The Influence of Occupational Socialization on Coaches' Perceptions of Values-Based Coaching

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThis dissertation explored how coaches' beliefs, values, and practices related to Values-Based Coaching (VBC) are shaped by their personal experiences, educational experiences, and the cultural and organizational settings in which they work. Conducted as a trilogy of interrelated qualitative studies, the research investigated the influence of occupational socialization on coaches' understanding, perception, and delivery of VBC within the Football 4 Peace (F4P) program across three diverse settings: Northern Ireland, England, and The Gambia.Guided by Occupational Socialization Theory, each study examined four key phases of influence, acculturation, professional socialization, secondary professional socialization, and organizational socialization, on coaches' pedagogical approaches to delivering F4P's five core values: Trust, Respect, Responsibility, Equity, and Inclusion. Primary data were gathered through semistructured interviews with a total of 26 coaches, supported by artifact analysis and ideal program submissions. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns across each socialization phase and to compare how coaches espoused and enacted the VBC model in their respective contexts.Findings revealed that while all coaches supported a full or full+ version of the VBC model in principle, the actual delivery varied considerably based on contextual and structural factors. In Northern Ireland, coaches navigated tensions between ideal and practice, with some delivering diluted or implicit versions due to evolving program support and funding limitations. In England, coaches demonstrated greater consistency between belief and practice, aided by a stable training infrastructure. In The Gambia, all coaches implemented a full+ model, reinterpreting VBC through local values, oral traditions, and gender equity concerns to enhance relevance and impact.This dissertation contributes new insight to both sport pedagogy and the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) literature by demonstrating how coaches act as critical mediators between theory and practice. It highlights the need for coach education programs that are not only grounded in sound pedagogical principles, but also flexible enough to respond to the unique sociocultural dynamics of the communities they serve. The findings suggest that recruitment and the effectiveness of the coaches should not be based in their playing level and ability but in their experiences and motivations

Nourishing Identity: the Intersection of Foodways, Body Image, & Cultural Values in Perugia, Italy

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThe bodies of women are especially contested spaces through expectations of bodily size, beauty, and aesthetics. These expectations hurt not only women’s physical bodies but also their mental representations of themselves in the form of body image. In pursuit of the idealized body, food may be sacrificed, leading to mental illnesses such as eating disorders which can affect 15.3% of women by their mid-life according to a study in the UK (Micali et al., 2017) and can sometimes be fatal. Thin-ideal internalization is reinforced through mass media, social relationships, and other extrinsic factors (Thompson & Stice, 2001). Therefore, it is essential for global health to investigate the sociocultural forces that affect body image and especially foodways. This research investigated the degree to which the culinary tradition in Perugia, Italy – a locality where food holds deep cultural significance- affects the body image of women ages 18-30. Few studies have examined cultural foodways and their impacts on the lived experiences of women in their bodies. While studies have investigated food behaviors and eating disorders, no ethnographic studies have examined the influence of cultural foodways upon the construction and maintenance of body image within the lives of women in Perugia. This study critically analyzes culinary tradition, embodied dispositions towards Christianity, and the mother-daughter dyad in the creation and maintenance of body image and its subsequent effect on eating behaviors. Drawing on field research, interviews, and existing scholarship, this work contributes to the anthropological notion that the body is a rich wellspring of anthropological knowledge (Csordas,1994). Ultimately, this research asserts that cultural models of the body are deeply intertwined with culinary traditions and one’s cultural locality, affecting even the tacit expressions of everyday life

Numerical Investigation of the Rayleigh-Taylor Instability Under Various Time-Dependent Acceleration Profile

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThe dynamic properties of an interfacial flow between heavy and light incompressible fluids that are initially Rayleigh-Taylor unstable and are subjected to an external acceleration vector field that is orthogonal to the density gradient are studied. Most instances of Rayleigh-Taylor instability occurring in nature are driven by gravity, a constant acceleration. However, there are some engineering applications, such as high-energy-density processes observed in inertial and magnetic confined fusion capsules where the acceleration field has alternative orientations. In those applications, Rayleigh-Taylor instability is known to evolve under time-varying acceleration profiles, a phenomenon also observed in Supernova formation. Here, we perform implicit large eddy simulations of density stratification under time-dependent acceleration profiles. Most earlier studies of Rayleigh-Taylor instability under variable acceleration have used a sequence of step functions to simulate acceleration reversals (accel-decel-accel). For the current study, we utilize sinusoidal profiles, which allow for a smoother transition between acceleration and deceleration and are believed to be more representative of transitions that occur in engineering and astrophysical applications. For various imposed acceleration profiles, we compare spatially averaged statistics of the evolving flow against a straightforward and widely utilized displacement length scale, the double-integral of acceleration. It will be shown here that this scaling allows distinction between the mean behaviors due to the step-wise and the smooth acceleration profiles and, importantly, that the flow tends to move towards self-similar evolution quicker when the acceleration profile is smoother

