The feminization of private investigation: a sociological analysis

This dissertation outlines the occupation of private investigation and the role that females play within that profession. The difficulties women experience in male-oriented occupations remains noteworthy in sociological research today. Progress has been made, yet many barriers still exist for women. These include structural, social, and cultural factors that influence women and/or the jobs that they hold. With the completion of interviews with twenty-six female private investigators, I was able to analyze the existing structural, interactional, and gender barriers which moderate the number of women that work as private investigators. Few studies have examined this occupation and this gap may be detrimental to our understanding of this issue. I discovered that women have less difficulty getting into and succeeding in private investigation than in law enforcement. Finally, I found that based on the nature of the work, client demand, opportunity for self-employment, and limited training requirements, females have risen in the labor queue that feeds private investigation. I argue that females may be more desirable to employers and clients because of the advantages their gender provides. Exploration of this topic holds importance for a comprehensive understanding of the position of women in the occupational structure

Synthesis, Characterization, and Assessment of Cationic Polypeptoids Toward Gene Delivery and Development of Air Stable N-Substituted N-Thiocarboxyanhydrides

Peptoids are a class of peptidomimetic polymers, which have attracted much attention over the years. Due to their structural similarity to peptides, this group of polymers affords good biocompatibility making them of interest for biomedical applications. This dissertation is largely about the design, synthesis, and characterization of cationic polypeptoids for biological applications, particularly nonviral gene delivery. The dissertation will also cover the development, characterization, and polymerization behavior of a new, air stable N-thiocarboxyanhydride (NTA) monomer. Introducing functionality, such as small biomolecules and organic compounds can provide distinctive properties to the polymers. Chapter 1 introduces gene therapy and concepts pertinent to the topic. Cell transfection and methods and techniques used to carry out the process are described along with their associated advantages and disadvantages. Chapter 2 provides an overview on the fundamental aspects of polypeptoids as well as previous and recent developments in synthetic strategies, post-polymerization modification, and biological applications in various fields. Chapter 3 describes the development of cationic polypeptoids by traditional polymerization and post-functionalization methods. Analogue’s gene delivery capabilities demonstrated in this chapter establish the potential of this peptidomimetic class of polymers as carriers for gene delivery. Work presented in chapter 4 emphasizes more on the application attribute of cationic polypeptoids via delivery of TNF-a siRNA for effective knockdown of systemic inflammation. Based upon studies done in chapters 3-4, chapter 5 explores a new direction of varying polymer architectures. The effect of architecture on the nonviral gene delivery of diblock copolypeptoids in serum was assessed. Research foci of Chapter 6 pertains to the development, characterization, and polymerization of new, N-Allyl N-thiocarboxyanhydrosulfide (NTA), the mercapto analog of the corresponding NCA. The NTA exhibited enhanced moisture-stability but reduced polymerization activities relative to the NCA analogs

The Calming Effects of Modified Lighting

This dissertation consists of three articles examining the effects of modified lighting on commonly observed behaviors in children diagnosed with behavior-based disabilities. Prior literature has evaluated the effect of lighting on academic skills. Unfortunately, there is an absence of evidence regarding the effect of lighting on behaviors. Taken together these three articles will clearly display the importance of carefully designing lighting in classrooms, specifically in classrooms that include children with behavior-based disabilities. The first article (Chapter 2) evaluates the effect lighting with low level illumination has on the behaviors commonly observed in a child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The second article (Chapter 3) evaluates the same effect in a child diagnosed with Emotional Disorder (EMD) and ADHD. The third article (Chapter 4) is written with a practitioner focus including recommendation for environmental changes that potentially create a calmer environment. The two studies were conducted using an ABAB design across twenty days in a general education inclusion setting. The researcher requested the general education teacher and special education teacher of record to complete the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3) to determine behaviors that were most comto the student participants. The Behavioral Observation of Students in Schools (BOSS) software was used to track frequency of behaviors throughout each phase of the studies. Visual analysis was used and demonstrated change between baseline and intervention phases and sets of data collected by the BOSS software were statistically analyzed by using a nonparametric measure of nonoverlap called Improvement Rate Difference (IRD). The third article consists of a brief literature review, simplified results from articles one and two, a brief case study, and author suggestions for implementation of variable lighting in additional classrooms. Recommendations regarding administrative responsibility in regard to classroom environment improvement are also discussed

