon, Don DeLillo, Toni Morrison, and David Lynch, I demonstrate how simulacral imagery also works to raise our awareness of the constructed nature of authenticity. Employed in this alternative function, the simulacrum does not contribute to the total evacuation of meaning. Rather, it both installs and subverts traditional “realist” methods of representation. The simulacral imagery in these works tempt us to read them according to traditional, rational reading practices, which would lead us to assign authenticity to representations based on preexisting cultural convention. Yet, by simultaneously undermining the authority of those conventions, these simulacra reveal how authenticity exists as a cultural value, a device laden with political significance and derived from the combination of various aesthetic elements. In this more recalcitrant way, the simulacrum resists and denaturalizes the conventions for representation that encourage dominant systems of power. I title these the “hallucinatory simulacrum” in order to underscore this imagery as contrary to traditional veridical modes of representation.
NOTE (embargo): 4
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of English in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 19, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Authenticity, Hallucinatory, Postmodernism, Simulacra, Uncertainty
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Andrew Epstein, Professor Directing Dissertation; Lisa Wakamiya, University Representative; S.E. Gontarski, Committee Member; Barry Faulk, Committee Member; Aaron Jaffe, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: British literature
SUBJECT: Irish literature
SUBJECT: English literature
SUBJECT: Motion pictures
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Torres_fsu_0071E_15207.pdf
TITLE: Ella Creyó Que Podía, Así Que Lo Hizo Exploring Latina Leader Identity Development through Testimonio
AUTHOR: Torres, Maritza
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Guthrie, Kathy L.
MEMBER (university representative): Poey, Delia
MEMBER (committee member): Jones, Tamara Bertrand
MEMBER (committee member): Perez-Felkner, Lara
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Education
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (155 pages)
ABSTRACT: In teaching leadership and leader identity development to Latina undergraduate women, it is imperative their salient identities are addressed and acknowledged. The teaching of standardized forms of leadership and the deconstruction of established leadership principles and paradigms also need to be taken into consideration. Leadership educators need to create spaces in which Latina undergraduate students can thrive in classroom environments, student organizations, and programs. Because leadership is understood through an American cultural lens, reflection and meaning-making should be encouraged to integrate identity and culture within the realm of leader identity development. Through these experiences, the Latina leader identity development can be further reinforced. This study explored the leader identity development of Latina undergraduate women via testimonio as methodology (Huber, 2009; Reyes & Rodríguez, 2012). The culturally relevant leadership learning model (CRLL) (Bertrand Jones, Guthrie, & Osteen, 2016) and the women’s leader identity development model (WLID) (Le Ber, LaValley, Devnew, Berghout Austin, Elbert, Sulpizio, & Tremaine, 2017) were used as conceptual frameworks. A sample of 12 self-identified Latina undergraduate women who were also involved in a student organization in any capacity and/or had taken a leadership class participated in the study. Participants were asked to write a testimonio regarding their leadership journey in college, and a follow up interview took place discussing their testimonio and their leader identity development. Based on the themes that emerged in the study, Latina undergraduate women developed their leader identity through leadership experiences, leadership courses, and various involvements on campuses. Participants indicated the importance of a culturally relevant campus climate and support from faculty, staff, and peers in their leader identity development. Aspects of the CRLL and WLID models were applicable to their experiences, and participants were able to provide recommendations to faculty and staff on how to help Latina undergraduate women develop their leader identity in college.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): May 1, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Identity, Latina Students, Latinx Leadership, Latinx Students, Leadership, Leadership learning
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Kathy L. Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; Delia Poey, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Lara Perez-Felkner, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Education, Higher
SUBJECT: Latin America
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Turkewitz_fsu_0071E_15370.pdf
TITLE: A Defense of Semantic Vagueness
AUTHOR: Turkewitz, Joshua Ripley
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Kearns, Stephen, 1979-
MEMBER (university representative): Kaschak, Michael P.
MEMBER (committee member): Clarke, Randolph K.