Investigating Amyloid Aggregates in Neurodegenerative Diseases Using Label-Free Vibrational Microscopy

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThe work presented in this dissertation focuses on the application of label-free vibrational imaging techniques to characterize amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregates to better understand their structural and chemical variations in neuropathological disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA). The aggregation of Aβ peptides is at the heart of AD and CAA development and progression. These neurodegenerative diseases represent a world health crisis with estimated cases projected to exceed 14 million by 2060. In AD, Aβ deposition leads to formation of plaques while CAA involves vascular aggregates. Amyloid aggregates have been studied extensively in vitro and detailed structural information on fibrillar amyloid aggregates is available. However, associating these structural models to amyloid aggregates in the human brain is still a major challenge. The characterization of Aβ aggregates in the brain, particularly in terms of protein secondary structure and associated chemical composition, remains poorly understood. Raman microspectroscopy was employed to identify the presence of chemical moieties such as carotenoids associated with plaques and vascular amyloids, the main hallmarks of AD and CAA in postmortem Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) human brain specimens. The obtained results reveal that the distribution of carotenoids is correlated to the β-sheet population of the cerebral aggregates. To validate these findings and better understand the correlation of carotenoids to amyloid structure, spatially resolved Mid-Infrared Photothermal (MIP) spectroscopy was used. Taken together, the results presented in this thesis provide insights into the role of carotenoid species as inflammatory species in AD and CAA and demonstrate the existence of distinct subclasses of amyloid aggregates with likely different roles in pathogenesis. The use of MIP was further expanded towards protein aggregates and studied the change in the composition of vascular amyloids with CAA severity. Our results demonstrate a lipid driven aggregation mechanism where later stages of CAA exhibit amyloid aggregates containing significant populations of antiparallel β-sheet structure, typically thought of as transient intermediates during aggregation. These findings highlight the complex nature of amyloid aggregation in disease and unequivocally show that different amyloid structures can be associated with different disease states

Analysis of Student Engagement Factors That Contribute to Self-Reported GPA: a Quantitative Study Using the Four NSSE Themes

Electronic Thesis or DissertationStudent engagement is a commonly researched topic with most researchers determining student engagement leads to higher academic achievement (Astin, 1984; Kuh, 2009b). This study sought to determine if students' perceptions of their GPA were directly related to their level of engagement. Secondary data was used from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). This study used the framework of Astin's I-E-O student engagement model (1993). This study used the four NSSE defined engagement themes; Academic Challenge, Learning with Peers, Experiences with Faculty, and Campus Environment as well as the student's self-reported GPA. The sample for this study included students who participated in the spring 2018 NSSE. Only students who identified as a first-year student attending a four-year public university and answered all questions on the survey were included in the data set.The results of this study revealed that the four engagement themes were positively correlated with each other. As one area of engagement increased, the other areas also increased. This study also revealed that while there is a significant predictive model between engagement and self-reported GPA, the model only addresses a small portion of the variability. Based on demographic data, first-generation college students had the most predictive model, suggesting engagement plays a larger role in their perception of academic achievement

Standardization of Skin Cancer Screening During an Adult Annual Wellness Exam in the Primary Care Setting

DNP ProjectSkin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., with about 9,500 new cases daily. The American Cancer Society and the American Academy of Dermatology recommend skin cancer screening and counseling during annual wellness check-ups, especially for high-risk individuals. This quality improvement project aims to facilitate early detection and intervention for skin cancer within the primary care environment by standardizing skin cancer screenings during adult annual wellness visits. Four-week retrospective chart reviews were conducted to survey how many patients received skin cancer screenings and dermatology referrals during their adult annual wellness exams. Implementation lasted four weeks, and all adult patients undergoing wellness exams received skin cancer screenings using the SAMScore tool along with a dermatology referral if indicated. The four-week retrospective chart review of 23 patients revealed 0% documented screenings or dermatology referrals. After an educational in-service and integration of the SAMScore tool into the workflow, a four-week post implementation review showed that 100% of 22 patients received documented skin cancer screenings with no referrals needed. Statistical analysis using Chi-Square and Fisher’s exact test indicated a significant improvement in screening rates post intervention (χ² = 45.00, df = 1, p < .001). These results support the effectiveness of the intervention in enhancing early skin cancer detection in the primary care setting