Effect of Cell Wall Destruction on Anaerobic Digestion of Algal Biomass

Research was conducted using algal biomass obtained from the surface of a secondary clarifier at Bridge City Wastewater Treatment Plant and subsequently sent through an electrochemical (EC) batch reactor at various concentrations. The first objective was to achieve maximum cell wall destruction electrochemically using the EC batch reactor and determine the optimal detention time and voltage/current relationship at which this occurred. The second objective was to subject two algal mediums to anaerobic digestion: the algal medium without electrochemical disinfection and the algal medium after disinfection. Every three days, for 12 days, total solids were measured from each apparatus to determine if cell destruction increased, decreased or did not change the consumption rate of algae by anaerobic bacteria. The consumption rate of algae is directly proportional to the production of methane, which can be used as a source of biofuel

Effect of Cell Wall Destruction on Anaerobic Digestion of Algal Biomass

Research was conducted using algal biomass obtained from the surface of a secondary clarifier at Bridge City Wastewater Treatment Plant and subsequently sent through an electrochemical (EC) batch reactor at various concentrations. The first objective was to achieve maximum cell wall destruction electrochemically using the EC batch reactor and determine the optimal detention time and voltage/current relationship at which this occurred. The second objective was to subject two algal mediums to anaerobic digestion: the algal medium without electrochemical disinfection and the algal medium after disinfection. Every three days, for 12 days, total solids were measured from each apparatus to determine if cell destruction increased, decreased or did not change the consumption rate of algae by anaerobic bacteria. The consumption rate of algae is directly proportional to the production of methane, which can be used as a source of biofuel

THE PROMISES AND REALITIES OF EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES: PERCEPTIONS FROM ASSESSMENT PERSONNEL

Assessment personnel are those individuals who work in the capacity of evaluation of students with disabilities, including, but not limited to, educational diagnosticians, educational examiners, psychometrists, and instructional specialists. These professionals are responsible for identifying strengths and weaknesses and for providing teachers with evidence-based recommendations that can be implemented in the classroom to improve performance of students with learning deficits. This qualitative study examines 19 educational diagnosticians’ perceptions related to the barriers and supports that impacted their ability to provide evidence-based recommendations for students who are learning disabled. Three categories of barriers to issuing successful evidence-based recommendations emerged as a result of the study: Knowledge of Evidence- Based Interventions, Time to Complete Assessments, and Support from Administrators and Teachers

Whorephobia in Higher Education: a reflexive account of researching cis women’s experiences of stripping while at university

This is a reflexive account of carrying out ‘dirty research’ on cis women’s experiences of working as erotic dancers while at university in the UK. Focusing on the recruitment process, I discuss how universities avoided becoming ‘subjects’ of research by blocking the study and labelling it ‘extremely sensitive’ or ‘inappropriate’. By scrutinising the fieldwork, this revealed the prevalence of whorephobia within Higher Education and the general, rather than idiosyncratic, prioritisation of institutional reputation management at the expense of silencing marginalised voices and experiences. This article adds to scholarship problematising the taken-for-granted, subjective power wielded by research ethics committees which has the potential to curtail academic freedom and the advancement of knowledge and debate within specific fields. By restricting access to potential participants and through delay tactics, this hindered my ability to carry out the initial research design, shaping the type of data gathered and the knowledge I was able to contribute to this already under-researched area of study

Experiential Learning in the Library

This talk will provide a brief overview of constructivism and experiential theories of learning. The work of Chatterjee, Hannan and Thomson in their book "Engaging the Senses: Object-Based Learning in Higher Education," will be viewed through the lens of library services for the STEM and STEAM areas. Information regarding current library services as they concern supporting materials and programs such as makerspaces, fablabs, and tinker-spaces will be explored. This talk will attempt to draw connections between the known pedagogical literature and "real world objects" in libraries.UT Librarie

Degrees on the side: student employment and the neoliberal university

This article draws on interviews with 39 female students who work, in order to refute contradictory, and class-blind, narratives that see students as either workshy, or as ‘failing’ to prioritise their education over paid employment. The data reveals that dominant ideas of the undergraduate experience are outmoded and fail to represent the multiplicity and complexity of students’ lives. The experiences of the interviewees make it clear just how wide of the mark universities and governments are in their understanding of the employment pressures faced by many students. Rather than being un/employed, young people are now engaging with university and work in ‘new’ ways, in response to the increased neoliberalisation of higher education and the labour markets. Participants ranged from students with side-jobs to students who were doing their degrees ‘on the side’; either as a strategic form of income generation and/or as a result of structural inequalities. The findings from the study add to scholarship demonstrating the need to rethink higher education and how it is delivered in the UK