MEMBER (committee member): Rawling, Piers
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Philosophy
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (93 pages)
ABSTRACT: This dissertation defends the position that vagueness is semantic – a feature of language and thought alone. In order to do so, I argue that vagueness is genuine; that it cannot be reduced to ignorance. I then refute three arguments that semantic vagueness, if genuine, must extend to features of the world that are not representations. Lastly, I argue that, although we might take representations to be examples of a type of metaphysical vagueness, semantic vagueness, even if in some sense metaphysical, does not suffer from the pernicious aspects attributable to other forms of metaphysical vagueness. I argue that epistemicism is troubled by fine-grained phenomenal sorites series in which adjacent objects are indistinguishable. To avoid contradiction the epistemicist must say either that adjacent objects in the series do not appear the same as their neighbors or that an undetectable difference in appearance makes a psychological difference to how the objects appear. Both options are implausible. The supervaluationist is more easily able to resolve the difficulty by appealing to extant fundamental aspects of her theory. Next, I discuss a dilemma Ken Akiba (2004) presses against supervaluationism based on the nature of reference. He argues that reference is either deflationary or inflationary, but if deflationism is true then there cannot be semantic vagueness because there is no substantive reference. I argue that this is false – reference need not be substantive to be imprecise. The second horn claims that if inflationism is true then reference is constituted by indeterminate physical connections so an inflationary supervaluationist must already accept physical indeterminateness. I argue that this is also false – an inflationary supervaluationist can, for principled reasons, constrain the indeterminateness at issue in the semantic domain. Neither horn of Akiba’s dilemma is sharp. Many theorists of vagueness hold that vagueness is mind-dependent, that vagueness is due either to imprecise representation of a precise world or ignorance of representational (and worldly) precision. Recently Trenton Merricks (2001 and 2017) has launched two offensives against this cluster of views that he dubs the orthodoxy. He argues that (2001) if there is linguistic vagueness it is either epistemic or a species of metaphysical vagueness and that (2017) there are mind-independent examples of vagueness – vagueness that is due neither to representational imprecision or ignorance. This chapter defends the orthodoxy from Merricks’ arguments. I contend that his (2001) argument conflates garden-variety ambiguity with vagueness, and so can be met by the standard supervaluationist approach to vagueness, and that his (2017) argument relies on the claim that for every predicate there is a corresponding property, which is both implausible and will already be rejected by those who believe that vagueness is mind-dependent. Finally, I argue that two concerns facing metaphysical vagueness, that of it’s alleged unintelligibility and that it objectionably entails indeterminate identity, can be mollified for representational theories of vagueness that count representations as metaphysical entities.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Philosophy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 21, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Epistemicism, Indeterminism, Metaphysics, Supervaluationism, Vagueness
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Stephen Kearns, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michael Kaschak, University Representative; Randolph Clarke, Committee Member; J.PiersRawling, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Philosophy
SUBJECT: Metaphysics
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Uehling_fsu_0071N_15438.pdf
TITLE: Describing the Onset and Demise of the Australian Monsoon
AUTHOR: Uehling, John Edward
MEMBER (professor directing thesis): Misra, Vasubandhu, 1970-
MEMBER (committee member): Hart, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1972-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (80 pages)
ABSTRACT: A comprehensive rainfall-based index of the Australian monsoon is created. This index is based on methodology previously used on the Indian subcontinent for determining the seasonality of the Indian monsoon. In order to create the Australian monsoon index, only rainfall data is used, which even over the sparsely populated areas of northern Australia is available dating back over 100 years (to 1901). The methodology for calculating the Australian monsoon index has been shown to be robust and not susceptible to false onsets. The Australian monsoon index objectively captures the onset date, the demise date, and the total seasonal rainfall for each monsoon season. This new index was then compared to various atmospheric dynamic and thermodynamic variables to see if the index was reflective of the broader seasonal atmospheric changes associated with the monsoon. The Australian monsoon index introduced in this study is found to be consistent with the meridional advancement of the precipitable water south of the equator and over the Australian land mass as the monsoon season begins. Atmospheric dynamics related to the low-level wind data shows a pronounced wind shift across the region corresponding to the onset and the demise of the monsoon based on the rainfall index. The examination of linear trends show that the length of the season has gotten longer and wetter, with earlier onsets and later demises since the beginning of the 20th century. One final aspect of the monsoon that is investigated is the interannual variability of the monsoon and how the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) impacts the onset, demise, length of season, and total rainfall of the Australian monsoon. It is observed that warm or cold ENSO events are associated with shorter or longer Australian monsoon season, respectively. Similarly, these warm or cold ENSO events are associated with drier or wetter seasonal rainfall anomalies of the Australian monsoon, respectively.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Thesis submitted to the Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 2, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Australia, Demise, ENSO, Monsoon, Onset, Rainfall
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Vasubandhu Misra, Professor Directing Thesis; Robert Hart, Committee Member; Allison Wing, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Atmospheric sciences
DEGREE: Masters
FILENAME: UrenaSalas_fsu_0071E_15329.pdf
TITLE: The Disablement Process of Aging United States Veterans
AUTHOR: Urena Salas, Stephanie
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Taylor, Miles G., 1976-
MEMBER (university representative): Joiner, Thomas, Jr.
MEMBER (committee member): Quadagno, Jill S.
MEMBER (committee member): Carr, Dawn C.