Evaluating the Effect of Laser and Shot Peening on Hydrogen Diffusivity and Trapping and Corrosion Susceptibility in High Strength Steel

Electronic Thesis or DissertationThis thesis will present work on the effect of laser peening and shot peening on hydrogen diffusivity and trapping in 4340 high strength steel, along with corrosion behavior. Surface engineering, such as laser peening and shot peening, imparts plastic deformation resulting in compressive residual stresses and increased dislocation densities. This has been shown to dramatically increase fatigue life in various materials and applications. However, due to the sensitivity of high strength steels to hydrogen embrittlement, it is unknown how the increased hardness and dislocation density caused by laser peening will affect processes related to hydrogen-influenced cracking. In this work, electrochemical procedures were used to assess these structure-property relationships. Hydrogen permeation testing was conducted per ASTM G148-97, which allowed for calculating the effective hydrogen diffusivity of laser peened, shot peened, and unpeened 4340. Hydrogen trapping was also evaluated through electrochemical potentiostatic hydrogen charging and discharging. A roughly order-of-magnitude decrease in diffusivity was found within the laser peened region due to the increase in trap density

Exploring college students’ eating patterns during a global health crisis: a qualitative approach using the social ecological model

Open Access ArticleThe purpose of this study was to gain a comprehensive understanding of the experience of the pandemic on U.S. college students' eating patterns, using the Social Ecological Model as a framework. Individual online interviews with 21 college students were conducted, and transcribed interviews were analyzed using a deductive content analysis approach. The findings revealed that intrapersonal, interpersonal, environmental, and policy factors influenced college students’ eating behaviors during the pandemic. These findings can inform guidelines and recommendations for college foodservice operations, restaurants, and other relevant organizations to support healthy eating habits among students during future outbreaks

Characterization of Structural Evolution as a Function of Alloy Composition, Strain Rate, and Heat Input for Precipitation Strengthened Aluminum Alloys Processed via Additive Friction Stir Deposition

Electronic Thesis or DissertationPrecipitation strengthened aluminum alloys have been identified for their use in a wide range of aerospace and structural applications due to the excellent strength-to-weight ratio these alloys exhibit. However, these alloys experience significant challenges due to cracking caused by solidification shrinkage when they are processed with fusion based manufacturing methods. This issue severely limits their use case as fusion additive manufacturing (AM) begins to become more common in the commercial manufacturing space. Recent advances in solid-state additive manufacturing offer the opportunity to overcome these issues for the applications of near net shape additive manufacturing and material repair. Additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) provides fully dense material deposition without the concerns caused by the re-solidification of the material during the manufacturing process. This dissertation investigates the effect of variations in the fundamental components of the AFSD process and the composition of high strength aluminum alloys has on the structure and mechanical properties of 7000-series aluminum alloys. Modifications in total heat input due to parameter driven operating temperatures and total number of thermal cycles lead to changes in the secondary phase precipitate size and distribution in as-deposited AA7050. These changes correspond to observable gradients in mechanical properties recorded across regions with different total heat inputs. Using AA7020, AA7050, and AA7075, the compositional variations in the Al-Mg-Zn-Cu alloy system have on the secondary phase composition and kinetics of material processed via the AFSD process. In situ neutron diffraction allowed for the observation of phase kinetics during the dissolution of the η-phase in as-deposited and feedstock samples as well as the how the modification of alloy composition leads to quantifiable changes in the amount of secondary strengthening phases in both as-deposited and feedstock samples. Finally, the impact of the fundamental components of the AFSD process have on AA7050 both in isolation and coupled together was observed. In situ heating during electron microscopy allowed for the observation of the effect of subsequent thermal cycling on the as-deposited AA7050 nanostructure and the quantification of the precipitate growth coefficient in the deposition

Exploring Health Disparities Among Black American Women of Reproductive Age

Electronic Thesis or DissertationBlack American women are at a unique and complex intersection in that they make up a racial and gender minority demographic in the United States. Within the literature, there is some evidence of health disparities among Black American women of reproductive age, suggesting greater risk for cancer, chronic conditions, health risk behaviors, and mental health. However, most of the literature surrounding this population focuses on maternal health outcomes such as maternal mortality and morbidity, leaving a gap in the literature regarding other health disparities that affect this population. Using secondary data analysis of cross-sectional public health surveys, this work found significant evidence of health disparities faced by Black American women of reproductive age. These findings add to the current literature which lacks emphasis on areas outside of maternal health among this population and inform future directions for public health research, clinical practice, and health policy. Guided by the NIMHD Research Framework, this work established that individual, interpersonal, community, and societal-level factors significantly influence health outcomes and perpetuate disparities among Black American women of reproductive age