MEMBER (committee member): McFarland, Michael J., (Sociology professor)
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Social Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME:
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (115 pages)
ABSTRACT: Older United States (U.S.) veterans are a population at risk for disability due to their early life experiences with military service and increasing age. Military service was a normative part of early adult life for today’s older U.S. population, bringing the number of veterans aged 60 and older in 2015 to over 9.3 million. Despite older veterans’ lived experience, substantial population size, and potential impact on the U.S. health care system, the details of their later-life disability experience are not well understood. The following project uses the nationally representative, longitudinal Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to examine the role of veteran status on the disablement process of veterans compared to nonveterans over a decade (2004-2014), including an exploration of the underlying life course mechanisms influencing disablement, with the goal of providing a recent look at the long-term physical health consequences of military service. Chapter 3 establishes the occurrence of an observable veteran health paradox among HRS respondents 60 years and older. I unpack the components of the disablement process of veterans compared to nonveterans by creating separate baseline 10-year trajectories for number of chronic conditions, disability, and mortality, including veteran status, age, race, and father’s education in the model. Three different disability trajectories were measured to capture the gradual progression and severity of disability: functional limitations (FLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and activities of daily living (ADLs) which are considered the most severe manifestation of disability. The trajectories depict counterintuitive results: veterans have more chronic conditions but less self-reported FLs, IADLs, and ADLs compared to nonveterans. This finding stands in contrast to the progression of disablement described by Verbrugge and colleagues in the aging and disability literature. Veterans in this sample are also observed to experience a marginally lower risk of mortality at baseline but a significantly greater increasing risk of mortality over time compared to nonveterans, such that veterans have a survival deficit over the majority of the analytic period. The results of more chronic conditions, lower disability, and higher mortality suggest that veterans may die from diseases rather than becoming disabled. These findings are counterintuitive to the traditional disablement process and strongly suggest a veteran health paradox. Chronic conditions appear to play a crucial role within the disablement process of veterans, and they may hold answers to their overall disablement experience, so they are further tested in Chapter 4. Chapter 4 uses the same analytic sample from Chapter 3 to conduct a closer examination of chronic conditions and their role in the observed veteran health paradox. An interaction term for number of chronic conditions and veteran status (chronic conditions * veteran status) along with sociodemographic predictors and life course pathways are added to the trajectory models, which are also run separately with dichotomous variables of seven specific chronic conditions (arthritis, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, lung disease, and stroke) and their corresponding interaction with veteran status (specific chronic condition * veteran status). The findings suggest that veterans have less disability despite having more chronic conditions than nonveterans. Veterans, specifically those who self-reported having chronic conditions, seem to have an initial advantage in mortality that diminishes to meet the level of mortality for nonveterans by the end of the analytic period. Further inspection of chronic conditions and life course mechanisms suggest the interaction between veteran status and chronic conditions is driving the effects, with arthritis, diabetes, and heart disease standing out as significant in translating to lower disability (i.e. functional limitations) for veterans compared to their nonveteran counterparts. Exploration of covariates and life course pathways establish socioeconomic status, marriage, and health care access as independently protective mechanisms by which veterans fare better in the disablement process than nonveterans. These findings support the existence of an observed veteran health paradox within the sample and further highlight that the early stages of the disablement process play a key role in disability outcomes for veterans compared to nonveterans. The evidence for the veteran health paradox is new to the aging literature and reinforces the notion that veteran status is still a hidden variable with complex associations that may substantially alter results of population-level studies of health and disability processes. Acknowledgement of the nuanced disablement process of veterans is important for targeting prevention of chronic disease and disability, reduction of healthcare costs, and planning for the future of veteran-specific and population-level disability. This study is intended to make improvements in the overall health equity of U.S. veterans by informing researchers and policy-makers of their paradoxical disablement process and the importance of early stages of disablement to their later-life disability outcomes. Of note, the results highlight the need to tailor the chronic condition and disability management of older adults to their unique early-life experiences and the potential for early intervention to mitigate the onset of disability in later life. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of the unique disablement process of veterans compared to nonveterans. Mechanisms stemming from specific service-related experiences—combat, environmental hazards, duration of service (career veterans vs. non-career veterans)—should be explored when possible. Differential onset of disability and differential health care access and utilization of veterans compared to nonveterans should also be explored as potential mechanisms for the observed veteran health paradox. All future research should strive for the use of nationally representative, longitudinal samples that include a marker for veteran status, and should use prospective veteran cohorts to document how younger veteran cohorts experience disablement and forecast how healthcare should adapt to their changing needs.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Sociologyin partial fulfillment of therequirements for the degree ofDoctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): July 10, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Health & Retirement Study, Veterans
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Miles G. Taylor, Professor Directing Dissertation; Thomas E. Joiner, University Representative; Jill B. Quadagno, Committee Member; Dawn C. Carr, Committee Member; Michael J. McFarland, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Aging
SUBJECT: Public health
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Uttermark_fsu_0071E_15314.pdf
TITLE: The Determinants of Vote Choice in Ballot Measure Elections
AUTHOR: Uttermark, Matthew Joseph
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Weissert, Carol S.
MEMBER (university representative): Herrington, Carolyn D.
MEMBER (committee member): Barrilleaux, Charles
MEMBER (committee member): Pietryka, Matthew T.
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College Ofsocial Sciences and Public Policy
CORPORATE NAME: Department of Political Science
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (152 pages)
ABSTRACT: This dissertation consists of three essays examining the role of direct democracy in the American states. The papers broadly examine how actors in the direct democracy process decide to support ballot measures. Paper one is a panel experiment, conducted on the 2016 CCES. It explores what information matters to voters and when it matters in evaluating ballot measures. Paper two is an analysis of how newspapers cover ballot measures and how coverage influences voters. Paper three is an analysis of ballot measures and decentralization – exploring when and how decentralization influences citizen ballot measure support. Below I include brief abstracts of each. When and what types of informational cues do voters rely on when forming opinions? Previous tests on the influence of cues have used static, single time-frame designs and highlight the strength of partisan cues. In essay one, I make two contributions to that literature. It examines both partisan cues and policy information and does so over time. Using a panel experiment, I find that partisan cues trump policy cues when both are equally recent. However, policy information is capable of trumping party cues when policy information is more recent. These findings provide evidence that static experimental designs fail to capture the nuances of opinion formation that emerge from a more dynamic approach and that the type of cue leads to different effects at different times. Newspapers play a critical role in democracy–providing one of the few substantive and trustworthy sources of information for voters. Previous research has found that newspaper coverage of partisan elections is biased in the direction of the editorial board’s endorsement. I extend this research to ballot measures. Newspapers may engage in selection bias, dedicating more space to discussing one side of a ballot measure than alternative voting options, or presentation bias, presenting one side of a ballot measure campaign more favorably than alternative voting options. In essay two, I answer these questions: First, is newspaper coverage biased in ballot endorsement elections? Second, what types of bias do papers engage in? Finally, does the bias of newspaper coverage in ballot elections affect the outcome of ballot measure elections? I collect a sample of 36 initiative elections across five media markets to evaluate coverage. Using this data, I perform a content analysis examining how newspapers cover ballot initiative elections. I find that newspaper engage in both selection and presentation bias. Additionally, while the tone of coverage is not directly associated with support for initiative measures, positive press coverage does decrease the relative impact of a newspaper’s editorial endorsement. For decades, scholars of American and comparative federalism have found evidence of centralizing behavior in political institutions. The study of devolution has been relegated to specific policies (e.g. welfare reform) or dismissed as rhetorical bluster. In essay three, I argue that scholars of centralization have overlooked a potential institution of devolution – state ballot measures. I analyze a novel dataset of ballot measures in the U.S. states coded to reflect devolutionary impact. I find evidence that citizen-proposed ballot measures are decentralizing in nature and that centralization – regardless of proposing actor – is negatively associated with probability of passage.
NOTE (embargo): 0
NOTE (Submitted Note): A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Political Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.
NOTE (Degree Awarded): Summer Semester 2019.
NOTE (Date of Defense): June 14, 2019.
NOTE (Keywords): Ballot Measure, Decentralization, Direct Democracy, Federalism
NOTE (Bibliography Note): Includes bibliographical references.
NOTE (Advisory Committee): Carol S. Weissert, Professor Directing Dissertation; Carolyn D. Herrington, University Representative; Charles Barrilleaux, Committee Member; Matthew T. Pietryka, Committee Member.
SUBJECT: Political science
DEGREE: Doctoral
FILENAME: Valladares_fsu_0071E_15174.pdf
TITLE: The Milner Legacy: The Empire and Appeasement Shaped Interwar Anglo-German Relations
AUTHOR: Valladares, David M. (David Miguel)
MEMBER (professor directing dissertation): Creswell, Michael, 1958-
MEMBER (university representative): Souva, Mark A.
MEMBER (committee member): Blaufarb, Rafe
MEMBER (committee member): Grant, Jonathan A., 1963-
MEMBER (committee member): Upchurch, Charles, 1969-
CORPORATE NAME: Florida State University
CORPORATE NAME: College of Arts and Sciences
CORPORATE NAME: Department of History
PUBLICATION: Tallahassee, Florida: Florida State University, 2019
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: 1 online resource (237 pages)